By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Despite strong objections from neighboring residents, Zeeland Township planning commissioners on May 13 took a first step toward approving rezoning of a 13.4-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Woodbridge Street and 96th Avenue.
Commissioners voted 6-2 to recommend the Township Board rezone the property at 9501 Woodbridge St. from R-1 rural residential to R-2 medium-density planned unit development. The parcel is located about a half-mile west of Woodbridge Elementary School, and its northern property line runs parallel to Interstate 196.
It’s the fourth different time a rezoning request for the property has been presented to the township in the last 14 months. In each instance, the request met with heavy opposition from neighbors.
Project engineer Jacob Melton presented a preliminary plan to commissioners that calls for 41 housing units on the site – 29 single-family homes and six duplexes. The development would include four acres of land being set aside as open space, as well as a walking trail and sidewalks.
“It is in line with the goals, policies and future land use map that was developed by the community and planning commission,” Melton said.
A developer could build as many as 61 housing units on the site under an R-2 PUD zoning designation. By comparison, that same developer could build up to 38 single-family homes under the present rural residential zoning, Township Zoning Administrator Lori Castello said.
The township’s residential PUD ordinance requires that such developments be at least five acres in size, that each lot be a minimum of 6,500 square feet, that at least 30 percent of the property be set aside as open space, that at least 70 percent of the development consist of single-family homes and that no building contain more than four dwelling units.
“The reason they’re asking for the R-2 (PUD) is to allow for the reduced lot size or larger open space areas,” Castello said.
More than 30 residents showed up for the public hearing to speak out against the rezoning, raising concerns ranging from increased traffic to drainage to negative impact on neighboring property values which they say will result from the proposed development.
“I can sit for 10 minutes waiting to get out onto 96th sometimes, and that’s just from my driveway,” said Mike Muskovin, who lives at the southeast corner of 96th and Woodbridge, across the street from the property being proposed for rezoning.
“I don’t see anything wrong with going with the R-1 – put in all the houses they can with the R-1, make them nice houses, make them quality houses. Don’t give them this cheap on-slab stuff that’s the same color and houses that are 10-15 feet apart … if you do that for one, you’ll open up the floodgates for (similar projects).”
The township’s future land use map shows the parcel eventually being rezoned as medium-density residential.
“When I look at this plan, it is on developed roads, it has sewer, it has water, it’s within walking distance of a school, which all makes it very desirable property,” Castello said.
Planning Commission Chairwoman Karen Kreuze said that the vote was a first step, and developers must provide additional information to the township before any rezoning gains final approval.
“The fire department has to have a say, the (Ottawa County) Road Commission, engineering – all this engineering has to come before us again,” Kreuze said. “That’ll be the next time, whether that’s next month or two months or three months from now. We don’t know how long it takes them to get all this together.”
In their motion, commissioners asked the Township Board to consider requiring all single-family homes and at least one unit in each duplex be owner-occupied.
Voting in favor of recommending the rezoning were Kreuze, Randy Jarzembowski, Steve Nelson, Don Steenwyk, Tim Miedema and Troy Nykamp. Kerri Bosma, who is the Township Board’s liaison to the Planning Commission, voted against the recommendation, as did Bob Brower.
In March 2024, a proposal was presented to the Planning Commission to rezone the property as R-3 multi-family residential.
However, commissioners voted 8-0 to recommend denial of the rezoning, saying it did not fit the master plan and that there were no similar-zoned properties nearby. The Township Board later signed off on the denial, according to township minutes.
A month later, a new rezoning request was presented to commissioners, this time to rezone the site as R-2 medium density residential. Commissioners that time agreed that the plan did fit the master plan and voted 7-1 to send it to the Township Board. But in early May 2024, the board denied the rezoning on a 4-1 vote, according to township minutes.
Then in July 2024, still another proposal was presented, this time to rezone the land as residential planned unit development. Developers proposed 53 two-story single-family homes, with 30 percent of the land set aside as green space and amenities that included pickleball courts and walking trails. The project was presented as affordable housing with a target sale price point of between $200,000 and $300,000, according to township minutes.
In that instance, commissioners did not take a vote, but provided feedback that included such recommendations as having a traffic study done that included peak hours around the school day, input from Woodbridge School administrators and a conservation easement requirement to be included in the draft master deed. The proposal was later discussed by the Township Board but was never voted on, according to township minutes.
The 9501 Woodbridge property was acquired in October of last year by Woodbridge Estates LLC from the Staat Trust at a cost of $1,050,000, according to county property records.
