by Joseph Schultz
The Dorr Township Planning Commission Tuesday evening approved a request from Great Lakes Excavating Service for a sand and gravel mine north of 142nd Avenue, between 21st and 22nd streets.
This request was tabled in the December meeting when Great Lakes added an exhaustive noise, dust and property values study at the last minute before the meeting. The study, which took data from past and current mining operations Great Lakes is working on throughout the state, concluded the service had met all state requirements for noise and dust.
Commissioner Larry Dolegowski asked Jason Derry from Professional Code Inspections (PCI) if Great Lakes could go to the state or the courts to gain approval. Derry said they could and went on to say that it was a balance of how much can be regulated locally before the state would get involved. If the state approves the permit, the township would lose all say on how the mine would operate.
Commissioner Rebecca Snider asked if owner Johnathon Postma had reconsidered use of 21st Street, which is a dirt road, to using 22nd Street, which is paved. Representatives from Great Lakes stated that he has not. Beside the owners’ concern about his lake being private, he worried that the project would get further delayed when the commission would have to get input from residents on 22nd Street.
Dolegowski suggested that the permit could be reviewed on an annual basis. Great Lakes representatives told the commission that they have to provide an annual report about their mine in Allendale, so such a requirement would be fine with them.
Chairman Dan Beute asked the commission for a motion to approve or deny. There was a noticeable pause from the commission. Finally, Richard Osbun made the motion to recommend approval of the special use permit, subject to annual review, to the Township Board. Vice Chairman Robert Wagner seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.
The Dorr Township Board will review the recommendation in its February meeting.
In other business from the meeting:
- The commission also reviewed the site plan for an industrial suite warehouse from VERI FOD, LLC. The warehouse would be just south of 142nd Avenue, behind a gas station that was approved in the October 2025 meeting. It is located just east of US 131 exit. The facility would face a new private road that will be built just west of the Park and Ride. A resident asked the commission if 142nd Avenue would be widened to accommodate the additional traffic. Beute explained that 142nd is a county road, so it would be up to Allegan County to make any improvements to the road. The site plan was also approved by the commission.
- The commission made some progress on the curb and gutter ordinance members have been discussing over the last several months. They have agreed to require concrete curbs on radius and cul-de-sacs on new roads with 10 or more houses. They agreed to table the measure to work out all the details the new ordinance might bring up.
