ALLEGAN — According to court records, a proposed campground that received strong backlash from residents could return before the Ganges Township Planning Commission.
Central Florida Resort Property Management — which oversees Campit Outdoor Resort and is owned by Michael O’Connor — filed a lawsuit appealing the denied application for Saugatuck Meadows Campground in Allegan County’s 48th Circuit Court on Sept. 29, 2025.
The commission denied the campground’s special land use application in August 2025 after numerous residents voiced staunch disapproval, largely due to the project’s connection with Campit and O’Connor.
Judge Matthew Antkoviak previously noted his intent to return the case to the commission, but issued an order July 27 for supplemental briefs following oral arguments July 14. Those briefs were filed Aug. 4, 5 and 7.
Central Florida Resort Property Management argues officials should address all six considered requirements — rather than simply noting the project isn’t harmonious with the area — so that, when the matter returns to court, a judge can determine whether the body acted in accordance with the law.
Ganges Township, meanwhile, argues commissioners reached a decision after seven meetings and that a written statement based on the existing record should be sufficient.
The project doesn’t appear on the body’s meeting agenda for Aug. 25.
What is Saugatuck Meadows in Ganges Township?
Saugatuck Meadows is a 25-acre project with 89 proposed sites from applicant Bobbi Jo Beyersdorf. Campit has previously used the land for auxiliary parking and storage.
Campit is a 33-acre campground with space for tents and RVs, located in a commercial district. The grounds include log cabin rentals, a five-bedroom bunkhouse, vintage trailers, a heated pool, a clubhouse and other outdoor recreation amenities. The company’s website advertises weekly events and activities, and describes the campground as a resort experience for members of the LGBTQ+ community, including friends and allies.
Homeowners have repeatedly alleged the campground is destroying their way of life, with frequent loud noise that continues into the early morning hours, increased traffic and speeds, and possible impacts on wildlife and the municipality’s aquifer.
Campit received permission to double in size after a successful lawsuit against Ganges Township in 2004. Officials had originally denied the request.
— Cassidey Kavathas is the politics and court reporter at The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at ckavathas@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on X @cassideykava.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: A controversial campground could return to Ganges Planning Commission
Reporting by Cassidey Kavathas, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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By Cassidey Kavathas, Holland Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
