Sustainable Business Park

Support the Sustainable Business Park

Is reducing waste and maximizing material recovery important to you or your company? Add your name to the Sustainable Business Park supporters by filling out the contact form at the bottom of the page!

Project Overview

Planning Process

The Kent County Department of Public Works is bringing together national and local experts to create a plan for a sustainable business park to make West Michigan a leader in waste recovery.

Kent County DPW is engaging local stakeholders, gathering data and prioritizing project goals to determine the feasibility of a Sustainable Business Park on 250 acres of land adjacent to the landfill. The Project Master Plan was approved in 2018 and allowed DPW staff to refine what we learned about the necessary improvements, costs, funding sources and a work toward an implementation schedule.

As part of the plan, the DPW is actively working with the business community to attract potential tenants and complementary technologies to minimize the gap between planning and implementation. The first tenant has been recommended and, if approved, would provide secondary and tertiary tenants with feedstock to build circularity within the Park and within West Michigan.

If you are interested in being a tenant of the Sustainable Business Park, please let us know by filling out the contact form below.

Project Master Plan

The FINAL Sustainable Business Park Master Plan was presented to the Kent County Board of Public Works on October 4, 2018 during a regularly scheduled board meeting. The BPW approved the Sustainable Business Park (SBP) Master Plan and authorized the Director to form a business development team to advance proposals for development of the SBP.

• Kent County Sustainable Business Park Master Plan
• Executive Summary of Sustainable Business Park Master Plan
• Appendices A-M, Kent County Sustainable Business Park Master Plan

The DRAFT Sustainable Business Park Master Plan was presented to the Kent County Board of Public Works on August 2, 2018 during a regularly scheduled board meeting.

• DRAFT Sustainable Business Park Master Plan
• DRAFT Sustainable Business Park Master Plan appendices A-M
• Presentation to Board of Public Works (8/2/18)

On November 27, 2018, Kent County presented an overview of the recommendations to a group of interested stakeholders as a conclusion to the master planning phase of the Sustainable Business Park project.

• Presentation to Stakeholders – November 27, 2018

Community members representing a variety of perspectives worked closely with Kent County staff and contractors to provide feedback on the proposed technologies and processes included in the Project Master Plan.

If you are interested in being considered as a tenant of the Sustainable Business Park or if you have potential inputs or are interested in using potential outputs from the Park, please provide your contact information in the Contact Form below.

Anchor Tenant Request for Proposals

On September 30, 2020, Kent County received nine (9) responses to a Request for Proposals for the ‘anchor tenant’ at the Sustainable Business Park. The anchor tenant would receive a large fraction of mixed waste currently being processed at Kent County DPW facilities, process the waste to separate the components and begin to move the waste into markets for reuse or recycling. The request for proposals (RFP) for an anchor tenant is a key step in identifying a company with the proven technology to convert a significant portion of the 2.1 million cubic yards of waste landfilled by residents and businesses each year into raw material for new products and kicks off the economic development process to attract additional tenants. With potential tenants at the ready, investments in critical infrastructure are needed to secure this project as the success story for changing how we look at discards – from disposal to development.

Community members representing a variety of perspectives are working closely with Kent County staff and contractors to provide feedback on the proposed technologies and processes included in the Request for Proposals.

At their September 2, 2021 meeting, the Board of Public Works received the recommendation of Continuus Materials + Anaergia (CM+A) for anchor tenant of the Sustainable Business Park. At their October 7, 2021 meeting, the Board of Public Works voted to authorize the Director to negotiate terms of a Project Development Agreement (PDA) with CM+A. This PDA would define the respective roles and responsibilities under which Kent County DPW and CM+A would jointly continue to develop, design, permit, equip and maintain the proposed facility and related infrastructure including schedule, development of the site plan, project capital costs and financing. It would also contain provisions for default, termination and termination payment should either party choose to terminate the PDA. At their March 3, 2022 meeting, the Board of Public Works approved the PDA with CM+A, formally naming their joint venture ‘Kent County Bioenergy Facility LLC.’

• Recommendation for Anchor Tenant at Sustainable Business Park
• Community Perception Survey
• Introduction to CM+A
• Board of Public Works Work Session: Project Development Agreement 
• Presentation to Board of Public Works for Project Development Agreement (March 3, 2022)
• Board of Public Works Action Request to sign Project Development Agreement

If you are interested in being considered as a future tenant of the Sustainable Business Park, if you have potential inputs or are interested in using potential outputs from the Park, please provide your contact information in the Contact Form below.

Infrastructure Improvements

Part of the innovative public-private partnerships taking shape at the Sustainable Business Park require infrastructure improvements to enable tenants to chart a timeline for their investment in West Michigan’s new approach to disposal. Initial support from Michigan Economic Development Corporation enabled Kent County to bring the 250-acre property closer to “shovel-ready” status by evaluating its unique assets, development potential and proximity to existing utilities. Infrastructure investments still necessary to prepare the site for development include water, sewer, electric, gas, stormwater and roads. By leveraging external funding opportunities, the local dollars utilized will be exponentially and extensively invested for the benefit of West Michigan.
As of May 2020, preliminary cost estimates show the total infrastructure improvements for the 250 acre property at approximately $17.5 million. Read more here.

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