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Neighborhood Issues
Master Land Use Plan
INTRODUCTION NEIGHBORHOOD/CITY
OPPORTUNITIES
Neighborhood workshops were conducted
to solicit input on planning-related matters.
Workshops included such groups as: All survey respondents were asked to
identify local opportunities. Opportunities
City neighborhoods (usually two or reflect items, characteristics, etc., that
three neighborhoods were present per people like about their neighborhood
session) and/or the City. Opportunities are those
factors people wish to see maintained
Students of the Muskegon High School and/or enhanced. Opportunities most often
(juniors and seniors) identified, or uniformly identified by all
survey sectors, were:
Planning Commission and City Council
of the City of Muskegon Presence of Lake Michigan and
Muskegon Lake
City staff Convenience of being close to facilities
Individual citizens, business and and services
governmental leaders, other groups and
organizations, etc. Good housing quality
Workshop participants were asked to Good neighbors and friendly people
respond to a series of common questions.
The workshops intended to solicit input Feeling of safety/security (within their
regarding perceived issues, assets, and neighborhood)
opportunities, and to help define a future
direction for the City Historic housing
Additional information was obtained from Availability of parks and recreational
the Muskegon Oceana Community opportunities
Reinvestment Corporation (MOCRC).
Working with City neighborhood NEIGHBORHOOD/CITY ISSUES
associations, MOCRC conducted a series of
door-to-door surveys soliciting resident Similar to the identification of
input on a variety of matters ranging from opportunities, survey respondents were
household characteristics to asked to detail issues. Issues reflect items of
neighborhood/City opportunities and concern. They are those factors people
concerns. The following is a summary of dislike about their neighborhood and/or
findings. City, and wish to see changed. Issues most
often identified or identified by all sectors
were:
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Increasing number of apartment collection, etc.)
complexes or conversion of single-
family homes to multiple-family use Need for better code enforcement
(site/housing)
Presence of too many slum landlords
Lack of communication with City Hall
Lack of housing maintenance
Crime/lack of respect for people and
Lack of street maintenance property
Concerns over environmental issues In addition to the broad concerns impacting
(e.g. noise, odors, leaves, trash all neighborhoods, specific neighborhood
Neighborhood Group 1 - Bluffton/Beachwood, Glenside, and Lakeside
Extend sidewalks throughout all neighborhood locations.
Reduce the number of multiple-family apartments, including a reduction in the conversion
of existing single-family homes to multiple-family use.
Streetscape Laketon Avenue.
Improve opportunities for connection to area bike paths (existing and planned).
Neighborhood Group 2 - Campbell, Nims, and Marsh Field
Reduce the number of multiple-family apartments, including a reduction in the conversion
of existing single-family homes to multiple-family use.
Reduce industrial odors.
Neighborhood Group 3 - Angell, Jackson Hill, McLaughlin, and Nelson
Reduce the number of multiple-family apartments, including a reduction in the conversion
of existing single-family homes to multiple-family use.
Construct a full service grocery store.
Small (neighborhood) businesses are not always conducive to promotion of neighborhood
quality. Zoning should ensure that permitted commercial development is compatible with
area neighborhoods. Liquor stores were most often mentioned as facilities of concern.
Major streets need a streetscape program [e.g. trees, lighting, better signs, upkeep, etc.]
Neighborhood Group 4 - East Muskegon, Marquette, Oakview, Sheldon Park, and Steel
Businesses along Getty Street are not conducive to neighborhood quality. They are
oriented to regional/transient shoppers versus local residents.
Major streets need a streetscape program [e.g. trees, lighting, better signs, upkeep, etc.].
