SAUGATUCK, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Jun. 18, 2025) – Now that the City of Saugatuck has scored a legal victory, will the dispute over floating homes in that Lakeshore community come to an end?
The Saugatuck City Council plans to go behind closed doors late on Wednesday afternoon to discuss last Friday’s decision by the state Court of Appeals to reject several challenges by Dune Ridge over four vacant floating homes the developer has docked on the west bank of the Kalamazoo River, next to the Chain Ferry Dock. Dune Ridge claimed that a land swap agreement with the city for the site precluded it from subsequent ordinances banning such floating residences, but the Allegan County Circuit Court disagreed, and the Appeals Court affirmed that ruling.
On the agenda for this Council session, City Manager Ryan Cummins said that discussion on trial or settlement strategy in an open meeting would have a “detrimental financial effect” for the city. Under the state’s Open Meetings Act, public entities can convene meetings behind closed doors to discuss personnel or legal matters.
In a 4 PM workshop before the closed-door session in the second floor meeting room of Saugatuck City Hall (102 Butler St.), the Saugatuck City Council plans to discuss, among several items, a Kalamazoo River Greenway funding request, along with a proposed ordinance amendment that would allow firearm use for a city-sanctioned deer cull, if one is deemed necessary.
An online link to the agenda and supporting documents is here.
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