Division Street resident Ryan Gamby voices his concerns about a possible expansion of the Reckitt manufacturing plant to the Zeeland City Council Monday.
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Some residents on Zeeland’s east side are concerned about a possible expansion of the Reckitt manufacturing facility and its potential impact on nearby neighborhoods.
About 25 residents who live in the area of East Main Avenue, Division Street and Park Street turned out at a City Council meeting Monday night to share their concerns.
Ryan Gamby, a Division Street resident, said that Reckitt has been buying or attempting to buy properties to the south and west of its facility at 725 E. Main Ave. He said the company has purchased the residential property at 633 E. Main and also bought the Bennett Wood Specialties building on Carlton.
“Even more concerning, Reckitt has made inquiries about buying every property just north of Main Avenue, from Fairview to Carlton, including Bethel Christian Reformed Church and the Cityside townhomes located directly across the street from my house,” Gamby said. “They’ve also made inquiries about purchasing the bus garage and the fields that are currently owned by Zeeland Public Schools.”
Reckitt took over the Zeeland facility in 2017 when it acquired Mead Johnson Nutritionals. The plant, which was built in 1924, manufactures infant formula.
City Manager Tim Klunder said that no site plans or rezoning requests tied to a Reckitt expansion have been presented to the city.
“We’ve had communications with them about their general desire to expand,” Klunder said, noting that nothing specific has been proposed to this point.
Gamby said that the neighbors “collectively oppose” rezoning any residential properties on East Main, from Fairview to Carlton, as well as “any industrial expansion that encroaches closer to our residential neighborhoods.”
“I can’t adequately express the amount of anxiety that many residents are feeling about these developments,” he said. “We love living (here). We cherish our neighborhoods and our quality of life.”
Ericka Humbert, who lives on Main across from Bethel CRC, questioned the possible expansion in light of the city’s master plan.
“Several of the parcels Reckitt is pursuing are not compatible with industrial zoning, and if changed, would threaten existing houses and critically damage the value and appeal of dozens more through noise pollution, traffic problems, off-putting smells, air pollution, greenspace loss and destruction of aesthetically-pleasing views,” Humbert said.
The Reckitt site is about 31 acres in area and is zoned for general industrial use. A parking expansion was approved for the site in 2021. The last major building addition took place in 2015, when an 80-foot-tall formula blending processing building was constructed, city Community Development Director Tim Maday said.
Zeeland Record
Some residents on Zeeland’s east side are concerned about a possible expansion of the Reckitt manufacturing facility and its potential impact on nearby neighborhoods.
About 25 residents who live in the area of East Main Avenue, Division Street and Park Street turned out at a City Council meeting Monday night to share their concerns.
Ryan Gamby, a Division Street resident, said that Reckitt has been buying or attempting to buy properties to the south and west of its facility at 725 E. Main Ave. He said the company has purchased the residential property at 633 E. Main and also bought the Bennett Wood Specialties building on Carlton.
“Even more concerning, Reckitt has made inquiries about buying every property just north of Main Avenue, from Fairview to Carlton, including Bethel Christian Reformed Church and the Cityside townhomes located directly across the street from my house,” Gamby said. “They’ve also made inquiries about purchasing the bus garage and the fields that are currently owned by Zeeland Public Schools.”
Reckitt took over the Zeeland facility in 2017 when it acquired Mead Johnson Nutritionals. The plant, which was built in 1924, manufactures infant formula.
City Manager Tim Klunder said that no site plans or rezoning requests tied to a Reckitt expansion have been presented to the city.
“We’ve had communications with them about their general desire to expand,” Klunder said, noting that nothing specific has been proposed to this point.
Gamby said that the neighbors “collectively oppose” rezoning any residential properties on East Main, from Fairview to Carlton, as well as “any industrial expansion that encroaches closer to our residential neighborhoods.”
“I can’t adequately express the amount of anxiety that many residents are feeling about these developments,” he said. “We love living (here). We cherish our neighborhoods and our quality of life.”
Ericka Humbert, who lives on Main across from Bethel CRC, questioned the possible expansion in light of the city’s master plan.
“Several of the parcels Reckitt is pursuing are not compatible with industrial zoning, and if changed, would threaten existing houses and critically damage the value and appeal of dozens more through noise pollution, traffic problems, off-putting smells, air pollution, greenspace loss and destruction of aesthetically-pleasing views,” Humbert said.
The Reckitt site is about 31 acres in area and is zoned for general industrial use. A parking expansion was approved for the site in 2021. The last major building addition took place in 2015, when an 80-foot-tall formula blending processing building was constructed, city Community Development Director Tim Maday said.
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