HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Feb. 3, 2023) – Residents in the city of Holland can decide on the future of the Tulip City’s waterfront this spring.
During Wednesday night’s biweekly business meeting, the City Council approved ballot language that would put before voters on the May 2nd election the choice of authorizing the sale of the James DeYoung plant site off of Pine Avenue, as well as property off of Kollen Park Drive, as part of the Waterfront Holland development initiative. Geenen DeKock Properties is looking to move the Verplank Dock operations to the DeYoung site in a “land swap,” converting the current dock site to a mixed-used development that expands public access to Lake Macatawa.
While some have some reservations over whether this deal is the best the city could do, Assistant City Manager Matt Van Dyken believes that due diligence has been done on this matter.
According to the Holland City Charter, this proposal needs no less than 60 percent voter approval for it to be enacted. Van Dyken added that, should such approval come from the electorate, matters may begin to move more quickly towards realizing these Waterfront Holland ambitions.
