270 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/aa8fcc60a18106a8846ff3053a9c7b9b.jpg 8b7384f24e1da2484582e618c1702468 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo10 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/df597659c81d024b79f3b1a85cadbb54.jpg 75353c7d2bae3f1f7ba7d290b1a877c4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo11 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/938705c2640ed928112de7f7dc95cf76.jpg a6763770f04f0e953a85f4c89bc545e1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo12 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/92f812cbcb479a66f17ce4e970161a3b.jpg 6f3a34734eb17653ef9829cf5673c083 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo13 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4852a306fb782c31fbf1965c0d95c554.jpg c20a1354c2bc50bb77daa81877344d83 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo14 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/02c9991cc51262ff4b5235cee024a2c1.jpg 088f2345c5a1f30d8f1424cba1027018 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo15 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/65c2254eb2898cf87af1490ade6541c5.jpg 8736a187bcd3360d3eb48751020f3690 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo16 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7721bd5eef03a2a6971ec62a21114eb9.jpg ba7f9bd671644303c9f8d09ba7797258 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo17 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/54105d15c6790e0b4dfb744d9deb68f4.jpg 6c0101fc9d325749868ea633ed8abb5d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo18 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c6bab45b790902bd776b829345fd8010.jpg f386e767b99c8a8e525a3ed06407beae Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo19 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/977335d21a183cc032fb7dd774e63c68.jpg 6817211b679c1aeb267f7e045cca4a19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo20 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/eec2c99074ad2cdbb66aa43a53255ef9.jpg 4d722cbd876b03541e2e5c5d1a55a8eb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo21 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cb73cf60c5787572322b27dbf07adf73.jpg 564fcd533489ab8ba00b21c01a2c3ad0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo23 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7b519c0fa25e76c30e82a0831b051090.jpg 7a97f5c1c2820ea3aacb8ee3069185a9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo24 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ec40ab0ad4c579ec43fef009caa91b04.jpg b3e50a072d3f274b3f0972365104996f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo25 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bbd39643634fccab8fe711b2c6e6f332.jpg adae9876a6dc6ea48400733915a79b55 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo26 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/23bba92d58b703864a43e5e4e7a5b7fc.jpg b09a64a3dbca78bcf593f4d342cfcdec Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo27 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/493b1b0ba93667ca9ef8ad87b6672fac.jpg 1c8b58d2b0b021d59d760270a06cccf9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesMarvin_Photo28 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin DeVries, Economics and Dean of Seidman College of Business Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers College administrators Universities and colleges – Faculty Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/023b2b2b57553b4fa412e0b6e07ac5d8.mp4 35f0a12bb824f5700af0e6e448140a0c https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2e776eb0894635c716e5be69027049ae.pdf 0096ca4c0382f9eb844314f0c4f73e87 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Milton DeVries (00:34:34) (00:00) Background • Born in 1918 • Father worked in a flooring factory • Mother died when he was six years old o Moved in with an aunt and uncle in Jenison, MI o Went to Sand Hill • Moved back to Wyoming after his father remarried • Graduated from Grandville High School in 1936 • Worked in the factory, with his father, until it closed in 1937 • Worked “odd jobs” from 1937-39 • Hired at General Motors in 1939, and worked in material handling (02:35) Joining the US Army • Drafted • Went to Fort Custer, Battle Creek, MI in April 1941 o Worked in “pits” – maintaining a shooting range • Went to Camp Beauregard, LA from Fort Custer o Underwent basic training o Member of Company F-127th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Division � Mostly new recruits in company � Most members were from Cheboygan, WI o Assigned to do “grunt work” – picking up cigarette butts o Was a newer camp, with tents used as room and board for recruits (06:00) Training • Simulated war • Weather was hot and rainy – similar to weather in Pacific Theater • Stayed from May 1941 until early-1942 o Was sent to Massachusetts • October 1941 – largest US army operation until that point o Was captured, and was a POW for a few days • Used World War I-era weapons and equipment • Soldiers had to walk • Went to Alexandria when he had weekend passes (08:05) o Describes Alexandria o 20-30 miles away from camp • Was a regular infantryman o Trained in rifle department �(09:35) Pearl Harbor • Troops had to be ready to mobilize quickly • Stayed in Massachusetts until February or March • Was scheduled to go to Europe on the SS Normandy o Normandy burned o Sent to help Gen. MacArthur • Sent to San Francisco o Prepared to be shipped out to Pacific Theater o Was a strange experience, because Mr. DeVries had never left MI (11:37) San Francisco and Australia • Stationed in Fort Ord o Issued new equipment o Stayed for a month • Shipped to Australia o Felt “fortunate” to be assigned to submarine watch duty � Did not have to wait for lunch • Got sick when he saw other soldiers getting sick (14:04) o Describes how other soldiers got sick • Landed in Adelaide, Australia in late-April, 1942 (15:00) o Was originally supposed to land in Sydney, but the Japanese found out about the landing o Stationed in Australian camps � Camps were vacated, because Australian troops were in Egypt o At first ate Australian food, such as mutton � Many men threw it away � Later bought bread from local farmers � Some men were able to get eggs o Stayed in Adelaide for three to four months o Went into town whenever he could � Describes Adelaide as a “nice” town o Did not do much training • Left Adelaide for Brisbane, Australia (18:18) o Troops had to vacate trains each time they approached a “state” border, because the railroads were privately owned o Underwent training, by American officers, in Brisbane (19:57) New Guinea • Went aboard a Liberty Ship – arrived right after Thanksgiving • Landed in Port Moresby o Describes it as a small town with “just a few buildings” o Japanese would bomb at night, but no casualties were suffered • Went to Japanese air field after it was captured by the 126th Infantry o Troops ordered to scatter after landing, to avoid being bombed o Lots of jungle surrounded the air field o Some trails were found around the air field �� � Japanese set up gunners on the trails US soldiers encouraged to walk through the jungle (22:45) Encounters with the Japanese and battle • Scheduled for action on Christmas o Rivers slowed the infantry down o DeVries was in the last boat that the Japanese let cross the river, before firing upon other boats o Joined by 30-40 men • DeVries “didn’t really see the Japanese” o Troops were ordered not to fire o His company was never directly attacked by the Japanese, at this point • Joined the siege of Buna mission in January 1943 o Japanese troops were well-fortified, causing US soldiers to attack Japanese soldiers from close-range o Except for a possible mortar, there was no artillery or air support o No support from Australian troops o Got “fire” from Japanese in tall grass on 2 January 1943 (27:58) � One of DeVries’ friends was killed � DeVries was shot while trying to throw a grenade • Went into shock • Was pulled back across the river, and taken to an aid station o Stayed 10 days o Had to have intestines sewed up � No pain killers � Could not drink – given a wet rag to chew on o His incision tore open on 14 or 15 January � No doctor was available at the aid station � Was taped and sewed up • Landed in Port Moresby on 16 January o Stayed in a hospital tent o Later boarded an Australian hospital ship • Went to Sydney from Port Moresby o Stayed in a hotel-turned-hospital until 1 May 1943 (31:15) Return to the US • Went back to US from hospital o Left when he was able to walk o Rode on a boat with Australians who were to be trained in Canada • Landed in San Francisco, and stayed in a hospital o Was transferred to a hospital in Battle Creek, MI • After the hospital stay, he went on a two-day tour of giving Bond-Selling speeches in Detroit o Talked about his experiences in the war o Spoke mostly to workers at the plants in Detroit �• o Was well-received o Returned to Battle Creek after the tour Discharged on 16 August o Got his job back at GM 30 days later � Another worker left for the military, so took over his bookkeeping job � Worked at GM for the next 30 years o Got married following his discharged (34:34) Reflections on his experience • Had nightmares for several months after he was discharged • He had drastically aged, physically, during his time in the service • Feels that he grew up a little bit in the army • Believes that “you can survive with pain.” • Feels that the Japanese soldiers were in the war for the same reason that he was � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Devries, Milton H. (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Devries, Milton H. Description An account of the resource Milton Devries was drafted in 1941 and sent to Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, to join the 127th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Division. He served with this unit on New Guinea, where he was badly wounded at Buna. After an extended hospital stay, he saw duty in Australia and the United States before being discharged. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Army World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-10-04 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DevriesM Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4963137e8fcca7d0b4c59bb3c902f95e.mp4 0938b62329c7bdff3e8223a967c7f318 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f06bf5a59f0922f0197cb25d52e86471.pdf 835a38d8cb11c0661e2f7bbf7ff390b1 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview World War II Milton DeVries, Albert Lobbezoo and Andrew Dykstra 53:58 Introduction (00:42)    Milton DeVries, is from Wyoming, Michigan and was in the 32nd Division, 127th Regiment, Company F. While in he served as a sergeant. Albert Lobbezoo is from Caledonia, Michigan. He was drafted on April 16th 1941, and served in the 126th Infantry and finished his service in the 32nd Division Signal Corps. Andrew Dykstra was born in Kellogsville, Michigan and served with the 32nd Division. Andrew was in Company F, 127th Infantry, and held the rank of sergeant. Before the Military (02:28)        Milton, was working at General Motors in 1941 and he was drafted into the Army on April 16, 1941. When they were drafted, they started out in Bigelow Field in Wyoming, and they went to Kalamazoo the first night. The next day they were brought to Fort Custer, Michigan and they were inducted into the Army on April 17. Before Andrew was drafted, he worked for several years on a farm. Albert also worked on a farm prior to his military service. On October 13, 1940, all men from age 21-29 had to register for the draft. Albert and Andrew knew each other before the war had begun. Military Service (05:20)         The men spent about two weeks at Fort Custer once they were inducted. They pulled targets at the firing range. Then they were sent to Camp Livingston, Louisiana and were put into the 127th Infantry. At basic training, the climate was hot. That summer, one of the largest military maneuvers in our nation’s history was held in North Carolina. It lasted for six weeks. The only equipment that they had was their rifles. The uniform that they wore was from World War I and the rifle was also a WWI issued 23. (07:27) In May, they were still wearing wool uniforms. When Pearl Harbor happened, the men were in Louisiana. Albert was coming home from church and he heard about it on the radio in the car. Every morning the men were told to pack everything they had in their barracks bag because they did not know when they would leave. The 125th Infantry was sent to the coast to guard the United States. They left Louisiana in February 1942. The Division was slated to go to Europe, but they were needed in New Guinea. (09:27) �    Albert drove a Carry-All, which is like a Suburban, from Louisiana to Massachusetts. From there they boarded a train and five nights and six days later they arrived in San Francisco. They did not get off the train very often, each man had a bunk, and the only time they left their car was for lunch and dinner, and to walk around a little bit. When they arrived in San Francisco, they went to Fort Ord. About a month later, they boarded a ship on April 16, 1942. The first night was very stormy, and the men remember passing Alcatraz and the storm picked up right away. (11:49) The Pacific (12:00)         While on ship, Albert was on the ‘poop deck’ playing cards and the attitude of the men was that they would not be gone very long because they would quickly whip the Japanese and then go home. The men did not know where they were going, but they made landfall first in Australia. When in Australia, the infantry was moved far away from the towns. They were in an Australian Army training camp which only had tents and a mess hall. The camp was called Woodside and it was just Americans there, no Australians. The Australians were very happy to have the Americans there. Especially the women. At the camp, they did some drill and a few war exercises. They moved to Camp Cable outside of Brisbane where they were given jungle training. (14:20) At this point, they still had no contact with the Australian Army. By that time, they had been issued M-1 rifles and summer uniforms. New Guinea (16:00)        Milton and Andy took a Kaiser built Liberty Ship from Brisbane to New Guinea. Barrels of gas made the below decks smell, so Milton and a friend managed to stay top side for most of the journey. They land at Port Moresby, New Guinea. The men were sent out in a field near the airfield and were told to dig in. (18:03) Part of the 126th walked over the Owen Stanley Mountains and the others flew over. All three men were able to fly. When they landed on the other side of the mountain, it was many days walk to Buna. Andy remembers flying to the airfield at Dobodura and walking north to Buna. On Christmas Day, 1942, they began the battle. (20:47) The men saw plenty of Japanese snipers, and many American soldiers were killed from them. A man named Yeutter in Weapons Platoon was the first one to be wounded, and afterwards, Milton got his tommy gun (Thompson sub-machine gun). Communications were poor, but Albert worked the switchboard at the 32nd Division Headquarters, which was pretty well protected. (22:26) �                    Andy remembers one time while they were on the front lines, they heard what sounded like firecrackers behind them, which turned out to be Japanese soldiers shooting explosive shells. When they first went into combat, they did not know where the Japanese were. They crawled along and when someone fired at them, they fired back. (24:41) There was no front line, because the Japanese were everywhere. In their company, 223 men went over the mountains in several planes. Once the battle was over and they returned to Australia, only twenty three remained. Not all were killed, but there were many casualties. They could usually smell the Japanese because they were so close. (26:15) Around Christmas Eve, Milton and another soldier named Pete, got into a boat and went out to a peninsula, and for three days they were surrounded by the Japanese. Thirty or forty men formed a circle and just waited for them to come. The Australians were approaching from the south with tanks, but the tanks could not effectively operate, so everything had to be done hand to hand. Andy stayed back with the supplies, so he was able to avoid most of the heavy combat. But one day he was walking down a trail and a mortar shell fell right between him and another man, but it was a dud and it failed to explode. Organization was non-existent because artillery and mortars were flying everywhere, and many casualties were a result of friendly fire. (28:33) Andy was in charge of the runners because he was a sergeant. He remembers that everyone was on their own. Nobody knew where anybody else was. At night, the Japanese would approach their positions and throw stones to try to get them to shoot and reveal their location. (30:13) Milton and his men were there for three days, pushing forward and fighting at Buna Mission. He was shot on January 2nd at Buna Mission. In the middle of the night, sometimes friendly fire would occur because people would be coming and going all the time, it was hard to tell friend from foe. During a beach landing, Al was coming ashore and he saw General MacArthur smoking a pipe coming up beside him. (32:02) The three men believe that MacArthur was one of the greatest leaders and generals that the United States has ever had. After the men were done digging their foxholes, they would be filled with water. The changing of the tides caused the ground water to rise as well. The food that they were eating was c-rations. Some planes were dropping supplies, but they were often shot at by the Japanese. Andy remembers that the first Japanese he saw were dead bodies on the beach, which was after Buna. (34:18) Most of the men had malaria, dengue fever and yellow jaundice. Al had jaundice so bad the medic thought he was dead. He was flown to a med-center to be treated. The men also had jungle rot on their feet, with the temperature up to 130 degrees and it rained everyday. (36:00) When Milton was shot at Buna Mission, he was sent back to an aid station, sewed up and put in a medical tent for ten days before he could be moved back to Port Moresby. �  Al made it through the entire war and went to the Philippines. When he came home, his unit was preparing to invade Japan, and only two original members of the 32nd remained; Al being one of them. The men fought in blue jeans, and the personnel on the boats taking people back and forth all wore combat uniforms. After Buna, they had k-rations for food, and they also had other supplies that they needed. After Buna (38:42)             Once fighting in Buna was over, the men were sent back to Australia to regroup because they had lost so many men. They stopped at a nice beach, Coolangatta, so they could swim. While swimming, a soldier was hit by a wave, taken out to sea and drown. The men remained there for about two weeks. After they got enough men to head back they went to Finschaefen. That is where Andy got enough points and was sent home. He left through Milne Bay. (40:27) Al went from Australia to the Philippines and was at the Battle of Leyte. (43:35) This battle was very tough, on the way up a mountain to establish a communication station; they looked down and could see the Japanese and tell them from the Americans by their shoes. Reports say that there was between twenty and thirty thousand Japanese there. They had one prisoner; he was skin and bones and scared stiff. If the Japanese knew he was still alive and was caught, they would have killed him. At a Japanese hospital, they saw that they killed their own wounded that couldn’t be moved so they would not be captured by the Americans. (45:35) From Leyte, they made a landing at Luzon. From there Al ended up in Baguio which was a nice resort. At that point, Al and the other member of the 32nd were able to go home. They left from Manila and boarded a captured German ship. The captain was also German, and he did not know how to navigate or read a map because it took them thirty two days to get home. (47:14) Thinking back to the battle, Andy remembers one of his runners was heading back from the front and he ran into General Eichelberger, who asked him how things were going. The runner offered to take him up to the battle to see for himself, he said that he wanted too, but they wouldn’t let him because of his rank. He was a good general. Al remembers back in Brisbane seeing MacArthur and his wife with their son walking to church one morning. After the War (49:18)     After Milton was wounded, he was shipped back to California and eventually sent back to Battle Creek, Michigan. He was there from May till August 16, then was discharged. Milton was given an office job at General Motors and stayed there for thirty five years. Andy went back to working on the farm for Westman Brothers for twenty five years. Al also went back to the farm. Bell Telephone offered him a job right away due to his signal corps and communications experience in the war. He turned them down. �   Then he went to Reynolds Metal for a while, built trailers, and eventually got a job at General Motors. Even though he worked for GM, he always drove a Ford, and when asked about it, he said he knew what a GM car was made of. (52:15) After the war experience, the men feel that people should not take for granted the freedoms that they have. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Milton; Lobbezoo, Albert; and Dykstra, Andrew (Interview outline and video), 2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource DeVries, Milton Dykstra, Andrew Lobbezoo, Albert Description An account of the resource Milton was born in Wyoming, Michigan and worked at General Motors until he was drafted. Albert was from Caledonia, Michigan and he worked on a farm. Andrew grew up in Kellogsville and he too was a farm hand for many years. Like Milton and Albert, he was drafted on April 16, 1941. All three men served with the 32nd Division and were sent to New Guinea and participated in the Buna campaign. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Byron Area Historic Museum (Byron Center, Mich.) BCTV Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings United States. Army World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2004-10-04 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DykstraA0266V Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/764075f45e1759a8e559d668aa6e5c34.mp4 c7439faced3f6f3b66f85da9b6d00017 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/566aef1290835da46e9d709f45878d9c.pdf 85b7007ace741655a2f632c12641db8e PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Richard Devries (00:32:31) (00:15) Background Information • • • Richard was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and went to Saranac high school He enlisted in the Army in 1960 and became part of the mortar crew for the National Guard Before enlisting, Richard had previously lived on a farm (1:20) The Army Reserve • • • • • • Richard chose this area because he had a few uncles in the reserve He learned better discipline in training They traveled to Missouri for training in the summer and it was very hot Training was not too difficult for him because he had previously ran in track in high school and played baseball He had no combat experience He had been in training during the war in Vietnam but had never been called to duty (3:05) Army Title • Richard worked on a mortar crew and helped plot coordinates (3:30) Worst Experience • His worst experience while in the service was when he got poison oak in California and it took a very long time to go away (4:00) Richard had been awarded a sharp shooter badge (4:20) Activities • • • • • • While in California they were allowed to have the weekends off Many of the men would go to town on the weekends to hang out Richard was often homesick and wrote many letters If you do what you are told, then you will be treated well He went to church every Sunday morning and it always made him feel better He did not keep a journal or a log of his experiences �(7:50) Friends in the Service • • • • The men from Michigan hung out with others from Wisconsin He does not have many pictures to remember his experiences He was pretty good friends with everyone he worked with and the officers as well Some men in the service he worked with passed out after running for too long (9:45) The End of his Service • • • • He was discharged around 1965, or about 42 years ago, but it is hard to remember He then worked for 32 years at Steelcase It was easy for Richard to get back into his normal routine He made three really good friends while he was in the service (12:15) Experience in the Service • • • • Richard realized that you can’t control wars and that they are predictable He still attends some reunions The service taught him to appreciate what he left behind All the armed forces are very important and they help support our free country � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Devries, Richard (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Devries, Richard Description An account of the resource Richard Devries joined the Army Reserve after high school and worked on a mortar crew to plot coordinates. Richard trained in Missouri during the Vietnam War but was never called to duty. Richard enjoyed his time in the service and made lots of friends. After serving, Richard got a job at Steelcase and now believes that all areas of the service are very important to support our free country. