Plymouth Residents Pack Council Meeting over Hollydale Development Plan
The ongoing issue of whether to turn Plymouth’s Hollydale Golf Course into hundreds of single-family homes took center stage Tuesday night.
The Plymouth City Council had two tasks to accomplish on the issue: They had to review an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), which looks at potential environmental impacts. Then, the city council had to review the developer’s sketch plan of the project, which is considered to be “rougher than a rough draft.”
The discussion involved public input and lasted for more than five hours.
“This should be a very easy decision, to not approve the EAW tonight, to not approve the sketch plan tonight. And eventually to not approve the destruction of 160 acres of Plymouth’s last large tract of land and the only 18-hole golf course,” said Paul Hillen, a Plymouth resident.
Hillen’s statement to the council was just one of the many comments regarding Hollydale Tuesday night.
“We All Understand the Position You’re Going Through”
The five-hour meeting included a staff presentation, a public input session — which packed the council chambers — and a discussion by the city council.
Ultimately, the council decided that the Environmental Assessment Worksheet identified the potential environmental concerns, meaning that there would be no need to require an environmental impact statement for the Hollydale property.
As for the sketch plan, the item garnered comments, but didn’t require an up or down vote.
“I totally get it. We totally get it, you have a golf course that’s been there for 60 years and now we’re looking at something that might get developed,” Plymouth Mayor Jeff Wosje said to the crowd. “So trust us, we all understand the position you’re going through.”
Tuesday night was just one step in a long review process. The city council did not consider a comprehensive plan change or development proposal. That is something the council is likely to consider in the coming months.
