Board moves ahead on new drain, stormwater rules and dust control

This section of 61st Street north of 138th Avenue is one of three short sections of road in Laketown Township that are not paved.

The Laketown Township board approved drain, stormwater and dust control measures at its Wednesday, Feb. 8 meeting.

Myrtle Drain

The board took another step in creating the Myrtle Drain which will stretch from 62^nd Street just south of the Holland City limits west to the 32^nd Street area where it will link with the Ottogan Intercounty Drain.

The drain district is being created because nine homeowners had traditionally connected their sump pumps to an underground storm pipe. When the Allegan County Road Commission did road work nearby, the agency disconnected the sump pumps because it doesn’t allow those types of hookups. Residents had nowhere to discharge the water.

Township Manager Al Meshkin suggested the idea of a new drainage district to handle the flow. The township has been navigating the process of creating a new drainage district for months.

On Wednesday, the board unanimously approved the petition to the Allegan County Drain Commissioner’s Office to establish and construct the drain. Several more steps, including public hearings and notifications to residents, are still ahead.

Residents will not be assessed for costs associated with the drain. The township covers those expenses thanks to its drain millage.

Ordinance

The board also unanimously approved a new stormwater regulation ordinance recommended by the Allegan County Drain Commission. The rules give the county authority over certain developments including planned unit developments, subdivisions, commercial and industrial projects.

The new rules go into effect 30 days after the synopsis is published in the newspaper.

One of the three shoer areas of roads not paved in the township. This is 65th Street south of Island Lake Road.

Dust control

The board unanimously authorized the Allegan County Road Commission to apply dust control this year to a total of about one mile of unpaved roads in the township for an estimated cost around $1,000.

There are segments of three roads – 61^st Street north of 138^th Avenue, 62^nd Street south of 142^nd Avenue, 65^th Street south of Island Lake Road – that aren’t paved.

This section of 62nd Street south of 142nd Avenue is one of three short areas of road not paved in the township.

The township board’s next regular meeting is 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, at the township hall, 4338 Beeline Road.

Agendas are posted before each meeting on the township website www.laketowntwp.org