GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids leaders wrapped up a series of meetings aimed at giving the public a chance to provide input on land use on Wednesday.
It was held at Harrison Park Academy. Roughly three dozen people attended.
Kristin Turkelson, the city’s planning director, says the meetings were held because her department is in the early stages of developing a new master plan.
Master plans serve as a “foundational document” for elected and appointed officials in Grand Rapids to reference when faces with land use issues like critical infrastructure, zoning and transportation.
“It’s kind of a foundational document,” said Turkelson. “It really tries to set out what does Grand Rapids look like in 20 years? How do we grow and develop? What are the needs of the community? And importantly, how do we get there?”
She added, “[For example] if we need housing, a community master plan process can help us define where does housing go? What does it look like?”
The city last approved a master plan in 2002.
It focused on the following themes:
- Great neighborhoods
- Vital business districts
- A strong economy
- Balanced transportation
- A city that that enriches our lives
- A city in balance with nature
- Partnerships
Turkelson believes leaders managed to accomplish most of the ideas laid out in it.
“We think of the river restoration project, a lot of that is foundational in our previous master plan that led to Green Grand Rapids that helped form Friends of Grand Rapids Parks,” said Turkelson. “When we look at the medical model, for example, and all of the investment that has been.”
She expects many of the same topics to make it into the newest version, which the planning department hopes to present to city commissioners for approval next summer.
Mark Shaub, who moved from Wisconsin to Grand Rapids to raise his two sons, told FOX 17 he wants to see a future that gives families a safe, affordable place to stay and incorporates more parks and recreational trails.
“It’s a much more vibrant, diverse and fun city to live in than it was 24 years ago,” Shaub said. “The downtown has been transformed, various neighborhoods are so much nicer… At the same time, as those great progresses have been made, a large scale, a large array of our fellow citizens have in some sense been left behind from some of the redevelopment.”
Regenail Thomas, another attendee, agreed with the need for a more equitable master plan.
“For me, and many of us, it’s, ‘What about the people who need help? What about the people who are hurt? What about the people who don't have in America, in Grand Rapids, in West Michigan?’” said Thomas.
Turkelson said she expected residents to push for better representation and the city will prioritize it in the final version.
“We know that we need equitable planning practices and so that conversation has evolved from 2002,” said Turkelson. “The 2002 plan was successful [and] I think that we're seeing that the community has benefited from that, but there's also continued needs that we need to make sure we're addressing through this process.”
“If we're going to create a community that's inclusive for everybody, and meets the needs of everybody, then we need to hear from community to understand what are their needs, what are their values? And how do we build this plan in order to meet that for our entire community?”
To learn more about the master plan process, click here.