Neighborhood Group 5 - In-Town (Downtown) Neighborhood
Need single-family housing in-fill on vacant parcels
Create wider terraces along Muskegon and Webster Avenues
Table 10.1 Summary of Neighborhood Land Use Issues
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issues were also raised. These have been Zoning regulations associated with the
listed according to neighborhood groupings conversion of single-family homes to
[based on the series of neighborhood multiple-family use should contain
workshops which were conducted in standards ensuring that converted
neighborhood group settings] and include dwellings have sufficient on-site
only those issues having a land use or land parking, suitable locations for trash
development significance [e.g. construct a receptacles which are customarily
new grocery store as opposed to pick-up stored out of doors, sufficient yard/play
leaves]. The plan recognizes that all issues areas, and exterior facade controls.
may be important and in need of some
manner of attention. To that end, the Design and implement streetscape
complete findings of the various workshops programs for each of the City's major
have been made available to City staff for roadways. Such programs may range
review and necessary action. from simple tree plantings in selective
locations to more intensive
In analyzing workshop and survey results it greenbelting. As part of this effort,
is important to note that a vast majority of examine the potential for enlarged
residents were primarily concerned over terraces along Webster and Muskegon
preservation of their home and immediate Avenues.
neighborhood. Planning issues such as the
future development of the shoreline, Work with S.D. Warren to reduce the
disposition of the downtown mall, impact occupancy and/or modify the timing of
of Shoreline Drive on downtown emissions of unpleasant odors.
development, etc., were perceived as
important, but not paramount to the long- Work with area grocery retailers
term stability and future success of the City. regarding opportunities in core urban
neighborhoods. It is not recommended
The above phenomena is not unique. Over that the City enter the grocery business.
time, planning studies and related research Rather, that the City work with the
have continually demonstrated that well- private sector to secure suitable sites,
maintained neighborhoods are one of the and where feasible and appropriate,
most significant factors influencing local provide development assistance with
and regional perception of a community as the opportunity for reasonable
desirable. paybacks.
RECOMMENDATIONS Zoning regulations should restrict the
opportunity for inappropriate business
From the review of neighborhood concerns, development to occur in residential
combined with other plan data pertinent to locations. Non-conforming businesses
this matter, the following recommendations should be highly restricted.
are made: Promote ongoing housing in-fill
programs. As part of the in-fill effort,
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work with area builders to determine Beyond these, there are several additional
possible joint public/private facilities expressing a potential and a desire
partnerships for the construction of to "anchor" local neighborhood areas, or to
affordable housing. at least provide facilities for neighborhood
meetings and workshops. They include:
Analyze sidewalk and pathway needs as
part of the City's ongoing public Baker College/County Offices/City Hall
infrastructure improvement - Peck Street north
programming activities.
Hackley Hospital - Peck Street south
With limited exception, restrict business
development in the "In-Town" Muskegon Community College/
residential neighborhood. Bed and Muskegon General Hospital/Baker
breakfast operations, tea rooms/coffee College - extreme northeast portion of
shops, etc. should be considered based the City
on rigid zoning standards to ensure
compatibility with area homes. Mercy Hospital - southeasterly portions
of the City
Residential Stability and Anchor Facilities
Muskegon Museum - downtown
A concept espoused by this plan is the residential areas
greater employment of "anchor" facilities to
foster neighborhood stability and improve We strongly recommend that local, public,
overall neighborhood quality. An anchor and private schools, and neighborhood
facility is a public or private school, church, churches, assume a more active leadership
institution, or business located within or role in neighborhood stability. We suggest
near a residential area and having sufficient the City conduct a series of workshops or
staff, wealth, and/or other characteristic or informal meetings with area school officials
opportunity to influence the neighborhood and church leaders to examine methods for
in a positive fashion. achieving that role. Moreover, we suggest
these institutions be used as conduits for
Historically, schools and churches served as the dissemination of information on matters
anchor facilities. In some instances they of neighborhood improvement,
still do. They provide opportunity for neighborhood funding, housing
neighborhood residents to come together to rehabilitation, and the like.
share common needs and concerns and to
undertake the handling of common issues.
In recent years, many schools and churches
have either been supplemented or replaced
by Neighborhood Associations as a
neighborhood's anchor facility.
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