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Chapter6.PublicInput,CommunityVisionandGoals.
6.1PublicInput.
TheCityofCharlevoixrecognizesthatpublicinputisanimportantpartofcre‐atingandimplementingthisplan.TheCitythanksthemanyindividualsandgroupswhocontributedinputandfeed‐backfortheMasterPlan.Thefollowingisabriefsynopsisofthewaysinwhichpublicinputwasusedtocreateandpassthismasterplan.
Initialeffortstocreatethisplaninclud‐edthedevelopment,distributionanddataanalysisofcommunitysurveysthattookplacein2009.About800commu‐nitysurveysweredistributedtoproper‐tyowners,residents,businessowners,andcivicorganizationstoseekinputonavarietyoflanduse,government,andrecreationrelatedtopics.The85ques‐tionsurveycoveredeverythingfromhousingtoparksandrecreation.Inad‐dition,CityPlanningstaffsoughtinputfromfourhighschoolgovernmentclas‐sesseekinginputonwhatrecreationalfacilitiesandprogramstheyvaluedmostandwhattheywouldliketoseeinthefuture.Thesurveyresultswereevaluatedandservedtohelpdefinethecommunityvision,goals,objectivesandactionitems.
Thedraft2011‐2016MasterPlanwasreviewedfirstbyCitystaff,andwasthendistributedtotheParkandRecrea‐tionAdvisoryBoard,whosememberswereappointedinAprilof2011.The
ParksandRecreationAdvisoryBoardprovidedvaluableinput,whichresultedinanumberofadditionsandchangestothedraftplan.OncetheamendmentswerefinalizedbythePlanningDepart‐ment,theParksandRecreationMasterPlanwaspublishedontheCitywebsite.
Despitebeingavailableforpubliccom‐mentfortheprevioussixmonths,theCityactivelysoughtadditionalcommentbypublishingapublichearingnoticeinthePetoskeyNewsReview,andaskingforanarticleontheplanintheCharle‐voixCourier.TheCourierpublishedthestoryonNovember2nd,2011.Thepub‐lichadtheopportunitytocommentonthedraftatthreepublicmeetingswiththeParksandRecreationAdvisoryBoard,andtwomeetingswiththeCharlevoixCityCouncil.TheCitywillcontinuetotakepubliccommentsanddocumentthecommentsasabasisforfutureamendments.
6.2CommunityVision
ThechapterbeginswithashortvisionstatementthatdescribescommunityvaluesandafuturedirectionforCharle‐voix.Followingthatarebroadgoals,whichhelpdefinehowthecommunitywillachieveitsvision.
Eachgoalisfurthersupportedbymorefocusedandspecificobjectives.
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WhiletheParksandRecreationMasterPlanisanexpressionofCharlevoix’scommitmenttofutureparksandrecrea‐tionfacilitiesandprograms,thefollow‐ingvisionstatementisitsunderpinning:
“Charlevoixwillbuildonpastsuccessandstrivetostreamlineandimproveparksandrecreationfacilities,andprogramsforthebenefitoffuturegenerations.TheCityrecognizesthephysical,social,economic,andcom‐munitybenefitsofqualityparksandrecreationalfacilitiesandprograms,andwillmakeeveryefforttoimple‐mentthisMasterPlanbasedonpublicparticipation,responsiblebudgeting,andtheneedsoftheCommunity.”
6.3ParksandRecreationGoalsandObjectives
Goal:Provideandmaintainmulti‐generationalrecreationalopportuni‐tiesandactivitiesforpeopleofallabilities,bothmentallyandphysically,withinthecommunity.
Objectives:a. Provideactivitiesandexperienc‐
esthatcanbeenjoyedtogetherwithpersonsofallagesandabili‐ties.
b. InvolvetheChar‐EmIntermedi‐ateSchoolDistrictandtheBerg‐mannCentertodeterminerecre‐ationalneedsandvaluesofdisa‐bledstudentsandcitizens.
c. Developnewfacilitiesthatinte‐grateADAaccommodationsandmaybeseamlesslyusedbyallresidentswithinthecommunity.
d. InterviewelderlycitizensandtheCommissiononAgingasabasistoconsiderimplementingrecreationactivitiesvaluedbytheagingpopulation.(Examplesmayincludeshuffleboard,andwalkingtrails.)
Goal:Retainallexistingparkandrec‐reationlandsforuseandenjoymentbythepublic.
Objectives:a. Considerimplementingdeedre‐
strictionsorsimilarprotectionstoensurefutureenjoymentandprotectionofparklandsandfa‐cilities.
b. Considerstreamliningproperties
bychangingparkboundariestoexcludeareasnotused,oressen‐tialtotherecreationalactivities.
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Goal:ContinuetoprovidediversifiednaturalexperiencesandmaintainhighenvironmentalstandardsinParksandRecreationFacilities.
Objectives:a. WorkwiththeLittleTraverse
Conservancyorotherorganiza‐tionsonencouragingconserva‐tioneasementsthatprotectpub‐licandprivatenaturalresourceareasintheplanningarea.
b. Consultwithappropriatestafforprofessionalstoevaluatenaturalareaswithinparks,suchasMich‐iganBeachParkandMt.McSau‐ba,tomakerecommendationsonthefollowing Treeremovalorpruning.
