West Michigan Regional Urban Design Charrettes

1. Sustainable North-Central Muskegon County Charrette USING REGIONAL COLLABORATIONS AND HIDDEN ASSETS FOR URBAN REVITALIZATION April, 2007 BLUE LAKE TOWNSHIP West Michigan Regional Urban Design Charrettes

2. SUSTAINABLE NORTH-CENTRAL MUSKEGON COUNTY “THE WMRUD CHARRETTE SUPPORTS THE GREAT EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE NORTH CENTRAL JOINT PLANNING COMMISSION ALREADY… THE AREA HAS VERY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS, BUT WITH SUBSTANTIAL HIDDEN ASSETS” WMRUD Charrette jury selection comment N

3. SUSTAINABLE NORTH-CENTRAL MUSKEGON COUNTY CHARRETTE GOALS STATEMENT OF THE NCJPC TEAM (*) The WMRUD charrette will expose NCJPC team members to the concept of sustainability. (* Blue Lake, Dalton, Fruitland, Laketon & Muskegon Townships) It will further introduce them to the impacts that expected growth trends will have on the social, economic and environmental values of the community. It will help the community to use a collaborative approach to address issues before they become problems. The charrette results will demonstrate that the quality of life for residents, future residents and visitors in West Michigan depends on maintaining and enhancing a sense of place. It will help illustrate that the community values diversity, good jobs, open space and vibrant urban centers in the region.

4. SUSTAINABLE NORTH-CENTRAL MUSKEGON COUNTY AREA OF THE CHARRETTE The urbanizing areas within the North Central Joint Planning Commission (NCJPC) directly surrounding Michigan’s Adventure Amusement Park (Michigan’s Adventure), northerly from M-120 corridor to White Lake Drive between the Whitehall Road corridor and US-31, including the Russell/Riley Thompson entrance corridor to Michigan’s Adventure from US-31 all contained within portions of the Muskegon Lake, Bear Lake and Duck Lake watersheds. N

5. SOUTHERN AREA OF THE CHARRETTE EAST/WEST ROADS ARE THE FEEDER GRID TO LAKE MICHIGAN M-120 N WHITEHALL ROAD & HOLTON RD (M-120) INTERSECTION M-120 WHITEHALL RD N

6. CENTRAL AREA OF THE CHARRETTE Primarily rural with diverse and sometimes conflicting uses in varied stages of development. RUSSELL RD WHITEHALL RD TYLER RD N Water system is regional and serves most of the focus area. Sewer systems are township-owned. GILES RD WHITEHALL RD N

7. NORTHERN AREA OF THE CHARRETTE US-31 “GATEWAY TO THE NORTHWEST” TYLER RUSSELL N RILEY THOMPSON WHITEHALL RD MICHIGAN’S ADVENTURE N

8. Modest growth history Most probable area of growth in the County Lots of woods - Lacking of utilities – mostly in storm water infrastructure Adopted Smart Growth – no growth without water & sewer AREA FACTS COLLECTED – GROWTH

9. Generally a lack of infrastructure water – good waste – good 30” trunk line, but septic west of Whitehall Road gas - limited electricity – limited storm – non existent, no plan in place high speed communication – some in the works AREA FACTS COLLECTED - INFRASTRUCTURE

10. Western residential area / a heavy feeder of traffic to Whitehall Road History of chemical industry ground water contamination and Superfund site Very scattered commercial development becoming classic strip sprawl, close to Whitehall Road because of 66 foot ROW & short front-yard setbacks. Acreage behind the commercial strip becoming cut-off AREA FACTS COLLECTED – LAND HISTORY

11. Fragmented natural features creek corridors, park and woods have opportunities to connect (now hard to find – buried behind properties) Superfund site positive clean-up and technologically sophisticated demonstration project Unremarkable architecture few clues, not historical, small residential, vernacular clues around lake resorts, agrarian and camping AREA FACTS COLLECTED – WHAT WE HAVE

12. Bike paths – Fred Meijer Berry Junction. connects to Musketawa Trail; ties west to Wisconsin via the Cross Lake Ferry; connects east at GrandWalk to Fred Meijer White Pine Trail multi-state bike trail system has greater Federal funding opportunities Buel Neighborhood – African American Culture & Association AREA FACTS COLLECTED – SPECIAL FEATURES

13. Rail access to the industrial parks provides connections Limited highway access / good vistas from the US31 into the area Regional interest in green development Northwest Michigan tourist corridor is US31 E/W roads are the feeder grid to Lake Michigan shore AREA FACTS COLLECTED - ACCESSIBILITY M-120 RAILWAYS

