What does DSI do? It’s a question we get asked frequently. At first blush, the title of our department may seem a bit opaque.
Former previous titles were more telegraphed – “Planning & Grants,” then later “Planning & Performance Improvement”. Like a child outgrowing their clothes, these monikers no longer covered the scope of interconnected services and strategies spearheaded, implemented and managed within this department. So in 2021, we were rechristened Strategic Impact.
Our staff of skilled land use planners, data analysts, researchers, communications specialists, and administrative professionals tackle some of the County’s biggest challenges both internally and externally in thoughtful, creative, and innovative ways. In 2025, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office sought out DSI for planning guidance as they navigated new leadership and looked forward. Staff planners worked with a consultant and the Housing Commission to develop open-source housing solutions. Our Economic Development arm ensured Ottawa County landed its third brownfield assessment grant from the Environmental Protection Agency and guided local units in navigating other brownfield projects and state tax-increment financing options. Staff reached more than 150 farmers at events encouraging succession planning, and more viable agricultural land was protected through the Purchase of Development Program. DSI leveraged funds to continue the expansion of high-speed internet in Ottawa County with ISP partner 123NET. And staff land planners moved to manage Ottawa County’s groundwater through an array of outreach opportunities and continued to expand well monitoring.
This list barely scratches the surface of the initiatives DSI has supported and expanded for the good of the county. County departments, local units of government and nonprofit partners seek out DSI to investigate and dissect complex issues, deploy and manage projects, and provide vital information so stakeholders can make proactive and informed decisions.
So the question that should be asked isn’t what DSI does, but what can DSI do for you?
Department of Strategic Impact Director Paul Sachs
A picture of Department of Strategic Impact staff at a team-building function in August 2025. From left: Andrew Roszkowski, Julie Lamer, Stephanie Oesch, Matthew Chappuies, Becky Huttenga, Joe Pierce, Paul Sachs, Marley Wolff, Rich Lakeberg, and Pam VanderMolen.
On any given day, DSI staff work on a multitude of initiatives that impact the lives of the citizens they serve, including such diverse challenges such as groundwater protection, farmland preservation, and high-speed internet service. Our skilled staff also provide evaluation and data support for long-term projects and build evaluation capacity for other County departments, local units, municipalities, and local nonprofits.
Department of Strategic Impact Director Paul Sachs oversees departmental operations and initiatives, supports and empowers staff, routinely seeks opportunities to support the needs (current and future) of Ottawa County, and continuously strives for inter-agency collaboration and productive community engagement.
Education: Bachelor’s in Earth Sciences, Western Michigan University.
Skills: Strategic and forward-thinker, problem solver, collaborator, motivator, and activator.
Experience: Nearly 25 years creating, supporting, and implementing pragmatic solutions to elevate operations and overall quality of life in Ottawa County.
Administrative Assistant Pam VanderMolen performs vital clerical, technical and sub-administrative work. She is responsible for complex administrative functions requiring detailed knowledge of specialized departmental operations, rules and technical and administrative procedures. She reviews and analyzes budget performance reports, drafts the budget for designated funds/activities, creates and maintains specialized databases, and coordinates purchasing activities.
Education: Grand Valley State University.
Skills: Detail-oriented strategic thinker, adaptability under pressure, problem-solving, tech savvy, proof reader, numbers guru.
Experience: Long-tenured employee with more than 16 years of experience in administrative assistance, public relations, board administration, budget administration; eight-plus years in title examination.
Agriculture & Economic Resources Coordinator Becky Huttenga focuses primarily on brownfield redevelopment, farmland protection, and a number of other economic development tools authorized under Michigan statute. Some of her duties include managing the farmland preservation program, administering the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the Economic Development Corporation, and managing their related activities, providing staff support for the Land Bank Authority, and delivering the Land Transfer Navigating Program.
Education: Bachelor’s in Animal Science, extensive graduate-level study, Michigan State University.
Skills: Grant writing/management, easement acquisition, program development, board governance, critical thinking, public speaking, outreach, and legislative analysis.
Experience: Ten-year tenure with the County in her current role and four years as an Executive Director of a natural resource agency. Previous roles in extension education, tax accounting, animal feed sales, and business management. She also serves on numerous boards and committees.
Farmland Preservation Analyst Julie Lamer provides primary support to the Agriculture and Economic Resources Coordinator, administering the Purchasing of Development Rights Program (PDR) by managing the application and scoring process, administering grant applications for federal, state, and local grant opportunities, and monitoring the PDR procedures. She also develops and coordinates innovating fund-raising programs and events to protect and support farmland preservation.
Education: Business Administration Coursework, continuing education and professional development workshops/seminars, Grand Rapids Junior College.
Skills: The ability to interact positively and professionally with all people along with varying levels of organizational knowledge and communication skills.
Experience: Over 30 years developing and administering environmental programs that make the word a better place to live.
Land Use Coordinator Matt Chappuies works with local governments, regional agencies, and County policymakers to help shape the overall long-term direction of land-use planning initiatives within Ottawa County. Areas of work include transportation planning, environmental resiliency, utilities and infrastructure planning, farmland preservation, and equitable land use development.
Education: Bachelors in Urban and Regional Planning, Michigan State University.
Skills: Municipal and zoning code review/revision, groundwater monitoring, land use policy research.
Experience: 10-plus years of experience as a local and regional planner.
Land Use Planning Specialist Andrew Roszkowski leads the department in geospatial analysis and data management, supporting projects with advanced mapping, research, environmental science, and spatial insights. He also oversees statutory grant reporting for state-level programs related to land use and conservation. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Andrew brings discipline and precision to every project.
Education: Master of Science: Geographic Information Science, Calvin University; Bachelor’s in Natural Resource Management, Grand Valley State University; Minor in GIS and Remote Sensing.
Skills: GIS and spatial analysis, data visualization, environmental planning, research, problem solving.
Experience: More than six years of experience in spatial analysis, data management, and project support within local government and education.
Land Use Specialist Marley Wolff is the newest member of the DSI team and is excited to support forward movement on key projects such as strategizing key groundwater conservation efforts and leading programs within our water wise landscaping initiative.
Education: Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies and Sustainability; Business Administration minor, Northern Michigan University.
Skills/Experience: Marley has experience in statewide public land use planning and natural resource conservation with state government, public and stakeholder engagement, as well as hands-on experience with implementing low impact, native landscaping across communities.
Special Projects Coordinator Joe Pierce manages projects and executes strategic research, evaluation, analysis, and future planning for an array of high-profile and complex DSI initiatives involving public, private, and nonprofit partners. Along with the Project Support Specialist and Research / Data Analyst, Joe coordinates creative and strategic solutions to further the County’s goals.
Education: Bachelor of Arts of Social Work, Spanish Minor, Hope College; Master of Social Work – Program Evaluation and Applied Research, University of Michigan.
Skills: Writing, analysis, facilitation, and strategic planning, and is moderately fluent in Spanish.
Experience: Housing, community development, food access, economic development, education, and public programs. Joe is a member of the American Evaluation Association and the Michigan Association for Evaluation; serves as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Grand Haven.
Research & Data Analyst Stephanie Oesch maintains many Ottawa County dashboards and databases, and is an integral part of the DSI evaluation team, where she assists with strategic planning and program evaluation. When she isn’t updating the latest facts and figures for the County, she enjoys learning new tips and tricks in Excel, Power Query, and Power BI.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from Grand Valley State University with a minor in Writing. Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Northern Michigan University with an emphasis on poetry.
