GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Dan Hibma, a prominent West Michigan developer, is the lead supporter of the Grand River Waterway project, a controversial push to open the river to larger powerboats by dredging a stretch between Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan.

He’s also one of the biggest private property owners along the river.

An MLive analysis of property records shows Hibma owns 145 acres of undeveloped property along the river near the M-11 bridge in Walker, making him the third largest private land owner along the 23-mile portion of the river covered by the proposed project. Hibma also owns three adjacent parcels that don’t touch the river but encompass about 43 acres.

Critics say Hibma’s role as the project’s lead advocate and major property owner raises an important question: Is he pushing for the project, which has received $3.45 million in state funding, because it would better position him to develop his property?

“Hibma is in the business of developing apartments and developing property for profit,” said Jeff Seaver, an Allendale Township resident and member of the grassroots opposition group Friends of the Lower Grand River. “There’s no reason to think that there is some exception in this case.”

The question over Hibma’s role is one thread in the debate over a project that supporters say would spark economic development and expand recreational opportunities, but opponents fear would hurt the river and shoulder taxpayers with maintenance costs. Numerous local government boards in Ottawa County have passed non-binding, symbolic resolutions opposing the project.

In an interview, Hibma rebuffed claims he’s pursuing the project because it would make his property more valuable and easier to develop.

Rather, he said he’s advocating for the project because he thinks it’s a “cool idea” that would bring more people to West Michigan to take advantage of “a beautiful stretch of river” that he believes is underused.

“It would be great for hotels, for restaurants, gas stations,” said Hibma, whose business, Land and Company, is a major apartment developer in West Michigan. “That’s not my deal. It’s good for heads in beds. That’s the benefit.”

The project is being pushed by Grand River Waterway, a nonprofit that lists Hibma as its president.

Supporters of the project have routinely touted the economic impact of opening the river to more boaters. An economic impact study released in 2018 said the project could spur private and residential commercial development, and possibly lead to increased property values.

When asked about the potential of increased property values, Hibma said: “I’m just one parcel. All property values are going up.”

Controversial idea

The Grand River Waterway project has been embroiled in controversy since spring.

The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners was the first major local government board to pass a resolution opposing the project. Other municipalities in Ottawa County, as well as the city of Grandville in Kent County, followed suit. In addition to concerns over environmental damage and maintenance costs, they expressed concern the project would disrupt recreational activities such as fishing and kayaking.

According to Friends of the Lower Grand River, 10 local government boards in Ottawa County have approved resolutions opposing the dredging.

The idea behind the project is to dredge portions of the river between the Fulton Street bridge in Grand Rapids and the Bass River inlet, near Eastmanville, in Ottawa County. Doing so would create a 50-foot-wide, 7-foot-deep channel big enough to accommodate vessels 26 feet or larger. Hibma says dredging the river would enable powerboaters to safely travel between Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan, a trip one study said would take about four hours.

Hibma, a prominent Republican donor and husband of former Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, says he understands there are concerns about dredging the river.

But he says the project, as of now, is in the fact-finding phase. The next step is for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to conduct sediment sampling in the river, a prerequisite for the project to move forward. He said the sediment testing will provide important information about whether dredging the river would stir up hazardous contaminants beneath the river bed.

It’s unclear when the sediment testing will begin. DNR spokesperson Ed Golder said his department is evaluating the sediment testing in response to community concerns about the project.

To determine the largest land owners along the river, MLive examined more than 330 property records from Kent and Ottawa counties. The records were limited to parcels where a portion of the property touches the river.

Hibma, through the limited liability company New Era Land, owns two parcels that touch the Grand River. Those properties encompass roughly 145 acres. He owns three other adjacent parcels, which don’t touch the river, totaling about 43 acres. That brings the total amount of land he owns to nearly 200 acres.

The largest private property owner along the river is the Wallinwood Springs Golf Club, which owns about 196 acres in Georgetown Township, Ottawa County property records show.