14. AREA FACTS – ROAD & UTILITY RIGHT OF WAYS 1/2 MILLION GAL. WATER TANK MICHIGAN ADVENTURE MAJOR ROADS AND ARTERIES US-31: BOLD RED MAJOR ARTERIES: BOLD BLUE 20” WATER 30” SANITARY US-31 TO LAKESHORE RAIL UTILITIES ELECTRIC:GOLD WATER:RED SANITARY:GREEN 24” WATER N M-120

15. Multiple centers of concentration possible vernacular around various amusement/recreation vocabularies and the opportunity to create service nodes rather than sprawling strip corridors Overlay zoning effort – current single use zoning and setbacks – can/will incentivize sprawl Flat/high water table, sandy ground – not significant flooding Limited publically accessible open space 1000 acre industry and Brownfield – 200 acre Ren. Zone 400 acre large lot eco-industrial park AREA FACTS COLLECTED – LAND USE

16. Third largest state tourist destination, largest children’s destination – Michigan’s Adventure Camp-sites provide some recreational “home-base” Rod and gun clubs Three golf courses Some scenic corridors: US 31 “Gateway to the North” & Shoreline Great Lakes Circle Route & Veterans Park Causeway AREA FACTS COLLECTED - ATTRACTION

17. Linked by one school district, Reeth’s Puffer with 1000 seat auditorium & athletic facilities M-TEC Career Tech Center Muskegon Community College, Baker College White Lake Area Community Education Consortium AREA FACTS COLLECTED – EDUCATION

18. Bedroom community to Muskegon, minimal employment Huge fluctuation of seasonal winter/summer service jobs around parks and recreation Possible casino (seems like this idea is everywhere?!!?) Potential jobs within the 1000+ acre industrial parks AREA FACTS COLLECTED - EMPLOYMENT

19. AREA FACTS COLLECTED GREENWAY TRAILS CREEK TRAILS BIKE TRAILS & CREEK LINKS PARKS & CAMPS N

20. Access by car to Michigan Adventures Park, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. No public transit – have to drive everywhere – MATS trolley is seasonal Need comprehensive transit/mobility plan Kids bike and walk to Michigan Adventures now Need good bike trails, not riding on shoulders shared with vehicles Purchase development R.O.W. through: Eminent domain? Incorporate corridor & transportation planning. AREA NEEDS – TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

21. Basic need – get from freeway to Whitehall Road Need good truck routing Cordova, Bayer, Class A Russell Road to points Cordova’s current truck route: McMillan to Central to Tyler to Russell to US31 Signage – way-finding is bad – “you can’t get there from here” AREA NEEDS – ACCESS & WAYFINDING

22. Very limited services for locals Feeders to the bike trail No village hamlet to focus development. Dalton was a village – now it is Dalton 4-Corners, and there is no “There” there. AREA NEEDS – A SENSE OF PLACE

23. Need good design and zoning standards for livable community – current zoning would disallow hamlets Where can public recreation go? Multi-jurisdictional recreation plans? A good form-based zoning ordinance is quite possible because of minimum built precedents and age/quality of existing (obsolete) Create a Natural Features Inventory Green Infrastructure Plan along bike paths – protection & enhancement AREA NEEDS – PLANNING & POLICIES

24. Purchase of Development Rights, donated, transfers (not yet permissible), Farmland Preservation Trusts Hotel, golf course site – 2 are under discussion near US-31 Riley Rd exit Charrette for Bayer: property visioned as eco-synergy park with international expertise assistance (German owned) Charrette for Cedar Fair area: people understand the points of industry competition/need for “secrecy”, yet this is the major land growth generator. There still is a true opportunity for merging a national quality environment along with a national quality recreation destination as a “win-win”. AREA NEEDS – DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATION

25. Develop Marketing Incentives Menu TIFF, Ren Zone, Brownfield – Multi-jurisdictional TIFF’s? Sustainable Community Plan around Industrial Zones Need a sense of identity & place (branding?) for the JPC area Housing: offer mixed use at hamlet nodes – ie: Dalton Hamlet? AREA NEEDS – DEFINING WHAT WE CAN BECOME

26. Joint Planning Commission Encompassing 5 Townships – first of it’s kind in the State Planning Commission Members, Township Officials Jourden Family & Cedar Fair with Michigan Adventures vision for recreation Bayer Crop Sciences: global competitive initiative with local sustainable vision WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN ASSETS? COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

27. Potential for large concentrated workforce at Michigan’s Adventure Bayer Eco-Industrial large lot Park Zephyr Property – abandoned Brownfield site North Shore Hospital site Fly ash disposal area capped site Cordova Superfund site Muskegon County Wastewater Treatment Facility Active rail system WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN ASSETS? WORKFORCE & WORKSITE CREATION

