Committee advances design contract for Upper Makataua 84th Street Trailhead restroom

The Ottawa County Planning and Policy Committee voted April 2 to recommend a design contract with MCSA Group for a restroom building at the Upper Makataua 84th Street Trailhead, forwarding the proposal to the Board of Commissioners for final approval.

Aaron, a county project staffer, told the committee the restroom has been discussed for years and that the county submitted a grant application last month. "This is a project that's been before you a few times recently," Aaron said, and the design work "would be reimbursable, by the if we get the grant." He said MCSA Group had produced standard restroom designs used at Grand Ravines and Olive Shores and is designing the new restroom at Ottawa Sands.

Aaron flagged a key design complication: the trailhead site sits partly in a floodway, which will affect permitting and structural approach. He described possible construction measures including leaving openings in cinder block walls to allow water flow and considering septic or utility locations that could raise costs. On fixtures, he said sustainability scoring for grants typically requires measures such as timed or push‑to‑run shower controls to prevent continuous running.

The committee moved the recommendation to a roll‑call vote. The Committee Chair called the roll; members listed on the record—Mister Moss, Missus Miedema, Mister Bergman and Mister Belknap—each voted yes, and the motion passed to forward the contract recommendation to the Board of Commissioners.

The committee’s action is a recommendation only; the Board of Commissioners will decide whether to approve the contract and authorize the work. The county staff said they intend to pursue the project whether or not the grant is awarded but that grant reimbursement would offset design costs.

Next steps: the contract recommendation will be considered by the Board of Commissioners. If the board approves, staff will proceed with engineering and permitting steps, including addressing floodway design and utility/septic needs.