City Updates 3/4/25

As your City Council representative, I wanted to share the latest updates and developments happening around town. I’ve got lots of news and developments to share this month. Here’s a rundown of what’s happening:

1. New & Expanding Businesses

  • Ace Hardware: The Planning Commission recently approved a site plan for a new retail store at 71 Conran Drive, located behind the Ivy Rehab Therapy building.
  • Fairlife: A 2,352 sq ft chiller building addition has been administratively approved, so Fairlife can expand its operations.
  • Lynden Sports Center: Construction is underway to expand onto a vacant lot at the corner of Conran Drive and O’Malley.
  • A couple of site plans are anticipated to come before the Planning Commission in the next few months. Once the Planning Commission agenda is finalized and published, more details will follow.
  • The Reserve of Coopersville: This development (East of the middle school) is looking to start building again.

2. Main Street Bridge Funding

  • Funding for the Bridge Bundle program has been reduced statewide this year. The majority of this money comes from MDOT and federal programs and grants. Coopersville plans to re-submit for grant funding with support from the Local Bridge Advisory Board.
  • We’re hoping to secure funds for improvements and may send representatives to upcoming Regional meetings in October to emphasize how vital this bridge is to our community.

3. Community Outreach & Communication

  • Social Media & Website Updates: City staff are working on stepping up our presence on social media and revamping the City website for easier navigation.
  • A new Social Media Policy and Engagement Guidelines have been drafted to ensure professional and transparent communication with residents and will come before the City Council later this month.

4. Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

  • At the next DDA meeting on March 11th at 5:15 p.m., David Eberle of Bloom Sluggett will give a “DDA 101” presentation. Learn how the DDA operates, its revenue sources, and authorized expenditures.
  • The DDA Board will also be reviewing a proposal from McKenna to update the DDA TIF plan, aligning it with the City Master Plan and zoning ordinance updates.

5. City Master Plan Update

  • We’ve launched a community survey to gather your input on the future of Coopersville. Postcards are going out, and the link is posted on the City’s Facebook page and website.
  • Your feedback is a key part of shaping development priorities, so please take a moment to share your thoughts at: [SurveyMonkey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/coopersvillemasterplan]

6. MERS Retirement Plan

  • Veronica LaBar of MERS will present at the March City Council meeting to answer questions on retirement plan scenarios being considered.
  • Scenario #2, which lowers the multiplier and extends the vesting period, is currently the recommended option.

7. Muskegon Water Resource Recovery Center

  • City staff and legal counsel are working with Muskegon County to finalize contract requirements for future wastewater connections, which involves updating relevant ordinances and protocols.

8. Main Lift Station Upgrades

  • Bids for Main Lift Station improvements were opened on February 13th as part of the Southeast Regional Force Main (SERFM) project.
  • We anticipate additional upgrades beyond the project’s original scope. Engineers from Prein & Newhof will attend the March council meeting to provide an update and cost breakdown.

9. Southeast Regional Force Main Project

10. March Council Meeting – Tentative Agenda

  • Presentations: MERS Retirement Plans, SERFM project updates
  • Discussions/Actions: Main Lift Station upgrades, Bridge Program resolution, Social Media & Communication policy, Election Inspector pay, Ottawa County BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access and Development) Grant letter of support

If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to me. Thanks for staying up to date, Coopersville!

Peter Weise

City Council Member

Public Comments and Responses:

Comment: The city has several other bridges in town. What are the long-term and short-term plans to ensure funding is available for their replacement before they are closed to traffic?

My Response:

Thank you for raising these concerns—bridge and road funding is a challenge we’re working on diligently.

As a city in the last fiscal year, we budgeted roughly $966,666 in local roads for major projects, $216,177 for day-to-day maintenance (plowing, sweeping, pothole repairs), and another $480,000 for major roads. This allocation shows that a significant portion of our funds goes toward routine upkeep and targeted reconstruction needs.

Bridges, however, are a different story. For example, the Grove Street Bridge replacement is estimated at $3.2 million—a figure that far exceeds our typical annual allocations for roads.

The issue with the Grove Street Bridge was unexpected. While I’m not a bridge inspector, I did personally look at the bridge structure. My observations leads me to note that the damage—specifically, one of the I-beams and the wooden pilings supporting it—suggests an unforeseen structural failure rather than a lack of proper maintenance. The bridge was routinely inspected and passed all prior checks until it was closed and was expected to have many more years of service despite it being one of the oldest in the city.