Skills: Data visualization, database management, evaluation, strategic planning, writing/editing.
Experience: Five-plus years working local government; three years of editorial experience; repeated experience in project management.
Project Support Specialist Rich C. Lakeberg directs and advances department project communications, ensuring media and messaging on all platforms are consistent, clear, and engaging for the layperson. He knows his way around Adobe Creative Suite, a DSLR camera, and WordPress.
Education: Bachelor’s in Journalism – Publishing emphasis, Visual Art and Graphics minor, Eastern Illinois University.
Skills: writing/editing, graphic design, publishing, photography, and research.
Experience: More than a decade’s worth of experience in media, publishing and infographic design; six-plus years in local government communications/public relations, event planning and execution.
DSI’s total budget for Fiscal Year 2026 is approximately $4.7 million. This 2% increase over 2025’s $4.6 million budget is the result of increases in funding for the Farmland Preservation Program (which does not utilize any general fund or tax dollars) and expenses relating to cell tower maintenance.
A Closer Look at Each Fund …
Introduction
On any given day, Department of Strategic Impact (DSI) staff work on a multitude of initiatives that affect the lives of the citizens we serve both today and tomorrow. Within DSI, these various projects are typically divided into Focus Areas, including Evaluation and Research, Land Use Planning, and Economic Development.
These divisions help define responsibilities and make for a well-organized website. However, in practice projects tackled by DSI are not clearly confined within these divisions. Forcing them into a Focus Area box doesn’t tell the whole story. Staff take on some of the biggest challenges by building relationships between local units, investigating issues, facilitating state and federal programs, conducting research, and planning for the future. Naturally, these initiatives overlap. Should Farmland Preservation-related projects be categorized under Land Use or Economic Development? Do staff land planners use GIS for economic development-related projects? The reality is each staff member applies their specialized skills to further the wide array of initiatives that fall under the scope of DSI.
In recognition of that collaboration, we’ve organized our project roundups a little differently for this report. Instead of shoehorning a project into a specific focus area, we’re organizing them around projects. Special spotlight articles introduce subject matter, and related or similar projects are then summarized, with links to more detailed information when appropriate.
Explore how DSI addressed complex problems, implemented solutions and provided vital information for County officials, local units of government, nonprofits and the general public:
FEATURED PROJECT
On Target: Developing a Dynamic Action Plan for OCSO
In January 2025, newly elected Sheriff Eric DeBoer was just getting his bearings leading the storied Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office. A veteran of the OCSO, he recognized the organization’s strengths and weaknesses. However, he needed a solid framework to make positive change and move the OCSO forward. Coming up through the ranks, beginning with the marine division and community policing, he had decades of on-the-job experience, but this was a new challenge.
“He was excited and ready to start jumping on opportunities,” said Special Projects Coordinator Joe Pierce.
The sheriff has goals for OCSO and recognized a need for intentional planning and collaboration.
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“What you have to understand about the Sheriff’s Department is they are doers,” said Pierce. “It’s very understandably difficult for them to plan far ahead because everything is constantly changing.”
Highly motivated and well aware of DSI evaluation, analysis, and surveying experience, the Sheriff reached out to Director Paul Sachs to gauge DSI’s capacity for developing something dynamic - something more than a typical strategic plan.
After a few initial discussions, it became clear that an action plan would fit the bill.
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT CRASH COURSE, REFLECTIVE LISTENING
With a better idea of the needs of OCSO, Joe Pierce and Research & Data Analyst Stephanie Oesch got to fact-finding.
“We reviewed so many old documents, different reports, and staffing studies conducted over the past 10 years,” said Pierce.
Staff learned as much as they could about OCSO – all the different systems, what staff are responsible for, and identified best practices. After building a solid knowledge base and asking lots of questions, staff surveyed all staff divisions – Administration, Corrections and Court Services, Investigative Services, and Road Patrol.
DSI then led multiple facilitation sessions with the whole leadership/commands team, touching on nearly every type of service the OCSO performs.
These comprehensive review sessions made certain the final Action Plan reflected the needs and goals for the future of the OCSO.
Strategic Plans are comprehensive guides that aim to align any organization’s mission and goals with actionable strategies to address current issues. Evaluators help organizations define their mission, vision, organizational goals, and develop a series of objectives. These objectives - and strategies for achieving them – are then paired with benchmarks for measurement. These documents are extremely comprehensive, covering an organization’s history, and anticipate resources, opportunities and limitations. For a Sheriff’s Office this could result in a document that including appendices could be over a hundred pages long.
Practically speaking, an Action Plan can and should be part of a Strategic Plan. However, because Strategic Plans are usually seen as a big picture guiding document, they lack specific, sequential guidance on what steps to take. Sheriff already knew what he could do, but he needed support creating a practical, prioritized order of tasks that he can take immediate action on. We are always happy to modify our approach to the specific project. In this case, we went straight for the part that was most effective for Sheriff, while still incorporating collaborative input from all levels of staff and stakeholders.
“By helping us incorporate staff feedback and long-term priorities into a practical framework, DSI played a key role in positioning the Sheriff’s Office to grow and adapt alongside the communities we serve,” said Sheriff DeBoer.
“There were a bunch of things on the action plan – or may not have even made it into the final plan – that the Sheriff was crossing off as we went,” said Pierce. “We don’t usually get to see our recommendations so promptly acted on.”
THE FINAL MATERIALS
The Action Plan was built during and alongside the facilitation sessions with leadership. Goals and practical steps to accomplish them became self-evident and were confirmed by staff in a final survey.
Data and input from OCSO fully in hand, DSI staff had all the ingredients to create what Sheriff needed – a condensed, clear five-year Action Plan. Along with content, special attention was given to presentation. The resulting plan was a svelte, digestible 10 pages.
The very act of completing and sharing this document addressed one of the needs identified: improved communication.
“I believe we improved the staffs’ feeling of buy-in for how the next five years will go, and their understanding of what OCSO would be working on.”
Sheriff and the OCSO are already in the process of implementing much of the first-year goals of the action plan and continue to review and update the framework.
Sheriff DeBoer, for his part, praised the collaboration: “Working with the Department of Strategic Impact was a valuable and collaborative experience. Their team brought the structure, facilitation, and strategic insight we needed to turn ideas into an actionable plan.”
The work isn’t over for DSI – as the Plan is designed to be dynamic, so will our continued involvement. As of this writing, staff were preparing for a plan review at the beginning of 2026 to check in.
— By Rich C. Lakeberg, Project Support Specialist, Department of Strategic Impact
Other Evaluation, Research and Data Projects
The Sheriff’s Action Plan is just one example of the myriad functions DSI staff performs for both intern departments and external entities. DSI staff research best practices, facilitate strategic planning, and assist the County with a variety of research projects. Staff also maintain and update databases, dashboards and reports containing various County statistics, such as unemployment, building permits, mileage rates, and more. Explore these initiatives below.
ARPA Updates Report 2025
Several years after initial projects were funded and additional projects were added, in summer 2025 County Administration requested DSI develop a highly visual and easy-to-read point-in-time progress report to summarize the status and impacts of the various initiatives.
Step It Up Evaluation
Step It Up! is a program offered each spring by Ottawa County Parks and Recreation. The free, eight-week program offers guided group walks, paddle and kayaking opportunities, health tips and more.
