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tion, as in all lakefront redevelopment Public Participation
projects. Finally, passive recreational Conclusion
areas and wetlands would be greatly As a sub-plan building on the ideas put
enhanced with interpretive nature trails The Future forth in the City's Master Plan adopted
and boardwalks. in 1997, the public participation com-
The plan outlined above is designed to ponent of this document can be traced
Funding Sources serve as the conceptual framework for directly back to the numerous surveys,
projects which may or may not ulti- interviews and questionnaires com-
Because Fisherman's Landing was de- mately resemble those presented in this pleted as part of the Master Planning
veloped using Federal grant monies, document. This is due to the knowledge process. It should be noted that the City
any relocation of the facility would that absent a port authority or other su- of Muskegon won the Michigan Soci-
have to take place pursuant to a cum- preme planning body, development ac- ety of Planning Officials (MSPO)
bersome and lengthy land conversion tivities will be carried out individually award for the public participation com-
process. Under this process, the exist- by private property owners. While ef- ponent of its Master Land Use Plan in
ing site could not be sold until a new, forts to involve individual property 1998.
comparable site was secured. In addi- owners in the planning process proved,
tion, an alternative funding source in most instances, to be effective, these The planning process resulting in this
would have to be used to rebuild the individuals may not always agree on specific document began in earnest in
permanent facilities existing on the pre- every aspect of the plan, or the means late summer of 1998. At that time, a
sent site (i.e. restrooms, docks etc.) necessary to carry it out. broad-based coalition of business and
community leaders known as the Lake-
Funding for the interpretive trails, and As Muskegon continues to experience front Development Task Force ap-
natural habitat enhancement measures the type of development pressure al- proached the City of Muskegon, and
could come from a variety of sources luded to in the introduction, it will be- requested that City staff join ranks with
previously mentioned, especially come apparent that the planning proc- them in creating a plan that would
Coastal Zone Management Grants, and ess will need to be fluid and adaptable serve as a rough blueprint for future
Great Lakes Fisheries Trust Funds to exigent and complex circumstances. waterfront development activities. Over
(CMS). Funding for the building of In short, the plan should be taken in its the ensuing months, City staff along
new facilities at a relocated Fisher- "spirit", and not its "letter". with the task-force, began to develop
man's Landing, could come from preliminary graphics that were subse-
agreements exacted from private devel- quently published in the Muskegon
opers in exchange for the sale of the Chronicle. Although initial comments
existing Fisherman's Landing site.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 46
were few, the plans were generally well
received.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 47
A series of individual meetings with
selected property owners was held over
a period of approximately four months
followed by a general meeting of a ma-
jority waterfront property owners on
April 1, 1999. The comments being
generally favorable, a tacit endorse-
ment to proceed with the planning pro-
gram was received by City staff.
Plan Adoption
Before the plan is officially adopted,
the draft plan will undergo a lengthy
public comment period during which
time, the general public will be invited
to critique the plan, and its component
projects. Finally, the plan will be the
subject of a public hearing before being
adopted by the City's Planning and
City Commissions.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 48