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Council approves $150,000 design contract for 84th Street improvements, ties work to brownfield plans
Summary
The Zeeland Common Council approved a $150,000 design contract with Moore & Bruggink for paving, reopening a railroad crossing and building a bike path related to JR Automation’s site needs and authorized a $150,000 budget amendment; Council also approved a $25,000 brownfield administration budget amendment to support growing brownfield activity.
The Zeeland Common Council on Oct. 6 approved a $150,000 contract with Moore & Bruggink to design paving, storm sewer and a bike path for 84th Street, and to reopen the railroad crossing at 84th and Washington as part of an infrastructure package tied to local redevelopment plans.
The design contract, approved by motion and recorded vote, covers paving with storm sewer, curb and gutter, reopening an MDOT-approved railroad crossing and constructing a bike path on the south side of Riley from Fairview to 84th Street. Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Kevin Plockmeyer told the council the improvements respond to infrastructure needs linked to JR Automation’s site redevelopment and that JR Automation intends to use brownfield tax increment financing to offset some site costs.
The council also approved a corresponding FY25/26 budget amendment of $150,000 to fund the design contract. Councilmember Timmer moved the budget amendment and Councilmember Kass seconded; the motion carried with all members present voting aye (Mayor Klynstra was absent).
Separately, the council approved a $25,000 budget amendment to the Brownfield Redevelopment Fund to cover plan administration expenses and to transfer funds from the General Fund into the Brownfield Fund. City staff said the allocation will pay for professional assistance — including work by Fleis & Vandenbrink and Miller Canfield — as brownfield activity has increased with projects such as the Sligh Apartments and property actions related to 17 E. Main and 16 S. Elm.
Why it matters: the 84th Street design work advances public infrastructure that city staff and a private developer say is needed for site redevelopment. Using brownfield tax increment financing could reduce upfront costs to the developer while the city covers design and administrative work. Council discussion and related study-session presentations clarified that MDOT has approved reopening the railroad crossing but that implementation steps — design, permitting, construction and funding mechanisms — remain to be completed.
What’s next: staff will proceed with the design contract work and the council-funded budget amendment, and future council action will be required for construction contracts or any additional funding commitments. The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority was scheduled to meet Oct. 13 to consider related reimbursement and policy items.