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Led Better, Brandon (Interviewer) Caledonia High School (Caledonia, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military United States. Army Reserve Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American Veterans Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-06-04 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DevriesR Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/eb5082357b60fdc71b0b15833ed42307.jpg 1a97d1ad95344b373aa02f16f8c2d68d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeVriesRoger Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource DeVries, Roger Description An account of the resource Roger DeVries, Chemistry Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers Universities and colleges – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c0e82f29e2a261cbcc08f19615018c14.pdf 8cc6c4cf7cae2c6fb3d92a3d254fd302 PDF Text Text l . ~f ,'t,. - '.:.t: :'l'.<-r' ,, ~f;:~·~· DEWITT CHARTER TOWNSHIP i-~-_CS)l\1fREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN .·."'. i .• ... ' , . . . L L I L L L l. WW Engineering & S �DEWITT CHARTER TOWNSIDP COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLA~ 19 91 · TOWNSHIP BOARD Robert Zeeb. Supervisor Diane LaMacchia. Oen: JoAnn Slabonek. Treasurer Douglas Hammond. Trustee Charles Stcdron. Trustee ~obert Ancel. Trustee Eric V. Peter.son. Trustee Charles Rademachel4' PLANNING COMMISSION Max Calder. Cbaiiperson Wayne Miller-• Joseph Wrzesinski Robert Ancel DmisSchafer Ruth Scott M. Sandra Shaw Paul Seeger Roland Rhead Charles Rademacher* Earl Whitlock* Ted Tycocld* Jeffaick* -~........ i -~a.;.,._ 1. I • TOWNSHIP STAFF Ryan w~ Superintendent Raynold St. PiCIIC. Building and Zoning Administrator Prepared with the Assistance of: WW Engineering & Science. Inc. Govemmental Services Dmlion SSSS Glenwood Hills Palkway SB Gmnd Rapids. Ml 49512' ��TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont'd) Urban Growth Staging Existing/Committed Urban Areas Primary Stage Urban Growth Areas Secondary Stage Urban Growth Areas Rural Transition/Agricultural Preservation Implementation General Existing Urban Arca Primary Stage Urban Secondary Stage Urban Rural Transition/Agricultural Preservation 33 33 35 35 36 36 36 36 37 37 APPENDICES Basic Studies Regional Setting Physical Features Topography and Drainage Soils and Environmental Limitations Surface Waters & Wetlands Important Fannlands Population Characteristics Housing Charac1eristics. t. Population Projections Community Facilities and Utilities Existing Land Use Patterns Citizen Opinion Survey A-1 A-1 A-1 A-2 A-4 A-4 A-6 A-8 A-9 A-10 A-12 A-15 LIST OFT ABLES Table·1 Table2 Table 3 Table4 Table 5 Table6 Table7 Table 8 Estima1ed Cwrcnt and Projected Housing Type and Population Distribution Residential Land Planning Needs Projected Land Needs VCl'SUS Existing Zoned Land Historical Population Change Housing Units by Type Population Projections Residential Land U sc Oassifications Industrial Land Use Oassifications 9 10 11 A-7 A-8 A-9 A-12 A-14 �\ TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont'd) LIST OF MAPS Map 1 Future Land Use Map Map 2 Urban Growth Staging Map 3 Environmental Limitations Map 4 Important Farmlands Map 5 Sanitary Sewer System Map 6 Water Distribution System· 32 34 A-3 A-5 A-11 A-13 �-, I INTRODUCTION DEWITT CHARTER TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN The fundamental purpose of the Comprehensive Development Plan is to allow the Township to set down in a comprehensive manner the goals and objectives for its physical development. The Township Planning Act, Public Act 168 of 1959, as amended, specifically gives Township Planning Commissions the authority to prepare and officially adopt a Comprehensive Plan. Once prepared, officially adopted and maintained, this Plan will serve as an advisory guide for the physical conservation of certain areas, the development of other areas desirable living environments for present and future township residents, and for the development of still other areas for viable commercial and industrial purposes. Because of the constant change in our social and economic structure and activities, the Plan must be maintained through periodic review· and revision so that it reflects contemporary trends while maintaining long range goals. The Pl~ will be effective to the degree that it continues to: • reflect needs and desires of the people; • realistically interpret the existing conditions, trends and the dynamic economic and social pressures for change; and • inspire cooperation among the various public agencies, developers, and the citizens of the Township toward achieving common goals. The Comprehensive Development Plan provides: 1. A comprehensive means of integrating proposals that look 20 years ahead to meet future needs regarding general and major aspects of physical conservation and development throughout the Township; 2. An official, advisory policy statement for encouraging orderly and efficient use of the land for residences, businesses, industry, and agriculture, and for coordinating these uses of land with each other, with streets and highways, and with other necessary public facilities and services; 3. A logical basis for zoning, subdivision design, public improvement plans, ~d for facilitating and guiding the work of the Township Planning Commission and the Township Board as well as other public and private endeavors dealing with the physical and development of the Township; 4. A means for private organizations and individuals to determine how they may relate their building and development projects and policies to official township planning policies. L c:MS#l~Udp/am i-1 89267 �SUMMARY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS The conclusions and observations that follow are presented as an overview of the conditions, both natural and manmade, which must be considered in updating the long-range plan for the development of DeWitt Township. ENVIRONMENTAL LIMIT ATIO NS Certain undeveloped areas of the Township are characterized by poor soils, high water tables, wetlands, and flood hazards which make intensive development undesirable and, in some cases, unfeasible. Still other areas are characterized by soils and other natural features that can accommodate limited development, but in order to suppon urban and suburban development concentrations, public improvements such as sanitary sewer and storm sewers and public water supplies are necessary to ensure public health and environmental quality. Such environmental limitations ·need to be taken into consideration in the establishment of development policies and public improvement priorities. NATURAL RESOURCES The Looking Glass River and the overall drainage network is an invaluable asset from an environmental standpoint as well as for the visual character that it provides to the community. This natural drainage network and its associated floodplains, wetlands, and vegetation shot1ld be protected from over development. Much of the undeveloped portions of the Township contain soil that is highly productive and very valuable for farming purposes. These areas are under increasing pressure to develop in both rural residential and suburban residential fashions. LAND USE TRENDS AND ISSUES 1. The majority of new construction within the last ten years has been residential in nature with only relatively small increases in the commercial/industrial tax base. 2. There is demand for a variety of residential types and densities. Over the last ten years, new conventional single family residential dwelling units increased by the highest numerical amount (268) followed by manufactured (mobile) homes (197), multi-family dwellings Oa5), and duplexes (33). While conventional single family homes are . expected to remain as the largest category of dwellings, the trend has been for the majority of new home construction to be of the typeS other than conventional single family dwellings. 3. The majority of new single family home construction and new commercial development has been in the nonhwest portion of the Township, near the Ol}' of DeWitt and within the DeWitt school district. �4. The southern portions of the Township are generally well served by an existing sanitary sewer system that can be readily used to support new development. Most of the pressure for development is, however, being felt in areas where the sanitary sewer collection system is less developed. Public water only serves a portion of the Township and is needed to support existing as well as future development. 5. The US-27 commercial corridor is characterized by existing and emerging areas of traffic congestion and traffic conflicts. Leap frog, strip development has resulted from previous over-zoning and the new commercial development trends brought about by the construction of the 1-69/US-27 interchange. 6. The southern portion of the Township continues to be disadvantaged due to several conflicts of use, such as the negative noise impacts of the Capital City Airport and other commercial and industrial use encroachments on residential development. 7. lJte vast majority of community facilities are located in the southern portion of the Township and are geared to that geographic vicinity. Because the majority of new development is gravitating to the northwest, some duplication of services in support of increased demands appears inevitable. 8. Because of the dispersed nature of development within the Township, traffic on local roads is fairly dispersed, but collector roads are becoming increasingly congested. Street maintenance and the upgrading of collector streets in support of new development has become a major public expense and issue as existing residents oppose new developments on the basis of the additional congestion that development will bring. I I ( 2 �PLANNING DIMENSIONS Planning dimensions are statements which become the basic framework for the development of the comprehensive plan. For plans to be meaningful and valuable in guiding future growth and development, they must first represent the needs and aspirations of the communities' citizenry and, second, must be realistic within the communities' financial capability. This is assured by the use of planning dimensions which set forth both the qualitative and quantitative requirements of the community for the planning period. . Planning dimensions include goals, policies, population projections, and statements about future needs. In preparing these planning dimensions, the previous Comprehensive Plan was relied on, as well as analysis of more recent conditions and trends and factual background relating the past and present development of the Township. These studies were of value in determining the physical limits and opportunities of future development. All of this data is reflected in the following planning dimensions. In addition, the Township conducted a propeny owner survey in the attempt to gain insights into the thoughts and feelings of residents on a wide range of development related issues. The survey was mailed to every property owner in the Township and the response rate was over 30 percent. The results of the survey have been used in formulating the goals .and policies contained in this chapter. A summary of the survey is found in the appendix. GENERAL GROWTH POLICY L It is recognized that DeWitt Charter Township is an integral ·part of the Lansing Metropolitan area. Many interrelationships exist and these, most imponantly, include land use, transportation (including the freeway system and major highways) recreation and employment centers. Past and future development of the Township has been and will continue to be greatly influenced by these various relationships. The Township therefore realizes that it cannot plan for its future development in complete isolation of the needs and growth trends of the balance of the area. Within this general framework, however, the Township also realizes that it is a separate community obligated to plan for its future in accordance with needs and desires of the local residents. The following statements form an overall growth policy based on recognition of both the Towns~ip's area wide responsibilities and responsibilities to the residents and land owners within the Township. * While the Township recognizes the need to accommodate future growth and development, it is not the desire or goal of the Township to encourage development for the sake of development alone. c::MS#l/Dewiaclplam 3 89267 �* The Township recognizes that the loss of such attributes as neighborhood integrity, farmland and open space to development are irreversible losses to local residents and in the case of farmland, the region, state, nation, and to future generations. I! is therefore the intent of DeWitt Township guard against land use conflicts, to promote the preservation of farmland and the conservation of important open space areas such as floodplains. * All development, existing and proposed, should be assessed based on its intensity and the availability of the services and facilities necessary to assure the continued protection of the environment and the health, safety, and welfare of the community. * Future development shall be assessed on its economic impacts, its ability to promote efficiency of service, and its ability to maintain or improve the value of adjacent properties. In the formation of the Comprehensive Development Plan, various policies and plan alternatives have been evaluated on the basis of how well they will contribute to the achievement of the . Township's long-range planning goals. Following is the General Development Goal and the policies established for DeWitt Township. · GENERAL DEVELOPMENT GOAL Through an ongoing compreh~nsive planning and growth management process, influence the rate, type, location, and timing of growth and development in order to achieve a logical, efficient, and balanced pattern of development that takes into consideration the natural developmental limitations of the area and minimizes disturbances to the natural environment, while creating a more diversified tax base capable of support community facility and infrastructure needs. In addition to the above General Development Goal, the following goals and policy statements are focused on the major functional components of the community. They are intended as the basic framework on which the Comprehensive Plan is developed. • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to protect the natural environment of the area in order to ensure a high quality living environment for current and future residents; • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to preserve important farmlands, especially prime farmland, for agricultural uses; L • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to provide an adequate level of public services and facilities to protect the public health, safety and welfare, and to ensure a high quality of life for residents; • It is the goal of peWin Township to encourage the majority of new development to locate in areas where public utilities can be most efficiently and cost effectively provided; c-.MS#l/Dniildplan �• It is the goal of DeWitt Township to encourage high quality commercial development to locate in appropriate strategic areas; • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to achieve a balanced variety of neighborhood, community, and regionally oriented facilities that will meet the shopping and service needs of the community and nearby metropolitan area populations without unnecessary duplication; · • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to promote the redevelopment of under-utilized commercial land along the US-27 corridor. • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to allocate appropriate land areas for new industrial development while minimizing land use conflicts in order to achieve improved local employment opponunities and more diversified tax base. · • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to provide a balanced range _of affordable housing · types at varying densities while maintaining or improving the character of existing neighborhoods. • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to ensure the capacity and function of the-existing anerial and collector streets and to minimize the conflicts between their functions by regulating land use, building setbacks, and driveway openings, and where appropriate, by requiring the development of front or rear access service drives. • It is the goal of DeWitt Township through its on-going planning, cooperation with state and county agencies and capital improvements programs to establish priorities for ongoing maintenance, and the construction of necessary addition~ to the street network. • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to provide an adequate level of public services and facilities to protect public health, safety, and welfare, influence the rate, location, and timing of development and promote a diversified and logical pattern of residential development. • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to provide parks and recreation facilities that are in tune with the needs and desires of all age groups of residents within the Township and through land use planning and regulation ensure the preservation of important natural features for use as open space. • It is the goal of DeWitt Township to enlist the support and involvement of Township residents to achieve community goals and educate the public regarding the benefits of . growth management and the variety of Township governmental issues. In response to the above goals, these .policy statements relate specifically to the major functional components of the Community. Agricultural Preservation Policies • Promote the enrollment of land into the Fannland and Open Space Preservation Act (Michigan Public Act 116) in areas planned for long-range agricultural use. • Discourage large land. c;MS#l.JDnrilldplpl scale development on soils which • classified as prime a,rietutuml �• Avoid the extension of water and sewer utilities within agricultural areas as a means of discouraging non-farm uses in such areas. • Discourage the fractionalization of farmland brought about by scattered rural housing development. • Assess agricultural lands on the basis of their use as a means of assuring that the value of the land is not artificially inflated thereby promoting the economic viability of fanning operations. • Promote the coordination between zoning and other land use controls relating to farmland and property tax assessing measures. Residential Land Use Policies • Provide all types of residential development, ranging from large low density units to high density multi-family uses to satisfy housing needs, • Maintain residential growth in neighborhoods where necessary community services, including police protection, fire protection, water, sewer, and schools, can be most economically provided. • Discourage premature subdivision of vacant lands unless a specific demand is evident. • Do not locate residential areas within floodplains of rivers and streams or in any other locations which present hazards to the safety or health of residents. • Stabilize property values by protecting residential areas from the encroachment of incompatible land uses. • Encourage the upgrading and improvement of residential dwelling units showing signs of deterioration. • Discourage the pattern of scattered, rural housing in areas of important and prime farmland. In consideration of the area's natural soils limitations to accommodate on-site septic systems without the danger of pollution to groundwater supplies, it is ·the policy of DeWitt Township to limit the density of all future residential developments that locate in areas that cannot be economically provided with public utilities. Commercial Land Use Policies • Group related and compatible businesses together in suitable and properly located areas. l • Discourage commercial developments in areas along major streets where inadequate lot depth is provided for turning movements because of the conflicts that develop between through-traffic and commercial traffic. • Locate highway service areas to serve motorists without creating traffic congestion or harming adjacent properties. c:MS#l/Dewiudplam 6 89267 • ��• Ensure the capacity and function of existing roads and minimize conflicts between through traffic and local traffic by regulating land uses, building setbacks, driveway openings, and where appropriate, encouraging the development of front or rear access service drives. • Coordinate the road system with those of adjacent communities to ensure an economical and functional system. Public Utilities, Facilities and Services • Provide the necessary public utilities and services to accommodate the growth of the Township's population while minimizing costs to the tax payer through proper planning. • Locate public facilities in relation to the population they serve: POPULATION PROJECTIONS Population projections presented in the Appendix indicate that by the year 2010, there may be an increase of up to 8,000 residents in the Township. Because of variable economic conditions, it is difficult to predict whether these projections will stem from steady growth or sporadic periods of high growth and stagnation as has occurred over the last two decades. In any case, the population projections serve as the bases for determining the various amounts of land that can be expected to be developed over the course of the 20-year planning period. RESIDENTIAL LAND USE NEEDS Based upon the earlier analysis of the existing residential makeup of the Township and a projection of housing demand at the current mix, it is estimated_that the projected population will result in the following additional demands in the various types of housing: llnib Single family homes Multiple family homes (dwellings) Manufactured homes 1,814 280 615 The following tables present these projections and associated estimates of projected land needs. �- ·- TABLE 1 ESTIMATED CURRENT AND PROJECTED HOUSING TYPE AND POPULATION DISTRIBUTION 2010 Projected Residential Type Population Occupied Dwelling Units Pers/HU Population Dwellings Rural (Ag) 1,143 (11%) 418 (10%) 2.7 1,924 712 Suburban Single Family and Duplex (R-l/R-6) 6,651 (64%) 2,469 (59%) 2.7 11,187 4,143 Multi-family (M- l/M-4) 727 (7%) 334 (8%) 2.2 1,223 555 1,870 (18%) 962 (23%) 1.9 3,146 1,655 17,480 7,065 Manufactured Homes Total 10,393 4,186 9 89267 �r··-. ,--- r· :, ll\ TABLE2 RESIDENTIAL LAND PLANNING NEEDS 2010 dNew Projected Net Land Need (acres) SProjected Gross Land Need (acres) 6Factored Expansion & Choice (acres) 588 1 735 918 975 2 1,218 1,522 22 to 553 27 to68 33 to 85 1734 216 270 2 P/du for multi-family, and 1.9 for manufactured �' TABLE3 PROJECTED LAND NEEDS VERSUS EXISTING ZONED LAND AVAILABLE (ACRES) Residential Factored Need Zoned Uncommitted Surplus/ Deficiency Rural (Ag) 918 8,390 +7,472 Suburban Single Family and Duplex (R-l/R-6) 1,522 743 -779 Multi-family (M-l/M-4) 33 to 85 314 +229 to +281 270 20 -250 Type . 