Participants also have the option to set personal goals and report their physical activity. The goal of the program is to get community members active, visiting new parks, exercising outdoors more frequently and improving their overall health.
At the completion of the program, DSI analyzed the pre- and post-program data of over 900 participants to include in the 2025 evaluation report. This year the Step It Up! program improved 75% of participants’ physical health and nearly 79% of participants’ mental health. For the first time DSI staff also completed a longitudinal analysis of data from 2023-2025 to better visualize program impact overtime, success, and opportunities for improvement.
Performance Outlines
Performance Outlines for each County department are completed at the request of Administration each year. As part of the process, DSI staff updates, distributed and collects outlines for each department. Outlines include department descriptions, mission statements, primary goals and objectives, and outcome measures. Departments are asked to provide data from the past year as well as goals for upcoming years. Once completed these outlines are included in Ottawa County’s annual budget book.
Parks Open Space Plan Contribution
Updated every five years, the Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan helps guide Ottawa County Parks development. The DSI contributed to the County Demographics section with updated Census Bureau data and analysis.
Other Data Work
County statistics and data requests: DSI regularly updates a variety of County statistics, including population estimates, unemployment numbers, building permits, cost of living and more. These updates are available online and via interactive dashboards on the County Statistics page of the DSI website.
Census Demographics: Building on the general county statistics reporting by DSI, it is quite common to have local community partners reach out for analysis and visualizations. After requests from Spring Lake Township and another local planning partner, staff created new visualizations for 2020 census data relating to housing, race and gender. The pages can be accessed and downloaded under the 2020 Census Data dropdown of the County Statistics page.
Data Dashboards: DSI created and maintains three dashboards including a broad range of state and county data in the Ottawa County Data Dashboard, as well as specific dashboards for unemployment data and building permits. In 2025, staff have continued to refine and improve the data collection and update processes.
FEATURED PROJECT
Securing the Future of Farmland:
Land Transfer Navigator Program hits stride in 2025
Agriculture is a future-focused business. Whether it’s ordering seeds or investing in new equipment, farmers always have an eye toward next season. What many farmers struggle to do, however, is plan for their own future. According to American Farmland Trust, more than half of current farmland owners lack formal estate or succession plans. That’s a big problem, because farms without solid transition arrangements are much more likely to dissolve and/or the land converted to other uses.
“There’s a lot of things that affect the ability of farms to have a future,” said Agriculture and Economic Resources Coordinator Becky Huttenga. “Much of that is outside of a farmer’s sphere of control. But succession plans aren’t.”
Like most of us, farmers need help addressing those uncomfortable subjects like retirement, mortality, and whether other family will take the reins.
“‘Midwest Nice’ isn’t going to cut it,” mused Huttenga. “Farmers need the tools, the support, and motivation,” Huttenga said. “They need someone poking them forward.”
DSI is doing just that with the Land Transfer Navigator Program, a joint Ottawa-Kent collaborative partnership supported with funds from the American Farmland Trust (AFT) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, an arm of USDA. The goal is to dramatically increase the transfer of farm and ranch land to a new generation of producers.
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Agriculture and Economic Resources Coordinator Becky Huttenga presents during the first Farming Forward event in February 2025 at the Critter Barn in Zeeland.
Securing the grant for LTN in 2023 in partnership with Kent County, the program aligns with the County’s Focus on Agriculture Plan, which specifically highlights succession planning.
“LTN complements our other farmland protection efforts. We have a place for land transfer on the MiFarmLink land-linking site (another initiative DSI has been instrumental in piloting); we cross-pollinate all those efforts,” Huttenga said.
In 2025, LTN really hit its stride locally and statewide with Farming Forward, a series of half-day workshops organized by DSI that provided information and take-home materials to encourage succession planning. The first event in February 2025 drew about 30 farmers and other agriculturally adjacent folks to The Critter Barn near Zeeland. Guests participated in discussions covering a range of land transfer and farmland protection-related subjects. Supporting Huttenga at the event included DSI’s own Farmland Preservation Analyst Julie Lamer, DSI Project Support Specialist Rich C. Lakeberg, Varnum Law LLP, and Mediation Services of Ottawa, Allegan and Barry counties, as well as Kent County Community Development Coordinator Haley Stichman.
With the momentum of the first event, more Farming Forward events followed suit – first in Kent County’s Alpine Township, then Frankenmuth.
“We didn’t have plans to do multiple ones this year – that happened organically,” said Huttenga. “Alpine Township got a hold of me and said ‘We want to do one of these, here’s the space.”’
Approximately 50 farmers attended that second event in Kent County. Then, other partners suggested an event for the east side of the state – at the Saginaw Valley Research and Extension Center in Frankenmuth, where more farmers were reached. Including an AFT-led Southwest Michigan farm transfer event in Benton Harbor that Huttenga participated in, LTN Michigan reached about 170 producers across the Lower Peninsula. One farm family even received an LTN grant to assist with professional services needed to complete their transition plan. This kind of natural referral and growth for the LTN program is perfect for fulling the goal of the grant.
With these outreach events, Huttenga reports LTN built a list of 15-plus professional service providers from different corners of the state that the program can refer farmers to.
Around 30 farmers attended the first Farming Forward event at the Critter Barn outside Zeeland in February 2025.
Now that the “seed” for land transfer education has been planted, Huttenga sees the roots of a self-sustaining work group forming.
“The hope is to build kind of a collaborative that will go forward beyond land transfer navigator to prioritize succession planning, where we all work together,” she said.
Eventually, Huttenga sees the LTN program fitting under the umbrella of MiFarmLink, which at this writing was undergoing a transition to be managed through the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts.
“MiFarmLink could be its own critter, where we do easements, we support succession planning and transfer, and we do land-linking – the three-legged stool of farmland protection.”
Until then, Huttenga and her counterpart in Kent have their eyes on hosting another Farming Forward in spring 2026 to reach even more farmers. Michigan farmers are already enquiring about where the next event will be held. With more than 1,000 farms operating in Ottawa County alone, there’s plenty more opportunities for outreach.
— By Rich C. Lakeberg, Project Support Specialist, Department of Strategic Impact
Other Agricultural Industry Support
Fruit, vegetables, livestock. You name it, Ottawa County probably produces it. Ottawa County is also growing quickly, which puts this agricultural mecca under threat. From 2017-2022, Ottawa County lost 8 percent of its farms and 16 percent of its farmed acreage (2022 Ag Census). DSI endeavors to reduce the loss of farmland and also keep farms viable through a number of initiatives and programs:
Farmland Preservation Program
Working with DSI, the Agricultural Preservation Board aims to stem the loss of farmland and protect our agricultural industry. Funded through a combination of private donations and state and federal grants, the program protects farmland through the purchase and donation of development rights for actively farmed property. Since 2016, the County has permanently protected 733 acres of farmland via the PDR program., including the 36-acre Veldheer property, the ninth agricultural property protected by Farmland Preservation Program. Read more
The Veldeers’ 36-acre farm in Olive Township was officially preserved in February 2025.
Farms are the Tapas: The Beard and the Gal ‘braise’ competition with all-local beef dish
Considering no County funds are used to fund PDR, outreach and fundraising is vital to the program’s success. The largest fundraising and outreach event for PDR – and farmland preservation
Over 160 people gathered on Thursday, Sept. 25 at the Red Shed & Byre 53 event center outside Hudsonville to taste one-of-a-kind tapas dishes, bid on a plethora of unique silent auction items, and support the local agriculture industry at the Ottawa County Agriculture Preservation Board’s ninth Farms are the Tapas event.