28. Muskegon County Waste Treatment plant – 50% capacity & decreasing – should treatment access become regional? High BOD and large flow capabilities Muskegon & Muskegon Heights water filtration plant Coal plant under capacity Bayer has (2) three-megawatt lines Undeveloped land trapped between US 31 and Whitehall Road Under-utilized and abandoned rail lines Sand mining on Russell Road – future lake development WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN ASSETS? ABANDONED AND UNDERUSED LAND AND UNDERUTILIZED INFRASTRUCTURE

29. Reeth’s Puffer Neighborhood Improvement Association - African American Community with encouraging development plans Undervalued & under-utilized properties – ability to create added value for owners when collectively considered Re-development opportunities are financially lucrative Established recreational destination (Michigan’s Adventure) WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN ASSETS? COMMUNITIES & PRIVATE OWNERSHIP

30. Lake Michigan, White Lake, Muskegon Lake, Duck Lake, Blue Lake Cedar Creek, Bear Creek, Duck Creek, Muskegon River watersheds. Happy Mohawk canoeing on White River Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Camp Lor-Ray, Boy Scout Camp at Owasippe, Pendalouan YMCA Camp, Christian Summer Camp, private campgrounds Forest preserve and Manistee National Forest WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN ASSETS? SURPRISING BIO-DIVERSITY

31. Michillinda Resort, Duck Lake State Park, Scenic drive, Pioneer County Park White Lake Light House, Historic Block House Great Lakes Downs & Equestrian Industry Winter sports complex – Olympic sanctioned Luge Run Double JJ indoor water park & recreation Camping, Bike Trails Race Cars, ATV Trails & Dune Cars (Silver Lake) WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN ASSETS? ACCESSABILITY TO OUTDOOR RECREATION

32. Quality of life exceeds the problems, so pre-emptive planning is primary and possible Create an identity while managing probable growth Create a common vision for 5 townships – build trust with open dialogue And provide a common vision stimulating outside investment AREA GOALS West Michigan Regional Urban Design Charrettes

33. Regionally, make connections to green infrastructure hubs, following bike paths, creeks with environmental sensitivity Create a…sense of place… live, work and play/recreation with opportunities to create a working/living community A year-round destination… complement summer activates with winter (fall and spring) activities (i.e. Winter sports park, Double JJ Ranch, Michigan’s Adventure indoor water park) AREA GOALS

34. UNCOVERING CONCEPTS MICHIGAN’S ADVENTURE TRAFFIC LOOP INTERNAL SHUTTLE FROM HI-WAY LOTS & CAMPSITES TO PARKS WHITEHALL ROAD FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, CREATE LAND USE ZONES DALTON HAMLET CORDOVA BUS. PARK US-31 + M-120 FUN ZONE - GREEN BAYER CROP SCIENCE SERVICE ZONE - ORANGE N WORK ZONE - BROWN ENTRY ZONE - PURPLE ZEPHYR BROWNFIELD

35. AREA IDEAS – FUN ZONE CREATE TRAFFIC LOOP AROUND FUN ZONE – TO FACILITATE INCREASING VOLUMES OF TRAFFIC DUE TO MICHIGAN’S ADVENTURE GROWTH ROUND-ABOUTS MASS PARKING CAMPSITES WITH SHUTTLE TRANSIT TO THE PARKS N

36. AREA IDEAS – SERVICE ZONE / WHITEHALL BLVD. N

37. AREA IDEAS – SERVICE ZONE / WHITEHALL BLVD. N

38. AREA IDEAS – WORK ZONE N

39. AREA IDEAS – WORK ZONE AN ECO-SYNERGY LARGE-LOT INDUSTRIAL PARK PROPOSAL AT BAYER N

40. AREA IDEAS – WORK ZONE N M-120 LOOKING EAST

41. AREA IDEAS - ENTRY ZONE ROADWAY SECTIONS A B C N

42. A B C

43. RECOMMENDATIONS • The NC Muskegon Charrette PowerPoint should serve as a structure from which to facilitate community discussion and visioning. • Add story, facts and ideas to the PowerPoint around topics, issues, and opportunities. • Pursue grants to further collective knowledge of the issues, and include the Charrette PowerPoint as background in the grant submittal. • With WMSRDC, Muskegon County and the NCJPC: • Consider an overlay zoning for Whitehall Road to establish the vision for land use, appearance and opportunities for preservation of natural asset beauty while being able to introduce significantly more supportive development for visitors and residents. • Define sub-study zones and apply for future WMRUD Charrettes