I, and The City, would never treat state or federal grants as a guaranteed source of income. However, it would be neglectful not to apply for every available grant—especially for large, costly projects that exceed our local budget. If we’re unable to fully fund a project using current revenues, alternative financing options (such as bonds, increased taxes/fees, or special assessments) ultimately fall on the city and its taxpayers, which is something all of us on City Council and city staff want to avoid.

Short Term vs. Long Term

  • Short Term: We’ve been able to make interim repairs to the Main Street Bridge and to the Randall Street bridge to extend their usable lives. Our best estimate is that these improvements will keep both bridges operational for at least another five years, giving us time to pursue major funding.
  • Long Term: The City is actively working to secure a spot in the Bridge Bundle program for the Main Street Bridge, and we’ll pursue similar funding opportunities for other bridges as they arise. While relying on state and federal funds can be frustrating due to competition and fluctuating budgets, these programs are often the only way for smaller communities like ours to afford major bridge replacements.

Leveraging Partnerships & Grants

The City is also exploring the option of bundling projects—such as integrating bike trails and Safe Routes to School—into larger infrastructure initiatives. Grouping multiple needs together often makes the overall project more attractive for state or county grants. It also makes it more attractive for contractors. This strategy not only helps address critical infrastructure issues but also enhances pedestrian safety and recreational opportunities and helps get us better pricing.

You may recall that Fruitport had to close one of their main bridges for several years because the replacement costs were simply too high. That’s exactly what we want to avoid in Coopersville. By planning ahead, partnering with other agencies, and actively seeking grant funding, we aim to keep our bridges open and safe for as long as possible, and to replace them before they become unusable.

I understand the frustration of relying on grants that aren’t always guaranteed, but pursuing every available opportunity helps reduce the financial burden on local taxpayers. I  appreciate your concern and encourage you to keep sharing your thoughts and suggestions

If you have any further ideas or questions, please feel free to reach out at any time.

Comment: Thank you. I agree pursuing grants and other financing options is always good. Just painfully slow. 3.2 Million seems low for what the city has in tax reductions/benefits for some properties. Might I suggest next time a plan is placed in front of the city. (Brownfield) or any other projects that request the city forgo some or all new property tax from different developments, the city start adding stipulations for funding of these larger projects. I think if the city residents might have seen something come back to the city instead of all the new tax revenue leave the city that would be an easier sell to the residents.

Comment:  Why would the Planning Commission approve a site plan for another hardware store when there’s already one in Coopersville, and two more within 10 miles of Coopersville? Makes no sense! Next…the roads in Coopersville are a mess with the exception of the two subdivisions that were recently replaced, and River Street. Meadow Green subdivision has broken pavement throughout the subdivision.

Response:

Thank you for sharing your concerns. I'd like to clarify a few points:

Planning Commission Process

When a developer submits a site plan, the Planning Commission’s role is to review the proposal to ensure it complies with our city’s ordinances and zoning regulations. If the developer is requesting any deviations or variances, the Commission carefully evaluates the merits of that request. Importantly, a proposal is not denied simply because there are already similar services in the area—as long as the developer believes they can be successful and follows the rules, they have the right to operate their business. The goal is to ensure that new developments contribute positively to the area—not to limit competition arbitrarily. It is up to consumers to determine where they wish to spend their money. Personally, I try to support our locally owned businesses whenever I can.

Road Conditions

I understand your concerns about the roads, and I recognize that there are many areas in the city that need work. Regarding The Meadows, please note that it is a privately owned property, and it is up to the property owner to maintain the drive. I’m not sure how much the city can push them to address these issues, but I will look into it. In many cases, though, the most effective approach is to engage in dialogue with the property owner to express their concerns —perhaps they already have a plan in place.

Additional Response from me: The new draft budget for the fiscal year for 2025/2026 should be coming out in the next month or so and that will have more details on what projects the city will be looking at, including roads. I'll make a post when I get more information.

Comment: Meadow Green Estates subdivision is not privately owned. It is plowed and maintained by the city. It is the subdivision that has Ridgefield Drive and Fieldstone Drive as the primary access roads. 

My Response: (I initially mistook the location as the Meadows apartments since I've been having them on my mind lately) I do know the roads there are in need of help. I will talk with Dennis and see if they are on the list and if so, for when.