Plantingnewtreesorothervegetation.
Erosioncontrol StormWaterManagement. Removalofinvasivespecies. Chemicalorpesticidesprays.
c. EvaluateCityparksandrecrea‐
tionfacilitiesandconsiderre‐placinggrasswithnativevegeta‐tionorgrassthatdoesnotre‐quiremaintenance.
d. EvaluatethetrailsystematMt.McSaubaandtheNorthPointPreservetoensureconnectivityandconsiderremovalofunusedorinfrequentlyusedtrails.Con‐siderusingmapsandsignagetokeeppeopleonmarkedtrails.
e. Considerimplementingalterna‐tiveenergysystems,suchasso‐larorwind,inparksandrecrea‐tionfacilities.Evaluatecosts,impacts,andfundingsourcesforgreentechnologiesinparksandrecreationbuildingsorgrounds.
f. EnsureconstructionandfutureuseofthediscgolfcourseatMt.McSaubaminimizesimpactstothenaturalenvironment.Useerosioncontroltechniqueswheneverrequiredandconsidermovingholestore‐establishnat‐uralareaswhenneeded.
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Goal:EvaluateandstreamlineCityparksandrecreationfacilities,opera‐tions,andprogramstodecreasecoststothetaxpayers.
Objectives:a. Holdanannualmeetingwithap‐
propriateCitystafftodiscusscosts,benefits,participation,changesinpreferences,andide‐astostreamlineoperationsandmaintenance.
b. Activelyseekpubliccomment
fromresidents,visitorsandstu‐dentsasabasistoimplementimprovements,newactivitiesorprograms,ortocutactivitiesorprogramsnotbeingutilized.
c. Workwithareatownshipstoconsiderarecreationdistrictorauthoritytospreadcostsoutevenlytotheusersofthefacilityorprogram.
Goal:Continuethedevelopmentofa“CompleteStreet”transportationnetworkthatincorporateswalkingpaths,sidewalks,andbikelanes.
Objectives:a. Seekgrantandprivatefundingto
constructandexpandtheLaketoLakeTrailSystem.
b. EvaluateallCityinfrastructureprojectsforpotentialsidewalksandbikelanesbasedontheoveralltransportationnetwork
andbudget.Includecapitalim‐provementswheneverpossible.
c. Coordinatewiththeareaschoolstoimplement“saferoutestoschools”intothetransportationnetwork.Providesupporttotheschooldistrictforcrosswalks,signs,andothertrafficsafetymeasures.
d. Pursuegrantfundingforthede‐signandinstallationofanun‐derpassunderU.S.31adjacenttothegolfcoursethataccommo‐datesgolfers,bikers,andpedes‐trianswalking.Thisunderpasswillcreatetheonlysafecrossingforthenorthsideaccommodat‐ingavarietyofusers.
e. Publishmapsandworkwithlo‐calorganizationstoencouragewalkingandbikinginthecom‐
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munityandsmartcommuteini‐tiatives.
f. Amendzoningregulationstore‐quiretrails,bikelanes,and/orsidewalkstobeintegratedintonewdevelopmentprojectswherepractical.EnsurethesenewdesignsareintegratedintotheoverallCitytransportationnetwork.
Goal:Supportandencouragecoopera‐tivediscussions,effortsandrelation‐shipswithFederal,State,andlocalgovernmentalunits,aswellasnon‐profitorganizations.
Objectives:a. Holdanannualmeetingwiththe
Countyandsurroundingtown‐shipstoevaluateparks,recrea‐tion,andprogramstocoordinateeffortsandavoidrepetitivefacili‐tiesoruses.
b. WorkcloselywithMDOTonap‐propriatecrossinglocations,signage,andothertrafficsafetymeasureswithanyparkorrec‐reationalactivityutilizingU.S‐31orM‐66.
c. ContinuetoworkwithCharle‐voixAreaHospitalandothercommunitymembersonestab‐lishingasmartcommuteweekfortheCharlevoixarea.
Goal:Maintainandimprovepublicac‐cesstowaterbodiesincludingRoundLake,LakeCharlevoix,andLakeMich‐igan.
Objectives:a. Improvewalkingpathsandsteps
accessingthewateratMichiganBeachPark,WestDixon,andtwolocationsonthewestsideofMichiganAvenue.
b. ImprovetheCitypropertyadja‐centtotheCoastGuardStation(CoastGuardPark)toincludeafishingdockandassociatedamenities.Encouragepublicuseandenjoymentofthisfacility.
c. EncourageadditionalfishingtournamentsandwaterfronteventstopromoteCharlevoixasaqualitywaterfrontcommunityandsupportthelocaleconomy.
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d. PublishmapsandworkwiththeChamberofCommercetomarketthenumerouswaysthepubliccanaccessthewater.
e. Harbormasterstaffshouldworkproactivelytoencourageaddi‐tionalboatrendezvousattheCityMarinaintheshouldersea‐sons.
f. Exploreoptionstoimproveusa‐bilityofFerryBeachPierforboatersandswimmers.
g. Seekgrantfundingtoextendthecurrentfloatingbreakwall,orin‐stallanadditionalfloatingbreakwallattheFerryAvenueBoatLaunch.