TheReview_Jan_Feb_2022 Flipping Book

CARLISLE/WORTMAN ASSOCIATES, INC. Carlisle/Wortman Associates is a multi-disciplinary planning firm experienced in providing both comprehensive and innovative solutions to complex problems, regardless of the size of the municipality.

PLANNING AND ZONING Q&A

1. What’s a recreation plan and why is it important for your community?

By Paul Montagno, AICP, Megan Masson-Minock, AICP, Chris Nordstrom, PLA, & Ben Carlisle, AICP

Master plans evaluate broad issues and topics that affect the quality of life of a community. Recreation plans, on the other hand, narrow that vision to explicitly focus on recreation-related topics including parks, trails, community programming, and open space preservation. While there is some flexibility in the content and format of an individual plan, recreation plans must provide specific data to be accepted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). Recreation plans operate on a five-year cycle and are submitted to the MDNR on a specific date (currently February 1 of each year). Recreation plans consider a variety of factors, such as park accessibility ratings, community demographics, and comparisons to national standards prior to preparing development recommendations and plans. At least two f orms of community input are required prior to adoption. A public hearing is mandatory, but other types

14 THE REVIEW

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022

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