Master Plan Content Index
The Master Plan draft was sent from the Planning Commission to the City Commission on 2024-08-08. The City Commission is expected to accept the plan on 2024-08-13, which will begin the required 63 day public review period on 2024-08-14. If accepted the required review period will complete on 2024-10-16. At that point the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on 2024-10-24 and recommend the City Commission adopt the plan. The City Commission will then schedule and hold a public hearing on 2024-11-19. The City Commission will ratify the plan, most likely, on 2024-12-03. At this point a rewrite of the zoning ordinance will begin, to align the ordinance with the new plan.
UPDATE 2024-11-16: The public hearing of the master plan is on the City Commission agenda for 2024-11-19, as expected.
UPDATE 2024-12-03: The "Bridge To Our Future" Master Plan was adopted.
The Plan Documents
These are the documents as proposed to the City Commission for the 2024-11-19 public hearing and subsequent adoption.
- Master Plan Draft, 2024-11-06, PDF
- Butterworth ASP Draft, 2024-11-01, PDF
- Creston ASP Draft, 2024-11-01, PDF
- Southtown ASP Draft, 2024-11-06, PDF
Drafts
- Master Plan Draft, 2024-10 PDF
- This draft was sent to the City Commission by the Planning Commission at the 2024-10-24 Planning Commission meeting; the Youtube stream of that meeting is here.
- This submission of the plan to the City Commission actually happened on schedule!
- Master Plan Draft, 2024-08, PDF
- Master Plan Draft, 2024-07, PDF
- Master Plan Draft, 2024-05, PDF
Updates & Presentations
- April 2024 Planning Commission Meeting, Youtube
- October 2023 Master Plan Update, City Commission Meeting, Youtube
- October 2023 Master Plan Update, Planning Commission Meeting, Youtube
- April 2023 Master Plan Update, City Commission Meeting, Youtube
- April 2023 Master Plan Update, Planning Commission Meeting, Youtube
- November 2022 City Commission Prioritization Workshop
- February 2021 Master Plan Update, City Commission
- February 2021 Master Plan Update, Presentation, PDF
- November 2021 City Manager's Vlog, Youtube
- November 2020 Master Plan Update, PDF
- March 2020 Master Plan Update, PDF
Public Comment
- Final Comments, PDF 2024-10-19
- Round 3 Public Comments, PDF
- Round 2 Public Comments, PDF
- Round 1 Public Comments, PDF
- Fourteen public comments clearly call for the __elimination_ of parking requirements, and several others call for a reduction of parking requirements.
- From round 1 public engagement the support for infill housing is clear:
Accessory Dwelling Units | Duplexes | Triplexes and Quadplexes |
Participants
- The Steering Committee are individuals appointed by the Mayor Bliss; this group represents all three wards and a variety of Grand Rapids businesses and non-profit organizations. There is some overlap between the steering committee and neighbor organizations.
- Neighborhood Organizations are CDBG funded neighborhood organizations and associations which participated in engagement and organizing engagement events.
- Community Connectors are individuals hires by the city to organizing and host engagement events.
