Michigan appeals court upholds judge's prior decision that voters did not have right to rezone former Sappi paper mill site in Muskegon; further appeal to Michigan Supreme Court likely, says side in favor of rezone

Debra Garcia

LOS ANGELES , July 9, 2014 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) – A former judge’s ruling concerning the rezoning of a former Sappi Ltd. paper mill property in Muskegon, Michigan, was upheld by the Michigan Court of Appeals on July 1, reported the Muskegon Chronicle on July 2.

The appeals court ruled in favor of the site’s owner and upheld Judge Timothy G. Hicks’ Feb. 22, 2013 ruling invalidating a voters’ initiative to rezone the former mill site.

An appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court is likely, said Larry Page, who with Eve Douglas had intervened for the city, which was sued by the site’s current owner, Melching Inc.

Proposal 4, calling for Melching’s property to be rezoned to waterfront marine from industrial, was passed by Muskegon voters in November 2012, the Muskegon Chronicle reported.

Melching bought the property from Sappi in 2011, according to Industry Intelligence Inc.’s archives. Deed restrictions on the site limit environmental investigation and redevelopment to industrial uses, unless Sappi grants permission.

The primary source of this article is the Muskegon Chronicle, Muskegon, Michigan, on July 2, 2014. Click here to view full version of primary source's original article.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.