ZEELAND — Mead Johnson's ambitious and controversial $836 million expansion plans are going back to the Zeeland Planning Commission this week for a ruling. 

Following a lively public hearing during which some residents vocally opposed the project, the fate of the baby formula giant's factory modernization hinges on a crucial planning commission vote.

City Manager Tim Klunder confirmed that the planning commission will revisit the proposal on Wednesday, June 25. At stake is the company's bid to rezone residential land into industrial, a move essential for its growth but one that would uproot current residents in that area.

Project status snapshot

• Mead Johnson has submitted a rezoning application for properties at 605 and 633 E. Main Ave., which the company owns. The property at 605 Main St. is vacant; the other has eight units in a townhouse that are occupied by residents. 
• A conceptual presentation was shared by Mead Johnson on June 5 at the Howard Miller Community Center. 
• A public hearing on the rezoning request took place June 12. The request was tabled, and another meeting was scheduled.
• Planning Commission Special Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 25, at 6 p.m. at the Howard Miller Community Center, to continue the discussion on the request to rezone 605 and 633 E. Main. (This is not a public hearing. Public comment will be received at the beginning of the meeting.)
• No site development plans have been submitted to the city at this time.

The properties in question, 605 and 633 E. Main Ave., are already owned by Mead Johnson, a subsidiary of Reckitt. The Zeeland facility is one of three in the U.S.

 "To carry forward with their plans — modernization of those properties they are seeking to rezone — until they are rezoned, they can't use them," Klunder explained.

While one property stands vacant, the other is home to an eight-unit townhouse. Its residents are dug in, vehemently opposing the rezoning that would force them out.

All of the tenants except for one have leases that expire by the end of the year, company officials confirmed.  

“They will move based on the timing of their lease agreement, and Mead Johnson has made the atypical and generous pledge to provide their full deposits back to each tenant,” the company said in a statement to ONN.

Klunder said the greater community has expressed both “support and opposition” to Mead Johnson’s planned expansion.

“The direct neighborhood is definitely against it," Klunder said.

Klunder emphasized the city's commitment to preserving Zeeland's "unique community character" by balancing residential, commercial, industrial and public spaces. He assured residents that any potential site plans would be publicly released, followed by rigorous review processes and more public hearings.

Community voices heard

The Zeeland Planning Commission's initial public hearing on June 12 was well-attended, with many residents raising red flags about the industrial growth creeping into their neighborhoods. 

Concerns ranged from increased traffic and potential odor to noise and pollution. This followed an earlier conceptual presentation of Reckitt's plans on June 5.

Despite the community pushback, Mead Johnson remains steadfast. In a statement issued on June 19 to the Ottawa News Network, the company expressed excitement about its rezoning application, noting that many members of the community support the project.

"We are committed to making this necessary investment in Zeeland, allowing us to preserve and increase jobs in the community we have called home for more than 100 years," the statement read. 

The company reiterated its dedication to Zeeland, stating it has "no interest in moving operations out of Zeeland" and that modernizing its equipment is "essential in maintaining Mead Johnson's high-quality and safety standards, as well as meeting U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations."

The city, for its part, has outlined its position on its website:

• It opposes any development south of Main Avenue, where Mead Johnson has no current property or desire for expansion.
• It supports construction on the interior portions of Mead Johnson's currently owned industrial property.
• It has not taken a firm stance on potential expansion north of Main Avenue, awaiting further assessment of its scope and impacts.

The vision and the concerns

The proposed expansion includes a new three- to four-story "flagship building" and upgraded manufacturing structures. This hinges on rezoning the two E. Main Ave. properties, which currently house an eight-unit townhome community and a large red barn slated for demolition.

Beyond manufacturing, the project promises improved employee amenities like new break rooms and a hot food cafeteria, alongside beautification efforts along East Main Street. 

Plans even include transforming an existing playground at the corner of East Main Street and Carlton Avenue into a public greenspace with flowers, benches and a fountain. The company is also exploring a potential community garden plot with the city and Bethel Christian Reformed Church.

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To ease traffic fears, Mead Johnson officials have said they intend to reroute logistics to an area behind the facility, accessible by East Washington Avenue, while employee parking would remain off East Main Street. 

The Zeeland facility currently employs about 500 people, with an anticipated addition of 25 jobs through the expansion.

However, a significant point of contention is the possibility of Mead Johnson receiving a 12-year property tax abatement, which some fear could chip away at the city's tax base.

Reckitt, the world's largest maker of consumer health and hygiene products, acquired Mead Johnson in 2017 for approximately $17.9 billion. Mead Johnson manufactures, markets and distributes more than 70 products in over 50 markets worldwide.

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.