11 89267 �From Table 2 it can be seen that approximately 600 acres of land for rural residential uses can be expected to be consumed, nearly 1,000 additional acres for suburban densities of single and two family homes, 22 to 55 acres for multi-family dwellings and 175 acres in manufactured home parks. These figures have been compared to the number of acres in the various zoning categories represented on the Township's Zoning Map that are currently undeveloped. The figures in the last column of Table 3 give some guidance as to where the Township presently stands in terms of current zoned lands that are available to meet future needs. In comparing these land needs to current zoning, current development trends and the goals ~o achieve a more compact development pattern, the following observations can be made: 1. Most of the current surplus of existing residentially zoned land is in the area south of 1-69 whereas the current development trends are in the northwest, around. the City of DeWitt. If this trend is to be supponed by the growth·management policies, most of the new land planned for ultimate single and two family residential development will be in the northwest. 2. From an acreage standpoint, the estimated needs for multi-family and manufactured homes are not as significant due to the densities normally associated with such . development. The primary concerns in the allocation of appropriate land areas for these uses are the identification of sites that can be served by the highest level of public services and utilities while fitting harmoniously in the surrounding community. 3. The land necessary to satisfy the projected demands for rural residences represents the potential conversion of nearly one square mile of farmland. If not controlled, the effects of this demand could be even more significant since rural types of development typically result in rural strip development and the fractionalization of large agricultural parcels, making internal acreage unusable for farming but essentially undeveloped and under utilized. COMMERCIAL LAND NEEDS It is estimated that at the present time, approximately eleven acres of land has been developed to commercial use for each 1,000 people in the Township. Using this as a rule of thumb and factoring in an expected population increase of 9,0()() to 10,000 people within a market area that includes DeWitt Township, the City of DeWitt and portions of surrounding communities, it can be expected that there will be a demand for approximately 100 acres of additional commercial development. Comparing this estimate to the 240 acres of vacant land that is currently zoned for commercial use, it can be concluded that, on this basis alone, the corisideration of large new areas for commercial development is not required.. Instead, the primary consideration relative to commercial land needs is ensuring that the area planned for the various types of commerci_. use (retail, service, offices, etc.) are appropriately located to satisfy the desired pattern of development and community needs. ~ c::MSll/l)e'lriadplam 12 �INDUSTRIAL LAND NEEDS As a general rule, the ratio of labor to acres of developed light or medium industry in communities with a fairly balanced economy is 10 to 20 workers for each acre of industrial land. At the present time, there are approximately 300 acres of land that is zoned for industrial use in DeWitt Township. Of this amount, approximately 220 acres are committed to a current use but relatively few acres (60 to 75) are put to an intensive industrial related activity. The balance includes many acres that are held in association with a primary activity that is area-intensive but not facility and labor intensive. An example of this is the aggregate processing plant off Wood Road. Another includes the airport in the southwest comer of the Township. Based upon the above rule of thumb, the existing nature of industrial land and uses within the Township and a rough estimate of future manufacturing related workers that will reside in the Township, it is suggested that between 150 to 250 acres of land be planned for future industrial use. PARKS AND RECREATION The following standards for parks provides some guidance for determining future recreational needs for DeWitt Township residents. · Acres Recommended Per 1000 Population r - Type .5 Mini-park (specialized facilities that serve a limited population or groups such as the elderly or small children) 2.00 Neighborhood playground (tot-lot, swings, fields and court game area, picnicking, ball fields, wading pools, toilet facilities, etc.) 5-8 Community park-playfield (athletic field, area of court games, swimming pools, etc.) Total 10.5 acres - 1000 people Source: Recreation Park and Open Space Standards and Guidelines - 1983, National Recreation and Park Association. Including the recreational facilities located on school properties and comparison of the Township 1990 population to the above standards indicates that a total of approximately 110 acres of local parkland is currently warranted within the Township. This compares to the approximately 90 acres presently found in the Township. · c:MStl/Dewmdp/am 13 89267 �A further breakdown of the Township's existing recreational facilities by type and comparing the various acreage to the above standards indicate that there is a deficiency of approximately 5 acres of land that is recommended for use as· Mini Park or Tot Lots, S acres of deficiency in the Neighborhood Play classification, and 13 acres of land deficiency for parks that would fall into the Community Park-Playfield category. The projected deficiencies based upon a 2010 population of approximately 18,000 are mini parks - 9 acres, Neighborhood Playground - 20 acres, and Community Park/Playfield - 69 acres. The total amount of park and recreation land that is suggested to be warranted by the above standards is approximately 190 acres. This would suggest the need to acquire approximately 100 additional acres of parkland over the next 20 years. COMMUNITY FACILITY LAND NEEDS Because of development trends to the northwest, there is increasing need to locate anew fire facility north of the US-27/1-69 interchange. This facility could serve as a replacement to the existing fire station near the Township Hall or serve as a satellite facility. Because the current township hall and police station may also eventually be in need of replacement, consideration should be given to the acquisition of enough property to facilitate the eventual replacement of these facilities as well. the minimum land need for the fire station alone is recommended to be one acre. Three to five acres is recommended if the site were to be expected to support future administrative office and a police station. c:MS#J/Dewiadplmn 14 �GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PLAN CONCEPTS The goals and policies previously outlined and analysis of the Township's physical, social and economic makeup has allowed the formulation of four broad concepts that were used in the development of a long range development plan. These include; 1. Staging of Growth: Growth trends and population projections indicate that there will not be sufficient pressure during the foreseeable future to wammt full development of the Township. It is therefore appropriate to determine development.priorities for the various lands within the community. The staging of development will promote more orderly and concentrated development versus expensive sprawl developmenL 2. Balanced Residential Character: . Varying income levels and life styles of newcomers and residents, the availability or unavailability of utilities and physical limitations of the Township, require that a variety of housing types and densities be provided for. 3. • Diversify the Tax Base by Providing for a Variety of Commercial and Industrial Types: Given the Township's accessibility to regional transponation aneries as well as the employment and shopping needs of local residents, a range of both locally and regionally oriented types of commercial and industrial developments should be provided for. To accomplish this the various types of economic developments must be encouraged to locate in the areas best suited to meet individual business needs. The deliberate and objective allocation of different types of economic development in specific locations will also help to avoid or minimize future land use and traffic conflicts while overtime, . broadening the community's tax base structure. 4. Protect Environmental Resources: DeWitt Township bas a variety of cnvimnbleDtal resources. These natural features should be protected and incorporated into development projects. The Township should promote the preservation of wetlands ind ~ quality by working with the Michigan Department of Nannal Resoua::es and by* enactment of local protective ordinances addressing these reso.urces• . Based on the above planning eoncepts, the General Development Plan attempt$ to Slrikl a balance between the need and desile to promote and preserve eenaift elements of rtnl «\lllleiW with the ~ and JtSpC>ftSlbility to accommodate a ~ ftMty of .w growth and development kl an efficient manner. �LAND USE CATEGORIES Agricultural and Rural Preservation As a means of ensuring the continued agricultural and rural qualities of DeWitt Township, this plan in essence proposes two "agricultural districts•• separated by long-range urban growth boundary. The first district, the "Agricultural Preservation Area", is intended to be· an area in which farming activity is promoted as the primary land use and nonfarm development is discouraged. The second agricultural district or "Rural Transition Area" is intended to be similar but nonfarm residences would not be discouraged to the same degree as in the Agricultural Preservation area. By making the two designations, it is envisioned that the Township can improve its ability to protect and conserve the areas within the Township best suited for agricultural purposes while at the same time accommodating rural residential development in areas where farming is more marginal, or already negatively impacted by existing development. The two major ~omponents to the Agricultural and Rural Preservation Plan are described as follows: Agri.cultural Preservation/Rural Conservation Planning Area This area encompasses over 30% of the Township's land area. Within the planning area, nonfarm development would be discouraged and rural land uses such as open space and farming would be promoted. The Agricultural Preservation Area contains the majority of soils that have been classified as "prime agricultural" soils by the U.S.D.A. and also contains the majority of land that is presently enrolled in the P.A. 116, "Farmland Open Space Preservation Program". The vast majority of soils . in this district also pose severe limitations on development due to their inability to accommodate on site septic systems and/or other building limitations. The existence of "prime agricultural soils", the concentration of P.A. 116 enrolled land, severe environmental limitations, existing farming activity, the large amount of unfragmented parcels suitable for farming activity and the distance to existing utilities are the principal parameters used in defining the general boundaries of the district. The primary objectives of this planning district are: 1. To promote farming activitjes as the primary land us~ in the areas of the Township best suited for such use; 2. To preserve woodlands and wetlands associated with farms which because of their natural characteristics, are valuable as water retention and ground water recharge areas, as habitat for plant and animal life and which have important aesthetic and scenic value which contribute to the existing and desired future character of the area. c:MS#l/Dcwindplam 16 89267 �3. To prevent the conversion of agricultural land to scattered non-farm development, which when unchecked, unnecessarily increases the cost of public services to all citizens and results in the premature disinvestment in agricultural. The recommended mechanisms and guidelines for use in achieving the objectives of the Agricultural Preservation Area include efforts to encourage the enrollment of land in the Farm Land and Open Space Preservation program, and the adoption of utility extension and zoning regulations that minimize the negative impacts that non-farm development have in agricultural areas. Such regulations should allow for the ability of landowners to sell off limited portions of their land for rural residential development purposes. Among the options to consider for use in the regulation of non-farm development in the Agricultural Preservation area are: 1. Zoning provisions which would establish a minimum lot area of 20 acres for all uses, but which allows residential development to occur on parcels of less than 20 acres by special use permits. 2. Sliding scale zoning under which the number of buildable lots allowed is established by a scale which considers the total size of the parcel owned at the time of ordinance adoption. 3. Institution of a one-acre minimum parcel size for non-farm residential uses with a maximum of two acres, and lot width to depth regulations which control the extent to which non-farm parcels can negatively impact upon farm tracts. · The establishment of precise boundaries for a more "restricted" or "exclusive" agricultural zoning district within the Agricultural Preservation Planning Area illustrated on the Future Land Use Map, must ultimately be based a more detailed evaluation of generalized factors of soil, parcel size, existing land use, environmental limitations, and equally important, the type of regulations ultimately selected to control non-farm development. It is therefore anticipated that some of the land within the Agricultural Preservation Planning Area may continue to be regulated by the more traditional agricultural zoning that is presently enforced in the area. ,,. I The "Urban Growth Boundary" described later, serves as the line of demarkation beyond which suburban growth and extension of urban services be strictly limited during the long range planning period. Lands that are within the Agricultural Preservation Planning Area, but which remain "zoned" under the existing more traditional agricultural zoning techniques should generally not be considered for rezoning to a more intensive use in advance of similarly "zoned.. areas within the rural transition planning area described below. Such areas are envisioned to provide additional buffer between fanning activities and intensive development while also ensuring adequate long tenn opponunities for non-fann rural estate types of living. c:MSl1/Dnill4plam 17 �It is recommended that the zoning ordinance be amended early on in the planning period in order to begin the implementation of the objectives of the Agricultural Preservation Area. Rural Transition Area The Rural Transition Planing Area is intended to complement to the Agricultural Preservation Area. It is identified as a means of preserving the integrity of the Agricultural Preservation area where farming activity is viewed as the primary use to be encouraged during the planning period. This planning area, while encompassing some active farms, is designed to serve as a buffer area between the more intensively developed areas of the Township and the Agricultural Preservation Area. The lot sizes and uses designated for inclusion within this district should be permissive to accommodate the demand for rural residences while also recognizing that a farming activity will remain a major use in the area. By designating this area, it is expected that the majority of persons desiring to reside in a rural setting on one to ten acres of land can be accommodated without negatively impacting the Township's most desirable and productive farmland. The characteristics utilized in establishing the general boundaries and extent of the Rural Transition Area includes lack of nearby utilities soils that are generally unsuitable to support intensive development due to severe septic system limitations, large areas of farm land and open space and a mixture of rural residential and farm. The primary objectives of this land use classification are: r r . 1. To provide a buffer between the more exclusive agricultural conservation district and the more intensively developed urban and suburban areas. 2. To preserve woodlands and wetlands which arc useful as water retention and ground water discharge areas and which have important aesthetic and scenic value. 3. To encourage the continued use of valuable farm land while accommodating rural estate types of residential development at a density that will maintain the overall rural environment by not overcapacitating the soil and to accommodate a wide variety of nonfarm uses that require large land areas. 4. To provide a "land bank" for areas of land that could be allowed to dcve1op _ . intensively when the Township dete,;mincs that lllQl'I mi.n,ive-~ ~ appropriate and when ·the necessary public facilities and infiastnlc1me k iD , - • ,- support it For achieving the objective.a of the Rural -~---.. . . ~-A • �Residential Land Use 'J'.he Residential Land Use Plan provides recommendations for the allocation of three major types of residential dwellings and dwelling unit densities. These include single family residential dwellings, multiple family residences (including aparnnents, condominiums and townhouses) and manufactured home parks. As DeWitt Township continues to grow, the greater portion of the developed land will be taken up by residential uses. In itself, this fact is an imponant planning consideration: however, the primary concern must be the realization that the living environment is the real heart of the community and, therefore, a major basis upon which to formulate major land use decisions. · The Residential Land Use Plan is a set of guidelines which, over time, are intended to produce safe, convenient, and pleasant neighborhoods for the mutual benefit of all Township residents. The Plan is based on the following objectives and influence factors. Objectives 1. To offer a broad range of choice among the living areas; 2. To utilize natural features to create attractive residential areas; 3. To allow the development of different housing types to accommodate varying lifestyles. 4. To assure traffic safety and privacy of residential areas through the design of streets that discourage through traffic. 5. To locate residential areas in such relation to other land use types and community facilities as will best contribute to the overall desirability of the community. 6. To stabilize property values by protecting residential areas from the encroachment of incompatible land use types. 7. Assure public health and safety by permitting intensive residential growth in only those areas which can be adequately served by either private or pu~lic utilities and services. 8. Provide a_variety of lot sizes and shapes to meet the varying desires of ,all community. l Influence Factors In every ~ . d1.-. ,n \'lal'ious fl land cu be dcwclQpld. JA~Witt ~••tho �Public Utility Systems. As in many rapidly urbanizing areas, one of the largest limitations to development is the inadequacy or lack of public utility systems. Soils. Soil characteristics are extremely important when considering residential developmenL Soils must be capable of supporting urban structures and in areas where public utilities are not available, they must be conducive to the safe and efficient operation of private septic systems, while at the same time protecting groundwater supplies. Existing Development Pattems. Areas planned for future residential use must take into account the existing patterns of development that include uses that already conflict with residential areas and other planed uses. In DeWitt Township, these primarily include commercial and industrial areas, the Capital City Airport and the_ major highway corridors, both existing and planned. The General Development Plan attempts to build on the existing residential patterns while recommending certain types of residential uses and densities as transitional uses between the most incompatible types. Accessibility: US-27 and 1-69 are the major regional highways serving the Township. These facilities provide good access for commuters and future improvements such as the proposed Logan corridor will further improve accessibility. Residential areas need be located with respect to the existing and future facilities to avoid conflicts while maintaining transponation efficiency. Following are descriptions and recommended components comprising the J:Uiden~ plan. land "-' Single and Two Family Residential Area The Single and Two Family Residential District is comprised of three The Low Density Single Family areas correspond to the ~ I ~1-llllldlfM :11,i: and R-2 and to support developments on lots ranging in size ft:om ~ ID ~ ( I I ) ~ • The majority of land in this designation is found in d.ie west c.ctUra1 ~ ft lhl between 1-69 and the airport. Existing sewer servi• i.rw~WY" likelihood that p11blic water service will 6e k>ng &I that ailowat,te densities be tintit-1. ......... --·•lullsa - - - to suppqn a o.oa,......._ �from higher densities of residential development to low density areas. In many instances the attempt has been made to plan these areas where the full range of utilities is likely to be . developed within the planning period. The High Density Single and Two Family areas are intended to occur on lot sizes of between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet and correspond to the existing R-5 and R-6 zoning classifications. They are intended to serve the market for the most affordable single family homes. They are situated where sanitary sewer facilities are present or impending and are generally nearest the major transportation arteries and commercial services. Multiple Family Residential Areas The majority of Multiple Family Residential areas (MFR) illustrated on the General Development Plan Map are for the most part already reflected by the previous Comprehensive Plan or existing zoning. The Zoning Ordinance presently allows densities ranging from 2 to 36 units per acre. The proposed areas are intended to satisfy the demands for apartment and attached dwelling units. while serving as transitional uses from commercial areas and transportation routes to the lower density residential uses. Several of the proposals along US-27 are recommended as logical alternatives to commercial strip development. It is recommended that all multi-family developments be provided with public water and sewer facilities to ensure public health. • Manufactured Housing Parks The Future Land Use Map recognizes the existing Mobile Home Parks within the Township as well as supports their expansion. The Map also proposes that an area east of US-27, nbnb et Coleman Road be reserved for future manufacture home park development. ,-· Given the ability to expand several of the existing developments, it is felt ~ the existing~ and the proposed additional area contain adequate land area to satisfy long-range demands. wWle attempting to avoid conflicts between these. uses and adjacent low, medi~ and hiib ~ single family residential areas. The Urban Growth Staging Plan outlined in the next ch'l)ter provides m:ommenciatiotf. ~ to the staging of residential developmenl As a general poliey, it is ~ awt•, a.v. remning of any land in suppon of the future land use JDN>S ~ - be specific applications arc made. This will allow ~ ~ co _ . levels of public utilities are a\'ailable to support the d e ~ �COMMERCIAL LAND USE Typically, commercial establishments seek out major streets with high traffic volumes to maximize their visibility and encourage drive-in trade. However, when a major street begins to develop commercially, traffic congestion too often occurs and conflicts result between through traffic and the vehicles entering and exiting driveways. This plan recognizes that the demands