Todd Hartson, the club’s owner, said he’s heard a little bit about the project, and has “absolutely no issue with it.”

“As far as the boating up and down the river, I would love to see it,” he said.

The second biggest private property owner is a trust registered to Maxine M. Wells, a 93-year-old Tallmadge Township resident whose family has farmed in Ottawa County for decades.

Four parcels, totaling about 179 acres in Tallmadge Township, are registered to the trust, property records show.

Wells, 93, could not be reached for comment. Her son Jon Wells, 61, spoke to MLive on her behalf. He said his preference would be to keep the land his mother owns undeveloped.

“It’s quiet out here,” Jon Wells said. “We would like to keep it that way.”

He said he does not like the idea of opening the river to larger powerboats because he fears that any dredging would hurt wildlife and may have a “long-term ecological impact.”

While private entities own a significant chunk of land along the proposed project’s route, state and local governments are by far the biggest property owners.

Ottawa County, for example, owns roughly 1,091 acres, property records show.

The Michigan DNR owns about 958 acres, while Kent County has about 874 acres.

Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt said the county has not spoken with Hibma about the Grand River Waterway project. He said the project is “not on our radar at all,” and that the county has no plans to add developments to its property that would capitalize on the proposed project.

“We want to make sure that we live up to our master planning that has been identified with these parks,” he said, adding that Kent County has not taken a stance on the project.

The city of Grand Rapids, which owns more than 200 acres along the river, has also not taken a stance on the project.

In a statement, city spokesperson Amy Snow-Buckner said plans for the city’s property “are not dependent on and have no connection to the Grand River Waterway project.”

Past development proposals

Hibma purchased his parcels along the Grand River in 2001, and he has unsuccessfully tried to develop the area in the past. The property formerly housed an asphalt plant and chemical repository owned by Fenske Enterprises.

In 2004, he proposed building a mixed-use development on the site, with 432 condominiums, 7,200 square feet of commercial space, a small office area and docks for pontoon boats, according to a Grand Rapids Press story at the time. That proposal was scaled back from a prior plan that called for 848 apartments, 10,000 square feet of retail space and a marina, the story said.

Later, in 2010, he talked about developing a seasonal campground on the property.

As of now, Hibma says he has no plans for his property tied to the dredging project. But he added that he would one day like to see residential properties developed there. The property is currently zoned for industrial use.

“We’re in the apartment business,” he said. “I would like apartments there.”

While the dredging project was spearheaded by Hibma, it later became a state project after the GOP-controlled Michigan Legislature approved public funding for it. To date, a total of $3.45 million has been allocated.

Language in the 2019 state budget directed the DNR to issue proposals and hire private contractors to collect and analyze sediment samples in the river. Dredging would commence, the budget states, only if the sediment samples are “satisfactory and the necessary permits are issued.”

Upon completion of the sediment testing, a dredging permit must be submitted to and approved by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy in order for the project to move forward.

Former Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-Grand Haven, said he championed the project during his time in the Legislature, helping secure the state funding needed for the project to move forward.

He said he advocated for the project because he supports expanding recreational activities.

“As a sportsman, kayaker and general outdoorsman, I thought here’s another way to possibly expand recreational opportunities if sampling and other things and conditions are able to support that,” said Meekhof, who since leaving office last year is now working as a volunteer consultant for the project.

Meekhof said it’s inaccurate to claim that the state Legislature allocated funding for the Grand River Waterway project because it would benefit Hibma.

Hibma, along with his wife, Terri Lynn Land, were among the 40 largest political donors in Michigan ahead of the 2018 election, according to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, a nonprofit, nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog group. Land, a Republican, served as Michigan Secretary of State from 2003-11.

“Every time the state makes some improvement, people benefit,” Meekhof said. “Landowners benefit, the taxpayer benefits, and at some point, the value of property goes up because improvements have been made on behalf of the public, and this would be the same.”

Later, he added: “Last time I checked on the sign, this is America, and capitalism is OK.”