RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Several people spoke up at Rutland Charter Township board meeting Wednesday night surrounding the possibility of a Meijer being built.
The potential for a Meijer grocery store in the township was brought up in 2008 but ultimately failed to come to fruition.
Now, a new location for the Midwest chain is back on the drawing board with a location proposed near M37 AND M43.
The township board discussed the project at Wednesday night's meeting in front of a room full of people where many made their voices heard.
One man said, "we're really concerned, we all in the neighborhood, I see people here who are real concerned about what is going on with this?"
Concerns voiced included the impact on small businesses in the area and how the store would affect neighborhood environments.
"What happens is Walmart comes in, Meijer comes in on the outside of town, and then things start going away in town," said a person at the meeting.
People asked questions about proposals for how water and sewage access needed by the new store would be set up and funded.
Township Clerk Robin Hawthorne said the possibility of a new store is very much so in the early stages and would likely not open for several years.
She told 13 ON YOUR SIDE, "we're just trying to find a way around it, to work around it so that we can make it the best for everybody concerned."