ZEELAND — Mead Johnson has filed an anticipated rezoning application for properties at 605 and 633 E. Main Ave. — marking the first official step toward a possible expansion of the manufacturer’s existing facility at 725 E. Main Ave.
The city of Zeeland announced the filing Thursday, May 29, as well as two upcoming meetings related to the project where residents can learn more and voice their opinion.
Mead Johnson will present a conceptual overview of the proposed expansion to the Zeeland Planning Commission at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at the Howard Miller Community Center. No decisions will be made during the meeting. Residents may comment before the presentation.
There will also be a public hearing at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 12, at the Howard Miller Community Center, during which comment is encouraged.
Zeeland and Mead Johnson took part in preliminary discussions about a possible expansion earlier this year, while the company decided whether to invest in Zeeland or elsewhere in the country, the city wrote in a news release. That included an evaluation of property needs in Zeeland.
According to the release, councilmembers won’t support any development occurring south of Main Avenue, and Mead Johnson has confirmed they have no desire for any development south of Main. The city is supportive, however, of construction efforts focused on the interior portions of the business’ current property.
Mead Johnson was acquired by Reckitt in 2017. Lawn signs posted throughout the city call for officials to “Reject (the) Reckitt Expansion.” 605 and 633 E. Main Ave. are currently in residential areas. According to property records, 605 E. Main Ave. has been owned by Cityside Townhouses of Holland since 2016. The parcel at 633 E. Main Ave. was sold to Mead Johnson for $1.5 million in December.
In the release issued Thursday, officials wrote the city “remains committed to transparent, open communication and balanced development that reflects the best interests of Zeeland.”
— Cassidey Kavathas is the politics and court reporter at The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at ckavathas@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @cassideykava.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Mead Johnson files rezoning application for expansion in Zeeland. What to know
Reporting by Cassidey Kavathas, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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