Plainwell city council members approved another step toward bringing Sweetwater’s Donut Mill to the city.
Councilmembers voted unanimously Monday, Sept. 11, to rezone the property on M-89 where contractors were already clearing land. A sign has now gone up marking the spot for Sweetwater’s.
The rezoning changed the property from central business district to commercial.
Plainwell city manager Erik Wilson said the need to rezone the property was an artifact of the city’s acquisition of the Plainwell Paper mill years ago.
“Basically, prior to the city acquiring the mill they city had the whole mill property zone central business district,” Wilson said.
Even though the mill property stretched pretty far from downtown—the part Sweetwater’s is planning to build on is just north of the intersection of M-89 and Prince Street—the city wanted to use that zoning, Wilson said.
“We were concerned someone else could purchase the mill, which was zoned industrial, and put in a use that wouldn’t be desirable,” Wilson said. “Not another big industrial user, that would have been fine, but something like a junkyard.
“We’d planned to rezone it for any appropriate use.”
For example, central business district zoning doesn’t allow free-standing signs, while commercial does.
The city is also moving to try to build an extension of Prince Street north into the property before winter.
“We’re trying to get that in before the asphalt plants close,” Wilson said.
The city received a $65,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help with the road, which is being designed now along with water and sewer.
“We don’t know the exact timetable yet,” Wilson said. “There’s a lot of moving parts.”
He said he expects Sweetwater’s to have a building up relatively soon.
“Light and water and sewer can be done in the winter, but the road is the problem,” Wilson said.
The road will extend 300 feet north from M-89 and will eventually serve the rest of development the city plans on the former mill property.
Contact Dan Pepper at dpepper@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534.
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