“Each year this event gets a little bigger,” said Ottawa County Farmland Preservation Analyst and event organizer Julie Lamer. “But we knew this year was going to be different when we realized we had sold out seats more than a week before the event!”
Including auction items, sponsor support, and ticket sales, more than $32,000 was raised for the Farmland Preservation Program.
Chefs from a record seven local food establishments participated in the tapas competition. Competition this year was incredibly close – but local private chef and catering duo Cory and Gina Mitchell of The Beard and The Gal bested the competition with their Chianti wine-braised beef dish.
Images from Farms are the Tapas 2025: Left, Gina and Corey Mitchell of The Beard & The Gal after winning the Chefs’ Competition. Right: More than 160 attended Farms are the Tapas 2025.
Cultivating Resilience
Five DSI staffers participated in Cultivating Resilience 2025, an educational event focused on resilient farm practices that is coordinated by numerous West Michigan conservation organizations. The format for 2025 was a little different than years past, offering a day of educational sessions and breakouts to be followed by a series of topic specific field days around the County over the summer.
Over 165 attendees learned how keynote speaker Rick Clark’s management style takes the focus off of maximizing yield and turns it to maximizing profitability and stewardship. Learn more about him at www.farmgreen.land.
DSI staff hosted two exhibitor tables to educate attendees about groundwater sustainability and farmland protection. Economic Development Coordinator Becky Huttenga gave a presentation on the important role that succession planning plays in protecting farmland to about 30 attendees, providing a self-guided workbook to support them. Almost two dozen sponsor organizations and exhibitors complimented the event planners and look forward to supporting the event again next year.
Great Lakes Expo Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market
The Great Lakes Expo – one of the largest trade shows for fruit and vegetable growers, greenhouse growers and farm marketers in North America – is held each December at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. This premier industry event draws thousands from all across the U.S., especially the Midwest.
The Expo provides a unique opportunity for DSI staff to conduct ag-related outreach with individuals and ag-related businesses. DSI’s Huttenga, Farmland Preservation Analyst Julie Lamer, and their Kent County counterpart, Haley Stichman, manned a booth in the Farm Market section of the expo, sharing information on Ottawa and Kent’s Purchase of Development Rights Program, succession planning efforts through the Land Transfer Navigators Program, and land-linking tools through MiFarmLink.
Agricultural Advocacy
A critical issue for farmers with permanently preserved land arose in 2023, and DSI staff launched the collaborative effort to resolve it.
The new leadership at the Michigan Department of Ag and Rural Development reinterpreted their policy on permanently preserved land that was also under a temporary farmland development rights agreement (FDRA). The FDRA offers farmers an income tax credit in exchange for keeping the land in farming. If a farmer then decided to permanently preserve their land, they could continue to benefit from the tax credit.
The reinterpretation of the policy resulted in multiple complications for these farmers, necessitating legislative changes to resolve them. DSI staff convened key farmland protection practitioners from around the state and partnered with Michigan Farm Bureau’s legislative staff, working for many months to develop legislative amendments, identify a bill sponsor, and get the bills introduced to the Senate.
After hearing powerful testimony regarding the proposed changes from affected farmers and land protection practitioners, the bills passed out of committee with unanimous support. The bill package was subsequently passed by the Michigan Senate and the House of Representatives, and signed into law by the governor in December 2025.
FEATURED PROJECT
Eyes on Connectivity: Countywide Broadband Project moves forward
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.”
– Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States
Pushing for the expansion of high-speed internet access has been a perennial investment of sweat equity for DSI and a financial investment for the County – but one that is beginning to pay dividends.
Through a public-private partnership with internet service provider 123NET, DSI secured funds from the state’s Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Network (ROBIN) grant to build 325 miles of fiber. Approximately $9 million in ROBIN funds, paired with $4 million in matching funds from the County and $1.9 million from 123NET, is bringing high-speed internet to approximately 2,500 underserved businesses and residents.
The focus for most of 2025 has been on refining the right-of-way permitting process for what may be the largest infrastructure project the County and the Ottawa County Road Commission have taken on at one time.
READ MORE
Because of the sheer scope, it was important the permitting process was streamlined. DSI, 123NET, the OCRC, and the Water Resources Commissioner worked closely to iron out any hiccups.
“Permitting may seem mundane at first glance, but with hundreds of miles of fiber involved, it is a major undertaking,” said DSI Director Paul Sachs, who has worked with local stakeholders, ISPs and the state on various connectivity projects during his more than two decades with Ottawa County. “Besides ensuring all applicable regulations are being followed, setback requirements, public utility management, and public drain paths all must be considered. It was imperative we got it right.”
The first customer – Ronda Fisher of Hudsonville – was connected in August as part of a limited test area ahead of the full launch.
“We were utilizing our hotspot to stream,” said Fisher in a press release from 123NET. “I’m so excited to get fiber internet to our home, where our family can stream, work and do whatever we need to do without fearing that our internet won’t keep up.”
![Ronda Fisher, first 123NET customer in Ottawa County. [Image from 123NET video]](https://miottawa.org/wp-content/uploads/123-Fisher-copy.jpg)
Ronda Fisher, first 123NET customer in Ottawa County. Image from 123NET video
123NET is tackling the installation by dividing the County into 17 bite-sized “batches” to facilitate permitting and ease the buildout. As of December 2025, drilling was beginning in the Jamestown Township and Zeeland Township areas (see table).
DSI and 123NET anticipate wrapping up the ROBIN installation by late 2026.
NEXT UP: BEAD
The ROBIN-funded expansion represents the first phase of the Countywide Broadband Project. Phase two expands coverage to addresses not eligible for ROBIN with funding from a separate source - the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
Early in 2025, 123NET worked closely with DSI staff to complete and submit strong applications for funding to the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI), which is managing deployment of BEAD. In March, with support from the Board of Commissioners, the County signed a Letter of Intent to contribute $3.5 million in Board Initiative Funds earmarked for broadband to match a $3.5 million investment from 123NET.
“This commitment from the County really strengthened our application,” said Sachs.
Following the submission, BEAD requirements were significantly modified by NTIA. According to MIHI, this Restructuring Policy Notice relaxed some regulations and established a more technology-neutral approach. States had 90 days to comply, including conducting a “Benefit of the Bargain Round” for subgrantees. With support from DSI, 123NET pivoted quickly and successfully resubmitted applications before MIHI’s Aug. 4, 2025 deadline, ensuring compliance. After a thorough review, in September MIHI submitted a final proposal to the federal government, which included locations from all 83 counties. NTIA approved the state plan in early December 2025.
“Despite the restructuring, 123NET stepped up to the plate to ensure our broadband efforts stayed on track,” said Sachs.
The MIHI plan includes service for nearly 2,500 additional Ottawa County locations – 1,826 through fiber provided by 123NET and the rest through satellite providers like Amazon Kuiper and others. Total homes served and miles installed are subject to change based on grant awards, but there is potential for 150-200 additional miles of fiber reaching more than 5,000 addresses not covered by ROBIN.
ONE EYE ON WIRELESS
Where feasible to install, it’s generally accepted that fiber internet is more reliable and cost-effective because of its superior speed, resistance to interference, and longevity. However, fixed wireless and satellite options are still in consideration since a multi-technological approach will be needed to provide accessibility in the more rural reaches of the County.