for a wide variety of commercial types of development are likely to increase within the planning period as more and more residents move into the area. These demands are most likely to be greatest along the entire length along US-27, where traffic volumes are greatest, and where commercial establishments can take advantage of a more concentrated consumer market. It will be important to direct this type of development in a manner which avoids the generally undesirable effects that additional commercial strip developments bring. To minimize additional strip type development while still taking advantage of the opportunities that good regional access provides to the area, a major focus of planned commercial activity should be nearest the 1-69 interchange. It is within this area that a good deal of development is already beginning to be concentrated. The plan attempts to direct the majority of those types of establishments oriented to a larger area wide or regional market in the area nearest the US-27/1-69 interchange. The secondary focus of commercial activity includes the existing commercial areas on both sides of US-27, south of Boichot. This area would be intended for infill of community oriented types of retail establishments including drugstores and other types of personal services, as well as highway oriented uses, such as motels and vehicle sales. Because the existing commercial area in the State Road /US-27 area is experiencing blight, and there are number conflicts between mixed uses, it is recommended that during the Planning period, the Township conduct special study of this area. Such a study or "Sub-Area Plan" should analyze the extent of potential markets for the area and devise a program for the redevelopment of the area. The major focus of this plan could be to study the feasibility or promoting a more concise village commercial concept that could include the Township's governmental center. ' . t I Other areas of planned business activity are recommended at the I-69 intersections with Airport Road, DeWitt Road, and US-27, US-27 near Round Lake Road, and a small local business center near State Road and Wood Street. Each of the above 1-69 intersection proposals are intended to take advantage of good highway access by encouraging service oriented uses such as professional offices while at the same time promoting small convenience and neighborhood retail areas in close proximity to future residential areas. These areas, if developed under flexible zoning provisions such as Planned Unit Development, could provide ideal transition from the major interchange areas. c:MS#l/Dswiadp/1111 22 89267 �The planned commercial area at Round Lake Road and US-27 is primarily a reflCClion of the emerging commercial strip pattern. This area is expected to additional CC>IDIDeR:ial gt,Qwdl due to its location on the ·primary entrance to the City of DeWitt. sec The local business center at State Road and Wood Street is proposed as a limited, convenience retail area to serve the high concentration of population in this area. The remaining significant commercial area illustrated on the Future Land Use M'I) is associated with the Capital City Airpon. Illustration of the airpon commercial designation is provided in support of similar designations contained in Capitol City Airpon's Master Plan. The area encompasses the airpon terminal and hangar areas as well as lease areas intend to support airport related commerce and industry that desire to be directly associated with airport facilities• . Following arc descriptions of the various categories of commercial land use that appear on the Future Land Use Plan and where applicable their relationships to existing zoning classifications. NC-Neia:hborhod Oriented Commercial: This designation applies to areas intended to support retail and personal service establishments catering to the day to day convenienco •eeds of. residents in the immediately surrounding residential areas. 'l'be areas an, g e ~ intenctcd be developed under zoning provisions outlined under the existing "BL", Business Loea1 Dism contained in the Township Zoning Ordinance. CC- Community Oriented Commercial: This designation is applied tQ ~ anas Township that have both good regional access and easy access to several exisdQ& ilDd/Gi' emerging neighborhoods. The ~ are intended to accommodate a wide 'f8DP of. CUl11Xadad land uses ranging from retail to service establishments th• are pmrtarily ~ ~ u opposed to drive by busYl)CSS. The areas illus1uted 1f1 • ~ provisions of die "BC" Business Community and ..B~C" Bum~• ~ 0..districts. HC • HirJMu Qdent@d ~ areasin'fbjdl~~ motels uses sh w �OP-C - Office Park: The Office Park designation is intended to suppon high quality professional services oriented types of development in areas of good housing access. In addition, small retail service establishments catering to the needs of employees and nearby neighborhoods could be accommodated, as part of mixed use developments established under a coordinated development scheme.. ACOM - Airport Commercial: The Airpon Commercial designation is provided as illustration . of those areas on Capital City Airpon property that are designated on the Airpon Master Plan to suppon land side airpon facilities and private airpon related commercial/industrial development that may occur on propeny leased form the airpon. It should be noted that there arc several propenies along US-27 that arc presently zoned under one or another business category that are not recognized on the Future Land Use Map. It is the intent of this plan to allow their continuance but to avoid expanding the commercial mning category to adjacent propenies during the planning period as a means of controlling unwarranted commercial strip development The objectives of commercial land use plan are to: I L 1. Accommodate limited yet appealing shopping facilities that provide a suffitjcnt amount of goods and services to meet the daily needs of a growing Township population, as well as a growing regional, highway-oriented market. 2. To promote the physical clustering of commercial establishments rather than strip development, thereby providing for joint use of p~king facilities, more convenient shopping, pleasant pedestrian spaces, and minimal extensions of utilities. 3. To discourage the over concentration of similar businesses. 4. To blend the commercial areas with surrounding uses to minimize land use, traffic and environmental conflicts. 5. • 6. To provide adequate parking and to create an inviting shopping environment convenient for all to use. To provide for efficient accessibility to retail uses to minimize traffic conflicts. Unless careful site planning and access controls arc instimted, conflicts between uses can oceur, opportunities for integrated uses lost, and the cap.city of s-=-s can be greaJ17. ~ It is therefore recolDDlCllded that the rezoning of land desilf)'atecl on the Fu l_lfte~:M ~ i a l pmposes be done cautiously to hotp assure tut ~ - ~ •Jis �or haphazardly, with disregard for the lack of utilities or the uses that are in existence or could develop on an adjoining site. Implementatiqn of the commercial land use plan should therefore include the following recommendations: 1. Development of flexible planned· unit development zoning provisions that would allow the review and approval of proposals incorporating integrated mixed uses, joint access and alternate access characteristics. 2. Utilization of zoning standards and the site plan review process which promote desirable objectives and the-careful scrutinization of such site plan features such as; * Wastewater Collection & Storm Drainage: Until public or collective systems for these utilities are provided, it is recommended that major development not be permitted. * Driveway Location and Spacing: Driveways should be located as far from street intersections as possible to avoid left tum conflicts and businesses should be encouraged to use joint driveways whenever possible. Driveways should be spaced to reduce conflicts and provide gaps in traffic for safer ingress and egress. It is recommended that commercial parcels located on arterials have a minimum of 200 feet of street frontage to promote adequate driveway spacing. · * Landscaping: Commercial Development should provide landscaping along the street edge to enhance aesthetics and screen parking areas. Specific landscaping requirements should. be incorporated to ensure adequate and uniform landscape treatment among businesses. * Alternate Access: A secondary means of ingress and/or egress should be provided, if possible. Such alternate access could take the form of access to an intersecting street for corner parcels, access across adjacent parking lots, access to another street to the rear of the property, a frontage road or service drive parallel to a major street or a similar alternative. * Signs: The number, size and location of signs should be controlled and kept to a reasonable n:iinimum to avoid motorists confusion and to insure individual business identities. I . * Pedestrian Access: Where appropriate, sidewalks or paths should be provided to link businesses with each other and residential areas. INDUSTRIAL LAND USE II ' The Industrial Land Use Plan is intended to identify and provide for future industrial areas as a means of diversifying the tax base and promoting local employment opponunities. The Industrial areas must be situated for easy highway access and to minimize potential conflicts with residential uses. Industrial development should also be supported by the provision of adequate sewer and water. · c::MS#UDewiadpllm 2S �After review of numerous alternative sites, the Future Land Use Map recommends the promotion of an industrial Park (IP) area in the south centraf portion of the Township adjacent to the existing light industrial area, as well as an area south of Clark Road at the 1-69/Airport Road interchange. The other areas illustrated on the Future Land Use Map are existing industrial zoning (IL & Ill) districts at Coleman/US-27, Turner Road· north of Sheridan, and State Road at Chandler. The objectives of the Industrial Land Use Plan are as follows: 1. To accommodate limited, development. high quality, environmentally compatible industrial 2. To ·encourage most new industries to locate in well planned industrial park settings thereby maximizing the efficiency of providing for the necessary infrastructure and minimizing environmental and land use conflicts. The following recommendations are intended for use in implementing the industrial land use plan: r· 1. Incrementally expand the availability of industrially zoned properties based on demonstrated needs over the planning period and the availability of appropriate utilities. The zoning of land for industrial park purposes that is not served by public sewer and water utilities should be avoided and industrial development that occurs elsewhere in previously zoned industrial areas without such utilities should be carefully monitored. 2. Improve zoning and site plan review standards relative to industrial uses to ensure building and site design quality and that those industries being proposed without public sewer facilities will not jeopardize environmental qualities. 3. Encourage the creation of industrial subdivisions ~ther than piecemeal development to help ensure the construction and collective use of necessary access roads, drainage improvements and other public facilities. Incorporate Industrial Park District provisions within the Zoning Ordinance to help encourage this objective. 4. Incorporate provisions in the zoning ordinance that would discourage extensive.outdoor storage areas and other unenclosed uses that may detract from the character of the Township, and harm the values of surrounding properties. 5. Encourage the landscaping of industrial sites through site plan review. 6. Discourage the development of "heavy" industries which because of their scale or type of operation could have environmental implications or overburden public services. 7. Incorporate access control mechanisms similar to those discussed in the Commercial Land Use element into zoning provisions relative to the industrial diStrictS. L c:MSfl~ I & pl �Transportation The road system serves as the backbone for growth and development of any community. By providing a means for internal and external circulation, it serves the community by helping shape the intensity of land use. Thus, this costly and highly visible element of the community's infrastructure is one of the most dynamic features of the community's on-going development. Street Classification The street system serving DeWin Township can be classified as follows: These facilities perform little of no land service function but instead is devoted entirely to the task of traffic movement by providing for large volumes of traffic at r~latively high speeds. It is characterized by limited access, multi-lane, divided highways. FREEWAYS AND CONTROLLED ACCESS ARTERIALS - MAJOR ARTERIALS - This class of street serves major movements of traffic within or through the area. Mainly designed to move traffic, the secondary function is to provide land service. US-27 is the major arterial in DeWitt Township. I , I I ! t. This class of street serves primarily l_ocal or shorter distance traffic and provides a limited degree of continuity. Their principal function is providing local land access in connection with major arterials. MINOR RURAL ARTERIALS - COLLECTOR STREETS - These streets serve the internal traffic movement within specific areas and connect those areas with the major and minor arterial system. Generally, they are not continuous for any great length. The collector street is intended to supply abutting property with the same degree of access as a local street, while at the same time serving local traffic movement Traffic control devices may be installed to protect and facilitate movement of traffic; however, these devices would not be as elaborate as those on arterial streets. The sole function of these streets is to provide access to immediately adjacent property. There are a number of these roads in the community, but they carry a small proportion of the vehicle-miles of travel. LocAL STREETS - The primary objective of the Transportation Plan of DeWitt Township is to provide a street network which will encourage the most logical development of the area while providing for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. I PROBLEMS I; The major problem with the street system is increased traffic volume on arterial and collector streets. Other factors that are increasingly significant include the need for better traffic and access controls to avoid traffic and land use conflicts. c:MS#l/Dewiudp/am 27 89267 �RECOMMENDATIONS The following .transportation related recommendations are intended to address existing problems and to avoid problems in the future: - Within zoning and subdivision regulations institute access controls intended to reduce traffic conflicts along the major and minor arterials thereby preserving their volume and function. - Establish road improvement priorities. Through cooperation with the Clinton County Road Commission, monitor traffic volumes and road conditions as part of a program to establish road improvement priorities. In this way, the Township can objectively allocate its limited resources to those areas already having the greatest need. - Consider the ability of existing roadway conditions to handle projected traffic volumes resulting from new development when reviewing site plans and rezoning requests. - Implement the Land Use Recommendations. This document contains specific land use recommendations which reflect the adequacy of the existing roadway system. Taken collectively, the incremental implementation of the various land use proposals will, over the long term, minimize the need for road improvements. - Consider private road regulations - It is recommended that zoning and subdivision controls officially recognize the hierarchy of the road network by taking into consideration the traffic volume, noise, speed and clear vision requirements of each roadway class. Such requirements should translate in larger minimum lot frontages and building setbacks along major streets than those along local platted streets. · I In addition to the above, several recommendations, the Future Land Use Map takes into consideration major transportation improvements. These include the proposed Logan Corridor running north from the Lansing to the DeWitt Road/1-69 intersection. The proposed US-27. Extension Roads or Clark Road and Proposed Capital City Airport Expansions. i I. Because of increased traffic volumes along US-27, as a result of the development trends in Northwest DeWitt Township, the Logan Corridor has been proposed as a second major North/South arterial street between the City of Lansing and the DeWitt area. It is recommended that the Township monitor the programming of these proposals closely and cooperate with State and County officials in their development as important regional elements of the transportation network. I I I , ( US-27 is a major north-south corridor through the middle of DeWitt Township. This roadway carries a significant amount of traffic and, for many people, it is their only contact with DeWitt Township and therefore serves as a type of identifying area for the Township. c:MS# 1/DewiUdp/am 28 89267 �The problems of strip commercial development have been well documented over the years. A multitude of commercial uses, each with its own driveway or driveways, creates traffic congestion problems, turning movement problems, and increases the likelihood of accidents. Apart from a recommended geographic allocation of land uses in response to existing and preferred development patterns, the Plan recognizes the need for better access control measures along the US-27 corridor and the need to guide and encourage the redevelopment of existing uses in the US-27/State Road area. Also recognized is the eventual construction of the proposed Logan Corridor and US-127 north of Clark Road. This will ultimately affect the level of traffic and land use along existing US-27 and requires that steps be taken to avoid excessive commercialization of the type that will someday see an erosion of its market base when through traffic are rerouted. The following recommendations intended to address these concerns. 1. Access Controls As previously recommended, access control standards should be designed to regulate and coordinate access to undeveloped land along US-27. These standards should address such items as driveway placement, width, and number; acceleration and deceleration lanes; driveway distance from intersections; joint driveways; frontage roads and service drives; and pedestrian movement. In establishing access control standards, the Township must enlist the support of Michigan Department of Transportation officials in reviewing site plans for new developments so that the access control standards developed by the Township can be implemented. 2. The redevelopment of commercial and residential parcels north and south of State Road should be actively controlled through the continued use of Site Plan Review and Special Land Use approval processes. In order to better guide the redevelopment of these parcels, a more detailed study of this corridor should be undertaken to better define and resolve existing problems. This sub-area plan would be a detailed study of land use, traffic movement, access control, landscaping, and pedestrian movement. A sub-area plan would make more specific recommendations for the future redevelopment of this overall area which could serve as a revitalized identifying and economic focal point of the southern portion of the Township. L I l l . II Subarea Plan 3. JJS-127 Bypass As US-127 extended north of Clark Road moves closer to construction, it is recommended that the 1-69/US-27 interchange be redesigned to accommodate a different type of traffic flow. Currently, traffic existing northbound on US-27 from 1-69 does not stop but merges with northbound US-27 traffic. It is recommended that a study be done c:MS# 1/Dewittdp/am 29 89267 �I .. I I ' to determine the need for a traffic signal at this exit ramp. Because traffic is expected to decline in volume once northbound US-127 is extended , a traffic signal at this exit ramp may be more practical and result in safer turning movements for vehicles entering and existing land use to the north. In addition to the above traffic concerns, the expected ultimate decline of through-traffic volumes on US-27 north of 1-69 could have negative impacts on business that may develop in the interim. For this reason, the over zoning of commercial land along US-27 should be avoided. The types of businesses that rely heavily on regional through-traffic should be minimized and destination types of uses encouraged. Conservancy The Future Land Use Map includes a "Conservancy" designation illustrating lands within the Township that are environmentally sensitive due to the existence of wetlands, floodplains and other sensitive drainage features. This designation serves as an overlay category, drawing attention to the areas where extra care is necessary to ensure protection and to avoid their degradation. While the underlying planning designations of the Conservancy areas serve to designate the general type of development planned for in a particular area, those areas overlaid by the Conservancy designation will be subject to additional regulations under State wetland protection laws and floodplain overlay zoning that are likely to affect site design and development intensities. From a Parks and Recreation and Open Space Planning standpoint, the Conservancy designation can also be utilized in establishing the general areas of the township where future public acquisition for Parks and Nature Preserves should be given priority. Institutional r-' i r L-- The Institutional Designation contained on the Future Land Use Map primarily reflects those areas of the Township that are presently put to a Public or Semi Public use. These include the Township Administrative Office, existing parks, the wastewater treatment facility, existing and planned Capital City Airport properties, several of the more isolated cemetery sites and religious institutions, and school sites. This Plan does not attempt to direct the precise location of future institutional uses but recognizes the importance of careful site selection and site design in locating public and quasi public uses to ensure compatibility with adjacent uses. Various zoning district provisions of the Township's Zoning Ordinance contain standards for the review and approval of most institutional uses, prior to their development c:MS# 1/Dewiudp/am 30 89267 �PARKS AND RECREATION While it does not appear that the land needs identified in the preceding chapter are critical at the present time, it is important that planning and decision making for the provision of additional recreational facilities begin at an early stage. This is especially important in terms of land acquisition, where early acquisition can greatly reduce overall costs and better assure the ability to acquire land in the most desirable location. It is therefore recommended that the Township take the following measures in establishing a parks and recreation program, in fulfillment of the above objectives: Update the Township's Parks and Recreation plan to qualify the Township for the receipt of Land and Water Conservation Funds (LWCF) and Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) grants from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Identify and pursue potential funding sources such _as private foundations and other local, state and federal programs. Work with the Clinton County, the City of DeWitt and other adjacent communities and school districts to ensure a coordinated approach to providing facilities with organized recreational activities. Monitor citizen needs and concerns. I L c:MS# 1/Dewittdp/am 31 89267. �'-. il · , ,,.. .,,. c==J ... , SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL [:ill LOW DENSITY SINGLE & TWO FAMILY ~ IIEDMI DENSIT'{ SINGLE & TWO FAMILY ~ HIGH DENSITY SINGLE & TWO FAMILY AP ~ MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ~ MANUFACTURED HOME PARK ~ COMMERCIAL G:) NEIGHBORHOOD ORIENTED G:) COIOlt'mY ORIENTED G':J HIGHl'.