09-05-2019 Church seeks special land use permit for community center on Main St. Watervliet;

Church seeks special land use permit for community center on Main St. Watervliet

By Annette Christie The Watervliet City Planning Commission was greeted by an enthusiastic church congregation seeking a special land use permit for a church and community center on Main Street in Watervliet at their Monday, August 26 meeting. The meeting began with the election of officers and the selection of Larry Hehl as the chairperson. Other members Robert Pelton and Mike Noack were present. Luke Strunk was absent.

FRESHWATER COMMUNITY CHURCH Pastor Justin VanFerrari… “We want to love people, strengthen families and bring hope to the next generation. It’s these three focus areas that have helped us determine what exactly we are looking for in a building”. (TCR photo by Annette Christie)

First on the agenda was the presentation by Pastor Justin VanFerrari with the Freshwater Community Church. He told the Commission that Freshwater Community Church started in Coloma in 2010. Over the past nine years they have been meeting in the Coloma Middle School building. They are seeking to move into the property at 115 N. Main St. and to convert it into a community center where their congregation meets on Sundays. “We want to love people, strengthen families and bring hope to the next generation. It’s these three focus areas that have helped us determine what exactly we are looking for in a building,” VanFerrari said. He told the Commission that while they don’t have a final architectural drawing yet, they will as the process moves forward. The structure they are interested in purchasing has both large and small spaces that will allow for multi-purpose usage. Currently they have about 75 adults and 25 kids in their congregation and the building will allow for the anticipated growth. VanFerrari said that they anticipate about $170,000 in renovations that will be done in phases. Up first would be a new roof, an update to the exterior of the building and then focusing on the smaller side before the larger side. Congregation member Brian Smith whose family re-located to be near their church prefaced that the church will help people to come to the area and stay in the area. He grew up in Kalamazoo and came to this area through employment. Since originally coming here, he and his wife have moved once but determined that for their family it was best to live where they go to church. “We came here because of the church which is community centered and family centered,” Smith said. The Planning Commission expressed some concerns about the condition of the building and parking. City Manager Tyler Dotson told the Commission that they are aware of the concerns and he is working with the church on those. “I have met with Justin and we are working together on what is in the City’s best interest and the Church’s best interest. We want to make sure we are following the process and I will work with Bob Lohr on that process,” Dotson said. Ordinance reviews requested In other business, the Planning Commission looked over some other ongoing projects that are in the works and two others that the City Commission would like them to review. The Planning Commission is working through the process to become a Redevelopment Ready Community. Dotson told the Commission that he worked with Mallory Brown previously and will continue moving forward on that. Brown is no longer on the Planning Commission. Dotson said he will bring the Chairperson up to speed on that. The City Commission has forwarded the Accessory Structure Ordinance and the Marijuana Establishment Ordinance to the Planning Commission. Dotson told the Commission that the City Commission attempted to revise the Accessory Structure Ordinance with regards to size and the look of structures but that did not pass. They will look to the Planning Commission for a recommendation. The City Commission did vote to opt out of allowing recreational marihuana facilities in the city; however, as the State moves forward with determining what that will look like, the city might want to review it further. The City Commission earlier also opted out of allowing medical marihuana facilities in the city. “Currently no marihuana establishments can exist in the City,” Dotson said. Dotson did tell the Planning Commission that when the ballot initiative was put before the people to allow recreational marijuana in the State of Michigan, 59% of Watervliet City voters said yes. All of the topics will be coming back to the Planning Commission in future meetings. The upcoming schedule has future Planning Commission meetings on the last Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.

911 Patriot Day service to be held at Veterans Park in Watervliet

Watervliet VFW Post 1137 will be conducting a Patriot Day service on Wednesday, September 11, 2019 in Veterans Park at 11 a.m. Speaker for this year’s service will be the Rev. Dave Haase. Also participating will be Keanna Lewis singing our National Anthem, the North Elementary 5th Grade leading the Pledge of Allegiance and members of the Watervliet City Police and Watervliet Fire Department presenting the memorial wreaths. The closing ceremony will be conducted by the North Berrien Military Rites team. The public is invited to attend this service at Veterans Park located on Main St. near the railroad crossin

Parks of high importance to local governments

By Annette Christie

The communities of Coloma and Watervliet as well as Berrien County are all working on parks plans in one fashion or another. Coloma Township and the City of Watervliet are just starting the process while Watervliet Township has finished theirs. Berrien County is in the midst of updating their 5-year parks plan. Coloma City is in the process of major parks rehabilitation to Randall Park.

Coloma Township

The Coloma Charter Township Board is starting to collect information from citizens and visitors for the purpose of updating their 5-Year Parks and Recreation Plan.

