GHT blueberry farm plans to expand

Tue, Jul 7, 2009

GRAND HAVEN TOWNSHIP — Two vacant lots totaling about 20 acres on Lake Michigan Drive will soon be cleared for blueberry crops.

The Grand Haven Township Planning Commission voted 7-1 Monday in favor of a special land request from Dave and Kelley Reenders, 16697 Johnson, to plant blueberries. Commissioner Pete Lamourie opposed the request.

The Reenders have been operating Crossroads Blueberry Farm LLC on about 200 acres off Lake Michigan Drive, west of 144th Avenue, since 2000. They purchased the 20-acre rural preserve-zoned properties on the same road, just east of 168th Avenue, a couple of months ago — and are in the process of purchasing 28 acres behind the properties to the north, they said.

Dave Reenders told township planning commissioners that a majority of area neighbors he talked to about the new blueberry fields stated they did not have any concerns with his request.

However, Larry and Diane Frazine — who live directly across from the blueberry farms — said they opposed clearing the land. The Frazines said they have enjoyed the "tranquil view" of surrounding woods and wildlife for more than 30 years and do not want to see that compromised.

"We are concerned that this setting is proposed to be replaced with the more 'structured' setting of planted blueberry fields and the required 'associative' aspects of this," the Frazines wrote in a letter to the Planning Commission. "We tremendously enjoy seeing the woods that now exist, and would be disappointed to see this replaced with the 'structured' setting of a blueberry field."

Township officials questioned Reenders if the land clearing would pose any flooding risks to neighboring properties since flooding occurred throughout the township earlier this spring. Dave Reenders said water runoff would follow the natural flow of the land — to the back of the property and into a county drain, also located at the back of the property, then out toward a nearby creek.

"It is a concern to get water off the property properly," he said.

While blueberry farming at the new site is still about three or four years away, Reenders plans to begin clearing the land immediately, he said.

Reenders will leave 50 feet of the property facing Lake Michigan Drive alone as part of an approval condition — which he didn't oppose because of the potential crop damage from road salt applications in the winter.

"Everything looks good," Dave Reenders said of this year's blueberry crops.