Welcome to the electronic newsletter from
Grand Haven Charter Township!

Stay informed on what is happening in the township. This newsletter will deliver up-to-date information including upcoming meetings, development news, township services and more!

You can always find more information on our website or Facebook.
WZZM News Story
Television station WZZM 13 (and other news organizations) produced a news story showcasing the Fire/Rescue Department’s first all-female crew. 

Kudos to the team and thanks for all the hard work and time each member gives. Click here to read the full story.
Fire/Rescue Calls for Service - Record Month
August proved to be a very busy month for the Fire/Rescue department … establishing a new record. The department responded to 155 emergency calls (i.e., an average of five emergency calls per day) – which is a new monthly record for the department.  

August was a 4.7% increase↑ over the previous record of 148 calls in a month – which occurred this past January.  

In 2021, the department responded to 1,401 calls for service which was a record year for the department. As of September 1st, the department is 146 calls ahead of this date in 2021 and will likely exceed 1,500 calls.
FEMA Grant Awarded
Grand Haven Charter Township, Port Sheldon Township, and City of Grand Haven jointly applied for an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to purchase new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) equipment. (The Township budgeted a total of $180k to replace and purchase 21 SCBAs that are reaching the end of their useful life; 15 additional SCBA face pieces; and 1 rapid intervention pack.)

The Township received notice that the group will receive a total of about $363k for the SCBA equipment – with about $126k (i.e., about 35%) of the AFG grant total will be used by the Township.
Fall Leaf Collection
Back to School Reminder
E-Bikes Approved for Township Pathways
Township Purchases Ferris Street Parcel
The Township purchased a 2.5-acre parcel on Ferris Street for $177k. (See below.) The property is planned to be used as one of the ingress/egress drives for the proposed Fire/Rescue station.

Once the new station is constructed immediately east of the existing Fire/Rescue station, the old station will be razed and a new 500,000-gallon elevated water tower is planned to be constructed at the site in 2026.
New Development Proposed
The Planning Commission had a pre-application review of the proposed Planned Unit Development – Blueberry Woods.  

This proposed residential mixed-use development is located on four (4) parcels exceeding 103-acres located adjacent to the M-45 and US-31 intersection. The PUD is intended to be developed in two (2) phases.

The initial phase includes about 64-acres with two (2) apartment buildings, eight (8) quadplexes, and nineteen (19) duplexes. Because of regulated wetlands, the development will have a great deal of natural open spaces.
If we look toward history for inspiration for the future, it is seen that this general area was formerly the Village of Agnew, a “whistle-stop” for trains along the railroad and the West Michigan Pike (i.e., M-11, now US-31).” 
 
Described in The Path of Destiny by David Seibold: “It was suggested that one way of pumping some life into the small, rural community would be to have a train depot…at one time there was a hotel, a general store, a Grange Hall, a sawmill and a box factory.” Further, the 1948 Township Zoning Ordinance and map illustrates a concentration of commercial property, agricultural, and smaller residential lots.  

Although this area was historically considered a community hub providing a mix of services necessary for a residential population, Blueberry Woods will set the tone for new development in the area. It is effectively creating a new community and establishing a baseline of compatibility for future developments.
Cereal Drive
The Township has started a new charity drive. Specifically, the Township will be collecting boxes of cereal through October 7th. These boxes will be donated to “Bucs Care” at Grand Haven High School.  

Bucs Care pantry provides food for students and their families at the high school. They support any student that asks their counselor for assistance. Bucs Care provides a lot more than just cereal, but the Township wanted to focus the collection on something that is seldom received in the quantity needed.

If you would like to participate, simply bring in boxes of cereal and place them on the table in the Administrative Building lobby. 
Parks Debt Millage Reduced
The Township voters approved a debt 0.4 mills debt millage for park improvements, which was levied for the first-time last December.

After a review and projection of revenues and debt payments, the Township Board reduced the Parks Debt millage be decreased↓ to 0.35 mills – a reduction↓ of 12.5%.
Township Questions?
If you have specific questions about Township operations, please send an email to bcargo@ght.org .
(616) 842-5988  | info@ght.org | www.ght.org