The survey of the community form was available at their August 14, 2019 meeting. Established by the Coloma Township Parks and Recreation Committee, they are seeking input as to what the community might like to see as improvements, changes or additions to the parks and recreation system.

The survey is available at the township hall or on their website. Consultant Cindy LaGrow is gathering the survey comments which are due by September 16, 2019. The current parks are the AEP River Launch Park, Helen Street Park/Beach, and Washington School Park. The survey seeks information on how people use the parks, which ones they use, what kind of recreational activities residents want, etc.

The township envisions having a draft Parks and Recreation Plan available for public review and comment by December 2019. The plan will be available for review prior to its finalization at the township hall and the library. At the next township meeting on Wednesday, September 11, an open house style of meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. to allow the public to voice their opinions about the township parks.

With the last parks plan, Coloma Township officials applied for the coveted Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant yet were unsuccessful in obtaining funds to improve Washington School Park. They were seeking a $400,000 grant to upgrade baseball fields, bleachers, dugouts, and field work; add new asphalt parking areas with gravel bicycle and walking paths that will tie into the Paw Paw Lake Trail; add two new pickleball courts; add new restroom and covered pavilion facility; add new playground equipment; add a new basketball court; add picnic tables; spruce up the landscaping; and create an environment that is ADA accessible.

With the re-establishment of a Parks and Recreation Committee comprised of Tony Bertuca, Bryan Duffield, and Jerry Willmeng, the township has been making some improvements out of their general fund. Perimeter fencing and walking track improvements have been made to Washington School Park. Bertuca has said at previous township meetings that part of the walking track may need to be replaced, restrooms should be installed including ones that are handicapped accessible, and the park needs more picnic tables and trash cans. Pickleball courts continue to be one of the frequent requests.

Coloma City gives Randall Park a do-over

The community of Coloma has had several large donations and grant awards to thank for the much needed upgrades and improvements to the city’s main park. Coloma City Commissioner Marsha Hammond says that the work to spruce up Randall Park is close to being completed.

The project began this spring but has run into several delays due to weather. Improvements include new mulch, painting, removing dead trees, benches, paved walking path, bike racks, and picnic tables. Some final touches that were planned to be done by two different youth groups have been left incomplete due to the weather.

Hammond said that the city received grants from the Heart of Cook and the Berrien Community Foundation to start the fundraising train moving. Donations from Menasha, Coloma Congregational Church, Lions/Lionesses, Masons, and the school’s metal class, as well as donations from the locals have almost raised approximately $48,000. The Downtown Development Authority will be funding the additional amount needed to pay for the total renovation project which is expected to be just under $73,000.

As the city completes their master plan revisions, they will be incorporating a five-year parks plan as well.

Watervliet Township 5-Year Plan complete; future grant applications expected

The Watervliet Township Board approved their new five-year (2019-2023) plan in the spring of this year in anticipation of future grant opportunities.

Cindy LaGrow with LaGrow Consulting was hired to assist the township through the process. The process included a couple public hearings followed by a 30-day comment period as copies of the plan were made available at various locations.

The plan includes the two newest parks acquired by the township; Airport Park is the two acres located right next to township hall and Mill Park is the 33.7 acres located off of Harper Avenue which was given to the township from Berrien County.

Respondents to the survey identified wanting walking and biking trails, more playground equipment, more picnic tables and benches, multi-use field(s) for soccer or rocket football, and pickleball courts.

The plan incorporated those wants to include acquiring additional land for the expansion of parks, signage at parks to identify swimming areas and parks in general, playground equipment, picnic tables, pickleball court, soccer and multi-use field(s), and benches.

Watervliet City Commission talks Parks Plan including Dog Park

The Watervliet City Parks and Recreation Committee is discussing a possible dog park in the city as part of their future parks and recreation plans.

Following an offer by Coloma Township officials to gift whatever supplies and products that they may have to create a dog park, the possibility is there that it could find a home in Watervliet City. The Watervliet City Parks and Recreation Committee is looking at potential locations that have all the necessary components such as land, parking availability, and water service.

City Manager Tyler Dotson said that it is expected once a plan has been put together by the committee it will be brought to the City Commission for approval.

The city is also looking into options for the re-write of their 5-year Parks & Recreation Plan. They are currently looking at consultants to assist with the plan. While the city did review a quote from their city engineering firm Wightman & Associates, they did not select any firm as of yet.

The goal is to try and get it in place to satisfy the deadline.

Berrien County Parks Plan includes improvements and growth to Paw Paw River County Park

It was just the fall of 2018 that the new Paw Paw River County Park opened, however, Berrien County already has plans for improvement and expansion in their upcoming 5-year plan.

The Berrien County Parks and Recreation Commission have been holding several open house style sessions throughout the year allowing the public to come in and express their thoughts about the future plans.

