Monday night’s City Council meeting has a fairly full Discussion/Action section. Here is a quick look at what is on the agenda and what each item is about.

As always, this is my own summary of the agenda and council packet, not an official City communication. Council has not taken action on these items yet.

8.A. East and Cleveland Intersection, Traffic Control

Council will discuss possible traffic-control changes at the intersection of East Street and Cleveland Street and consider whether changes to the current traffic control are warranted.

8.B. East and Cleveland Intersection, Speed Study

Related to the previous item, Council will review a speed study for the East and Cleveland area. The information from the study can help inform the larger discussion about traffic control at the intersection.

8.C. Resolution to Adopt the Master Plan

Council will consider formally adopting the updated City Master Plan. The Master Plan is the City's long-term guide for future land use, housing, transportation, development, parks, and other planning decisions. The City has been working through the update process and public review of the proposed plan over the past several months.

8.D. $17 Million State Grant Agreement, Water Transmission Main and Water Storage Tank

Council will consider accepting a $17 million competitive grant agreement from the State of Michigan for the City's planned water transmission main and water storage tank project.

This is a major infrastructure project intended to expand and strengthen the City's water system.

8.E. Agreement with Polkton Township, Water Transmission Main

Council will consider a Memorandum of Understanding with Polkton Charter Township related to the water transmission main project.

This is one of several agreements on Monday's agenda connected with moving the larger water infrastructure project forward.

8.F. Metron Water Meters and Antenna Equipment, $21,085

Council will consider purchasing additional Metron water meters and antenna equipment for $21,085.

The City has been transitioning to Metron meters, which allow water usage to be read electronically and can provide more detailed information about water use.

8.G. Annual Pavement Markings, $10,065

Council will consider a $10,065 proposal from PK Contracting for the City's annual pavement markings.

This covers the regular work needed to maintain roadway striping and other pavement markings.

8.H. North Bank Trail Route, Danforth Street/City Hall

Council will discuss the proposed route for the North Bank Trail through the Danforth Street and City Hall area.

This is a discussion item only and focuses on the route alignment in this particular area.

8.I. Agreement with fairlife, Water Transmission Main and Water Storage Tank

Council will consider a Memorandum of Understanding with fairlife related to the water transmission main and storage tank project.

Along with the state grant agreement and the Polkton Township agreement, this is another piece of the larger water infrastructure project.

8.J. Reserves of Coopersville, Phase 4 Site Plan

Council will consider the Phase 4 site plan for the Reserves of Coopersville development.

One of the significant changes involves the road layout. Wetland conditions affected the originally planned street connection, resulting in a proposal using longer cul-de-sacs instead. The plan also includes pedestrian connections between portions of the development and toward the school.

8.K. Removal of Aerators, $52,389

Council will consider a $52,389 proposal from Northwest Kent Mechanical to remove aerators associated with the City's wastewater facilities.

This is part of the ongoing changes to the City's wastewater system as the existing treatment facility moves toward decommissioning.

8.L. Lakeshore Advantage Annual Contribution, $10,000

Council will consider the City's annual $10,000 contribution to Lakeshore Advantage.

Lakeshore Advantage provides economic-development services for the area and works with communities and businesses on development, expansion, investment, and other economic-development projects.

Representatives from Lakeshore Advantage will also be at Monday's meeting to provide their annual update and discuss some of the economic-development tools available to the City.

The meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. Monday, September 14 at Coopersville City Hall. Residents are welcome to attend, and there are opportunities for public comment during the meeting.

Update 9.16.26

September 14, 2026

There was a lot covered at Monday night's City Council meeting, so this is going to be a longer update than usual.

If you would rather read this update on my website, you can find the full post here:
https://sites.google.com/view/updatesfrompeterweise/2026/9-11-2026

As always, this is my summary of the meeting and is not intended to replace the official minutes. My goal is to provide some additional context about what was discussed, why decisions were made, and what still needs to happen after the meeting.

Fairlife Odor Update

I want to start with this because I know the odor issue has been a major concern for a number of residents, myself included.

A Fairlife environmental representative came to the meeting specifically to provide an update on the recurring odor problems.

Fairlife explained that it has invested more than $20 million in its wastewater treatment system. One of the large wastewater tanks uses a jet-mixing system intended to keep the wastewater aerated and prevent the conditions that create strong odors.

