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Planning Commission approves temporary 54,000 sq ft, 175-space Mead Johnson parking lot
Summary
The commission voted to allow Mead Johnson to build a 54,000-square-foot temporary 175-space parking lot on several E. Main Ave parcels; approval includes screening with silk-screen fencing and limits on lighting and hours, and staff noted the lot could remain during subsequent site-plan construction if a full plan is approved.
The Zeeland Planning Commission on Oct. 2 approved a Temporary Land Use application allowing Mead Johnson to construct a 54,000-square-foot, 175-space temporary parking lot on several E. Main Ave parcels to relocate employee parking displaced by future building construction.
Andrew Smith of Mead Johnson said the temporary lot is needed so underground utility and site work can proceed while on-site parking is moved out of the building footprint. He said the company hopes to install the lot this year before asphalt plants close for the season and provided several mitigation measures: double-lined silk-screen fencing that would include Mead Johnson branding and the city's “Feel the Zeel” logo, lighting using "zero-candela" fixtures to avoid light spillage, and a plan to route construction access through the former Bennett Wood property at 109 N. Carlton St (transcript also spells this as Calton).
Zoning Administrator Timothy Maday told the Commission that the ordinance allows the Planning Commission to approve temporary land uses for up to one year (with a possible one‑year extension) and that, in practice, temporary parking associated with an approved site plan can remain for the duration of construction. Maday emphasized that if the lot were to become permanent it would need to meet the City's setback and landscaping requirements (20-foot setback and a requirement that 50% of landscaping be interior to the lot).
Commissioners questioned construction hours, access routes and screening; Mead Johnson confirmed construction hours would be about 7 a.m.–6 p.m. with limited weekend work, proposed a 6-foot silk-screen fence, and named Andrew Smith as the primary point of contact for resident concerns. Dan Lewis, civil engineer with VK Civil, said a temporary removal of a curb island could create a larger setback (about 25–28 feet) if needed, but noted overall site constraints.
Commissioner Dan Klompmaker moved to approve the Temporary Land Use Application (Motion 2025.24); the motion was supported by Kevin Klynstra and passed unanimously by present commissioners. The approval includes a finding that the applicable zoning standards have been met and acknowledges that, should a full site plan for redevelopment be approved, the temporary lot may be used during construction.
Next steps: Mead Johnson will submit silk-screen renderings for City review; staff will continue coordination on access with Ottawa County and on final site-plan timing.
