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Is Meijer wanted in Houghton?
The company is preparing to build a brand new store in the city of Houghton and Portage Township.
The city council held a public hearing Wednesday on the proposed Public Act 425 agreement that would allow both municipalities to collect their due property taxes in exchange for the city providing services to the entire location.
Houghton resident Norma Borsma expressed her concern that having a Meijer could put other locally owned shops out of business.
She asked the city to consider if Meijer was the type of business they should be trying to bring in.
Borsma is not alone. Portage Township Supervisor Bruce Petersen said the township has scheduled a second public hearing on November 1st due to the number of residents that wanted to speak on the issue.
Houghton City Manager Eric Waara explained that the market is changing and that having a store like Meijer could attract other businesses and mean growth for the area.
The council approved the PA425 agreement but there is a 30 day public petition period before the agreement goes into effect.
The council also approved the sale of a parcel of land owned by Hope Fellowship Church to Meijer.
