After an exhaustive Planning Commission meeting Wednesday and a hearing Thursday night, GVL Excavating was granted its special land use request for sand mining.
“We’ve had a huge history with this subject,” remarked Leighton Township Supervisor Steve Wolbrink said.
GVL representatives agreed to secure a line of credit of $60,000 for the mine and $60,000 for the nearby road, 144th Avenue, in case anything goes wrong.
An ordinance amendment allowing GVL to use 144th just like a primary road was adopted earlier.
GVL also plans to set aside some nearby land to establish a residential development.
In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the Leighton Board:
• Approved the Phase 4 final plat for Harvest Meadows residential development.
• Was told by Library Board representative Faith Miedema that the Leighton Township Library will be closed for a short spell, open only for curbside transactions, while the building addition is completed.
• Approved a request from Classic Transportation to proceed with plans for seeking an industrial facilities tax exemption (tax abatement) after expansion at its site on 147th Avenue.
• Agreed to spend up to $2,250 to have the township’s web site updated and modernized.
• Learned from the Allegan County Road Commission that projects slated for 2022 include Division from 146th to 142nd Avenue, 12th Street (with Dorr Township) in Moline to Division, and Kalamazoo Avenue between 7th Street and 145th Avenue.
• Learned from Fire Chief Matt Weston that the department handled a record 416 calls in 2021 and three new firefighters, paramedic April Rogers, Brian Bollone and Randy Norris have come on board. The department now has a record 30 members, which Weston said are needed because of Leighton’s population growth.
• Heard a presentation from Lori Antkoviak about Safe Haven child protection services and its need for money to help build new headquarters in Allegan.