\Y ORIENTED ~ o m C E PARK ~ AIRPORT COMMERCL\J. c:::J INDUSTRIAL G:J UGHT INDUSTRIAL ~ HEAVY INDUSTRIAL G::J l!IDUSTRIAL PARK c:::J AGRICULTURAL C![J RURAL TlWfSlTION ~ AGNCt,1.TURAL PRESERVATION ~ CONSERVANCY Ca:] INSTITUTIOlfAL I ==== FUTURE TRAlfSPORTATlON FACllJTY - • • - URBAN I • - ~ BOUNDARY �URBAN GROWTH STAGING The demand for additional developable land and utility services within DeWitt Township will continue. Because of this, a major objective of the "Comprehensive Development Plan" is to direct development into the areas best able to support it and conversely to delineate those areas that are not expected to be suitable for major development within the planning period. To promote the efficient use of existing public services and to avoid unnecessary premature and costly extension of utilities into other areas of the Township, it is also necessary to establish priorities for development within various areas of the Township. By establishing these priorities and carrying out public improvements in an incremental fashion, the timing of major new developments can be influenced and the location of future development can be encouraged within areas already served by one or more major public utilities, adequate streets, and other public services. In consideration of the anticipated practical limits of utility extensions, future highway imp~vements, existing development patterns and trends, anticipated land needs, and the goal to conserve certain natural land elements such as farmland and rural areas, the Urban Growth Staging Plan establishes an "Urban Growth Boundary". This boundary represents the approximate extent to which urban types of services and development should occur withinthe 20-year long-range planning period. Within this area, it is anticipated that sufficient land exists· to meet the projected demands for most types of future development. Within the Urban Growth Boundary, the Urban Growth Staging Plan illustrates three stages of development. The three stages include the following: 1. These areas include areas of existing urban and suburban development and small inclusions of vacant land that are essentially committed to development. Within these areas sanitary sewer services is presently available, and in some cases, public water is also available. · EXISTING/COMMITTED URBAN AREAS. To encourage infill development of areas included in the committed urban areas, requests for the rezoning of land to classifications consistent with the General Development Plan should generally be viewed more favorably than requests in the primary or secondary stage areas. As outlined in the General Development Plan section, some areas of redevelopn:ient aie also recommended. 2. PRThfARY STAGE URBAN- GROWTH AREAS. The primary stage areas are intended to portray the areas of the Township in which the vast majority of new growth and development over the next ten years is recommended to occur. The majority of the areas indicated in this stage are capable of being served by existing sanitary sewer service. Some of the areas such as those along Round Lake Road in Section 4, portions of Sections 6 and 7, northwest of the City of DeWitt, and the area south of Herbison Road in Section 16 are also included because of the high near-term demand for new development in these areas. These areas are capable of being served by sanitary sewer and/or public water system extensions that appear reasonably feasible over the ten-year planning period, assuming that the developers of major properties play a major role in financing such improvements. o:MS#l/Dewiudp/am 33 89267 �I I I/•• H,11111 u C I T Y or DEWITT : It I I' I I i I ' L r. ....----r--1 I I, .LE.GENO ~ EXISTING / COIDll'ITED URSA.~ - - PRl).IARY STAGE L'RBAN ~ SECOXDARY STAGE URBAN . Lfil:J RURAL TRANSmON C:J AGRICt:LTURAL PRESERVATIO:-. ---- URSA.'{ GROWTH BOUNDARY MAP2 URBAN GROWTH STAGING - - DEWITI' CHARTER TOWNSHIP. MICHIGAN d1lll, 1991 ·---v ·- �It is recommended that rezoning of land within the primary stage urban growth areas in support of the General Development Plan be done incrementally, with regard to the availability of needed sanitary sewer and public water services. Rezoning of land to support speculative developments that are not served or capable of being served by minor utility extensions and improvements should be avoided. New residential subdivisions and commercialfmdustrial developments that are not capable of being served by both public water and sewer services at the time of development should be limited in density and intensity to ensure long-range public health and environmental quality. 3. The secondary growth areas are depicted to illustrate those areas within the 20-year urban growth boundary that are not intended to support new development until such time that the majority of nearby primary stage areas are developed. It is recommended that the programming of infrastructure improvements and public services in these areas have a lower priority. than those occurring in the existing or primary stage areas. During the IO-year planning period, the rate at which land classified in the primary stage is developed in variou~ areas of the Township is intended to be used as a major factor in evaluating the programming and timing of capital improvements that are necessary to allow development of second stage. 4. The rural transition planning areas are intended to serve as a .· holding area for future suburban residential development, to fill a demand for large lot semi-rural living and to serve as a buffer between the major developed areas and the area of the township in which agricultural activity is intended to be encouraged far into the future. In addition, certain areas. such as near the airport and near the proposed Logan corridor, are included in the rural transition area as a means of controlling the magnitude of potential conflicts arising from future highway corridor development and airport expansion. SECONDARY STAGE URBAN GROWTH AREAS. RURAL TRANsmoN/AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION AREAS. Major capital improvements or the zoning of land to classifications that would accommodate suburban or urban densities of development within the rural transition area are not recommended until such time that existing, primary, and secondary stage areas are no longer capable of satisfying projected land needs for the higher intensity types of development. The vast majority of areas located beyond the long-range urban growth boundary are intended primarily for agricultural production and rural estate Iesidential development, and are classified on. ·the Futul'e Land Use Map as "Agricultural Preseivation." Such areas. whether regulated by traditional agricultural zoning standatds or more restrictive agricultural preservation techniques, arc recormncnded to be given the lowest pdariW tar consideration of conversion to intensive developmenL Because of die ovetall low density of development intended for these few urban ~ of ,services • recommended to be piovidcd and land use regulations shQldd • intensive land uses and the fragmenwion of t h o ~ ~ ~ areas, �~ Following is a series of recommendations relating to the implementation of the Growth Staging Plan. IMPLEMENTATION General 1. Develop a Land Subdivision and Utility Extension Ordinance to regulate the creation of subdivisions and the size of lots based on the provision of public water· and sanitary sewer. Such an ordinance should also incorporate provisions regulating private road construction and the areas of the Township in which such roads will be acceptable. 2. Develop a system (i.e., point system) of regulations to allow an objective evaluation of development proposals relative to their effect on Township services. Existing Urban Area (Full Service Areas) 1. Maintain and upgrade the physical condition of existing residential areas through proper enforcement of Township ordinances. 2. Review the need for a housing rehabilitation program to maintain the condition of current housing stock. 3. Maintain and upgrade the existing road, storm drain, and sanitary sewer systems through the Township capital improvement program. Work toward the installation of public water systems throughout existing highly developed areas, through cooperation with the Lansing Board of Light and Power. Primary Stage Urban 1. The extension of public water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer lines should be paid for by the developer. Oversizing of such lines to service uses beyond the proposed development should be funded by DeWitt Township. If feasible, Cooperate with the City of DeWitt in making logical extension from the City's collection system into areas of the Township north and northeast of the City. 2. The location of utility lines shall be in accordance with the Master Utility Plan of the Township. The development of new local streets should reflect the preferred utility routs. 3. All plats as well as in~ividual commercial and industrial uses shall be served by public water and sanitary sewer in order to achieve the highest planned and zoned densities. 4. The capacity of nearby roads shall be adequate to serve proposed developments. Road improvements financing should be shared by the developers. · 5. A proposed development should not result in excessive expenditure of public funds to provide necessary police, fire, and utility service. c:MS#l/Dewiudp/am 36 89267 �6. Residential developments with a density equal to or greater than the R-3 zoning district must be provided with public sanitary sewer. Public water must be provided if deemed necessary by the County Health Department of the Township Fire Chief. Secondary Stage Urban 1. Policies 1, 2, 4 and 5 for the primary stage urban areas shall apply to the secondary stage urban area. 2. The majority of land in a primary stage urban area must be developed before public water and sewer lines are extended into a secondary stage urban area unless it can be shown that the proposed development will not adversely affect Township services or alter the · overall growth management plan for the area. 3. Only residential developments which have a density of one dwelling unit per acre or less shall be permitted unless public sanitary sewer is provided. Public water shall be provided if the density is greater than one unit per acre and is required by the County Health Department or Township Fire Chief. Rural Transition/Agricultural Preservation 1. Areas designated as Rural Transition should only be considered for higher use when the · majority of nearby or associated lands in the primary and secondary stage areas are developed and the provision of utilities and other necessary public services is feasible. Zoning changes to a higher use should be preceded by amendments to the Comprehensive Development Plan that detail the desired type, extent and timing of urban/suburban growth to occur in such areas. 2. Land areas outside of the Urban Growth Boundary are intended to be regulated by traditional agricultural zoning provisions and/or more restrictive agricultural zoning standards. These agricultural preservation areas shall be given the lowest priority for consideration of conversion to more intensive use, in accordance with the concept of incrementally staged growth. • c:MS# 1/D.ewittdp/am 37 89267 �( I. APPENDICES L I I I ' ' ' �REGIONAL SETTING DeWitt Township is located in southern Clinton County, the Township consists of approximately 33 square miles of land area. The City of DeWitt is incorporated within the Township boundaries and is situated in the extreme northwest corner,. The cities of Lansing and East Lansing form the Township's southern boundary and the Townships of Watertown, Olive and Bath form the west, north and east boundaries, respectively. Three major highways, US-27, US-127 and I-69, run through the Township. These highways give the Township exceptional accessibility within both a regional and state-wide context. Due to its geographical relationship to Lansing and the highway network. DeWitt Township is inherently tied to the future development of the overall Lansing Metropolitan area. Commercial and residential expansion from Lansing has long since entered the Township from the south and suburban development now trends toward the northern sectors and around the City of DeWitt. Proposed roadway improvements such as the Logan Corridor and extensions to US-127, along with the more long standing metropolitan interrelationships of employment, trade and service are expected to further influence future development of the Township and further entrench the Township as part of the expanding urbanized area. PHYSICAL FEATURES Topography and Drainage Variations in the surface relief the Township are generally not pronounced and as a result, the natural drainage network is poorly developed. To improve drainage, a fairly extensive system of improved county drains has been developed over the years. The highest point in the Township is approximately 930 feet above sea level and is found in Section 34 in the extreme southeast. The low point in the Township is at the Looking Glass River as it exits the Township in the northwest, along Airport Road. At this point, the elevation is approximately 785 feet. From east to west, the fall of the Looking Glass River is less than 20 feet in six miles. Throughout the vast majority of the Townships elevations are in the 830 to 870 foot range with local relief seldom varying by more than 30 feet. All of DeWitt Township lies within the broad Grand River drainage ~asin. However, while less than one mile south of the Township only the extreme southern portions of the Township drain southward toward the Grand River. The remainder of the Township is within the watershed of the Looking Glass River which ultimately empties into the Grand River far to the west in Ionia County. c:MS#l/Dewittdp/un A-1 89267 �· As can therefore be expected, the Looking Glass River is the predominant natural drainage feature of the Township. Its 100 year floodplain lies within the 803 and 810 feet elevations from west to east. Its width is generally from 800 to 1,000 feet but is nearly one mile wide at its extreme in Section 3 where the Remy-Chandler Drain from the south and the Rouse Drain from the north converge with the Looking Glass River. Other significant low lying flood prone areas are located along the Gunderman Lake Drain adjacent to US-27 between Northcrest and Clark Road, and along Prairie Creek, south of the City of DeWitt Many of the drains, as well as the Looking Glass River, will flood the low lying areas along their banks in times of heavy rainfall and also during the springtime snow melt. These flood prone lying areas have several implications for planning, such as consideration in the construction of structures, the planning and design for new roads, including bridges, culverts, storm drains, and stormwater retention facilities, and the location of recreational and other open space areas. Efforts should be made to preserve and maintain the floodplains, the woodlands, and pasture lands along the streams in a vegetated state. In so doing, the potential long-term adverse environmental and economic impacts that development of these fragile corridors brings can be minimized. Soils and Environmental Limitations • The soils in DeWitt Township range from well drained sandy loams to very poorly drained soils formed in sandy loams, clay loams, and muck. The majority of the Township is comprised of ·soils that cannot be relied upon to support on-site septic systems for the disposal of wastewater. The location of the soil groupings having the most severe on-site septic system and other developmental limitations is therefore an important consideration in the Township's long range development plans. The Environmental Limitations Map shows the location of soils within the Township which present severe limitations to both building construction and septic fields. The map was prepared based on information provided by the "Soil Survey of Clinton County, Michigan" prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The map takes into consideration soil percobility, wetness, filter qualities, shrink-swell properties, and slope. Areas within a delineated 100 year flood plain are also shown. Because soils which generally have unsuitable characteristics for buildings or septic fields may still be useful with on-site modifications, the map is not intended as a substitute for on-site investigation or detailed engineering studies. The map does, however, generally define those areas in which intensive development can lead to environmental and health hazards, and therefore helps to define areas of the Township which should not be considcm:l for support of intensive development without the provision of public utilities. The maps usefulness is underscored in areas located outside of existing utility service areas. Generally speaking, the majority of the soils that are riot included in a long ranp utility service an:a should be discouraged from being intensively developed. c:MSII~ A-2 �rJ) z0 ~ E -::s ::3 ~ ~ zl'a:l ::s 0 -z> ~ l'a:l ~,~I I~ Ik 111 ..: I ~~). ! :c- ! I z I I DI t Ill c., -~ 1 en raw • • ~~ i~ ~-- f: ~ raw Q ('I) a.. -a: :s I •I I ' :: I �Surface Waters and Wetlands Aside from the Looking Glass River and its natural and improved tributaries, there are only a few surface water features in the Township. The largest water body is Lake Geneva and it is located within the boundaries of the City of DeWitt. Those in the Township itself are small ponds within wetland areas or the result of sand and gravel extraction operations. There are numerous wetland areas within the Township and most are found in association with the floodplain of the Looking Glass River and the other drainage ways. The conservancy designation on the Future Land Use Map, identifies the general locations of most major wetland areas in the Township. Their locations are based upon maps supplied by the U.S. Department of Interior and the MDNR's M.I.R.I.S Mapping System. Although on-site analyses are needed to verify the precise boundaries of such wetlands, they are areas which are likely to be regulated by the Goemaere-Anderson Wetland Protection Act. Within DeWitt Township, the wetlands are generally comprised of deciduous shrub and grass swamps and lowland forests. Important Farmlands • The Important Farmland Map shows the location of prime and unique agricultural lands within the Township as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Prime farmlands are · naturally endowed with the soil quality, growing season, and moisture content necessary to sustain high crop yields under average farming practices. "Unique" farmlands are those areas that because of their peculiar properties are highly suitable for the production of certain specialty crops. In DeWitt Township, the muck lands located in the southeast are considered unique because of their ability to suppon truck and sod farming. As illustrated by the map, the majority of local prime agriculture lands are located in the eastern third of the Township. Agricultural products produced in DeWitt Township include com, hay, grain, truck crops, and dairy products. Also illustrated on the Imponant Farmlands Map are properties that are enrolled in the _PA 116 Farmland and Open Space Preservation .Program. Under this program sponsored by the State of Michigan, land owners have agreed to relinquish their non-farm development rights for periods in excess of ten years in exchange for State Income Tax credits and exemptions from certain special assessments. The high participation rates by farmers in the eastern portion of the Township has helped to prevent otherwise expected parcel fragmentation and rural housing development in this area. It is estimated that approximately 3,800 acres of land are presently enrolled in this program. Unless property owners decide to re-enroll their lands in the program after their initial expiration dates, the majority of these parcels can be expected to come out of the program by the year 2000. Should this occur and other measures to preserve farmland are not taken, the eventual fragmentation of many large parcels. into smaller lots to suppon rural residential development can be expected. If allowed to occur, this could result in the loss- of significant areas of prime farmland. c:MS# 1/Dewilldp/am A-4 89267 �.. 11 ,.,-. l1l Q ~ =$- I : III = I 081 I § 0 ! I s I Ii I :i: u ia, -CX) ,. a, :Vl r.:I ~:z: ...... o:i I: is [&I Q I. •1 :z: < C, 1 ii ~ 0. < :::E 'I 11:~ Is=1 �POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS Table 4 illustrates population changes between 1970 and 1990 for DeWitt Township and adjacent communities in Clinton County. The population of DeWitt Township has grown at a fairly slow rate in the last decade. However, it can be observed that growth in the last five years of the decade has been much more rapid than during the first half of the decade when a statewide recession caused considerable out migration. In comparison, Bath and the City of DeWitt grew more rapidly during the 1980's. Overall, DeWitt Township has historically grown at a slightly faster rate than Clinton County and the tri-county region of Clinton, Ingham and Eaton counties as a whole. While 1990 census figures are not yet available 1980 figures reveal that 34% of the population was represented by persons 19 years of age or younger, 25% where between the ages of 20 and 34, and 16 percent of the population was aged 55 and over. The median age in 1980 was 29.4 years. This compares to the county 1pedian age of 27 .6 years and a state wide median age of 28.8. • 1960, 1970 and 1980 census figures reveal that the male force has changed from one made up predominantly of blue-collar workers, to a work force that is much more diversified. This trend is clearly reflected in the proportion of blue-collar workers in the work force. The proportion dropped from 60 percent in 1960, to 34 percent in 1970, to 32 percent in 1980. Correspondingly, the share of professional and technical workers has almost doubled, and those in clerical positions has risen markedly. It should be understood, however, that blue-collar workers are still the most numerous single occupational type in the Township.· has increased significantly over the years. In 1970 the· median income of families and unrelated individual was approximately $11,500. This figure had doubled by 1980, as the median approached $22,335. This rise seems to be related to the changing character of the Township's work force and educational attainment levels.Along with the increase in the numbers of professional and technical wor~ers, the education level of the population is rising significantly. In 1980, 89.5 percent of the residents 25 years of age and over had completed at least 4 years of high school, and 31 percent of this fraction had either received a coUege degree or attended at least 1 to 4 years of college. The median income in the Township has increased significantly over the years. In 1970 the median income of families and unrelated individual was approximately $11,500. This figure had doubled by 1980, as the median approached $22,335. This rise seems to be related to the changing character of the Township's work force and educational attainment levels. c::MS# 1/Dcwilldp/am A-6 89267 �• t ' TABLE 4 HISTORICAL POPULATION CHANGE 1970-1990 DeWitt Township and Surrounding Communities Percent Absolute Chanee Percent Absolute Chanee Community 1970 1980 DeWitt Twp. 9,909 10,038 54.6 % 129 10,393 3.5 % DeWitt City 1,829 3,165 73% % 1,336 3,937 24.4 % 772 Bath Twp. 4,832 5,745 18.9% % 913 6,308 9.8 % 563 Olive Twp. 1,907 2,111 10.7 % 204 2,116 0.2 % 5 Watertown Twp. 3,146 3,602 14.5 % 456 3,720 3.3 % 118 Clinton County 48,492 55,893 15.3 % 7,401 57,529 2.9 % 1,636 378,423 419,750 10.9 % 41,327 430,470 2.6 % 10,720 Tri-County Region Sources: c:MS# I /Dcwittdp/am Chanee 1990 Chanee 355 · 1970 and 1980 U.S. Census Counts. 