Muskegon County committee authorizes bids to fix erosion, add ADA access at Dune Harbor Park

The Muskegon County Community Development and Strategic Planning Committee voted Aug. 14 to authorize county parks staff to solicit bids for construction at Dune Harbor Park’s Lincoln Lot, using a $250,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation’s Planet Award program.

Bob Lukens, Community Development Director, told commissioners the grant was awarded in April 2024 and described an erosion problem at the Lincoln Lot that is damaging asphalt and limiting ADA access. "This grant will install curbing and a catch basin there that will take the water that's causing this erosion from the parking lot and put it into a rain garden area that will be filled with native plants," Lukens said. "The estimated cost for this is $55,000 and that again is covered in the grant."

Lukens said the work would also create ADA-marked parking and an accessible walkway to the trail, plus a stairway to the trail. He described the rain garden as a treatment step: runoff will percolate through sand and native plants before entering the South Lake area. Commissioner questions focused on performance during high lake levels. One attendee asked, "So what happens when the lake goes up too high?" Lukens responded that lake levels are tied to Lake Michigan and that the rain garden is intended to percolate and filter water into the lake under normal conditions.

The committee approved the request to initiate bids by voice vote; the motion was moved and supported on the record and the chair declared the motion carries by voice vote. The authorization allows Parks staff and the Procurement Department to move forward with a formal solicitation for the described construction work.

Next steps identified by staff include issuing the formal solicitation and returning to the board if any material changes to scope or funding are required.