Paw Paw River County Park includes approximately 20 acres on the east side of M-140 with one mile of Paw Paw River frontage. Natural features include river frontage, a pedestrian bridge connecting to an island, mature trees, birding, fishing, and other recreational opportunities. The park connects Watervliet directly to the St. Joseph River and Lake Michigan on the designated Paw Paw River Water Trail. The location is a trailhead for the water trail with an ADA kayak launch, hard surface walkways, parking area, security lighting, trash and recycle bins, and bench seating which will enhance recreational opportunities for the region.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES… along Red Arrow Highway. (Left) Hartford Public Schools welcomed students on Tuesday, September 3 as parents throughout the community posted Hartford Indian Pride signs to celebrate the occasion. (Right) A totally different kind of “green” is growing in one of Van Buren County’s first industrial hemp fields. Under special provision from the 2018 Harm Bill and Michigan Department of Agriculture permit, the plants are mandated to contain less than .3% THC, (the active chemical in marijuana,) and have literally hundreds of industrial uses from rope to plastics. (Bottom) The Art & Bonna Vanderlyn Community Center project is drawing closer and hopes to celebrate ground breaking yet this fall. (TCR photos by Jon Bisnett)

Before the park was even completed, Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey was contacted by the Enders family about purchasing approximately 63 acres that is owned across the river from the park. The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has approved a grant application which, if awarded, could make it possible to expand the park. They are hoping for a grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund for $80,000. The remaining approximate $30,000 is slated to come from either the Parks Endowment Fund or the department’s general fund budget.

This acquisition, which is a priority in the Berrien County Parks five-year plan, would protect the property from future development, add public access and land along the Paw Paw River Water Trial, and provide additional recreational uses such as hiking trails, biking trails, outdoor photography, and fishing.

Additional future plans include adding vault toilets, closing and acquiring the additional property, adding permeable parking area and asphalt the driveway, create a bridge to the “Enders Property” with hard surface trails like what is in the park now, add a small picnic shelter near the kayak launch with two picnic tables and trash receptacles, and add an underground sprinkler system.

The Berrien County Parks 5-year plan also includes improvements to all of their properties: Silver Beach County Park, Rocky Gap County Park, Madeline Bertrand County Park, Love Creek County Park, Galien River County Park, and Historical Courthouse Square County Park.

In all, the plan represents estimations of over $4.6 million dollars to complete all of the projects. As Berrien County plans for the future of their parks, the funding of all improvements, maintenance and expansions give cause for concern as to how it will all be paid for. One of the many discussions is to possibly increase the county-wide Parks millage. The current millage is 0.1 mills. With an additional 0.1 mills, the county could generate an additional $800,000 a year. A mill costs a property owner $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. The addition would cost an owner of a house with $100,000 taxable value just $20 a year. By statute, the Berrien County Board of Commissioners has the authority to raise it up to .25 mills without a vote.

While some of the parks do generate income by charging for entering, others do not. Some of the Board, including District 2 Commissioner Jon Hinkelman, has asked the Parks Department to look at other options for ways to increase revenue. An example of a rate is that of Silver Beach County Park which charges $6 for residents and $12 for non-residents. When the county receives grant funds, it stipulates that the out of county visitors cannot pay more than double what residents do. While some argue that not all residents use the county parks system, other millage and tax dollars that are generated by residents pay for many things that the general population may never use such as senior centers, the 911 system, law enforcement, indigent defense, and more.

Commissioner Dave Vollrath, who represents District 1, stated, “The Commissioners are currently in the process of discussing how we are going to pay for some of the improvements and additional maintenance needed for our county parks. Our current millage rate of 1/10 of a mill would not allow us to keep our parks property maintained and also make some much needed repairs and some upgrades to worn out equipment,” adding, “Berrien County parks are a huge asset to our citizens and we cannot allow them to deteriorate and get run down. It would be a disservice to all who live here if that would occur. I am currently in favor of such an increase, unless we can show an alternative method to raise these funds as waiting for grants is not always a good option.”

The current county-wide parks millage is set to expire at the end of this year. Board action on the millage, whether it is to renew or to expand the millage will need to be taken this fall.

Many municipalities have luckily received grant funds to improve and expand their park properties. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund was established in the mid seventies and is funded through the proceeds from oil and gas development on state owned lands. The fund was established by statute and has a board that reviews all the applications for those funds. Every year one-third of the funds raised through those proceeds are used by state and local governments for the acquisition and or development of recreational properties. No more than 25% can be used for development so the rest is for acquisition. Berrien County has been the recipient of these funds many times in order to acquire, build, and improve their Parks & Recreation offerings.

The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund plays a vital role in supporting natural resource protection, recreation opportunities, tourism and the economy for the people of Michigan and Berrien County. All grant recipients are required to provide 25% in local matching funds