1990 Preliminary U.S. Census Counts. A-7 89267 �HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS Based on the 1990 preliminary census counts, there are currently 4,186 occupied housing units in DeWitt Township. This is a 16.4 percent increase over 1980 or an increase of 591 units. During 1980-1990, DeWitt Township experienced a decrease in population per dwelling unit Based on the 1990 preliminary census, the average persons per unit is 2.48. This in line with the trend nationwide toward smaller family units. The average persons per unit tor all Clinton County and the State of Michigan are 2.75 and 2.34 respectively. Table 5 gives the number and percentage of dwelling units by type within Dewitt Township based on the 1980 Census and building permit information through 1990. The majority of the units (66 percent) are single-family homes, with the second largest category being mobile homes (33 percent). Multi-family units saw the largest increase between 1980 and 1990, (115.5%). TABLE 5 Housing Units by Type 1980 -1990 Township of Dewitt Number mil 1m l2Bil .122il 2,573 2,760 71.6 65.9 7.3% 94 127 2.6 3.0 35.0% Multi-Family (3 or more units 155 334 4.3 8.0 115.5% Mobile Homes m ~ zu llll 24.4% 3,595 4,186 100% 100% Single-Family Home Duplex Total Percent Percent Chana=e 1980 to 1990 16.4 % Total does not equal 100 due to rounding. Source: 1980 U.S. Census 1990 Preliminary Census and Building Pennit c::MS#l/Dewiudplam A-8 89267 �POPULATION PROJECTIONS The determination of future population growth is important in a planning program, since projections provide a general basis for determining future land needs and needs for future public capital improvements and community services. Population projections are, however, only refined estimates of what the future might hold for it is clearly impossible to accurately forecast the end result of untold individual and public decisions. Population projections must be based upon background information and good judgement These projections are then utilized as a "yardstick" by which planning decisions are made. . TABLE6 znoo 2filJl 1991 Plan -Tri-County Regional 10,393 12,946 17,480 Planning Commission, March, 1989 10,393 10,254 10,277 1977 Plan Update 10393 18,000 NIA Source: • I., I .122ilt 1990 Preliminary U.S. Census The above table contains three comparative estimates of population for the years 2000 and 2010. The 1991 plan estimate consists of an average of three estimates based on arithmetic and geometric projection and co~stant proportional projection of the overall Counties's population. Added to the average of these projections were an additional 4,530 persons expected to reside in the Township if major proposed and rumered residential developments are actually developed over the next 20 years. While not expected to be definitively accurate, these projections were selected as a benchmark on which to plan because they portray a plausible high end growth scenario. In planning for this high end growth, the pitfalls of establishing a. growth management program based on low growth estimates can hopefully be avoided. Ultimately, the major determination of future population growth in DeWitt Township will include the following: - The types and quantity of housing than can reasonably be accommodated in an incremental fashion within the Township. I - 'The image of the Township as a desirable place to live. - Future gasoline prices and their effect on people's willingness to commute to work. - The economic health of the Lansing area and its effect on the rate of suburbanization. r. - The availability and quality of support services required for residential development such as utilities, police and fire protection, surfaced roads, and the quality of schools. - The availability and cost of the land development in DeWitt Township as compared to other municipalities in the Lansing Metropolitan area. c:MS#I/Dewillclplam A-9 89267 �COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND UTILITIES Education The public school is often the most imponant facility in the community. Schools serve the educational function and funher act as a localized center for community and neighborhood social and recreational activity. Presently, DeWitt Township is served by four school districts: DeWitt, Lansing, East Lansing, and Bath schools. DeWitt and Lansing serve the bulk of the school age children. · Several elementary schools are within the boundaries of the Township. Secondary school students either attend classes in the city of DeWitt at the district facilities or travel outside of the Township to attend school. The DeWitt School District experienced a large amount of in-migration in recent years. This is reflected by enrollment increases in schools. This trend has raised the need for future construction of new facilities to meet these higher demands. Administrative and Protection Services The Township Hall houses governmental officials, the fire department, and the police department. This structure is of adequate. size to accommodate the present level of administrative operations, but due to space constraints and changing development patterns, additional fire facilities are needed. The Township's fire protection is presently covered by the DeWitt Township, DeWitt City, and _Bath Charter Township Fire Departments by contractual agreements. A fire facility located more central to the emerging suburbanized area around the City of DeWitt appears desirable. Police protection is rendered by a full-time Township police force. The Michigan State Police and the Clinton County Police also patrol on a regular basis. Wastewater Treatment DeWitt Township along with the City of DeWitt, Watenown and Bath Townships are pan of the Southern Ointon Community Municipal Utility Authority. The treatment plant is located on Herbison Ro~ just west of Schavey Road. It has a maximum capacity of 5 million gallons per day~ and is cmrently operating at one-fifth of its total ~ Treated effluent is deposited directly in the Looking Glass River. At the present time. sanitary sewer lines serve much of the development in the Township south of the Lookin1 Gius lliw:r~ However, several trunkline extensions are needed to "'1VC infill ao areas aonh of the dYet. 'lit following map illustrates the extent of the existing sanitary sower collection De Dt'Whr Township Master Plan for Sanitary Sewers delineates t h e ~ bn_,PR>V._.fl d!ll will be made to accomniodate powth in the northem:po,d o f t l t i ~ syacem. cddStl~ �~ c:, a:: Lt) E Q. ::ii Ul ra:I ~ t; !ti rn --$- < :E 53 CJ Si.,, •CD Cl.o, 53 ... Ul Iii! ~z o::> E-o ... i Q 'i II.• l ii•- �• ~ ,\ Water Supply Municipal water is supplied to a relatively small portion of the Township through the Township by a municipal well and distribution system located south of the City of DeWitt, adjacent to the wastewater treatment capacity. A few residents in the extreme southern portion of the Township are provided with municipal water through the distribution system or the Lansing Board of Water-and Light. A major extension of the water distribution system along Herbison Road, easterly to US-27 is currently underway. This extension is expected to allow seivice to a large number of new residential and commercial customers as well as several areas of existing developments. Because the remainder of the Township presently must rely on private wells, additional extensions of the municipal water system are expected to occur over the course of time but are very much subject to cost feasibility. EXISTING LAND USE PATTERNS. The total land area of DeWitt Township, excluding the City of DeWitt, is approximately 21,720 acres. Of this total area, more than 6,500 acres, -or about 30% of the township area has been developed. The majority of the Township's growth in recent years has been concentrated south and east of the City of DeWitt and along US-27. The existing land use map shows the generalized land uses existing in the Township while the · following descriptions indicate the acreage relationships of developed land. Residential Uses - I l Residential development in the Township remains primarily in the form of single-family units. Tabulated residential uses account for over 2,700 acres. The following table shows the various classifications of residential types occurring within the Township. I. TABLE? Residential Land Use Classifications DeWitt Township - 1991 Classifications l \. Suburban Single Family and Duplex Rural Single Family Multi-Family Mobile Homes 74 55.5 % 31.5 % 2.7 % _2fill 9,6 % TOTAL 2,705 100.0 % 1,500 850 "' c:MS#l/Dewiudp/am A-12 89267 · �~ E = z 0 e:: :::, C.) !!3::ii Pa:c.:i fnt s~ Pa: Col E-- : =$- co Sia, 0.. :2rnc.:i Zz :::, 4( :::E t Q , , ). .g ... ..!I~ I: •CD Cl. a, �\ As illustrated, single family and mobile home dwelling types are the two foremost users of residential acreage within the Township. - Commercial uses Commercial uses are primarily adjacent to U.S. 27. The area near Capital City Airpon also contains significant commercial acreage. It is estimated that there are approximately 450 acres of land area developed for commercial use. The vast majority or roughly 75% are retail in nature and roughly 15 to 20% are services oriented. The balance is devoted to commercial recreation and residential use (hoteVmotel). Industrial Uses Approximately 275 acres is used for various industrial activities. The following table shows classifications of major industrial activities occurring within the Township. TABLES Industrial Land Use Classifications • I ! ! Mm Manufacturing Non-Manufacturing Other (Quarrying and Mining, non-committed) 75 55 145 TOTAL 275 29.0 % 3.2 % 67.8 % 100.0% The following table compares the acreage of land developed to the above major categories of land use to the number_ of acres actually zoned for such use. The acres used in the agricultural category refers to the land actually developed or used ~or nonfarm use such as rural residences and portions of the Capital City Airport. Acres devoted to crop production are included in the Vacant Category. All acres are approximately. ,-• A-14 I_ 89267 �SUMMARY OF CITIZEN ATTITUDE SURVEY ' , �DEWITI CHARTER TOWNSHIP CITIZEN OPINION SURVEY Summary of Findings and Conclusions = • Number of Surveys Mailed • Number of Surveys Returned • . Number of Surveys Tabulated = = Approximately 3~00 1,017 to.date (30.8%) 972 (29.45%) Profile of Respondents 1. 90% of all respondents are residents or home owners, 6% are business owners and 4% own property but do not reside in the Township. 2. Responses by area generally conform to the geographic distribution of the population. 3. Of those responding to the question, over 51 % of the respondents have combined household incomes of over $40,000. 4. Of those responding to the question, over 70% have lived in the Township for 6 years ormore and 57% for more than ten (10) years. 5. The average number of persons contained within the households of those responding is 2.89 persons. General Conclusions • Township residents value the appearance and integrity, or their neighborhoods highly. • Township residents may favor mandatory solid waste collection and recycling. • . The large majority of residents feel that as a Township, farming should be actively promoted. • Township residents generally favor along range policies that would accommodate . most major types of development, including apartments and condominiums, and commercial and industrial developments. • The majority of Township residents feel that additional mobile home parks should be discouraged. c:MS#l/Dewiadplam A-15 89267 �• • • Nearly 50% of Township residents responding to the survey felt that comm~rcial development should be actively promoted in some areas. • Of the c~pital intensive improvements or services contained in Question #10, improving fire protection ranked as the most important. This was followed in order by improving . street conditions, improving police protection, additional public recreation facilities, extension of public water, making public transit affordable and the extension of public sewer. • Of the public services or facilities listed in Question #11, responses indicate a clear lack of public support for additional taxes or fees to finance the following: • • • • • • Bus Service New or Expanded Recreational Facilities Libraries Administrative Services Extension of Sewer Service While responses do not indicate a maJonty in favor, there appears to be some measure of support and/or willingness to consider to increase taxes or fees to finance - the followi~g: • • • • Police Protection Fire Protection Road Paving and Maintenance Mandatory Refuse Collection and Recycling I l. I I l I f L I l I· re : -: c:MS# 1/Dewittdpfam A-16 89267 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wyckoff Planning and Zoning Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Planning & Zoning Center (Lansing, Mich.) (Organization) Wyckoff, Mark A. Description An account of the resource Municipal master plans and zoning ordinances from across the state of Michigan, spanning from the 1960s to the early 2020s. The bulk of the collection was compiled by urban planner Mark Wyckoff over the course of his career as the founder and principal planner of the Planning and Zoning Center in Lansing, Michigan. Some additions have been made to the collection by municipalities since it was transferred to Grand Valley State University. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Michigan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960/2023 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a> Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Comprehensive plan publications Master plan reports Zoning--Michigan Zoning--Maps Maps Land use--planning Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-240 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Language A language of the resource eng Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Dewitt-Charter-Twp_Comprehensive-Development-Plan_1991 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource DeWitt Charter Township Planning Commission DeWitt Charter Township Board, DeWitt Charter Township, Clinton County, Michigan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991 Title A name given to the resource DeWitt Charter Township Comprehensive Development Plan Description An account of the resource The DeWitt Charter Township Comprehensive Development Plan was developed by the DeWitt Charter Township Board and Planning Commission with assistance from WW Engineering & Science, Inc. in 1991. Subject The topic of the resource Comprehensive plan publications DeWitt Charter Township (Mich.) Clinton County (Mich.) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/652995dd36da06a3071eba9e277c5ccc.pdf 3dcc46be1fe6af9ecffe1c865aa42212 PDF Text Text Comprehensive Development Plan 2005 �Charter To\Nnship Comprehensive Development Plan Prepared Under the Direction of the DeWitt Charter Township Planning Commission by the Planning & Zoning Center, Inc. 715 N. Cedar Street, Suite 2 Lansing, MI 48906-5275 517/886-0555 Ph. 517/886-0564 Fax www.pzcenter.com 2005 �DeWITT CHARTER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rick Galardi, Supervisor Diane MosIer, Clerk Phyllis Daggy, Treasurer Jeff Baumann, Trustee Max Calder, Trustee Stephen C. Musselman, Trustee David Seeger, Trustee DeWITT CHARTER TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Mike Nolen, Chairman Stephen Gobbo, Vice-Chair Jane DeHoog, Secretary Stephen Musselman, Trustee Representative Jason Flower Bruce Keilen Terri Shively Kimberly Smelker Gregory White DeWITT CHARTER TOWNSHIP PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF Jeffrey M. Gray, AICP, Planning Director David E. Haywood, Assistant Planner Linda Parkinson, Secretary DeWITT TOWNSHIP MANAGER Matthew J. Kulhanek PLANNING & ZONING CENTER, INC. ASSOCIATES Mark A. Wyckoff, FAICP, President John Warbach, Ph.D., Principal Carolyn A. Freebury, Vice President Andrea Hoag, Research Associate Evan Cunningham, Research Associate �TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ........................................................................................................................ vii Vision Based Plan ............................................................................................................ vii Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................... 1-1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 1-1 Regional Setting ............................................................................................................... 1-1 Location ....................................................................................................................... 1-1 Purpose of Plan................................................................................................................ 1-2 Plan Relationship to Zoning.............................................................................................. 1-3 Updating the Plan ............................................................................................................. 1-3 Public Input....................................................................................................................... 1-4 Overview of Chapters ....................................................................................................... 1-4 Chapter 2: SUMMARY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS.............................. 2-1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 2-1 Demographics .................................................................................................................. 2-1 Total Population ........................................................................................................... 2-1 Age and Gender........................................................................................................... 2-2 Housing Conditions and Trends........................................................................................ 2-3 Households.................................................................................................................. 2-3 Building Permits Issued................................................................................................ 2-5 Housing Values............................................................................................................ 2-5 Education ......................................................................................................................... 2-6 Economy .......................................................................................................................... 2-7 Employment................................................................................................................. 2-7 Income......................................................................................................................... 2-9 Tax Base ..................................................................................................................... 2-9 Natural Resources............................................................................................................ 2-11 Topography and Drainage ........................................................................................... 2-11 Surface Waters and Wetlands...................................................................................... 2-18 Woodlands................................................................................................................... 2-18 Soils and Environmental Limitations............................................................................. 2-19 Land Cover and Land Use................................................................................................ 2-23 Land Use by Tax Class .................................................................................................... 2-27 Agriculture.................................................................................................................... 2-27 Residential Land Use................................................................................................... 2-30 Commercial.................................................................................................................. 2-31 Office Uses .................................................................................................................. 2-33 Industrial ...................................................................................................................... 2-33 Infrastructure .................................................................................................................... 2-34 Water Supply ............................................................................................................... 2-34 Wastewater Treatment................................................................................................. 2-37 Community Facilities and Services ................................................................................... 2-37 Township Hall .............................................................................................................. 2-37 Public Safety................................................................................................................ 2-38 Fire Department........................................................................................................... 2-40 Parks and Recreation .................................................................................................. 2-40 Neighborhood Parks/Play Lots ................................................................................ 2-41 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 i �TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Community Parks .................................................................................................... 2-41 Community Center....................................................................................................... 2-42 Schools........................................................................................................................ 2-43 Transportation .................................................................................................................. 2-47 Street Classification ..................................................................................................... 2-47 Freeways and Regional Circulation.............................................................................. 2-50 Business Route 27....................................................................................................... 2-50 Traffic Volumes in DeWitt Township............................................................................. 2-51 Transit.......................................................................................................................... 2-54 Air Transportation ........................................................................................................ 2-54 Implications if Existing Trends and Policy Continue .......................................................... 2-55 Growth and Preservation Policy of the 1991 Plan ........................................................ 2-55 Residential Buildout Analysis ....................................................................................... 2-56 Analysis of Adjacent Jurisdiction Plans............................................................................. 2-57 City of DeWitt............................................................................................................... 2-57 Bath Township ............................................................................................................. 2-58 East Lansing ................................................................................................................ 2-58 Watertown Township ................................................................................................... 2-58 Clinton County ............................................................................................................. 2-59 City of Lansing ............................................................................................................. 2-59 Lansing Township ........................................................................................................ 