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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.