Master Plan Update

Land use decisions fundamentally influence quality of life in every community -- whether they are thoughtfully considered and purposeful or not. Poor decision-making can lead to mistakes that are intractable and even catastrophic.

The comprehensive or master planning process is intended to reduce these risks. A master plan can help a community to understand what it values and how to effectively and efficiently implement those ideas. In addition to land use, master plans address a wide range of community affairs that directly affect quality of life. These include transportation, housing, infrastructure, and parks and recreation facilities.

The Township adopted its current master plan in early 2010. State law requires that communities consider updating master plans at least once every 5 years.  Given the release of new census data from the 2010 Decennial Census, the volatility of the local and state economy over the past 5 years, and several land use related initiatives, the Planning Commission decided to update the master plan in 2013/2014. In addition to the analysis of new information, the master plan will include area specific sub-plans, and non-motorized planning.

Until the new master plan is adopted by the Planning Commission, the current master plan will continue to provide guidance for land use and other public policy decisions. Individual chapters can be accessed using the following links:

Introduction

Community Vision & Goals

Community Profile

Economic Profile

Housing

Natural Resources & the Environment

Public Facilities

Land Use

Implementation

Stay tuned for master plan update information including times and dates for public hearings, workshops, and adventures!