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(See discussion of Port Facilities Node, merce to designate more Foreign Trade Many of these recreational facilities are
Part II below). Zones along Muskegon Lake. small, residual lands, or property con-
verted/ adapted from formerly indus-
With adequate public infrastructure, Provide suitable public infrastruc- trial use. The most celebrated of these
concentration of such activities in a ture and access at favored port opera- is Heritage Landing which serves as the
primary area may eventually encourage tion location. City's premier festival park.
the development of more technologi-
cally advanced cargo operations (i.e. Work with existing industries to Noticeably absent are "active" recrea-
containerization) which would increase help improve or mitigate their physical tional areas containing ballfields,
the attractiveness of Muskegon as a presence on the lake. swimming, playgrounds etc. One of
cargo port. the few remaining natural habitat areas
Work with Lakeside businesses to of any size is in the vicinity of Rich-
Modernized cargo facilities would enhance the Lakeside commercial strip. ard's Park, where the tributaries of the
promote economies-of-scale in the ex- Muskegon River flow into Muskegon
isting break bulk operations found C. Recreation & Lake.
along the lake by allowing existing
bulk handlers to share facilities. They Natural Habitat Areas Recommendations
may also promote more Foreign Trade
Zone (FTZ) designations. These facili-
ties may be best planned and managed Existing Conditions Integration of Recreational Fa-
under the aegis of a port/ harbor author- cilities
ity (see appendix). Like the scattered industrial/ bulk han-
dling operations along the lake, public A fundamental component of a revital-
Other Recommendations recreational land uses are distributed
: fairly evenly along the shoreline. While ized lakefront is increasing the number
such a distribution is far more desirable and sizes of recreational land uses
Promote the formation of a Mus- than in the case of the former, they are along the lake. Equally important how-
kegon Port Authority/ Harbor Commis- poorly linked, and sometimes difficult ever, is the goal of creating more
sion to manage commercial shipping, to find - a situation likely to be greatly
and ancillary development along the remedied by the pending construction
lake. of the Lakeshore Trail bicycle/ pedes-
trian path.
Work with private industry, U.S.
Customs and the Department of Com-
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 14
The Lakeshore Trail project will help connect the many sites and activity areas along the shoreline. Clockwise: Richard's Park, Heri-
tage Landing, Fisherman's Landing and the Mart Dock.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 15
effective suitable to the development of Funding Sources:
physical esplanades and boardwalks do
linkages be- exist and should be pursued. Possible funding sources include De-
tween them. These could be obtained via partment of Environmental Quality
Although the easement (preferred), purchase (DEQ) Coastal Management Grants
aforemen- (less preferred), or condemna- and Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI)
tioned Lake- tion (least preferred). grant funds.
shore Trail Where the profile of the shore
project will makes this physically infeasible Other Recommendations:
effectively (i.e.where there are numerous
achieve this, jetties and land spits), a series of Increase the number of active rec-
large sec- trail spurs, finger piers and reational spaces for activities such as
tions of the lookouts should be developed. swimming and sports.
proposed These should be connected to,
bicycle- and architecturally consistent Increase the number of transient
pedestrian with, the proposed Lakeshore boat slips (especially proximate to
path are set Trail. These spurs could run downtown).
well back perpendicular to the Trail, and
from the would be chosen for maximum Capitalize on the educational po-
shoreline contact with the water, and wid- tential of natural habitat areas by de-
and there- est possible view radius. veloping nature walks that highlight/
fore physi- profile indigenous wildlife and
cally and plant species.
visually off
limits to the Work to increase the size of -
water's edge. and create more effective linkages
between - isolated areas of natural
While the jagged profile of the shore- habitat (wildlife corridors).
line clearly makes the development of a
continuous pedestrian network of Work with landowners to
shore-hugging trails impractical (to say donate, dedicate, and develop
nothing of the legal and financial issues public access easements. Create
involved), large tracts of water frontage zoning incentives for same
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 16
Above and left: Proposed pedestrian trail
system. Trail spurs (perhaps in the form of
public piers) should be developed on ma-
jor jetties to take advantage of superior
views. Right: Conceptual focal point ele-
ment at the end of Third Street.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 17