2-60 Chapter 3: GENERAL VISION AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK................................... 3-1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 3-1 General Vision Statement................................................................................................. 3-1 Proactive Planning and Sustainability .......................................................................... 3-1 Quality of Life: Impressions, Standards and Visual Character...................................... 3-2 Quality of Life: Close to the City but Retaining Rural Qualities ..................................... 3-3 Quality of Life: Neighborhoods ..................................................................................... 3-3 Quality of Life: Access to Opportunities........................................................................ 3-4 Quality of Life: Recreation............................................................................................ 3-4 Quality of Life: Urban Infrastructure.............................................................................. 3-4 Planning Framework......................................................................................................... 3-5 Plan Concepts .................................................................................................................. 3-6 Chapter 4: FUTURE LAND USE & COMMUNITY FACILITIES: Goals & Policies ........ 4-1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 4-1 Future Land Use Map....................................................................................................... 4-1 Future Land Use............................................................................................................... 4-3 Environmental Protection and Conservation ................................................................ 4-3 Agricultural Land Uses................................................................................................. 4-4 AP (Agricultural Preservation)................................................................................ 4-5 A (Agricultural)....................................................................................................... 4-6 Residential Land Uses ................................................................................................. 4-6 Single and Two Family Residential Areas.............................................................. 4-8 Multiple Family Residential Areas .......................................................................... 4-9 MHP (Manufactured Housing Parks) ..................................................................... 4-10 Commercial Land Uses................................................................................................ 4-11 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 ii �TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) NC (Neighborhood Oriented Commercial) ............................................................. 4-14 CC (Community Oriented Commercial) ................................................................. 4-14 HC (Highway Oriented Commercial)...................................................................... 4-15 ACOM (Airport Commercial) .................................................................................. 4-15 Office Land Uses ......................................................................................................... 4-15 Industrial Land Uses .................................................................................................... 4-16 Institutional................................................................................................................... 4-17 Community Facilities ........................................................................................................ 4-18 Recreational Facilities.................................................................................................. 4-18 Transportation Systems ............................................................................................... 4-20 Public Utilities, Facilities and Services ......................................................................... 4-22 Regional Cooperation and Coordination ...................................................................... 4-23 Related Land Use Issues.................................................................................................. 4-23 Historic Preservation.................................................................................................... 4-24 Greenways................................................................................................................... 4-24 Special Planning Areas .................................................................................................... 4-25 Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) Areas .................................................. 4-25 Neighborhood Conservation Area ................................................................................ 4-26 Commercial and Industrial Revitalization Area ............................................................. 4-26 Chapter 5: ZONING PLAN ............................................................................................. 5-1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 5-1 What is a Zoning Plan? .................................................................................................... 5-1 Relationship to Comprehensive Development Plan .......................................................... 5-1 Future Land Use Map Designations Compared to Zoning Districts................................... 5-2 Zoning Districts................................................................................................................. 5-3 Agriculture District........................................................................................................ 5-3 Residential Districts ..................................................................................................... 5-3 Office Districts.............................................................................................................. 5-5 Commercial Districts .................................................................................................... 5-5 Industrial Districts......................................................................................................... 5-5 Site Development Standards ............................................................................................ 5-6 Proposed Changes to Zoning Ordinance.......................................................................... 5-6 Chapter 6: GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY....................................................... 6-1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 6-1 Infrastructure and Public Land Investments...................................................................... 6-1 Background.................................................................................................................. 6-1 Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance........................................................................... 6-2 Capital Improvement Programs.................................................................................... 6-3 Future Road Improvements ......................................................................................... 6-3 Private Roads .............................................................................................................. 6-10 Transit Services ........................................................................................................... 6-10 Public Sewer & Water .................................................................................................. 6-10 Above-Ground Utilities ................................................................................................. 6-11 Fire and Police Services .............................................................................................. 6-11 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 iii �TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Greenspace, Parks, Open Space................................................................................. 6-11 Summary of Public Land Investments............................................................................... 6-12 Chapter 7: IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................ 7-1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 7-1 Focusing on Priorities ....................................................................................................... 7-1 Annual Tasks.................................................................................................................... 7-1 Top Priorities .................................................................................................................... 7-1 List of Recommended Priorities........................................................................................ 7-2 South Central Neighborhood Conservation and Commercial Revitalization Plan ......... 7-2 Zoning & Related Ordinance Amendments .................................................................. 7-3 North Central Commercial Development and Mixed Use TND Plan ............................. 7-3 Opportunity-Based Initiatives ....................................................................................... 7-3 Duty-Based Initiatives .................................................................................................. 7-4 LIST OF MAPS 2-1 Topography .............................................................................................................. 2-12 2-2 Watersheds .............................................................................................................. 2-15 2-3 County Drains in DeWitt Township ........................................................................... 2-16 2-4 Environmental Limitations and Hazards.................................................................... 2-17 2-5 DeWitt Township Soils.............................................................................................. 2-20 2-6 Soils With Septic Limitations..................................................................................... 2-21 2-7 Soils With Basement Limitations............................................................................... 2-22 2-8 Land Use/Land Cover, 1999 Data ............................................................................ 2-25 2-9 Land Use by Tax Class ............................................................................................ 2-26 2-10 Agriculture Preservation Map ................................................................................... 2-29 2-11 Public Water System ................................................................................................ 2-35 2-12 Public Sewer System................................................................................................ 2-36 2-13 Publicly Owned Land................................................................................................ 2-39 2-14 School Districts in DeWitt Township ......................................................................... 2-46 2-15 Classification of Area Roads..................................................................................... 2-48 2-16 Roads by Jurisdictional Responsibility...................................................................... 2-49 2-17 Annual Average 24-Hour Traffic Volumes for DeWitt Area Highways and Surrounding Region............................................................................................... 2-50 2-18 Traffic Counts........................................................................................................... 2-53 4-1 Future Land Use....................................................................................................... 4-2 4-2 Special Planning Areas ............................................................................................ 4-28 6-1 Future Road Improvements ...................................................................................... 6-5 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 iv �TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) LIST OF TABLES 2-1 Population of DeWitt Township and Surrounding Region, 1980-2000....................... 2-1 2-2 Population Projection for DeWitt Township, 1980-2020: Based on 2000 Census ..... 2-2 2-3 Population Projection for DeWitt Township, 1980-2020: Based on 2004 Estimated Population............................................................................................. 2-2 2-4 Households in DeWitt Township, 1980-2000 ............................................................ 2-4 2-5 Households in DeWitt Township, 1980-2020 ............................................................ 2-4 2-6 Average Household Size, 1980-2000 ....................................................................... 2-5 2-7 Building Permits Issued and Demolitions, 2000-2004 YTD ....................................... 2-5 2-8 Educational Attainment in DeWitt Township and Surrounding Region ...................... 2-6 2-9 DeWitt Township Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment ............................. 2-7 2-10 DeWitt Township Employment by Industry 2000....................................................... 2-8 2-11 Employment by Industry, Clinton County 1997-2000 ................................................ 2-8 2-12 Income Distribution in DeWitt Township and Surrounding Area ................................ 2-9 2-13 Poverty Levels in DeWitt Township and Surrounding Area....................................... 2-9 2-14 DeWitt Township SEV: 1999, 2001 and 2003........................................................... 2-10 2-15 DeWitt Township Projected SEV: 2005 and 2007 ..................................................... 2-11 2-16 Land Cover/Land Use in DeWitt Township, 1999 ..................................................... 2-24 2-17 Traffic Volume Increases/Decreases on Key Road Segments.................................. 2-52 4-1 Land Planned for High Density Residential............................................................... 4-11 5-1 Comparison of Map Designations on Future Land Use Map and Zoning Map .......... 5-2 5-2 DeWitt Township Zoning District Regulations ........................................................... 5-6 6-1 Proposed Road Improvements ................................................................................. 6-6 LIST OF FIGURES 1-1 1-2 2-1 2-2 6-1 6-2 Location Map............................................................................................................ 1-1 Adjoining Jurisdictions Map ...................................................................................... 1-2 DeWitt Township Population by Age and Gender ..................................................... 2-3 Year 2000 Median Housing Values, Lansing Metro Area.......................................... 2-6 Future Road Cross Sections..................................................................................... 6-7 Roundabouts Should be Considered for Some Locations......................................... 6-9 LIST OF PHOTOS 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4 2-5 2-6 2-7 Looking Glass River ................................................................................................. 2-13 Remy-Chandler Drain............................................................................................... 2-14 Wetland in DeWitt Township..................................................................................... 2-18 Woodland Along DeWitt Township Road .................................................................. 2-19 Agriculture in DeWitt Township................................................................................. 2-23 Woodland in DeWitt Township.................................................................................. 2-24 Sod Farming on “Unique” Farmland ......................................................................... 2-27 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 v �TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) 2-8 Residential Subdivision in DeWitt Township ............................................................. 2-30 2-9 Apartment Complex in DeWitt Township .................................................................. 2-31 2-10 Commercial Along US-27BR .................................................................................... 2-31 2-11 Crossroads Plaza Along US-27BR ........................................................................... 2-32 2-12 Clark Corner (Formerly Lansing Factory Outlet Mall) on Clark Road ........................ 2-33 2-13 Industrial Site in DeWitt Township ............................................................................ 2-34 2-14 Wastewater Treatment Plant .................................................................................... 2-37 2-15 DeWitt Township Hall ............................................................................................... 2-38 2-16 DeWitt Township Police Station................................................................................ 2-38 2-17 Herbison Road Fire Station ...................................................................................... 2-40 2-18 Station House Park................................................................................................... 2-41 2-19 DeWitt Township Community Center........................................................................ 2-43 2-20 DeWitt High School .................................................................................................. 2-44 2-21 DeWitt Junior High School........................................................................................ 2-44 2-22 Gunnisonville Elementary School ............................................................................. 2-45 2-23 Expressway I-69 in DeWitt Township ....................................................................... 2-47 2-24 Business Route 27 in DeWitt Township .................................................................... 2-51 3-1 The Most Common View is of Woods and Open Spaces.......................................... 3-3 3-2 Some Roads Should be Maintained as They Were in the Early 2000s to Protect Rural Character......................................................................................... 3-4 3-3 Examples of TND from Cherry Hill Village, Canton Township................................... 3-7 3-4 A Lansing Area Green Roof...................................................................................... 3-8 4-1 Active Farmland in DeWitt Township ........................................................................ 4-5 4-2 New Home in DeWitt Township ................................................................................ 4-7 4-3 Single Family Home Under Construction .................................................................. 4-9 4-4 Multiple Family Housing ........................................................................................... 4-10 4-5 Manufactured Home Park in DeWitt Township ......................................................... 4-10 4-6 Commercial Development in DeWitt Township ......................................................... 4-13 4-7 Site Plan Review Standards Should Guide Sign Number, Size and Location ........... 4-14 4-8 Highway Oriented Commercial Development in DeWitt Township ............................ 4-15 4-9 Granger Landfill and Recycling Operations is an Industrial Use in DeWitt Township ............................................................................................... 4-17 4-10 Greater Lansing Area Airport in DeWitt Township .................................................... 4-17 4-11 Encourage Open Space Areas as Part of PUDs and Other Major Residential Developments ....................................................................................................... 4-20 4-12 Achieve a Well-Coordinated and Interconnected Street System............................... 4-21 4-13 Most of the Streets in DeWitt Township are Under the Jurisdiction of the Clinton County Road Commission......................................................................... 4-22 4-14 Protect Historic Resources in DeWitt Township........................................................ 4-24 4-15 Develop Connected System of Greenways that Includes Parks ............................... 4-25 5-1 Agricultural District.................................................................................................... 5-3 5-2 Residential District.................................................................................................... 5-4 6-1 Road and Other Public Infrastructure Investments Will be Necessary ...................... 6-2 6-2 Develop Greenway Connections Such as This One in Western Michigan ................ 