That system is not performing the way it was designed to, and Fairlife acknowledged that this has contributed to the odor problems affecting the surrounding community.

In the short term, Fairlife has been using additional chemistry in the wastewater along with a chemical misting system intended to react with and neutralize odor-producing compounds. Their representative said those measures are helping, but they cannot completely control what escapes from such a large open tank.

The next major step is to put a cover over the tank.

Fairlife estimated the cover will cost approximately $300,000, with the current goal of having it manufactured and installed by the end of the first quarter of 2027, meaning by the end of March 2027.

Once that tank is covered, the air coming from it can be collected and treated instead of escaping from a large open surface. Fairlife then plans to install a more permanent odor-control system. Their representative estimated that additional treatment technology could represent another approximately $1 million investment during 2027.

EGLE's involvement in this issue is not something that just started Monday. EGLE has been involved in ongoing discussions as wastewater treatment changes and different corrective measures have been evaluated. Fairlife also indicated that the tank-cover timeline has been shared with EGLE.

That outside regulatory involvement is important because we need both the companies and the regulatory agencies looking at whether the corrective measures being tried are actually working.

A resident also spoke later in the meeting about the frequency and intensity of the odor and the effect it has had on her family's ability to use their yard and open their windows. She said she has filed a formal complaint and asked for better public communication and continued accountability.

I understand that frustration.

I have personally experienced the odors as well and have been messaging City staff on a regular basis when I notice them. I know I am far from the only person doing that.

I appreciate that Fairlife came to the meeting and provided a much clearer explanation of what is happening and a timeline for the next major improvement. At the same time, the real measure of success will be whether residents actually experience fewer and less intense odor events.

The City also shared information for residents who want to report environmental concerns directly to EGLE:

EGLE Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS)
1-800-662-9278

Online Reporting:
mienviro.michigan.gov

When reporting an odor problem, it can be helpful to include the date, approximate time, location, what the odor smelled like, and how long it lasted. That gives regulators and the companies more information to compare against plant operations and weather conditions.

Scheduled Guests: Lakeshore Advantage

We began the scheduled portion of the meeting with two presentations from Lakeshore Advantage.

Chris Marco discussed PA 198 industrial tax incentives and PA 381 housing-development tools. These are tools communities can use to help address financing gaps and encourage certain types of investment, but they are not automatic. City Council retains oversight and reviews whether a particular project and incentive are appropriate.

The broader idea was that these tools can be connected to the goals in the City's Master Plan rather than simply being used because a developer requests them.

Lindsay Mauz then gave Lakeshore Advantage's annual update. Lakeshore Advantage works with communities and businesses on retention, expansion, workforce issues, startups and connecting projects with state and federal resources.

For Coopersville specifically, they have helped with the $17 million water infrastructure grant and are assisting the City in pursuing approximately $3 million in additional federal EDA funding for the new water storage tank.

Council later approved the City's annual $10,000 contribution to Lakeshore Advantage.

8.A. East and Cleveland Intersection: Traffic Control

Fred Keena from the Ottawa County Road Commission joined us for a lengthy discussion about the East Street/56th Avenue and Cleveland Street intersection.

A resident had also spoken earlier in the meeting about speeding, truck traffic, visibility and the difficulty of entering the roadway in this area.

One question I wanted clarified was whether trucks were damaging the edges of the intersection because they were simply taking the turn too fast or whether there really is a geometry problem.

The Road Commission explained that trucks making the difficult turn are already coming to a stop. They wait for traffic to clear and then use additional roadway space, including part of the opposing lane, to complete the turn. If they remain entirely within their normal lane, they can track off the pavement.

That becomes important when considering a four-way stop. If vehicles are stopped and lined up on East/56th, some of the space trucks currently use to complete their turns could be occupied.

I also think the future pedestrian use of this intersection needs to be part of the planning. The City's long-range plans include eventually connecting the Eagle Ridge area into the rest of the sidewalk network, meaning this intersection will become increasingly important for pedestrians as well as vehicles.

Council ultimately chose the second of several options for moving forward.

That option directs the City to work with the Ottawa County Road Commission toward a future four-way stop, with appropriate intersection widening or other geometric improvements completed first so trucks can safely make their turns.

As that engineering work moves forward, I also want the pedestrian crossings incorporated into the planning so we are not designing the intersection once for vehicles and then coming back later to redesign it for pedestrians.

