OLIVE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Concerns that Ottawa County’s Native Plant Project was being destroyed sparked confusion this week, prompting county commissioners to reassure residents the project remains safe.

The project, which launched in 2023, was created to address growing groundwater concerns in the county. According to the county’s website, the initiative aims to “reduce water consumption, as well as the time and money on landscaping maintenance.”

“The native plants require less water so it’s less demand for resources there,” Ottawa County Commissioner Jim Barry explained.

But recent discussions among board members and the interim county administrator about the look and placement of landscaping at the Fillmore Street Complex raised new questions.

“Some of the landscaping that’s c

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