Steering Committee | Consultants |
---|---|
Tommy Allen, Rapid Growth Media Ryan Anderson, Mobile GR Commissioner, Herman Miller Jathan Austin, Ethel Empowerment Church Rev. Katherine Baker, Ecumenical and Interfaith Ministries and Spiritual Wellness Tasha Blackmon, Cherry Health Brenda Brame, Kent County Tax Credit Coalition at Heart of Michigan United Way Guillermo Cisneros, West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Kristina Colby, Neighbors of Belknap Lookout Belinda Cunningham, Corewell Health Healthier Communities Lauren H. Davis, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks Isaac DeGraaf, LINC UP Evelyn Esparza-Gonzalez, Hispanic Center of Western Michigan Cindy Foley, Grand Rapids Art Museum Sonja Forte, Baxter Community Center Aaron Ferguson, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Synia Gant-Jordan, Community Collaboration on Climate Change (C4) Emma Garcia, Access of West Michigan Representative Kristian Grant, Southtown Corridor Improvement Authority, Grant Development, LLC Lisa Haynes, Grand Valley State University Dale Hotelling, Ward 2 City Commissioner appointee Chip Hurley, Jones Lang LaSalle Erick Kind, MDOT Emily Loeks, Studio C Ted Lott, Lott3Metz Architecture Josh Lunger, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce Jameela Maun, Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan Paola Mendivil, El Granjero Mexican Grill/Ferris State University Nathaniel Moody, Former City Commissioner Nick Monoyios, Interurban Transit Partnership (The Rapid) Minnie Morey, West Michigan Asian American Association Tim Mroz, The Right Place, Inc. Isaac Norris, Issac V. Norris & Associates, P.C. and Southtown CIA Javier Olvera, Supermercado Mexico (Olvera Enterprises) Shawn Platt, Continuum Ventures Lynn Rabaut, Former City Commissioner Lindsey Reames, Grand Rapids Housing Commission Terry Rostic, Black Calder Brewing Company Paul Rozenboom, Planning Commissioner Mark Schaub, Ward 1 City Commissioner appointee Alex Smart, Grand Rapids Public Schools Megan Steenwyk, Vizient/Corewell Health Monica Steimle-App, Rockford Construction Eddie Tadlock, Devos Place/Van Andel Arena (ASM Global) Annette Vandenberg, West Grand Neighborhood Organization Angélica Velazquez Estrada, La Casa de la Cobija Teresa Weatherall Neal, Lead 616 Rick Winn, AHC Hospitality/Experience GR/River For All Ron Yob, Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians |
CNT- sustainability, resiliency, and equity Güd Marketing- communications and public relations Interface Studio- urban design and area planning Ninigret Partners- economic development and housing Sam Schwartz- transportation and mobility Sidewalk Detroit- outreach and engagement Vías- translation services and Latinx engagement |
Neighborhood Organizations | |
Gregg Hampshire, Creston Neighborhood Association Jessica Young, East Hills Council of Neighbors Steven Martinez, Eastown Community Association Fran Dalton, Garfield Park Neighborhoods Association Barbara Draughon, Heritage Hill Association Isaac DeGraaf, LINC UP Matt Bowman, Midtown Neighborhood Association Kristina Colby, Neighbors of Belknap Lookout Amy Brower, Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association South West Area Neighbors DBA John Ball Area Neighbors Annette Vandenburg, West Grand Neighborhood Organization | |
Community Connectors | |
Marian Barrera -Young, Baxter Neighborhood Association Elianna Bootzin, Resident of Ward 2 AC Cluely Jackie Frens, West Michigan Asian America Association Noemi Gonzalez, Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities Betsy Hernandez, North East Citizens Action (NECA) Dee Kimbrel, Sophisticated Gentlemen's & Women's Auxiliary Club Tecca Lynn Jones, Baxter United Ryan McCahill, Fulton Heights Neighborhood Association Kimberly Moore, Kids Food Basket Steff Rosalez, Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities Eleanor Moreno, Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities Mallory Patterson, Heartside Downtown Neighborhood Association Kareem Scales, Formerly NAACP of GR + GR CMP SC Latricia Sosebee, Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids Regenail Thomas, Seeds of Promise Jenine Torres, Resident of Ward 1 Victor Williams, Boston Square Neighborhood Association Adam Tuano Williams, Highland Park Neighborhood Association Michael Williams, Disability Advocates of Kent County |
Articles
- CC/PC Special Meeting Regarding Master Plan Draft, UrbanGR 2024-07-16
- The Final(?) Master Plan Timeline Is Here, UrbanGR 2024-07-11
- A Look At The Draft Master Plan, 2024-06-28
- Grand Rapids "Gets" Housing, 2024-04-12