A public hearing will be held Monday at 7:30 pm on a request by a Grand Rapids developer to put up to 980 residential units on 338 acres near the village of Empire.

According to this Record-Eagle story, the project would require a rezoning of the Empire Orchards property agricultural to residential.

Smart Choices at Empire, a local group focused on land use issues in Empire and surrounding areas, sponsored a meeting Friday to inform residents about the potential rezoning and hear concerns about effects on the township and surrounding communities.

The rezoning hearing will be held Monday, 7:30pm at the Empire United Methodist Church. SmartChoices at Empire can be reached at EmpireInfo@aol.com, or contact Julie Hay: 231-941-6584 ext. 19 for more information.