East Grand Rapids for the Newcomer?

[FilmMaker]

Hmm, interesting that you advocate the continued sprawling of people to Rockford (although that has dropped off dramatically), where there is virtually no employment base other than Wolverine (so people have to commute to GR), and yet 8 miles CLOSER to the city of Grand Rapids, you advocate fighting development there because it will continue sprawl along the Beltline, exactly 1 mile outside the GR city limits.

Again, I think Plainfield Twp (and probably not you) just has its own interests at heart, and not the "spirit" of the overlay district.

Before I continue, please note that I did not initiate this thread going off-topic. I defer to the moderators any decision to move this and the comments of others as is appropriate.

First, I know first hand that Plainfield Township has probably done more to legitimately engage with its neighboring townships than most Townships in this area. Again, this isn't just because we feel it is appropriate (which we do) it is because land use policy at the Federal and State level is wisely taking an ever stronger stand on exactly this issue. While there are plenty of reasons to be cautious when the State starts meddling in local governance, the arguments for cooperative planning are numerous and very difficult to dismiss.

"Just serving our own interests"??? Plainfield's participation in the 10 Mile Corridor Overlay Agreement stems almost entirely from a collective desire by three units of government to protect and preserve the integrity and value of downtown Rockford as a healthy, self-sufficient community and worthwhile destination - and the City of Rockford is clearly outside the purvey of Plainfield Township. This can hardly be called "self-serving". If we wanted to simply sprawl, we'd be encouraging retail and commercial development along the entire corridor - which our current zoning and nearly-complete revised Master Plan clearly do not do.

While I can probably guess where you'll land in this issue, I will raise yet another example of Plainfield Township acting in the interests of the broader community: namely the etablishment of a much more timely, effective and environmentally appropriate sewer treatment authority/capability. While several arguments in favor of this were raised as it came together, the positive environmental impact on everyone downstream received equal or greater attention than any other issue. Quite simply, it was the right thing to do - and everyone at the table agreed, even if it was (and is) going to cost us more to do it. I'm quite sure everyone from GR to Grand Haven will soon appreciate that we acted beyond our own interests on this issue.

Now before you go off the handle about the sewer authority needing sprawl to pay for itself, you should know that the authority has projected all its costs as if no more development will take place in the area. Furthermore, our soon-to-be-released revised Master Plan makes it VERY clear that land use will drive all future decisions regarding any potential growth - utilities will NOT be driving growth. This is clearly articulated in several areas of the Master Plan. We knew the current downturn in housing starts was coming and planned the sewer authority and our revised Master Plan cognisant of this fact.

Secondly, the Plainfield and Rockford areas enjoy a much broader employment base than you describe. My wife places temporary workers for the entire Grand Rapids Metro area and, as such, the northeast quadrant of the county easily justifies her company (the largest temp company in the world) having a legitimate brick and mortar presence in that market. Rockford is much more than Wolverine and most people know this.

My own actions speak directly to this point: after over 22 years of working in the downtown GR core, I am choosing to move my business to Rockford because it is a healthy center of employment and lifestyle. My car is going to spend much less time on the road and I will be gleefully and actively participating in my community on an hourly versus daily basis.

Of course, having no idea of where the original writer might be working - and whether they wish or do not wish to commute, my suggestion to the writer that they consider Rockford along with other areas of West Michigan was, at its simplest, made knowing that there is abundantly available EXISTING housing stock in the Plainfield/Rockford area (as in most areas these days). Nothing in my comments suggested they buy ten acres and build a house in the middle of it - and hence add to sprawl. I find your comment to be a bit offensive in this light.

Indeed, you and I agree that near term (the next ten years or so) housing needs should ideally be achieved in areas as close to employment concentrations as possible. While I think we all agree that the utopian solution would be to revitalize existing housing stock, the vacant parcels along East Belt Line are, in fact, closer to the core and SE employment concentrations than many other areas. But I do not see how building more parking lots and shopping malls (call them what you want) along East Belt Line is fulfilling the demand for housing closer to the core. The fact is (and to your point), the area at East Belt Line and Four Mile (which is in Plainfield's domain) has been discussed as being appropriate for residential development (not big box stores or commercial) because it is already close to existing residential areas with commercial services and is convenient to existing emplyoment cores. And... this is entirely consistent with the Overlay vision for this area. We are not acting in a rogue fashion or sticking our heads in the sand, we are actively fulfilling our part of the original (and appropriate) vision all parties have already signed.

Finally, I must reiterate what I wrote before. It is abundantly clear to everyone in the planning community that the population will decline in the coming years as baby boomer numbers dwindle. In that light, I remain steadfast in my belief that we do not need more new commercial "centers" when we have existing areas that can easily serve and succeed with the right vision and collaboration with local planners and leadership. If half the energy and legal wrangling invested in getting new/additional "lifestyle centers" approved along East Belt Line were instead committed to revitalizing other existing commercial areas, we'd see much greater renewal of existing neighborhoods (which are closer to the metro core) - versus their abandonment.

Please refrain from making further broad assumptions and generalizations about my views and the actions and plans of Plainfield Township until you have more accurate knowledge of the truth.