Walker Downtown Development Authority

City of Walker Walker Downtown Development Authority Agenda Fire Station #2 - Upper Level 4101 Lake Michigan Drive NW Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 7:30 AM 1. Call Meeting to Order - Record Attendance 2. Approval of Minutes a) July 15, 2025 3. General Public Comment 4. Standale Survey Presentation from Rowe 5. Finance Report / Budget Report 6. Business Relations Manager Updates 7. Planning Updates 8. Other Business/Updates 9. Next Meeting Date and Time - Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 7:30 AM 10. Adjournment If you have any questions or are unable to attend a meeting, please contact Jessica Marion at 616.791.6878 Page 1 of 4  City of Walker Walker Downtown Development Authority Tuesday, July 15, 2025 7:30 AM - Fire Station #2 - Upper Level 4101 Lake Michigan Drive NW 1. Call Meeting to Order - Record Attendance The meeting was called to order by Chair Brinza at 7:30 am. Members present: D. Schmalzel, R. Smith, D. Prato, D. Brinza, M. Grooters, and T. Hiller. Member absent: J. DeGroot, J. Banfil, C. Ludwick, A. Van Ess and S. Boersma. Staff present: City Engineer Scott Conners, Communications Manager/DDA Business Relations Manager Nicole DiDonato, Assistant City Manager Frank Wash, and DPW Director Gary Postema.Guests present: Director of Development at John Cherette with Cherrette Group, Senior Electrical Engineer Dave Herscher with Weare Progressive, and Residents: Faith Parzych, Tara McCrackin, John McCrackin and Leah Villereal. 2. Approval of Minutes Motion by D. Prato, with support by R. Smith to approve the minutes of the June 17, 2025 DDA meeting. Motion carried. 3. General Public Comment Residents expressed their concerns about the Downtown Development Authority's (DDA) plans for the area near Walker Community Park. Many community members emphasized the importance of maintaining the park as a green space and a community gathering area. They voiced a need for transparency and community involvement in any development discussions, highlighting their desire for the park to remain accessible for families. Some residents recalled previous development proposals for land adjacent to the park and reiterated their opposition to high-density housing in that area. 4. Vista 45 - Lasalle Ave Lighting DDA Discussion Dave Herscher from Progressive Companies presented a proposal for the lighting design of the Vista 45 housing development. He proposed the use of 20-foot light fixtures to enhance public roadways, aiming for a consistent aesthetic with existing city projects. The discussion included technical specifications for the fixtures, as well as a request for the DDA to approve changes to height requirements. The need for a special assessment district to fund installation and maintenance costs was emphasized, ensuring participation from property owners. Concerns were raised regarding the height of the light fixtures and their potential impact on visibility and safety for both drivers and pedestrians. Participants stressed the importance of pedestrian safety and maintaining adequate lighting along sidewalks. 5. Business Relations Manager Updates N. DiDonato shared updates regarding ongoing engagement with Grand Valley State University (GVSU) to incorporate student input into local development. Meetings with GVSU representatives focused on understanding student needs in Standale. There was Page 2 of 4  a suggestion to have a student representative join the DDA to ensure that student perspectives are included in decision-making processes. However, it was noted that GVSU is currently prioritizing developments downtown over those in Standale. 6. Central Standale Subarea Survey N. DiDonato stated a survey aimed at gathering community feedback on local development initiatives was went live and will be up until August 31, which will help inform future planning efforts. An update will be provided at the next meeting, with an emphasis on understanding community preferences for public spaces, such as potential uses for the area behind the first station, including seasonal markets. 7. Engineering Update S. Conners gave an update on the DDA lighting punch list. Over the next few weeks, Strain Electric will be turning about 60 poles to remove the skewed angle with the street. This work will be the conclusion of the DDA lighting project. The Engineering Department has a set of check prints from the Vista 45 project ready for review. They will review the location and height of the proposed DDA style lights and provide a recommendation to the DDA on how they will fit with the new LaSalle Avenue extension. They will most likely engage an outside consultant to help with evaluating the impacts of the much taller lights that are proposed within the Vista 45 project. 8. Planning Updates The Waterford Reserve project, which includes the construction of 52 new single-family homes, was discussed. This project has passed through the Planning Commission and is awaiting final approval from the City Commission. The timeline for the project indicates that construction could begin soon, with the potential for additional residential developments in the area. 9. Other Business/Updates D. Schmalzel stated that the City Commission recently received a presentation from the Kent County Brownfield Representatives regarding residential applications under the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA), prompting the formation of a subcommittee to establish citywide standards. This subcommittee, consisting of two city commissioners, two planning commissioners, two DDA members along with city staff, is set to meet on August 14th to discuss the details further. As a result, the request from the Vista 45 project will be on hold until at least September, as the city develops a comprehensive policy for residential brownfield requests. 10. Next Meeting Date and Time - The next Walker Development Authority meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 7:30 AM at Fire Station #2 - Upper Level. 11. Adjournment - Motion by R. Smith, supported by D. Prato, to adjourn the meeting at 8:23 AM. Motion carried If you have any questions or are unable to attend a meeting, please contact Jessica Marion at 616.791.6878 Page 3 of 4 Page 4 of 4