The resident who spoke earlier in the meeting also mentioned a damaged culvert that he believes still needs repair. That is a separate issue for the City to follow up on.

8.B. East and Cleveland Intersection: Speed Study

We also discussed whether the City should formally request a Michigan State Police speed study for portions of East/56th and Cleveland.

I did not support requesting the formal study at this time, and there is an important reason why.

Requesting a speed study is not the same thing as requesting a lower speed limit.

The formal process looks heavily at how fast vehicles are actually traveling. Based on the speeds currently being driven in this area, there is a real possibility that a formal study could recommend increasing the speed limit rather than lowering it. Staff and the Road Commission both cautioned Council about that possibility.

Once the formal process is started, the City does not simply get to reject the result because it is not the result we were hoping for.

For that reason, I would rather better understand actual traffic speeds and look at compliance with and enforcement of the existing speed limit before initiating a formal process that could potentially move the posted speed in the opposite direction.

The City's existing electronic speed trailer is old and apparently no longer records usable data, although there was discussion about whether another unit could be borrowed.

For now, Council did not request the formal MSP speed study.

8.C. Resolution to Adopt the Master Plan

Council adopted the new Plan Coopersville 2045 Master Plan.

The Master Plan is the City's long-term guide for land use, transportation, housing, economic development and infrastructure. It does not itself change zoning, but it helps establish the framework that future zoning regulations and land-use decisions are expected to follow.

One change I requested involved multifamily residential buildings.

The proposed plan allowed buildings up to four stories, while the previous plan used three stories. I requested returning that maximum to three stories, and Council adopted the Master Plan with that adjustment.

The City is now working on a comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite that will align the zoning regulations with the new Master Plan.

A representative working with Kenco Logistics also spoke earlier in the meeting about a possible warehouse/distribution facility at the southwest corner of 68th Avenue and Cleveland Street. Kenco has been selected for third-party logistics work connected with Fairlife and is considering this property for the facility.

The representative said traffic information, including the number of additional truck trips, is still being developed.

The property is not currently designated industrial on the newly adopted Future Land Use Map, so a Master Plan amendment would be required before that designation could change.

I want to be very clear about this:

No Kenco site plan or Master Plan amendment was approved Monday night.

Monday's presentation introduced a potential project. Any change to the Master Plan will have to go through the required amendment and public-review process before Council takes action on it.

8.D. Approval of $17 Million Make It in Michigan Competitiveness Fund Grant Agreement: Water Transmission Main and Water Storage Tank Project

Council formally accepted the City's $17 million water infrastructure grant.

One of Coopersville's major infrastructure vulnerabilities is that nearly all of our water currently reaches the City through a single aging transmission route.

The new project will create a second transmission route and is expected to add approximately 1.1 million gallons per day of additional transmission capacity.

Approximately $15.4 million of the grant is allocated to the transmission-main work, with approximately $1.59 million allocated to the proposed one-million-gallon water storage tank.

The tank is currently estimated at roughly $8 million.

Lakeshore Advantage is helping the City pursue approximately $3 million in additional EDA funding toward the tank.

One thing I still want us to understand as this moves forward is our backup plan if we do not receive all of the additional outside funding. There are several possible financing approaches, but before the City commits to one, Council should understand what that would mean for the Water Fund and our customers.

8.E. MOU with Polkton Charter Township for Water Transmission Main Project

Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Polkton Charter Township related to the new transmission-main project.

A significant portion of the new line will pass through Polkton Township, and Polkton has expressed interest in potentially connecting to the system in the future.

The MOU itself does not automatically guarantee Polkton additional capacity. Any future connections, capacity allocations or financial arrangements would still require additional engineering review and separate approvals.

8.F. Purchase of Metron Water Meters and Antenna Equipment: $21,085

Council approved the purchase of 35 new one-inch Metron water meters and associated antenna equipment for $21,085.

The City has completed replacement of its older Sensus meters and continues to replace aging Metron meters over time rather than waiting until a large number fail at once. Mechanical meters can lose accuracy as they age, potentially under-registering water use.

There is also an immediate need for additional one-inch meters because of new construction in the Reserves.

There is an important distinction in who ultimately pays for these meters. The City purchases the inventory up front, but new meters associated with new construction or an additional service are generally recovered through meter charges paid by the property owner or developer. An additional water-only service, for example, requires the customer to purchase the additional meter.

