Ottawa County Looks to Nearly Double Size of Rosy Mound Natural Area

Ottawa County, Michigan, is hoping to add 127 more acres to the popular Rosy Mound Natural Area, nearly doubling the currently 164-acre duneland park. The adjacent property the county is looking to purchase is currently owned by Tacoma Industries, and was used for mining until a few years ago. The county has long sought to purchase the land to connect it with Rosy Mound.

“It adds to Rosy Mound as a natural space, right, because now we have a natural buffer that won’t be developed, and so it just enhances what we already have,” said Curt TerHaar, coordinator of park planning and development at Ottawa County, reports MLive.com. “And we think it’s going to have enough unique features all on its own that it’s worth seeing. Both from a recreational standpoint and from a conservation/preservation standpoint, it makes sense for Ottawa County.”

Tentative plans for the property include a north entrance to the park and 1.5 to 2 miles of trails that would connect it with the existing ones at the park. The Ottawa County commissioners have given tentative approval to purchase the property, and the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners are voting on whether to submit a grant to the state for $3.29 million to help pay for the property. With the purchase price currently billed at $4.7 million, the remaining funding would come from a $1 million donation from the landowner, $160,900 from the Ottawa County Parks Foundation and $250,000 from the county’s parks millage fund.

If the purchase goes through, it is expected to happen in late 2023, with a public master planning process starting the following year.