DSI continues to work with telecommunications services firm Tilson Infrastructure to assess opportunities and potentially install fixed wireless towers in critical locations where fiber isn’t feasible. As the large-scale fiber project moves forward, those areas where enhanced wireless service is still needed will become more pronounced.
Although the goal of improving high-speed internet coverage has proved to be a challenge, DSI and its partners continue to move the needle on connectivity.
“It’s been a long road – but we as a department have weathered the roadblocks and detours,” said Sachs. “It’s imperative for the success of our citizens and county as a whole to achieve comprehensive coverage. With 123NET, we’re pushing toward the finish line.”
— By Rich C. Lakeberg, Project Support Specialist, Department of Strategic Impact
Other Broadband Efforts
Ottawa County has a history of leading in the connectivity space. To learn more about historic efforts to improve internet service for residents and businesses, visit miottawa.org/broadband.
Cellular Tower Updates
DSI oversees the management of four County-owned cellular towers. These towers were built on County property with input from service providers more than a decade ago to improve cellular and data coverage in underserved areas.
Service providers enter into contracts with the County to lease space on these towers for a fee, which goes into the County’s Cell Tower Fund to compensate for property taxes and grounds upkeep at tower sites and to support broadband efforts. These towers will continue to provide opportunities for wireless internet options in the future.
To handle management of service providers and operations DSI retains a Tower Management Consultant. In 2025, the consultant received four applications to review and approve – three for the Johnson Tower (located in Robinson Township) and one for the Manley Tower (located in Holland Township). Ottawa County also approved a contract to lease space to a new provider, T-Mobile, on the Johnson Tower, adding a new coverage option for people in the immediate area. The initial contract is for five years.
The County Facilities Department made some necessary improvements to all locations to ensure safety and improve parking.
FEATURED PROJECT
Making the unknown known with EPA brownfield assessment funds
DSI, OCBRA lands $500,000 in EPA funding for landowners, municipalities and more to offset costs of brownfield cleanup assessments
Every community has vacant, blighted, or underutilized property in need of revitalization. Known as brownfields, these sites are often overlooked or avoided because of real or perceived environmental contamination. With support from the Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (OCBRA), Agriculture and Economic Resources Coordinator Becky Huttenga assists in the redevelopment these properties by pursuing and facilitating access to incentives.
Now, more brownfield sites will have a shot at restoration thanks to DSI’s work obtaining a $500,000 brownfield assessment grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ottawa County was one of 207 communities selected nationwide through a competitive grant process to receive funding from a pool of $224 million for Brownfield Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) grants.
“Often the biggest barrier to redeveloping these sites is the unknown costs,” said DSI’s Becky Huttenga. “Many properties can languish for years because of contamination fears. Having a completed assessment can open doors for further investment.”
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USEPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel and Veneklasen Construction Director of Commercial Real Estate Jami Buth lead a tour of Terra Station, a new mixed-use development in Hudsonville in October 2025. Previous EPA brownfield funds were utilized to assess this site.
These funds are available for conducting Phase I site assessments, which help reveal current property conditions and any possible environmental threats; and Phase II environmental site assessments, which are conducted if any known or potential contamination has been found on said property. These funds can also be used for any other due care or cleanup planning and reports.
“If we can get some knowledge, get some knowns and remove some of the unknowns with an assessment, then people can actually think about the benefits of a property,” said Huttenga.
Qualified developers, local units of government or individuals can complete a nomination form by visiting miottawa.org/brownfields. Once submitted, the Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (OCBRA), EPA, and in some cases EGLE will evaluate the property information.
THREE TIME'S A CHARM
This is the third time Ottawa County has received funds for site assessment from the EPA since the Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (which is administered by DSI) was first established in 2008. Previous grants have made a major impact: With a $400,000 award in 2013, the County was able to assist 34 different projects and leverage approximately $35.6 million worth of investment into brownfield properties; with a $300,000 award in 2020, the County assisted 29 different projects and leverage approximately $90 million of investment into brownfield projects.
“They’re (EPA grants are) very competitive so the years that we get it we’re very excited because it allows us the opportunity to help developers focus more on disturbed properties, already utilized properties, and/or problematic properties that might otherwise not even be looked at.”
Recognizing these previous brownfield successes, USEPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel and several other EPA staffers joined Huttenga, City of Hudsonville officials, and local developers for a roundtable chat and tour of two brownfield sites in Hudsonville on Oct. 2, 2025. After the brief discussion, attendees gathered for a tour of two brand-new developments supported by brownfield redevelopment incentives – Terra Station and Prospect Flats.
Following the tours, Vogel spoke to media about successes of the OCBRA and DSI. “You don’t get more (funds) unless you do a really good job with the first two (grants) the EPA has awarded,” she said. “So it's to their credit this amount keeps going up.”
BROWNFIELDS AND LAND USE PLANNING
Besides the obvious environmental and taxable value benefits, brownfield revitalization reinforces the type of development central to DSI’s emerging framework of a countywide land use vision. Built around the need to protect agricultural productivity, maintain a reliable groundwater supply, and meet housing demand, this concept strives to maximize the development potential of properties with direct access to existing infrastructure. Ultimately, this helps to ensure an economically thriving and sustainable county growth pattern.
— By Rich C. Lakeberg, Project Support Specialist, Department of Strategic Impact
Other County support for economic revitalization
Michigan has numerous economic development tools that local units of government can bring to bear to manage growth while meeting the needs of its residents and businesses. A number of those are well suited for implementation at the County level to assist local units with access to those tools. Some of those include the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the Land Bank Authority, the Economic Development Corporation, Ag Renaissance Zones, and Property Assessed Clean Energy Districts. Here are some 2025 highlights from few of those efforts:
Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
Tax-increment financing for housing has certainly been in the spotlight from a brownfield perspective, but addressing contamination continues to be the core work of the Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (OCBRA). The USEPA grant, discussed in the featured article above will be a great boost to this work. Federal assessment funding is not consistently available, which inspired the OCBRA to establish its own Brownfield Incentive Program – a small pot of local funds that supports the redevelopment of property that is contaminated or suspected to be contaminated by offsetting the costs of environmental site assessments. Three new projects were supported in 2025, with end uses including medium density housing, a parking lot to support adjacent development, and 600,000 square feet of industrial space. These projects bring the total number of projects to 19 since the program was first established in 2019. While some final data has not been collected yet, the estimated capital investment in these new projects is close to $80 million.
Land Bank Authority
While the Ottawa County Land Bank Authority (OCLBA) historically has not been very active, in recent years this body had been more engaged in economic development activities, such as securing grant funding to support the demolition of blighted buildings and more recently helping projects to access brownfield tax increment financing to support infrastructure. The enabling legislation for land banks allows for many approaches to economic development, and the OCLBA is looking forward to enhancing this tool to benefit the County.
In August of 2025, the OCLBA received a Blight Elimination Program grant award to support its fourth demolition project which was set to be completed in late 2025.The structure at 402 E. 8th Street in Holland Charter Township sat vacant for a number of years and recently suffered an explosion and fire, making it unsafe. The Township stepped in to acquire the property to both expedite the demolition of the building and to retain the property to serve as parking to catalyze other desired development in the area.
Economic Development Corporation
Another useful piece of legislation is the Economic Development Corporation Act. In many communities, this legislation provides for robust economic development organizations (EDO) and activities. However, because Ottawa County is fortunate to have Lakeshore Advantage serving as its EDO, the Ottawa County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is generally only used for the occasional bond project. Late in 2025, Hope College approached the EDC to request the issuance of bonds to support renovation of one of their dining halls and refinance some of their existing debt. The EDC and Hope College were to close on the bonds in December 2025.
