Planning commission recommends rezoning portion of Fisherman's Landing to Waterfront Industrial PUD; commission seeks shoreline protections

On Oct. 23 the City of Muskegon Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Commission rezone a portion of Fisherman's Landing at 501 East Western Avenue from Open Space Recreation (OSR) to Waterfront Industrial PUD (WIPUD), a change intended to allow limited port activities on a segment of the site while leaving the remainder as public open space.

Staff said the rezoning would apply only to a small portion of the property (the area depicted in the staff map) and leave the rest of the parkland as OSR. The staff presentation noted the change would eliminate about 1.5 bays of parking—roughly 46 parking spaces—from the open area but would preserve public access to the waterfront in the larger remaining area.

Commissioners and staff discussed shoreline and navigation concerns. Staff and the presenter said the western shoreline on this parcel would remain a softened (natural) shoreline and was intended to be preserved under the draft development agreement; any request to harden that edge would require separate permitting from federal agencies and would likely breach the development agreement. Scott, a city planning staff member, said the existing channel and hardened areas to the south-west would accommodate barge traffic for port operations and that smaller barge vessels would be expected for routine service.

Commissioners also questioned whether recreational boating and the boat ramp would be compatible with cargo or barge operations. Staff responded that the existing conditions allow boat ramp use while freighters or barges operate in the channel and that the area has sufficient room for the expected navigation pattern; staff noted that large lake freighters would not be expected to occupy the channel side-by-side with recreational craft.

The commission moved the rezoning recommendation forward on a roll call vote. The roll call recorded the following votes: Willlette LeRoy, Johnson, Montgomery Keys, Seifert, Galran, Mazzade and Simmons voted yes; Keener and Blake voted no. The motion passed with seven yes and two no votes.

Staff clarified that temporary camping for tournaments would not be an allowed accessory use under this rezoning; the commission noted that on occasion special-event camping can be authorized through a separate special-event or park permit reviewed by the City Commission.

The rezoning recommendation will go to the Muskegon City Commission for final action. Staff and commissioners indicated that any future PUD site plan for the parcel would include specific conditions to protect the western shoreline and to ensure compatibility between public recreational uses and port operations.