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City and township to meet March 31 on 425/service‑area boundaries and downtown sidewalks
Summary
Cedar Springs staff previewed a March 31 joint meeting with Solen Township to clarify 425/service‑area boundaries, discuss sidewalk phases and cost‑sharing for sidewalk engineering, and consider CDBG grants to fund construction; staff also reported the 425 agreement runs through Dec. 30, 2049 and noted the township received $38,000 in 2024 under the arrangement.
City staff told the Planning Commission that a joint meeting with Solen Township is set for March 31 to discuss the 425/service‑area agreement and a proposed sidewalk implementation map for the highway commercial corridor.
Staff said the existing intergovernmental agreement that governs some annexation‑like service arrangements (425) runs through Dec. 30, 2049, and that in 2024 the arrangement returned about $38,000 to Solen Township from newly taxed parcels. The city circulated a sidewalk map to the township in August and followed up in September; township planners asked staff to clarify which segments are in the 425/service area and which remain under township jurisdiction.
Commissioners and staff discussed preparing a clearer combined map showing phase‑one and phase‑two sidewalks and the 425 boundary, obtaining an engineering cost estimate from the city engineer (Fishbach), and potentially splitting engineering costs 50/50 with the township. Staff suggested applying for Kent County CDBG funds to pay construction costs (CDBG commonly funds roughly 75% of sidewalk project costs with a local match). The city recommended obtaining an engineering scope first so a grant application can be prepared.
Also discussed were service‑area details such as water contracts that currently serve businesses near route 131, and practical constraints on extending water across wide corridors or bridges cited by commissioners.
The commission set the joint meeting date and asked staff to prepare a clearer map and cost estimate to facilitate discussion with the township.