Zeeland Record
Despite strong objections from neighboring residents, Zeeland Township planning commissioners on May 13 took a first step toward approving rezoning of a 13.4-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Woodbridge Street and 96th Avenue.
Commissioners voted 6-2 to recommend the Township Board rezone the property at 9501 Woodbridge St. from R-1 rural residential to R-2 medium-density planned unit development. The parcel is located about a half-mile west of Woodbridge Elementary School, and its northern property line runs parallel to Interstate 196.
It’s the fourth different time a rezoning request for the property has been presented to the township in the last 14 months. In each instance, the request met with heavy opposition from neighbors.
Project engineer Jacob Melton presented a preliminary plan to commissioners that calls for 41 housing units on the site – 29 single-family homes and six duplexes. The development would include four acres of land being set aside as open space, as well as a walking trail and sidewalks.
“It is in line with the goals, policies and future land use map that was developed by the community and planning commission,” Melton said.
A developer could build as many as 61 housing units on the site under an R-2 PUD zoning designation. By comparison, that same developer could build up to 38 single-family homes under the present rural residential zoning, Township Zoning Administrator Lori Castello said.
The township’s residential PUD ordinance requires that such developments be at least five acres in size, that each lot be a minimum of 6,500 square feet, that at least 30 percent of the property be set aside as open space, that at least 70 percent of the development consist of single-family homes and that no building contain more than four dwelling units.
“The reason they’re asking for the R-2 (PUD) is to allow for the reduced lot size or larger open space areas,” Castello said.
More than 30 residents showed up for the public hearing to speak out against the rezoning, raising concerns ranging from increased traffic to drainage to negative impact on neighboring property values which they say will result from the proposed development.
“I can sit for 10 minutes waiting to get out onto 96th sometimes, and that’s just from my driveway,” said Mike Muskovin, who lives at the southeast corner of 96th and Woodbridge, across the street from the property being proposed for rezoning.
“I don’t see anything wrong with going with the R-1 – put in all the houses they can with the R-1, make them nice houses, make them quality houses. Don’t give them this cheap on-slab stuff that’s the same color and houses that are 10-15 feet apart … if you do that for one, you’ll open up the floodgates for (similar projects).”
The township’s future land use map shows the parcel eventually being rezoned as medium-density residential.
“When I look at this plan, it is on developed roads, it has sewer, it has water, it’s within walking distance of a school, which all makes it very desirable property,” Castello said.
Planning Commission Chairwoman Karen Kreuze said that the vote was a first step, and developers must provide additional information to the township before any rezoning gains final approval.
“The fire department has to have a say, the (Ottawa County) Road Commission, engineering – all this engineering has to come before us again,” Kreuze said. “That’ll be the next time, whether that’s next month or two months or three months from now. We don’t know how long it takes them to get all this together.”
In their motion, commissioners asked the Township Board to consider requiring all single-family homes and at least one unit in each duplex be owner-occupied.
Voting in favor of recommending the rezoning were Kreuze, Randy Jarzembowski, Steve Nelson, Don Steenwyk, Tim Miedema and Troy Nykamp. Kerri Bosma, who is the Township Board’s liaison to the Planning Commission, voted against the recommendation, as did Bob Brower.
In March 2024, a proposal was presented to the Planning Commission to rezone the property as R-3 multi-family residential.
However, commissioners voted 8-0 to recommend denial of the rezoning, saying it did not fit the master plan and that there were no similar-zoned properties nearby. The Township Board later signed off on the denial, according to township minutes.
A month later, a new rezoning request was presented to commissioners, this time to rezone the site as R-2 medium density residential. Commissioners that time agreed that the plan did fit the master plan and voted 7-1 to send it to the Township Board. But in early May 2024, the board denied the rezoning on a 4-1 vote, according to township minutes.
Then in July 2024, still another proposal was presented, this time to rezone the land as residential planned unit development. Developers proposed 53 two-story single-family homes, with 30 percent of the land set aside as green space and amenities that included pickleball courts and walking trails. The project was presented as affordable housing with a target sale price point of between $200,000 and $300,000, according to township minutes.
In that instance, commissioners did not take a vote, but provided feedback that included such recommendations as having a traffic study done that included peak hours around the school day, input from Woodbridge School administrators and a conservation easement requirement to be included in the draft master deed. The proposal was later discussed by the Township Board but was never voted on, according to township minutes.
The 9501 Woodbridge property was acquired in October of last year by Woodbridge Estates LLC from the Staat Trust at a cost of $1,050,000, according to county property records.
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