When an existing City meter becomes outdated or fails through normal use, replacement is generally handled through the Water Fund as part of the City's ongoing meter-replacement program. A previous City meter-replacement program specifically identified replacement of outdated or broken meters as a Water Fund expense.

So the $21,085 approval should not be read as the City simply buying private meters for a new development. Some are part of the City's normal utility infrastructure responsibility, while costs associated with new services are recovered from the users receiving them.

8.G. PK Contracting Annual Pavement Markings: $10,065

Council approved $10,065 for the City's annual pavement-marking work, including crosswalks, stop bars, directional arrows, railroad warnings and other markings throughout the City's street system.

8.H. Proposed North Bank Trail Route Alignment: Danforth Street / City Hall

We discussed the proposed North Bank Trail route through the City Hall area.

An earlier concept would have routed the trail behind City Hall using the existing concrete area on railroad property.

That route is no longer considered viable because MDOT raised safety concerns and did not approve that alignment. It is MDOT, not the DNR, that is driving this particular change.

Because of that, staff and the City's engineers have been developing an alternative that brings the trail along the north side of Danforth Street in front of City Hall.

The existing sidewalk would be widened to approximately 10 feet to create a shared-use trail while retaining on-street parking.

The project would also provide an opportunity to correct existing ADA-accessibility problems in front of the Community Center, improve drainage, modify the grade, remove the large planter and improve the overall City Hall frontage.

The timing is important because Danforth Street is already planned for reconstruction in 2027.

If the projects are coordinated, road, storm sewer, watermain, curb, sidewalk and trail work can be designed together rather than reconstructing Danforth and then tearing parts of the new work apart again later. Eligible portions of that work may also count toward the City's required local match for the North Bank Trail grant.

Another design consideration is separating people entering City Hall and the Community Center from faster-moving trail users. The conceptual design maintains pedestrian space next to the building and uses the grade change and retaining-wall area to help separate that space from the shared-use trail.

Staff will continue developing the design before final construction decisions come back to Council.

8.I. MOU with Fairlife LLC: Water Transmission Main and Water Storage Tank Project

Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Fairlife related to the new transmission-main project.

One of the most important parts of this agreement deals with financial responsibility if the transmission-main project exceeds the approximately $15.4 million grant allocation.

Fairlife agreed to be financially responsible for documented, reasonable and necessary eligible water-main engineering and construction costs above that amount, subject to the review and approval provisions in the agreement.

The documentation requirement is important. Fairlife is the party assuming responsibility for those eligible transmission-main overruns, so there needs to be a clear record showing what work was performed, what it cost, why it was necessary and whether it qualifies under the agreement.

That provides accountability for both Fairlife and the City and helps make sure eligible transmission-main overruns that Fairlife has agreed to cover are clearly distinguished from costs that would otherwise fall on the City's Water Fund and its customers.

Fairlife's financial commitment under this provision applies to the transmission main, not the water storage tank.

8.J. Reserves of Coopersville: Phase 4 Site Plan

Council considered a significant change to Phase 4 of the Reserves development.

The original plan called for Blackberry Lane and Hazelnut Drive to connect.

Because of existing wetlands, that road connection is no longer considered feasible. The revised plan replaces the through road with two permanent cul-de-sacs.

Both cul-de-sacs will be more than 1,100 feet long, which exceeds the City's normal 600-foot maximum for dead-end streets.

A through street would generally provide greater connectivity for emergency response, snowplowing and normal traffic circulation, but the existing wetlands substantially limit the options available at this site.

A major part of the discussion involved maintaining pedestrian connectivity even though the vehicle connection is being lost.

The conditions include a pedestrian connection from Plum Lane toward the Blackberry cul-de-sac, a connection between the two cul-de-sac areas, and a connection from Hazelnut toward the middle school.

Without those connections, someone could live geographically very close to the middle school but have to walk a much longer route around the development. In reality, people would also likely begin creating informal routes across private property if there were not a reasonable planned route.

It was also clarified during the discussion that these pedestrian connections will not be maintained by the City. The HOA will be responsible for their future maintenance.

Fire access was another important concern. The Fire Chief reviewed the project and requested that the turnaround at the end of the cul-de-sac be made larger, and the developer agreed to make that change.

Council ultimately approved the modification allowing the longer cul-de-sacs with the conditions attached to the project.

