Convening for Action Logo.
CONVENING FOR ACTION
Blueprint for Action

This Blueprint for Action was the result of a series of meetings

with planners from 21 of the county's 24 jurisdictions.

 

1. Create a Kalamazoo County land use planning clearinghouse

 

Step 1: Determine most efficient structure for this site

·        One consolidated site?

·        Several coordinated sites?

 

Step 2: Find a home for the website

·        County?

·        WMU?

·        K-College?

·        Chamber of Commerce?

·        Southwest Michigan First?

 

      Step 3: Build the site

·        CFA builds the prototype site

·        CFA builds the linked Alamo site as a prototype

·        Investigate ongoing role for K-College students, funding by K

 

 Models for site

·        www.liaa.org and the Community Information systems 

·        http://www.westmichigantricities.org/  (an application of the LIAA CIS)

·        Getting On-line  http://www.smallcommunities.org/ncsc/

·        http://www.psats.org/   (Pennsylvania township supervisors)

 

 

 Site content:

 

Innovative ordinances

·        Repository of innovative ordinances

 

Legislation

·        Definitions of Acts

·        Understandable summaries

·        Model ordinances that comply

 

Library of zoning categories, definitions, and ordinances for all jurisdictions

·        Cross-index of zoning classifications across jurisdictions

·        Zoning maps

·        Future land use maps

·        County land use map

 

     One-stop shop information for developers (Southwest Michigan First or Chamber?)

·        Preliminary information to be used before meeting with planning commissioners

·        Education about the profitability of smart development (e.g. New Urbanist Designs)

 

Master Plans

·        Jurisdictions

·        Pharmacia & other major employers

·        School Districts

·        KVCC

·        WMU

·        K-College

 

Link to website containing census information

 

Best Practices from other parts of the country

 

Other useful resources

 

      Have available web space for smaller jurisdictions

 

2. Develop an education and outreach plan

 

  A. To raise public awareness about land use issues

 

Step 1: Arrange for media exposure on these issues through radio shows and Cable Access

·        Have local jurisdictional experts debate and discuss land use issues

 

Other possibilities:

·        Website

·        Countywide newsletter

·        Increasing and identifying public internet access points

 

B.      To increase planning commissioner and citizen knowledge about planning tools and issues 

 

       Step 1: Work with the county on this as a joint initiative

 

       Step 2: Create a series of local training opportunities for planning commissioners

   

       Step 3: Develop the training materials

·        MML

·        MTA

·        Michigan Society of Planning

·        Michigan Extension

 

       Step 4: Develop a strategy for using these training opportunities as a means for creating stronger networks between jurisdictions

 

3.  Create structures for County-wide coordination

 

    A. Listserve & Annual Caucus

·        Jurisdictions & key county entities

o       All jurisdictions

o       Southwest Michigan First

o       Chamber of Commerce

o       County Planning Commission

o       County Planning Department

o       KATS

o       School systems

o       Sewer and Water Utilities

o       Developers

o       Professional planners

o       Largest private or non-profit entities in jurisdictions

·        WMU

·        Pharmacia

·        Bedding Plant Industry

·        KVCC

·        Borgess and Bronson

·        Others

·        Topics for the annual caucus:

o       Defining growth, coordinating growth, managing change

·        Understanding the ideal growth pattern for each jurisdiction according to the jurisdiction itself

·        Coordinating the impacts of these growth patterns throughout the county

o       Economic development and land use

·        Supporting local business

·        Effective tax policies

·        Workforce development programs

·        Small business assistance center

·        Capital fund

o       Discussion of issues of adjoining jurisdictions

o       Discuss changes in jurisdictional master plans

o       Strategic discussions of pressing issues (e.g. utility management, highway management)

 

B. Create an updated County-wide land use plan

·        common zoning categories

·        county-wide GIS

·        identify stakeholders

o       All jurisdictions

o       County planning commission

o       Regional planning commission coordinator

o       DEQ and DNR district officer

o       MDOT district office

 

4. Make transportation issues more important in planning

·        Create more interaction with KATS

 

5.  Create a group (listserve) that advocates for maintaining quality of life (LUAG)

 

Home