FEATURED PROJECT
Filtering the Be Water Wise messaging
Michigan – the ‘Water Wonderland’. Around the Great Lakes state, water access is assumed to be a given.
But Ottawa County IS facing water challenges underground, and the Department of Strategic Impact is leading the way in collaborative research and outreach. Spearheading this initiative for a number of years is DSI’s Land Use Coordinator Matt Chappuies.
“It was never planned that way,” Chappuies mused. “We (in DSI) don’t do a lot of traditional nuts and bolts land use planning because local jurisdictions manage their own ordinances and planning decisions. We come in as a regional entity that provides unique and broad insight into cross-jurisdictional planning. And at center of that right now is groundwater.”
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AN UNPRECEDENTED PROBLEM FOR MICHIGAN
Ottawa County commissioned Michigan State University in 2012 to investigate groundwater issues following numerous reports of groundwater problems from residents, well drillers, and farmers. Completed over several years, the in-depth scientific study revealed water levels are falling in certain areas of the County’s deep bedrock aquifer system. This decline has forced some users to drill deeper wells, some of which are drawing up high levels of naturally occurring salts and sediments. The study projected that unless withdrawal rates were managed proactively, the quality and quantity of water within certain parts of the aquifer will continue to decline, potentially leaving some residents and business without access to groundwater.
DSI is proud of a pivotal new piece of outreach – a new fold-out Be Water Wise brochure, which explains the problems concisely and offers potential solutions in an easy-to-digest visual format. But building that message wasn’t as simple as turning on a tap.
BECOMING ‘WATER WISE’
With the study completed, the problems were identified. Now, Ottawa County needed to educate the public. But because the idea of groundwater scarcity was so unprecedented for Michigan, DSI and its partners were basically starting their communications efforts from scratch.
“It’s a counterintuitive problem that people don’t immediately understand,” said Chappuies. “A lot of the messaging that needed to go into it just didn’t exist until we further understood what’s happening geologically.”
Through support from a state grant, continued research and collaboration with local experts, well drillers, and the expertise of the Michigan Geological Survey, staff gained valuable insight into the geology and hydrology of Ottawa County’s aquifers.
This acquired knowledge filtered down into different iterations of outreach materials. An array of different fliers, videos, social media posts, press releases and educational articles were written, designed and released over the past few years to introduce the idea to the public at large. Each iteration got DSI closer to clarity, but more help was needed.
Eventually, consultants were retained to align the important but complicated story of Ottawa County’s groundwater challenges. The team assisted DSI with what evolved into the Be Water Wise campaign. The consultants helped DSI eliminate some of the more highly technical language, simplifying the message.
“We were very focused on (explaining) some of the technical geological concepts,” said Chappuies. “But over time we learned that it’s easy for people to get lost ... and they were missing the core points. (They) helped us focus on the basics.”
The result was an educational video, a website and materials, including the brochure, all of which align to foster a broader understanding of the issue and groundwater sustainability.
“We were able to take (the consultants’ message) and translate it into a brochure that we find to be highly effective and meet criteria of delivering the right amount of content,” said Chappuies.
The brochure has been a hit, and has been distributed to countless agencies, organizations, local municipalities, and nonprofits.
“We’ve handed out maybe close to 2,000 brochures in a matter of months. It’s great to have this resource at local outreach events,” said Chappuies. “People often grab two or three because they want to hand one out to their neighbor or someone else. It’s great to see that the people are connecting with it.”
Going through this process of refining the communication doesn’t end with the brochure. By simplifying the message and refining the accompanying graphics, it improves every piece of communication DSI puts out.
“It gives us sort of a baseline or standard of communication,” said Chappuies. “We’re building a presence and we’re finding that more people in the community are becoming aware of it or at least have heard something about our groundwater challenges.”
And that is the wisdom of Be Water Wise.
— By Rich C. Lakeberg, Project Support Specialist, Department of Strategic Impact
Andrew Roszkowski (left) and Marley Wolff prepare a groundwater permeability demonstration display at the Coopersville Kids Fest in August 2025.
'Water Wise' engagement heroes
A well-crafted outreach campaign is only as good as the people behind it, and DSI is blessed to have two skilled land use specialists to support outreach - Andrew Roszkowski and Marley Wolff.
“My staff Andrew and Marley have been instrumental to the project, and outreach in general.” said Chappuies. “Andrew is a very relatable person and has a natural way of talking to people about it so that they understand it, relate to it, and they can then care about it. Having him at the various outreach engagements has been pivotal.”
Andrew is also helping to build a digital database for groundwater data. Our monitoring sensors across the county collect readings of groundwater levels and send them via cellular communication to online servers that Andrew is helping to turn into an interactive mapping tool.
Marley Wolff, who joined the team in 2025, has applied her background in public land use planning and natural resource conservation to further a variety of DSI efforts for the Housing Commission – including creating a landscaping plan for a potential small-footprint housing development. Marley is also assisting with transportation planning, working closely with the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC) to re-evaluate the management plan for the West Michigan Pike byway. “From day one she’s taken an active role in understanding and taking over various planning initiatives, building connections and building programming,” said Chappuies.
Other Groundwater Research and Education
Ottawa County’s bedrock groundwater aquifer is facing significant water quantity and quality challenges. To manage this limited resource, DSI planners and the Groundwater Board have been tackling this issue proactively through educational initiatives, outreach and scientific study to ensure permanent and sustainable access. In 2025, staff ratcheted up their outreach and data collection efforts:
Water Wise Outreach
Georgetown Township Library: More than a dozen people turned out to learn about Ottawa County’s groundwater challenges at a Being Water Wise presentation at the Georgetown Township Library. Department of Strategic Impact Land Use Coordinator Matt Chappuies broke down the complex situation situation in layperson’s terms and fielded poignant questions from the public.
“The information was shocking to those of us who have not heard about the state of the Marshall Aquifer before and such important information for the citizens of Ottawa County,” said Sherry Steenwyk, Georgetown Township Library.
Water Quality Forum: On March 21, 2025, Land Use Coordinator Matt Chappuies and Director Paul Sachs joined a group of local leaders, conservation professionals and businesses for the Ottawa County Water Quality Forum. Approximately 350 people attended this free event that provided critical updates on a variety of local water and aquatic environmental initiatives the County, conservation partners and related businesses are involved in.
Moderating the first half of the form, DSI Director Paul Sachs kept the mood light with water-themed dad jokes, and also supplied contextual information and segues between presenters.
Coordinator Chappuies shared updates on the groundwater issues Ottawa County is facing. He kicked off his presentation with the Be Water Wise educational video staff had created in 2024. Following the video, Chappuies underscored the importance of water conservation, and encouraged residents to reconsider lawn irrigation, which is a major consumer of water resources. Following the presentation, Fox 17 interviewed Chappiues on the spot about the County’s groundwater challenges, providing an additional opportunity for outreach. Read the full interview here.
Along with the presentation, both Land Use Planner Andrew Roszkowski and Chappuies provided hands-on educational outreach by manning an information booth for the duration of the event. Interactive tools like the aquifer model and touchscreen kiosk with a convention-friendly version of the Be Water Wise website were popular with attendees.
