Planning Commission backs rezoning for 143rd Avenue bike skills park and approves site plan pending council rezoning

On Jan. 14, 2025, the Holland City Planning Commission voted to recommend that City Council rezone 5651 143rd Avenue from I (industrial) to OS (open space) and approved a site plan for a bike skills park and public recreation area, with the site plan approval contingent on City Council approving the rezoning and on the conditions listed in the staff report.

Dan Callum, Greenway Manager for the ODC network, described the project as a roughly 20-acre site on the south edge of the city adjacent to the city’s main nature preserve. “The 20 acre site is gonna be a combination of education, recreation with the use of bike trails, lane conservation and restoration on the site,” Callum said, and he added the applicant is working with drainage offices and Fishback to explore a sustainable stormwater demonstration on the parcel.

The site plan calls for a small parking lot of “a couple dozen spaces” off 100th and 143rd, a series of skill-level looping pump-track features in the southwest corner, one larger perimeter loop, a small picnic shelter and no permanent restrooms (temporary portable toilets may be provided as needed). Callum said the larger loops will be natural-surface trails and that the full network at this site would total “a little over a mile” including smaller practice loops.

City planning staff (Steve) recommended approval, saying the rezoning is consistent with the city’s master plan and would permit recreational uses in an area lacking bicycle connectivity. Staff noted the industrial district currently does not allow principal outdoor recreation uses and that rezoning to OS would allow the proposed park. Steve also noted the project could support green infrastructure and nonmotorized connections if future bike-lane extensions (Lincoln Avenue toward 56th Street) occur.

Commission discussion touched on safety and access, neighbor relations and airport overlays. Commissioners asked whether emergency responders could reach jump areas quickly and whether the adjacent property owner (Earl’s Meats) had concerns. Callum said the ODC network had notified the neighbor and had not received negative feedback. Staff noted the site falls partly in airport overlay zone 3 but said no tall or obstructive structures are proposed that would affect operations.

A commissioner moved to recommend rezoning the property to open space, citing conformity with the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) criteria and the city’s most recently adopted master plan; a second supported the motion. The commission approved the rezoning recommendation by voice vote with all in favor and no opposition.

On the site plan, a commissioner moved to approve the plan on the condition that City Council approves the rezoning and subject to the staff-recommended conditions; that motion carried by voice vote with all in favor and no opposition.

The commission’s actions forward the rezoning recommendation to City Council; the site plan approval will take effect if and when the council approves the rezoning and the applicant meets the listed conditions in the staff report. Construction timing and funding sources were not specified at the meeting.

The planning commission also noted ODC network is exploring similar bike-park sites in Park Township and Holland Township, and that the applicant has visited established parks (examples shown from Bentonville, Ark., and Mackinac Island) while working with a national design firm.

Votes at a glance: the commission recommended rezoning 5651 143rd Avenue to OS and approved the site plan for a bike skills park and open recreation area; both votes were passed by voice vote with all members present voting in favor and no opposition (voice vote totals not specified).