At the November 28 Policy Committee Meeting, results from the M-40 (Holland & Fillmore Township) Operational and Safety Analysis Report was presented. The study began in April 2011 and was completed this November. The focus of the study was to analyze the current and predicted traffic patterns and the transportation demands for the corridor along M-40. Below are articles from The Grand Rapids Press and the Holland Sentinel summarizing the recommendations that were presented.

The Grand Rapids Press -Safety changes urged to ease traffic at M-40, Ford Freeway

The Holland Sentinel -M-40/I-196 traffic jams to be addressed

If you would like to view the entire Policy Committee Meeting from November 28th  Click Here

Stormwater Master Plan Update Open House will be  in the council chambers at Holland City Hall 270 S. River Ave.
Thursday November 17, 7-9 p.m.

Share your comments, ideas and concerns about the storm water and drainage needs for the City of Holland. The city is currently updating their Stormwater Master Plan.

A brief presentation at 7pm will be followed by an open house, so feel free to drop in. Watershed Coordinator, Mary Fales, will be there with the storm water display and informational materials and will be happy to answer questions about the watershed from local residents.

Click Here for the Open House flyer

Click Here to read an article from the Holland Sentinel highlighting the event

Click Here to read an article from The Grand Rapids Press about the first round results for the sediment study.

The study is a partnership between Hope College, Macatawa Watershed Project and the Outdoor Discovery Center/Macatawa Greenway, and made possible by private donors including the Dick and Betsy DeVos and Jim and Donna Brooks families.

The Macatawa Watershed Project recently added Top Cut Lawn Care Services to the list of ten other lawn Care and landscaping Companies in the area that hold the Macatawa Watershed Seal of Approval.

The Seal of Approval is awarded to lawn care and landscaping companies that agree to employ water quality friendly lawn care practices including:

• Making every attempt to use no phosphorus fertilizer, 
• Measuring the lawn to make sure the correct amount of fertilizer is applied,
• Cutting the grass no shorter than three inches,
• Applying a three-foot buffer strip of no fertilizer near a body of water, 
• Leaving no grass clippings on impervious surfaces (if taken off site clippings are stored  properly in an area that is not susceptible to runoff),
• Keeping customers aware of Best Practices,
• Providing the customer a schedule for mowing and watering if the resident participates in the maintenance of the lawn, and
• Are in good standing with the Michigan Department of Agriculture if the company is required to be licensed by them.

High levels of phosphorus, a naturally occurring element present in fertilizer and plant decay, is causing major harm to the Macatawa Watershed. All the land that drains to Lake Macatawa including all or part of Laketown, Fillmore, Overisel, Holland, Park, Zeeland, Port Sheldon, Olive, and Blendon Townships and the cities of Holland and Zeeland, comprise the Macatawa Watershed, and residents and businesses in those areas should be aware of their lawn care practices.

To help reduce phosphorus from entering the watershed, we ask that lawn care and landscaping be contracted through one of the companies who have been awarded the Macatawa Watershed Seal of Approval: AAA Lawn Care, Aesthetic Gardener LLC, Brookview Lawn Care, Carefree Lawn Service, Dale’s Mowing Service, Four Seasons Cottage and Home Services, Hollandia Gardens, Landscape Design Services, Inc., Mr. Greenthumb Landscaping & Lawn Care, Perma Green Lawn Care, Inc., and Top Cut Lawn Care.

Tim Keeler
Top Cut Lawn Care
163 152^nd Avenue, Holland, MI
(616) 218-9572