KENT COUNTY, Mich. — A ruling on Friday by Kent County Judge Trusock granted the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority the power to make decisions about the land surrounding the airport. The lawsuit, filed against Cascade Township, denies the right of the township to change the zoning of the land from industrial to residential.
Cascade Township Supervisor Grace Lesperance said, “To just open the door and say we are completely exempt from any local regulations is just very one-sided and completely unfair to the residents of Cascade.”
Lesperance is concerned about the airport having the power to make decisions over the land without the township's input or approval.
“Everything the airport does as far as development directly affects Cascade's families, Cascade's neighborhoods, the Thornapple River, not even just Cascade... Ada Township,” Lesperance said.
From the quality of life to the impact on the environment, Lesperance says the residents should have a voice ensuring what directly impacts their community.
“We're already dealing with remediation for 400 homes that needed safe drinking water because of PFAS contamination directly related to the airport," Lesperance explained.
In a statement released earlier today, in response to the court's ruling, the Airport Authority said, “We are gratified the court issued a ruling that affirms the law and recognizes our right to manage development of Airport property. The suggestion we have or will engage in future development without regard for our neighboring communities does not reflect who we are, our past actions or our future intentions.”
The Airport Authority writes of its hope to resume a "cooperative working relationship" with Cascade Township moving forward.
In response, Lesperance said, "We do hope that the airport steps up to be the neighbor that it claims to be.”
This legal battle is not over yet. Lesperance says that the township plans to appeal the court's ruling.
WXMI22_13_32241015 by WXMI on Scribd
Opinion[12] by WXMI on Scribd
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