8.K. Proposal to Remove Aerators by Northwest Kent Mechanical: $52,389

Council approved $52,389 to remove approximately 220 aerators from the first pond at the former wastewater treatment plant.

Wastewater is now being sent through the Southeast Regional Force Main, which means the City can move forward with fully decommissioning the old wastewater treatment facility.

This aerator removal is only one part of that process. The second pond also contains aerators that must be removed, remaining biosolids need to be dealt with, and environmental sampling is still part of the closure process.

The current working estimate for the remaining closure work is around $1.5 million, although that remains an estimate and some costs will depend on what is found during sampling.

That is a significant amount of money, but there is also important financial context.

The City's utility funds are currently in healthy positions, and based on what we know today, I do not expect this closure work by itself to require a water or sewer rate increase.

There are also substantial expenses that begin going away as the old treatment plant closes. The City will no longer need to buy the same treatment chemicals or continue paying all of the operating, maintenance and contracted staffing costs associated with running its own wastewater treatment facility.

Those ongoing savings will help offset the cost of decommissioning the facility over time.

8.L. Lakeshore Advantage Annual Financial Contribution: $10,000

Council approved the City's annual $10,000 contribution to Lakeshore Advantage.

Their work during the past year has included assisting the City with the $17 million water infrastructure grant and helping pursue the approximately $3 million EDA opportunity for the new water storage tank.

Added Item 8.M. Bio-Tech Agronomics: Biosolids Removal from Sludge Pond #1

Council added an item to the agenda for additional biosolids removal at the former wastewater treatment facility.

The proposal was approved at an amount not to exceed $500,000.

That is a large number when viewed by itself, but biosolids removal is something the City has dealt with regularly as part of operating the wastewater treatment plant.

The City has historically budgeted approximately $500,000 per year for biosolids removal, so this amount is not dramatically different from costs we have seen in previous years. Staff indicated the expected cost for this particular work was closer to approximately $450,000, with the $500,000 authorization providing some room if there is more material than estimated.

What is different now is that this work is part of the final closure process rather than part of operating the treatment plant indefinitely.

Added Item 8.N. Master Plan Amendment Application Fees

Council also approved establishing fees for future Master Plan text and map amendment applications.

That became particularly relevant Monday because of the potential Kenco project discussed earlier in the meeting.

Changing the Future Land Use Map requires professional planning work, mapping changes, public notice and a public hearing. The purpose of the application fee is to have the applicant cover much of the cost of processing that request rather than shifting the entire cost to the City.

Again:

Approving the fee did not approve the Kenco development or the requested Master Plan amendment.

City Manager's Report

Dennis reported that wastewater flows are now officially being diverted through the Southeast Regional Force Main.

The City also recently held a pre-bid meeting for the new water-transmission project, with approximately 13 contractors attending, indicating considerable interest in bidding the project.

He also discussed the continuing odor complaints and the City's communication with EGLE and the companies involved.

Residents can continue contacting City Hall about odor concerns, and the EGLE reporting information at the beginning of this post provides another way to document problems directly.

What I Will Be Watching Next

Several things from Monday's meeting are going to continue developing over the coming months:

• The engineering and pedestrian design for East/Cleveland before a future four-way stop is installed.

• Actual traffic speeds in the East/Cleveland area before asking the State to conduct a formal speed study.

• The potential Kenco project, including truck traffic, the requested Master Plan amendment and any future site-plan review.

• Whether the City receives additional federal funding for the water storage tank and what the backup financing plan would look like if we do not.

• The final cost of closing the old wastewater treatment plant and the operating savings the City begins realizing once it is no longer running its own treatment facility.

• Construction and long-term HOA maintenance of the pedestrian connections in the Reserves.

• The North Bank Trail design through the City Hall area as it is coordinated with the 2027 Danforth Street reconstruction.

• Fairlife's odor-control work, particularly whether the temporary measures continue improving conditions and whether the tank cover is installed by the end of March 2027 as currently planned.

There is a lot happening in Coopersville right now, particularly with water, wastewater, development and transportation.

My goal with these updates is not simply to tell you that Council voted yes or no. I want residents to understand what was discussed, the reasoning behind the decisions, and what still needs to happen afterward.

As always, feel free to reach out if you have questions, ideas or concerns. I may not always have an immediate answer, but I am happy to look into something or help get the question to the right person.

You can also find this update and my other City Council updates on my website:

https://sites.google.com/view/updatesfrompeterweise