South Haven

In South Haven it's tempting to say it's all about the beach. South Haven's five miles of sandy shoreline on Lake Michigan make the city not only the playground of visiting Chicagoans and Detroiters but of water-fun lovers from across the country. For most communities it might be enough to be the place to sit on the pier watching the big boats, the spot to end the day soaking in the sunset of indescribable oranges and purples. But nature's best is just the beginning here. A downtown shopping district offers the eclectic: boutiques, T-shirt shops and a variety of restaurants. The city's four marinas have more than 225 slips some for boats as big as 65 feet and beyond. Bed-and-breakfasts, inns and rental properties abound. There's a blueberry festival complete with pancakes and pie eating contests. There's art in the park on the 4th of July weekend. Summertime is packed, but the city's year-round population of 5,000 will tell you there are four seasons to enjoy in South Haven. Throughout the year, Foundry Hall hosts national, regional and local musicians. The South Haven Center for the Arts offers lessons and exhibits. The Michigan Maritime Museum, home of the tall ship Friends Goodwill, keeps alive the city's nautical past. And for those looking for a home for their business the I-196 Business Park, with 122 available acres, offers room to grow.

Think of them as highways for bikes

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In The News

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April 15, 2010

Plans are under way to put more miles of bikeways along Lake Michigan's shoreline, reports the Allegan County News.Already, the paths are in place to take bikers from South Haven to Saugatuck. With the bike routes proposed, bikers, hikers, runners and rollerbladers will be able to trek from Saugatuck city limits more than 37 miles northward on paved trails -- and plans are under way for a southern option.Excerpt:A Saugatuck-South Haven Bike Trail Committee is studying right-of-ways, routes and funding for a 23-mile trail from where the current path ends to downtown South Haven, Southwest Michigan Planning Commission program assistant Suzann Flowers said."This, in turn, is part of an AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) long-range plan for a nationwide set of corridors to be developed as U.S. bike routes," Flowers added."One of these is U.S. Bicycle Route 35, a 50-mile band which would follow the shore of Lake Michigan from New Buffalo to the Mackinac Bridge, then north to Sault Ste. Marie," she said.The story goes on to say the Van Buren County portion of the path, consisting of one mile in the City of South Haven and 2.36 miles in South Haven Township, would involve a 4-foot-wide bike lane extension of the existing Blue Star Highway, costing $15,000 to $20,000 per mile to construct.Blue Star's extra-wide Allegan County right-of-ways make possible a 10-foot path separate from the roadway, costing $150,000 to $300,000 per mile depending on the need to acquire land, price of asphalt, tree removal, engineering and more factors.Funding sources still are being worked out, but federal transportaion dollars through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program and Michigan Department of Transportation are among those being pursued.For more on the proposals, read the rest of the story.Source: Allegan County News

Downtown road improvements include dedicated bike lanes in South Haven

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

When Broadway Street in downtown South Haven is repaved this spring bikers will find they have more room to themselves.The City of South Haven is using the opportunity of the downtown road work to provide dedicated bicycle lanes at the same time as the road is paved.The idea for the lanes came out of a broader plan for redoing the downtown streetscape that had City of South Haven engineers creating a detailed plan of how traffic and bicycle lanes would function together.Instead of one traffic lane in each direction, a center lane for left turns and bike lanes on both sides — a concept that has worked in many communities — a plan was created to deal with specific traffic concerns in South Haven, namely the tie-ups caused when the Dyckman Avenue bridge rises to let tall boats sail the Black River.In response, a plan was drafted to include two northbound lanes on Broadway, instead of a center turn lane."Much careful consideration has been given to maximizing safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles in some very complex intersections on this project," a statement released by the city says. "While no plan is perfect, we believe this configuration of lanes and crosswalks represents the best overall safety improvement that can be accomplished without sacrificing the right turn lanes for Dunkley and Conger."A contractor has been authorized to begin work on the pavement project at any time. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: City of South Haven

Questions about leasing land for wind energy? Get answers here

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

Property owners looking to learn more about leasing their land to wind energy development companies can attend informational sessions being offered April 5 in South Haven and Benton Harbor and April 6 in Dowagiac.Dennis Stein, a farm management educator from the Michigan State University Extension, will address landowner inquiries, which have been on the rise recently as talk of wind energy development picks up. He will discuss basic contract details, confidentiality issues, contract duration and compensation clauses. He also will talk about assignment clauses, property taxes, liability issues and other restrictions on land use.Property owners will learn about contract termination as well. It's all part of guidelines designed to help landowners consider important issues when negotiating a contract, Stein says.The topics may help property owners as they consider whether to enter into a contract with a wind energy provider.The sessions are offered in:-- South Haven, 2-4 p.m. April 5, at Lake Michigan College, 125 Veterans Blvd, (269) 657-8213.-- Benton Harbor, 6-8 p.m. April 5, at the Berrien County MSU Extension Office, 1737 Hillandale Road, Benton Harbor, (269) 944-4126.-- Dowagiac, April 6, 11: 30 a.m., at Wayne Township Hall, 53950 Glenwood Road, (269) 445-4438.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Dennis Stein

Gusts off South Haven among best in state for wind energy

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In The News

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March 18, 2010

TThe winds that churn off South Haven's lakeshore are known for being a powerful force, and the city is looking at ways to control the turbines that could harness that wind for energy, reports the Kalamazoo Gazette.The city planning commission in August began to consider how to regulate wind turbines. A public hearing is set for April 1 to get input on the proposed rules."We know that the wind is very good here so we want to have something in place that will balance quality of life with these new technologies," says City Manager Brian Dissette. Excerpt:The wind-power potential in South Haven is maybe best seen by taking a drive along Monroe Boulevard, where trees atop a large hill that leads down to Lake Michigan are permanently bent from the west winds that blow unfettered across the open waters."There is a high level of interest in wind energy (in South Haven)," Dissette said. "That's the driving force behind this ordinance."Under the city's draft ordinance, only wind turbines 40 feet tall or shorter would be allowed within 3,000 feet of the lakeshore. Turbines taller than 40 feet but under 200 feet would be allowed in areas zoned industrial and in one area zoned for business near I-196 on the city's east side. Turbines 200 to 400 feet tall would be restricted to industrial areas.Special-use permits from the city would be required for all wind turbines, regardless of size. For those taller than 200 feet, a study of potential impact on wildlife and noise would have to be filed. Other requirements would include minimum setbacks from other structures of 1.5 to 2 times the height of the turbine. There are few parcels in South Haven that could accommodate those zoning requirements, according to Dissette."This ordinance is pretty doggone restrictive," the city manager said. "I don't see a line forming to seek installing these (turbines). Few can fund it and make it economically feasible."Read the whole story on the proposed wind turbine regulations.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

More snowmobilers, more business

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Development News

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March 18, 2010

South Haven's downtown businesses are feeling warmed by a snowmobile-driven boost.