Summer Events: Land planning staff take every opportunity to engage with the public on groundwater education. Matt Chappuies, Andrew Roszkowski and Marley Wolff manned Be Water Wise education booths at the Macatawa Water Festival in Holland and the Coopersville Kids Fest. The trio broke down abstract aquifer concepts utilizing their interactive displays and educational materials, including a display that demonstrated water permeability and the water cycle. Staff also handed out hundreds of items, including brochures, water-saving devices, and Be Water Wise swag.
West Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association meeting: To continue with outreach and engagement, our land planners headed to the West Michigan’s Nursery and Landscape Association’s monthly member meeting back in October. This was a fantastic opportunity for staff to connect directly with local landscaping companies and nurseries about the groundwater shortage Ottawa County is facing and showcase areas of opportunity to collaborate with the landscaping industry on solutions. DSI staff recognizes the importance of partnering directly with our local plant supply and landscape professionals in order to achieve wide-scale groundwater solutions while also uplifting local businesses.
Educational Groundwater Videos at Allendale’s Oakwood Intermediate School: In February, DSI staff joined DSI Director Paul Sachs to review a series of educational videos created by approximately 200 fifth graders at Oakwood Intermediate School in Allendale. For the past few years, Director Sachs has worked with Oakwood teachers to incorporate local groundwater education into their earth sciences curriculum.
Created by students in the Canva online-based design application, these short films explained the groundwater challenges facing Ottawa County and offered simple solutions to save water. The project is an excellent way for students to put what they absorbed from Sach’s presentation to the test.
Beginning at 9 a.m. and staggered throughout the morning, groups of students from eight different classes set up their laptops in the Oakwood Intermediate School Board Room on tables to present their videos. Staff took care to watch each video and provide tangible feedback. It’s these types of in-person outreach events that afford staff the opportunity to engage with the next generation of citizens. DSI sincerely appreciates the opportunity and looks forward to continuing working with Allendale Public Schools.
Let the games begin at Allendale Christian Schools: Later in February, DSI staff visited Allendale Christian Schools, where students showcased interactive games designed to illustrate groundwater and water cycle concepts. The projects highlighted local groundwater challenges including the specific issues affecting Ottawa County, and showed how students are becoming more aware of the importance of conserving and protecting water. The visit provided an opportunity for County staff to engage with young learners and discuss the importance of being Water Wise.
GIS Outreach at ISD: A GIS outreach presentation was delivered to Ottawa Area ISD high school students, highlighting the role of geospatial technology in groundwater protection, environmental planning, and sustainable land use. Led by Land-Use Planning Specialist Andrew Roszkowski, the session included Ottawa County’s groundwater well data to guide students through a live demonstration of 2D and 3D mapping techniques, supported by a custom instructional handout. The presentation emphasized how GIS supports data-driven decision-making in natural resource management and introduced students to its relevance as a critical skill in planning, conservation, and environmental careers. This engagement helped connect classroom learning to real-world applications and inspired interest in the future of land stewardship.
Groundwater Monitoring Network Continues to Grow
Because of Ottawa County’s unique geology, groundwater levels can vary considerably from location to location. To better understand the situation underground, in 2022 DSI secured a state grant to build a network of groundwater monitoring wells.
In 2025, DSI brought three new wells online as monitoring stations, bringing the well total to 15. Staff also updated the equipment from several other wells with the new goal to bring all of previous wells and future wells on the same system. By utilizing new technologies from a single manufacturer, the team can ensure a more seamless data collection and interpretation process. Site agreements were secured in 2025 for an additional nine properties, and wells will be drilled throughout 2026.
Low-Impact Landscaping Committee
In July 2025, staff joined a new committee, the Low-Impact Landscaping Committee, formed by Holland BPW, with a focus on expanding low-impact landscaping in place of turf lawns throughout Ottawa County. Alongside DSI and Ottawa County Parks and Recreation staffers, this committee features a wide array of stakeholders, including city officials, the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council, nonprofit landscaping organizations, The Outdoor Discovery Center and the Ottawa County Conservation District.
Through collaboration and communication, this committee is working together to address policy and local ordinances that may restrict incorporating more native landscaping in yards, improve the native plant supply in the county, and begin to shape a new narrative around what native landscaping can be.
Ground Geophysics Data Collection Partnership
To better understand the state’s water resources, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy in partnership with the United States Geological Survey to conduct electromagnetic soundings of the area. Referred to as the Hydrologic Enhancement for Michigan (HEMI) project, this non-invasive data collection exercise is a unique opportunity for the County to obtain more detailed information on the thickness and geology of area aquifers, better understand how water moves through these materials, and overall water supplies.
To facilitate data collection, DSI staff helped EGLE select study locations and assisted USGS with obtaining clearance to access the sites. Staff worked with individual property owners to manage time windows for EGLE/USGS teams to conduct the tests, which typically take two-three hours to complete
During this process, DSI staff also took the opportunity to request EGLE/USGS to collect more detailed and higher-resolution data to inform groundwater management efforts.
Besides immediately providing more detailed aquifer data, the HEMI is helping to prepare EGLE and USGS for larger airborne surveys planned for 2026. USGS helicopters will tow airborne electromagnetic instruments approximately 100 feet off the ground. This technique allows researchers to scan a wider area and collect even more subsurface data. Keep an eye on the DSI website for updates on this unique process.
FEATURED PROJECT
Small-Footprint Homes Development Concept: DSI-led for a lasting impact
With a strong local economy and ample recreational opportunities, Ottawa County continues to draw new residents. But a growing population needs housing – and like most areas of the U.S., the County is facing a shortage. The 2025 Housing Needs Assessment, conducted by Bowen National Research, projected Ottawa needs more than 12,500 additional for-sale units to meet demand – 7,000 of which are needed for households earning between $80,000-$125,000 annually.
Although there are a multitude of reasons for the current housing squeeze, DSI has zeroed in on a viable solution to housing scarcity – small-footprint homes. At around 1,000 square feet or less and situated on appropriately sized lots, these more traditionally sized abodes could sell for significantly less than the current median price for an Ottawa County home, which hovers around $400,000.
Beginning in early 2024, with support of the County Housing Commission, staff recruited partners – including Holland-based design consultant Nick Rolinski and Hope College Civil Engineering student Matt Daub (brought in as a DSI intern) – to form a work group to develop a Small-Footprint Homes Development Concept.
“We were faced with the question: ‘How do we respond to local housing needs and growth pressures?,” said Rolinski. “We started to explore what kind of housing would be appropriate and consider what the quality of that housing stock could be.”
Goals were quickly laid out: increase available housing by developing open-source house plans, overcome local policy barriers, and recruit builders to construct them.
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Holland-based design consultant Nick Rolinski (left), former Housing Commissioner Holly Cole, Housing Commissioner Pat Harmon, and DSI intern Matt Daub during a tour of the Strawberry Point historic neighborhood in 2024. DSI intern Matt Daub (from left), design consultant Nick Rolinski, former Ottawa County Housing Commissioner Holly Cole, and Housing Commission Chair and Local Realtor Jared Schuitema discuss hypothetical placements of small-footprint homes during a spring 2025 meeting.
