ALLEGAN, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — A proposal that stirred intense emotions in an Allegan County community was turned down by voters during Tuesday’s primary election.
Proposal Two asked Allegan City residents whether the city should be able to sell a portion of Mahan Park along the Kalamazoo River to a hotel developer planning a multi-million dollar development near the community’s downtown.
The measure would have approved the sale of 0.33 acres of the park in exchange for 0.38 acres of new parkland acquired from a nearby plot. Allegan City law requires voter authorization for any sale of public parks to private companies or individuals.
Development firm CL Enterprises previously proposed a four story hotel on Brady Street adjacent to the park that would feature a 40 car parking garage underneath it.
The land transfer sparked public debate among city residents with many saying that a resulting hotel would drive business growth, while critics opposed land being taken away from the cherished park.
City leaders had been trying for years to develop the vacant Brady Street plot of land where the hotel would be built. Last year Allegan contracted with CL Enterprises to conduct a marketing study and environmental review of the property.
The company presented plans for a hotel in the area at the Allegan Council’s November 25th meeting, and council members were encouraged by the developer’s detailed plans and use of space.
Drafts of the property called for a portion of Mahan Park to be acquired for developing the hotel, a move that would need to be authorized by city residents. In return a .38 portion of the Brady Street property would be deeded to the public park.
During a December 17th meeting the council unanimously approved putting the land transfer proposal on the ballot for the March 10th elections.
Some locals quickly organized in opposition to the ballot measure, emphasizing the park’s significance to the tight-knit town of 5,000 people.
Speaking to WOODTV8 in the days leading up to the vote, Allegan resident Joan Simmons said of the park, “It was very special, and something you just would be here forever as it was stated by the city.”
The park was named in honor of Dr. James E. Mahan, a physician who helped establish the local health department, city hospital, and was one of the few medical providers in the area. Practicing medicine between 1931 and 1978, a plaque at the park states that Mahan delivered at one time half the births of the city’s infants.
Over the years the riverside park has seen annual summer concerts, countless family gatherings, and served as a focal point for the community.
Jason Watts of the group “Friends of Mahan Park” cited concerns over the developer following through with a promise to restore part of the public land. CL Enterprises included in its development plans not only an expansion of the park’s riverfront acreage but also new bathrooms, a replaced gazebo, and additional parking spaces.
“In summary, this is an unproven firm potentially destroying the cornerstone of our community on the riverfront, and i think it’s too early to tell whether it will pass or fail,” Watts said. He added that he was skeptical of the hotels need for additional parking land, saying that the city did not face a shortage of space for cars.
Throughout election season signs dotted lawns and storefronts throughout Allegan, advocating for and against the ballot measure.
Proponents of the project pointed to the need for a hotel in the city’s downtown, a concept proposed by other developers in the past. The Brady Street parcel of land was originally a parking lot that was sold to the city.
Many see the addition of a hotel as another part of the city’s revitalized downtown area and strategic riverfront development plan.
Gerah Dutkiewica, a member of “friends of the riverfront” spoke to WOODTV8 in February about why she was voting yes for the project.
“When people come in and stay at a nice hotel, you know it’s not going to be a basic room, the plan is to have a very nice place. I think that has a ripple effect for all the other downtown businesses,” Dutkiewica said.
During the Tuesday March 10th elections, voters ultimately decided against the land transfer. The Allegan County Clerk’s office reported on election night that 706 residents voted against proposal two, while 471 supported it.
That decision leaves the fate of the proposed development up in the air. Mayor Pro-Tem Delora Andrus said in December that the hotel’s projected design would likely not continue if voters rejected the proposal.
On Wednesday, the day after votes were tallied, city manager Joel Dye said the project is still pending. “The city has an agreement to work with this particular developer, and I believe the agreement will expire April 30th,” Dye said.
Any continued planning for the property will take place between the Allegan City Council and CL Enterprises. Even if the proposed land transfer was approved by voters, council members would still be the final say on authorizing any sale.
Dye says the next potential change to the downtown area might be the removal of Allegan Dam. The century-old structure currently creates a reservoir-like river path near the heart of the city. Removing the structure would turn the body of water into a more streamlined river and create new land for development.
“We’re in the infant stages of planning for our riverfront if we decide to remove our dam,” Dye said of the scenario.
Allegan’s last master plan for riverfront development was presented in 2013, aiming to create a more walkable path along the water with upgrades to greenspace and recreational opportunities.
A new riverfront committee studying the effects of potential dam removal and future development will meet the night of Wednesday, March 11th for the first time.
