Large-scale housing, commercial development in Walker gets initial approval
WALKER, MI – The Walker City Commission has rezoned the Lincoln County Club’s property and cleared the way for further consideration of a proposal to redesign the site with 204 high-end homes, as well as single-family homes and commercial buildings.
The proposal by Stoneleigh Companies, an Illinois-based real estate investment firm, to redevelop the 100-acre golf course at 3485 Lake Michigan Drive NW has drawn opposition from neighbors. They say the influx of people and traffic will hurt the environment.
Despite these concerns, the seven-member city commission unanimously approved the application for rededication. They said they understand and share traffic and safety concerns, but that the planning committee would try to address these issues when they review the property developer’s site plan.
“I think the rezoning itself is solid,” said Commissioner Steven Gilbert. “I think we all agree that having these single family homes on the outside of this property is right, that apartment buildings play a role in this development, and that we had this commercial facade on Lake Michigan Drive drawn up as we want the master plan. “
Stoneleigh Companies are planning to build 250 high-end apartments and will accommodate a local developer to build 68 single-family homes on the site. In addition, the company plans to make five lots along Lake Michigan Drive available for commercial development.
Monthly rental prices for the apartments, each of which are expected to have an attached two-car garage, would average between $ 1,500 and $ 2,200, Stoneleigh president Rick Cavenaugh told MLive in December.
Cavanaugh also said his company will sell the 68 single-family home lots to builders and not have any stake in any of the other properties. The same applies to the part of the property intended for commercial property, which would be sold to companies that want to build offices or commercial buildings there.
The site plan is to be submitted to the planning commission for initial approval on Wednesday, September 1st.
Walker Mayor Gary Carey said commissioners will consider the number of units involved in the development, the layout of the project, and other factors.
“Could the plan be rejected by the planning committee – it could be, but I know the planning committee pre-approved this concept before it came to us as a rezoning,” said Carey.
Tricia Anderson, the city’s planning director and zone manager, said Stoneleigh’s project has a long way to go before it is ready for construction. If the development proposal received all the necessary permits, it would likely take a year to begin work on the site. The project requires additional permits beyond the initial site plan approval.
Stoneleigh owns and manages multi-family residential communities in Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas.
The county club’s property is one of the last remaining large open spaces along Lake Michigan Drive east of Standale. The redevelopment of the property, which includes the demolition of the club’s bowling alley and banquet hall, would mean a significant change for the neighborhood.
“By adding this development, we’re massively increasing traffic,” a local resident recently told the Walker City Commission. “Even if the traffic is only 25, double or triple the number of cars that will drive up and down Maplerow on any given day.”
Maplerow Avenue NW is a residential street north of the Country Club.
During the meeting, in response to concerns from neighbors, Carey said there was an “argument for the land to remain a golf course or to remain open”.
But he added: “There are also arguments for the housing stock that we really need in this city.”
A study published by Housing Next in 2020 found that the portion of Kent County outside the city of Grand Rapids would need an additional 3,581 apartments and 9,760 condos, townhouses, or single-family homes to meet demand by 2025.
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