DESIGNING A SMALL-FOOTPRINT HOME: OTTAWA COUNTY-STYLE In less than two years, the team has moved this project from concept to reality. First, to ensure these plans were truly at home in Ottawa County, Rolinski and Daub organized architectural tours of neighborhoods in Zeeland, Grand Haven, and Spring Lake. Dubbed “Character-Defining Feature Tours,” DSI staff and Housing Commissioners joined the work group to observe and catalog unique features of historic residences. The resulting notes were used as a framework to inform what would eventually become four original home concepts ranging from 440 square feet to 1,056 square feet. “In developing these plans, we asked, ‘What do we really need?” said Daub. “Do we need a 5,000 square-foot house? I think our designs have demonstrated that we don’t – we can live a lot simpler.” These concepts feature interchangeable themes, including In Town, Lake/Dune, Rural/Farm and Rural/Forest, providing a look that will complement any corner of the County. You can explore and download these plans for free by visiting miottawa.org/small-footprint. Creating these plans were truly a team effort. Around 30 local partners representing an array of disciplines and sectors contributed (see a full list here). “We are incredibly grateful to have so many passionate folks from both the public and private sectors offering their skills and expertise to make this project a reality,” said DSI Director Paul Sachs. Deserving special recognition is Katie Crothers of KCI Interiors for providing a series of renderings to bring the interiors to life. “Katie’s visualizations took this project to the next level,” said Rolinski. “Employing her rendering skills, she showcased the versatility of the interiors, no matter the size.” The Housing Commissioners have also been excellent partners throughout this process. Rolinski, Daub and DSI at different points relied on past and present members to share their business and construction expertise to improve material sheets, workshop ideas, and provide constructive criticism. Next Steps: Revisiting zoning regulations and recruiting builders With the home plans live, now comes the more difficult part – getting them built. In most areas, modern zoning and ordinances all but prohibit smaller homes. Why? Broadly speaking, as the post-World War II economy boomed, development patterns changed. Homes grew larger and car ownership became more widespread. These cultural shifts encouraged larger lot and setback requirements that virtually outlawed small-footprint homes. DSI staff are working to encourage cities and townships to reconsider these policy barriers. “All the units of government that may be interested in this ... have to reckon with the fact they may have a mismatch in zoning,” said Rolinski. “The small footprint house is an important thing to keep on the menu – we can help them reclaim that.” The work group is also actively seeking partners and nonprofits to get shovels in the ground to build versions of these homes in 2026. “A handful of nonprofits, landowners and builders have reached out to us over the past year,” said Sachs. “It’s only a matter of time before these home types return to our communities.” — By Rich C. Lakeberg, Project Support Specialist, Department of Strategic Impact
Other Housing and Land-Use Related Projects
DSI’s Land Use planning professionals and Economic Development Coordinator work alongside local officials, area nonprofits and state agencies to activate various tools to catalyze movement in the local housing sector. DSI staff also employ their land use and zoning knowledgebase and GIS mapping skills to identify trends and patterns to manage current issues, anticipate emerging challenges, and provide valuable educational and interpretive materials:
Revolving Loan Fund
In late 2022, Ottawa County capitalized a 20-year Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to help meet workforce housing needs with a $10 million investment to IFF, a 501 (c3) nonprofit leader and designated Community Development Finance Institution with offices in Grand Rapids. Combining this $10 million with $23.3 million in matching funds, IFF provides low-interest loans to developers, making affordable housing projects more feasible in Ottawa County.
As of 2025, the fund has produced eight loans that are either in progress or complete that will help create 554 units, 435 of which are classified as affordable housing. These loans currently total roughly $29.7 million. Of that amount, $20.8 million is IFF dollars (exceeding the 2:1 leverage target of the fund) and just under $9 million is Board Initiative Funds. The amount of County loan funds per units is currently $16,060.
As the principal balance on loans are returned to IFF, additional housing projects will be supported. At the end of the 20-year investment term, the County can receive the funds back or choose to reinvest into the fund again.
Housing Tax Increment Financing Projects and Helping Local Units
Ottawa County was an early adopter of the legislative changes to the Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act which authorized the use of tax increment financing to support eligible housing development activities (HTIF). In 2024, three HTIF plans were approved that supported 323 new housing units and 45 of those units are reserved for income qualified lessees. In the first half of 2025, Ottawa County approved its fourth HTIF plan to help support the redevelopment of a nearly seven-acre Hudsonville site into a townhome community. Hudsonville-based real estate developer and management company LaCati Group will revitalize this long-vacant site at 6365 Balsam Drive, creating 84 new townhomes with 12 of those units for income qualified lessees. Read the April 2025 press release.
Helping Local Units Build Capacity for Housing TIF
As more Housing Tax Increment Financing (HTIF) projects enter the approval pipeline, local units of government in the County are turning to DSI staff for guidance and assistance to manage these projects at the local level. DSI staff supported the City of Ferrysburg as their locally organized brownfield redevelopment authority approved their first ever brownfield plan, which happened to be an HTIF plan. Now DSI staff are actively supporting two other townships as they learn the ropes of HTIF and how it can help balance growth and housing needs in their communities.
County-supported Tri-Cities Habitat/Jubilee Ministries' Ottawa Townhomes Project Update
Jubilee Ministries and Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity received $1 million and $500,000 respectively in Board Initiative funds to support site development and construction costs for housing that targets buyers making between 30% and 120% of the area median income. These one-time grant funds served as “seed money” for Lakeshore and Jubilee to design, construct and deploy affordable housing options. This revolving pool of funding will be replenished through home sales/mortgage payments, ensuring the project’s sustainability. DSI staff worked closely with both nonprofits and the County to create a clear contract and develop metrics for this collaborative to follow to ensure accountability.
Since receiving funding, Jubilee and Lakeshore Habitat have begun construction on 11 affordable townhomes in the city of Holland. Dubbed “Ottawa Townhomes,” five of the units will be sold through Lakeshore Habitat, and six will be sold through Jubilee. As of December 2025, Lakeshore Habitat reported, construction had begun on two of the five residences. They expect all units to be completed by late fall 2026. For Jubilee’s portion, leadership reported that all six townhomes were currently under construction, and they fully expect all six to be completed by March 2026.
Once completed, both Jubilee and Lakeshore Habitat will recoup development costs through sales. Historically 80% of development costs have been recouped, which would mean approximately $800,000 and $400,000 would be recycled into Jubilee and Lakeshore Habitat’s housing fund, respectively.
For more detailed updates on these projects, visit Lakeshore Habitat and Jubilee Ministries’ websites, and/or social media channels.
Other Land Use Efforts
Remonumentation is a program that involves verifying and, if needed, reestablishing land boundary markers across Ottawa County. These markers, often called “monuments,” were originally placed when the land was first surveyed, and they serve as essential reference points for determining property lines. Over time, some of these markers become damaged, displaced, or lost. Remonumentation efforts ensure these monuments are recorded accurately and properly maintained, protecting property rights and supporting reliable land records for all residents.
GIS Mapping Services: The Land Use team supports Ottawa County by creating, updating, and managing maps and geographic data for public use, County projects, environmental conservation, and development planning. Through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), staff provide accurate and visually detailed maps to help residents, businesses, and local governments make informed decisions. Planners create maps illustrating a wide range of areas, from zoning and land-use planning to environmental and transportation mapping, working to ensure that important information is accessible and easy to understand.
The Department of Strategic Impact administers and works closely with a handful of Boards either required by statute or created at the discretion of the County Board of Commissioners to assist in various government tasks or to address a specific concern or community challenge. Besides administrative duties, DSI staff collaborate closely with board members to develop and execute an array of pilot and research projects to further various board goals. For more on each board, follow the links below.
These boards include:
Agricultural Preservation Board
Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
Economic Development Corporation