MUSKEGON, Mich — Muskegon City Commissioners will not decide a development proposal for an unused area of Pere Marquette Park known locally as "the ovals" at Tuesday's meeting.
Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson tells 13 ON YOUR SIDE, the "Harris Option - Ovals" agenda item will be removed and rescheduled for the commission's next work session Feb. 8 to provide for more public input.
The proposed development calls for five seasonal cottages, each containing four separate units for a total of 20 overnight accommodation sites.
The project would also include an area for small retail to support beach goers, as well as a small office building to support the project.
According to city documents included with the Muskegon City Commission work packet, the development is proposed by "Ovals" LLC a Michigan limited liability company, whose business address is in Spring Lake.
Andrew Harris with Ovals LLC tells 13 ON YOUR SIDE the proposal was methodically developed over the past 18 months to ensure it mirrored the vision of the Imagine Muskegon Lake Plan.
That plan was created using community input in 2018 focusing on development and access around the south shore of Muskegon Lake.
The Imagine Muskegon Lake Plan shows community members support enhanced development and recreational opportunities in the Channel District which includes Pere Marquette Park.
"More than two years ago, we had the honor of joining many of our Muskegon neighbors in providing input into the future of Muskegon’s Lakeshore," Harris said in a written statement. "We were excited to see widespread support for a reasonable development plan for the Channel District that would enhance the overall beach experience and improve access for everyone. There is no question that Pere Marquette Park is a beautiful amenity and should be shared and enjoyed by many. We love Muskegon and Pere Marquette Park, and we have only desired to help meet the community-wide vision for that space."
According to city documents the Ovals LLC plan calls for installing and maintaining a public boardwalk through the ovals for all residents to use. The boardwalk will meet ADA standards and include a minimum of one scenic lookout to Lake Michigan. And all structures built in the Ovals would be built on wooden posts to allow the dune to naturally flow under the development.
Because the property is part of a charter-city park, Ovals LLC would need a long-term lease with the city, city commission approval, and possibly the state's permission to develop on what may be a protected critical dune.
A petition to stop the commercial development has more than 600 signatures as of Monday.
In 2018 a proposal for an RV park at the Ovals never made it before the city commission for a vote after vocal opposition from residents who live near Pere Marquette Park.
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