Commission staff updated members on the county’s small-footprint homes initiative and a planned demonstration project, Hope Bridge, and presented a draft letter of support for inclusion in the PUD package for the City of Holland.

Staff said the initiative aims to release final plans to the public Jan. 9 and will convene municipal planning staff in February to discuss zoning and opportunity parcels. The Hope Bridge PUD package is slated for submittal to Holland on Dec. 17 and staff suggested Holland’s planning commission could review the PUD on or around Jan. 17.

A practical hurdle emerged in discussion: Holland’s transportation department is treating the multiple-unit PUD as requiring sidewalks where none exist. Staff reported engineers estimated adding a sidewalk could cost between $80,000 and $100,000, a sum that would raise construction costs and reduce project affordability. "It’s gonna be between 80 and $100,000 to build a sidewalk to nowhere," staff said, noting the added cost would be passed through to the project.

The commission reviewed a drafted letter of support for the Hope Bridge development, which frames the project as an opportunity to showcase modestly sized dwellings and to catalyze broader acceptance of smaller home types across Ottawa County. The commission indicated approval for the chair to sign the letter to include in the PUD submittal.

Doors of Hope is named in the draft as a project partner and the packet cites Nick Wurlinski as the design consultant. Staff agreed to share small-footprint materials with commissioners for review via email and to continue coordination with municipal planning staff on infrastructure and zoning barriers.

Next procedural steps include the Dec. 17 PUD submittal and anticipated Holland Planning Commission review in January; the commission asked staff to continue work on mitigation strategies for transportation-driven costs that could affect project affordability.