GRAND HAVEN, MI – A new housing development received final approval for rezoning by the Grand Haven City Council on Monday, June 2.

South Village will be located at the former Dake Corps manufacturing property at 700 and 724 Robbins Road.

The proposed project includes a mixture of housing types for a total of 189 units including single family homes, flats/apartments, townhomes and row houses.

Of those units, 11 will be reserved for residents with a lower income.

READ MORE: Grand Haven approves rezoning for a new 189-unit housing development

Mayor Bob Monetza recognized concerns raised by residents about wetlands in the area.

He said one of the conditions built into the application is that the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will take the lead on “anything built in the wetlands area.”

“They (EGLE) can … define exactly where you can build,” Monetza said. “If you need to mitigate or replace that wetland somewhere else, they have different tools they can use.”

City Planner Brian Urquhart said certain wetlands conditions must be met and a traffic study completed before a final development plan can be submitted to the planning commission.

The city council would again have the final say on that development plan.

Another view of the former Dake Corps property at 700 and 724 Robbins Road in Grand Haven. The site is planned to be a 189-unit housing development.Kayla Tucker

The project will “transform a site currently occupied by a lifeless building and underutilized land into a vibrant, welcoming neighborhood,” said Chad Koster, of IMD Capital and developer of the project.

“South Village is designed to offer beautiful, thoughtfully planned homes that cater to people at many different stages of life and income levels,” Koster said.

The plan includes amenities such as a dog park, outdoor pool and sundeck, outdoor firepits, pickleball courts and a community lounge.

“All of these things are really designed to encourage community and connection,” Koster said.

Residents will be able to lease or own, depending on the property type.

The development will include eight row houses, 108 flats/apartments, 44 townhouses and 29 single-family homes.

The property is approximately 24 acres, with two-thirds of the rear portion being woodland and some wetland.

The developer is planning to reserve nine acres of greenspace.

A brownfield redevelopment application has also been submitted to the city.

The former Dake Corps property on Robbins Road is on the south end of Grand Haven and near U.S. 31 and many businesses, including Meijer.Kayla Tucker

Monetza said the development will be “good for the community” and would restore a “blighted south end of town.”

“We need housing of every level,” Monetza said. “We need a lot more than this project offers us. We have other projects in the queue for more housing in the city community.

“Until we build more housing, we’ll always have a housing problem. We’ll always have a housing deficiency. And that in itself drives up the cost of housing.”

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