The issue of waiving system improvement fees in the amount of $268,050 for Copper Rock Construction, the developer for the Hastings Riverwalk Lofts mixed-use housing project,  drew considerable discussion at Monday’s Hastings City Council meeting. 

 

Some council members felt it was not appropriate to reduce or waive the fees for developers when individual property owners are required to pay those fees for utility hookups, while others supported the idea of waiving the fees as incentive to help Copper Rock to continue moving forward with the project.

 

Copper Rock plans to construct over 130 market rate housing units at the site on Mill Street along the Thornapple River, working with the Barry Community Foundation which currently owns the former Royal Coach property.  Total development cost is expected to be around 32-million dollars.

 

In the end, the motion for the waiver request was approved by a 6 to 3 vote.

 

Also approved was a Workforce Housing PILOT ordinance  to encourage the development or rehabilitation of workforce housing for persons and families whose household income is not greater than 120% of area median income.

 

Approval was granted to a request from Carl Schoessel to hold the annual New Year’s Eve Ball Drop and community celebration in downtown Hastings, complete with music on the street, fireworks, and other festivities to ring in 2024.