6-12 7-1 Preserving the Natural Environment While Accommodating New Homes and Linking Them Throughout the Township are Key Priorities of this Plan........... 7-2 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 vi �PREFACE VISION BASED PLAN This is a Comprehensive Plan to guide future land use and infrastructure decisions in DeWitt Charter Township for the next 20 years. It opens with an introductory chapter and follows with detailed background information in Chapter 2. This is a vision based plan. The vision was created from citizen input at town meetings. Chapter 3 presents a common vision statement for the future of DeWitt Township in 2025. The goals and policies in Chapters 4 and 5, as well as the strategies in Chapter 6 are oriented to achieving the vision. This Plan will both guide and be guided by market forces, and it will never go more than five years before being thoroughly reviewed to ensure it remains relevant, and then it will be updated as necessary. Some components of the Plan, such as portions that are based on the 2001 High Density Residential Study rely heavily on projections. These in particular need to be periodically reviewed and updated as necessary. DeWitt Charter Township is one of the most rapidly growing communities in midMichigan. This moment has long been anticipated and presents both special problems and special opportunities. For some it is seen as a moment of entitlement. To them, it is now DeWitt Township’s turn to build a modern community with a high quality of life around the existing infrastructure framework and land use presently in place—without repeating mistakes of the past. This opportunity includes building out contemporary suburban neighborhoods around and integrated with the City of DeWitt, while stabilizing and improving the quality of existing neighborhoods elsewhere in the Township. The Township wants to encourage the best in new development and redevelopment that respects the rural and suburban character of much of the Township. It also wants to accommodate the newest building quality and design that conforms to green development standards and smart growth principles, each in appropriate measures and locations. Such a future means creating some new neighborhoods in the Township built more on old urban and small rural town characteristics (known as traditional neighborhood development or TND), than on suburban or rural ones. A large TND based on broad citizen input is proposed for possible development east of US-27BR, north of Webb Road and west of Wood Road. This future also means permanently preserving a large area in the northeast and southeastern portions of the Township for agriculture and rural living opportunities. In addition, it means stabilizing and rehabilitating older commercial strips and neighborhoods to prevent more blight and create a more desirable future for residents and businesses in the south central part of the Township. Last, it means planning for the conversion of a substantial amount of land for office, research and light industrial use to enhance not only the tax base in the Township (necessary to help pay for all the services the residential development will need), but also to provide more employment opportunities so that not all residents have to commute to good paying jobs elsewhere in the region. In the aggregate, this vision presents a wider range of desirable living and working choices for Township residents, while maximizing development DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 vii �potential and infrastructure efficiency at cost levels far below those likely to be experienced if the 1991 Plan were implemented as adopted. This vision is not for the faint hearted or those averse to taking well conceived risks. The Township already has sewer and water service spread across much of the Township and must provide police and fire services to all parts of the Township. The costs associated with these services, and variable market pressures in different parts of the Township, make it difficult to cost-effectively expand infrastructure and services, and hence to use infrastructure as a tool to guide growth in an incremental and efficient fashion. Similarly, it is well understood that the Township does not control all the land, all the infrastructure, or all the decisions necessary to successfully implement this Plan. This Plan recognizes that the Township has certain obligations related to new development, as does the development community. This is especially apparent at the present time in the northwest part of the Township. These obligations will be spelled out in more detail in future zoning and subdivision regulations and in future capital improvement decisions. This Plan also recognizes that the Township has equal responsibilities to already developed parts of the Township, and especially in those areas where new investment has been infrequent and signs of blight are evident. Similarly the Township has an obligation to help landowners in the eastern part of the Township who wish to continue long-term agricultural pursuits and the retention of a very rural character in the face of annexation attempts and significant development pressure occurring in the southeast portion of the Township. In contrast, the southwest area presents a challenging mix of major new development and redevelopment potential, along with demands to improve the existing quality of neighborhoods in parts of this area near where the airport plans to expand operations. These are widely varied obligations and depending on the rate of change, may present the Township with special challenges in meeting them. Similarly, Township leaders are acutely aware of both the huge benefit and potential detriment that market forces can have in achieving the vision of this Plan. The market can shift demand for public services from one area to another in a way that creates inefficiencies and higher public costs that can only be borne by requiring the private sector to bear those costs when development is proposed prematurely. But this Plan is also a pragmatic plan, and it is intended to provide general guidance and encouragement to the private sector to assist in helping to create the vision, while describing the situations where the Township will use regulations and infrastructure investments to assure quality development. This Plan seeks to raise the bar for new development in the Township. It expects quality development everywhere in the Township. It expects developers to build only when the full development potential of property can be realized, as established by the uses and densities in the Zoning Ordinance. Similarly, where feasible, future development regulations will provide incentives for developers to build at appropriate densities and to shift more attention to quality design that is both compatible with the area and consistent with the vision of this Plan as expressed by zoning, subdivision and related regulations. Building a quality community is a partnership with many partners: public, private, industrial, corporate, citizen-based and government-based. All must work together to successfully achieve the citizen vision in this Plan. With your help and that of all the other partners, this Plan will become a reality. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 viii �Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION This chapter describes the location of DeWitt Charter Township in the Lansing metropolitan area. It also explains the purposes of this Plan and its relationship to zoning, subdivision regulations, capital improvements planning and related implementation tools. This Comprehensive Development Plan is intended to guide the growth and development of DeWitt Charter Township over the next twenty years. REGIONAL SETTING Location DeWitt Charter Township is located in mid-Michigan in south central Clinton County with its southern border less than three miles from the State Capitol Building. It is the largest suburb on the north side of the Lansing metropolitan area. It is bisected by I-69 and US127. In addition, old US-27 (now Business Route 27, US-27BR) runs the length of the Township connecting Lansing to St. Johns. The Township has a legal description of T5N, R2W and globally sits at 42.813o latitude and -84.543o longitude. It is traversed from east to west by the Looking Glass River, a tributary of the Grand River. See Figure 1-1. Figure 1-1 Location Map DeWitt Charter Township shares its southern boundary with Clinton County the northern boundary of the City of Lansing, Lansing Charter Township and Ingham County. Portions of the City of East Lansing extend into the southeast corner of the Township. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 1-1 �DeWitt Township completely surrounds the City of DeWitt in the northwest quadrant. The Township shares a border on the west with Watertown Township, an eastern border with Bath Township and a northern border with Olive Township. All are in Clinton County. Figure 1-2 Adjoining Jurisdictions Map Vfdo:r Olive, Towns.hip Riley Township Towrn1hip b ~ c: :, C ~ 0 - (,) C - ~ lloWfff Cl~ 0 c: 0 - Township ~ 0 0 C DeWitt Township ! c; Deh.l Townsh ip (.) C City of Lansing Q, ,Bath Watertown >- o, ' Townshiip City of tLa.nslng C = 0 ::,,. C :I Tow11sh'i.l l B ta Ill.! 0 0 E IO .c a, C With a 2004 estimated population of 13,769 persons, DeWitt Charter Township has a mix of small lot, older urban neighborhoods adjacent to Lansing, new suburban housing around the City of DeWitt and large lot rural development in other parts of the Township. BR-27 is the spine of the Township and changes from small lot older commercial development on the south end, to freeway interchange commercial services at I-69 and then scattered commercial establishments north of Herbison Road. Much of the Township has a rural character with many trees and open farm fields along the key arterial roads. There is a strong desire to retain this rural character and the proximity of most residents to open space as the Township continues to grow and redevelop. PURPOSE OF PLAN This Comprehensive Development Plan defines the existing and proposed future character of DeWitt Charter Township. Its fundamental purpose is to allow the Township to comprehensively describe the goals and policies for its physical development. This Plan is intended to guide Township officials and citizens in making decisions about public facilities and the use of public and privately owned land. The DeWitt Charter Township Comprehensive Development Plan was prepared under the provisions of the Township Planning Act 168 of 1959, which specifically gives DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 1-2 �Township Planning Commissions the authority to prepare and officially adopt a future land use plan (called a “basic plan” in the statute). The Comprehensive Development Plan is comprised of text and supporting maps. The most significant map is the Future Land Use Map (Chapter 4) which shows the location and relationship of land in the Township for the next twenty years. The Comprehensive Development Plan provides: 1. A comprehensive means of integrating planning principles and policies that look 20 years ahead to meet future needs regarding general and major aspects of physical conservation and development throughout the Township; 2. An official, advisory policy statement for encouraging orderly and efficient use of the land for residences, businesses, industry, and agriculture, and for coordinating these uses of land with each other, with streets and highways, and with other necessary public facilities and services; 3. A rational basis for zoning, subdivision design, public improvement plans, and for facilitating and guiding the work of the Township Planning Commission and the Township Board as well as other public and private endeavors dealing with the physical development of the Township; 4. A means for private organizations and individuals to determine how they may relate their building and development projects and policies to official Township planning policies. PLAN RELATIONSHIP TO ZONING The Township Zoning Act, Public Act 184 of 1943 provides that "the provisions of the zoning ordinance should be based upon a plan designed to promote the public health, safety and general welfare, to encourage the use of lands in accordance with their character and adaptability and to limit the improper use of lands." This Comprehensive Development Plan is adopted to help provide a strong legal basis for the Township Zoning Ordinance and it contains a Zoning Plan element in Chapter 6 which sets forth the principal district and use regulations of the Ordinance. However, adoption of this Plan does not directly control land use. Such control is left to the Zoning Ordinance (including the zoning map), to land division and subdivision regulations, and to other local ordinances. Plan implementation is made with final decisions on rezonings, special use permits, site plan and plat approvals as well as by the expenditure of Township funds on various capital improvements. UPDATING THE PLAN Because of the constant change in our social and economic structure and activities, the Plan must be maintained through periodic review and revision so that it reflects contemporary trends while maintaining long range goals. By law, this Plan will be reviewed by the Township Planning Commission every five years, and if necessary, updated. If circumstances warranting a change to the Plan come up before the five-year review, then this Plan would be changed. Changes may be necessary because the Plan DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 1-3 �is based upon present goals, knowledge and technology and these change through time. The Plan will be effective to the degree that it continues to: • reflect the needs and desires of the people; • realistically interpret the existing conditions, trends and the dynamic economic and social pressures for change; and • inspire cooperation among the various public agencies, developers, and the citizens of the Township toward achieving common goals. PUBLIC INPUT This Plan was prepared as the result of a public process which examined existing conditions, public input on a vision of what the community should be like in twenty years, analysis of key issues identified by the public, consultation with adjoining units of local government and other governmental agencies and consensus among the Planning Commission and Township Board on specific elements in the Plan. A leadership survey was conducted in the late spring of 2004 and public input was solicited at two Visioning Town Meetings on June 17, and June 29, 2004, and at a Town Meeting on May 19, 2005. A public hearing was also held prior to Plan adoption. OVERVIEW OF CHAPTERS This Comprehensive Development Plan has seven chapters. The second chapter presents a wide range of background information on existing conditions and trends. It summarizes recent demographic and economic characteristics; presents data and maps describing current conditions related to the land and buildings in the Township; and summarizes basic characteristics of the infrastructure and public services available in the Township. The third chapter presents a vision statement, goals and policies for guiding future land use and infrastructure change in the Township. The fourth chapter presents a future land use map and text describing the existing character of various parts of the Township and proposed land use in each area. The fifth chapter presents a zoning plan to guide future revisions to the Township Zoning Ordinance. The sixth chapter describes the essential parts of the growth management strategy. The last chapter lists a set of actions that should be taken to implement this Plan. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 1-4 �Chapter 2 SUMMARY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS INTRODUCTION This chapter describes conditions as they exist in DeWitt Township as of the summer of 2004 or as of the date of the mapping or inventories on which they were based. The discussion looks at population trends, socio-economic data, natural and cultural features, transportation conditions, the use of the land and the capacity of the land for various purposes. DEMOGRAPHICS Total Population The population of DeWitt Township increased by 2,105 persons between 1980 and 2000 to 12,143, according to the US Census. See Table 2-1. This represents a 21% change during that time period. Within the same period, the City of DeWitt grew by 1,537 persons, increasing from 3,165 to 4,702 persons. This continual growth is representative of Clinton County as a whole. During the same period the County grew from 55,893 persons to 64,753 persons. The rate of population increase in DeWitt Township is, however, accelerating at a faster rate than either Clinton County or the region as a whole. Between 1990 and 2000, DeWitt Township experienced a 16% increase in population, while Clinton County experienced a 12% increase, and the Tri-County region experienced a 3% increase. As of the beginning of 2004, the Township population was estimated to be 13,769 persons. Table 2-1 Population of DeWitt Township and Surrounding Region, 1980-2000 Community DeWitt Township DeWitt City Bath Township Olive Township Watertown Twp. Clinton County Tri-County Region 1980 10,038 3,165 5,745 2,111 3,602 55,893 419,750 1990 10,448 3,964 6,387 2,122 3,731 57,883 432,674 2000 12,143 4,702 7,541 2,322 4,162 64,753 447,728 Total Change 19802000 2,105 1,537 1,796 211 560 8,860 27,978 % Change 19802000 21% 49% 31% 10% 16% 16% 7% Total Change 19902000 1,695 738 1,154 200 431 6,870 15,054 % Change 19902000 16% 19% 18% 9% 12% 12% 3% Source: US Census Bureau If current growth trends continue, the population of DeWitt Township could increase by 2,104 persons, or 17% between 2000 and 2020, based on the 2000 Census figures. See Table 2-2. The City of DeWitt is likely to see an increase of 1,536 persons during the same period. Countywide, Clinton County should see a population increase of 8,860 persons, or 14% over the next 20 years. However, there are many reasons this growth rate could greatly accelerate if the trend from 2000 to 2004 were to continue. Based on the 2004 estimate of the Township population (13,769), DeWitt Township could potentially add 8,128 persons, an increase of 67%, DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-1 �by 2020. See Table 2-3. There is considerable vacant land in the Township with access to public sewer and water that is ripe for redevelopment. Table 2-2 Population Projection for DeWitt Township, 1980-2020: Based on 2000 Census Community DeWitt Township DeWitt City Clinton County Tri-County Region Total Change 2000-2020 % Change 2000-2020 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 10,038 10,448 12,143 13,195 14,247 2,104 17% 3,165 3,964 4,702 5,470 6,238 1,536 33% 55,893 57,883 64,753 69,183 73,613 8,860 14% 419,750 432,674 447,728 457,054 469,488 21,760 5% Source: US Census Bureau. Projections by Planning & Zoning Center, Inc. based on Linear Growth Method. Table 2-3 Population Projection for DeWitt Township, 1980-2020: Based on 2004 Estimated Population Community DeWitt Township 2000 I 12,143 2005 I 14,175 2010 I 16,207 2015 I 18,239 2020 I 20,271 I Total Change 2000-2020 % Change 2000-2020 8,128 67% The portion of the County growth that takes place within DeWitt Township depends on a variety of factors. These factors include lifestyle, commuting habits, economic influences, housing availability and more. Many of these factors are outside of the Township’s control, and others may only be marginally influenced by actions of the community. However, it is likely that for at least the next decade, most of the population growth in the County will occur in DeWitt Township. Age and Gender DeWitt Township is quite balanced between males and females. See Figure 2-1. Males represent 5,959 or 49.1% of the Township population while females represent 6,184, or 50.9%. The median age for DeWitt Township in 1990 was 34.8 and for Clinton County it was 32.3 years. By the year 2000, the median age for DeWitt Township increased to 38.2 years and for Clinton County it increased to 36.7 years. The largest segment of the population falls within the 35 to 44 age range, closely followed by those between the ages of 45 to 54 years. This is largely the baby boomer generation, which is comprised of persons that were born between 1946 and 1964. As the baby boomers move into their fifties and sixties in the next decade and their sixties and seventies in the following decade, there will be a significant increase in the already expanding elderly population. There is also a high proportion of people 17 years or under in DeWitt Township and nearly as many 55 years and older, which suggests that, in addition to providing more services for the elderly within the community, the Township may also need to target more services toward DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-2 �younger residents (such as park and recreation areas). There are numerous implications associated with planning for an aging citizenry. The most obvious include improved emergency services and availability of health facilities, as well as a broad range of housing options suited to elderly needs. There are very few 18-24 year olds in the Township. This information suggests that few persons this age stay after high school graduation. That means few young workers, college students, young singles or young married couples live in the Township. Figure 2-1 DeWitt Township Population by Age and Gender 65 and over 55 to 64 years Age Range 45 to 54 years 35 to 44 years Females Males 25 to 34 years 18 to 24 years 10 to 17 years Under 10 1500 1000 500 0 500 1000 1500 Number of Persons in DeWitt Township Source: US Census Bureau, Census 2000. HOUSING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS Households Between 1980 and 2000, the number of households in DeWitt Township increased by 1,238, or 34%. See Table 2-4. Clinton County as a whole added 5,185 new households during that time period, an increase of 28%. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-3 �Table 2-4 Households in DeWitt Township, 1980-2000 Community DeWitt Township DeWitt City Clinton County 1980 1990 2000 Total Change 1980-2000 % Change 1980-2000 3,601 4,192 4,839 1,238 34% 1,029 1,347 1,624 595 58% 18,468 20,212 23,653 5,185 28% Source: US Census Bureau Between 1990 and 2000, the Township added 647 households, a 15.4% increase, while Clinton County added 3,441 additional households, an increase of 17%. In recent decades, the number of households has steadily risen due to new family formation, families splitting into two households because of divorce, people waiting until they are older to get married, and people living longer after losing a spouse. If the rate of change from 1980-2000 in the number of households continues, there could be 1,238 more households by 2020, an increase of 26%. See Table 2-5. Table 2-5 Households in DeWitt Township, 1980-2020 Community DeWitt Township DeWitt City Clinton County 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 Total Change 20002020 % Change 20002020 3,601 4,192 4,839 5,458 6,077 1,238 26% 1,029 1,347 1,624 1,921 2,218 594 37% 18,468 20,212 23,653 26,245 28,837 5,184 22% Source: US Census Bureau. Projections by Planning & Zoning Center, Inc. based on Linear Growth Method 83.5% of the occupied housing units in DeWitt Township are owner-occupied and 16.5% are renter-occupied. Countywide, 85.3% of the occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.7% are renter-occupied. Most households within the Township are occupied by families (71%) as opposed to householders that live alone (23%). Households with individuals 65 years and over account for 21.6% of all households, while households with individuals under 18 years account for 34%. The average family size is 2.94 persons while the average household size is 2.49 persons, a 10.8% decrease from 1980, when the average household size was 2.79. See Table 2-6. In Clinton County, the average family size is larger at 3.12 persons, while the average household size is 2.70. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-4 �Table 2-6 Average Household Size, 1980-2000 Community DeWitt Township DeWitt City Clinton County 1980 1990 2000 Total Change 1980-2000 % Change 1980-2000 2.79 2.58 2.49 -0.30 -10.8% 3.07 3.03 2.89 -0.18 -5.9% 3.03 2.85 2.70 -0.33 -10.9% Source: US Census Bureau Building Permits Issued The Township gained 845 new residential units from 2000 to 2003. See Table 2-7. Approximately 59% of all new residential units were single family homes as there were 499 building permits issued for new single family homes during that time period. As of July 2004, 73 residential building permits had been issued. In 2000, there was an apartment complex with 144 units developed and in 2001, a permit was issued to a development with 92 units. Between 2000 and 2003, 90 building permits were issued for commercial developments. Table 2-7 Building Permits Issued and Demolitions, 2000-2004 YTD* Year 2000 Dwelling DemoUnits litions 2001 Dwelling DemoUnits litions 2002 Dwelling DemoUnits) litions 2003 Dwelling DemoUnits litions 2004 Dwelling DemoUnits litions Total Res. Permits 288 1 232 6 154 4 171 2 73 2 New SF Res. MF 2 Res. MF 3+ Res. Mod. Homes MH in MHP Commercial Industrial Institutional 118 2 144 1 23 26 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 102 0 92 7 31 25 0 2 5 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 127 0 0 7 20 21 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 152 4 0 4 9 18 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 71 0 0 0 2 7 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 * Permits issued through July 2004. Housing Values The median price of a home within DeWitt Township in the year 2000 was $125,300; a number 4% higher than Clinton County at $120,500. Figure 2-2 illustrates median housing value in various suburbs around Lansing. Meridian Township was the highest at $165,600, next was Williamstown Township at $152,400 and then Delta Township at $133,800. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-5 �Figure 2-2 Year 2000 Median Housing Values, Lansing Metro Area Clinton County Delhi Township DeWitt Township Delta Township City of DeWitt Williamstown Township Meridan Township $0 $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000 $100,000 $120,000 $140,000 $160,000 $180,000 Source: US Census Bureau, Census 2000 EDUCATION Educational attainment provides insight into potential work force development with a community and the desire of out of area companies to locate within or near the community. DeWitt Township has a fairly well educated citizenry. See Table 2-8. Of people 25 years and over, about 28% graduated from high school or have a high school equivalency and over 42% have a college education or at least some college. DeWitt Township has a smaller percentage with less than a high school diploma compared to the average for the whole state of Michigan, and more with a college education or some post-high school education. Table 2-8 Educational Attainment in DeWitt Township and Surrounding Region Percent of Population 25 Years and Over Community DeWitt Township DeWitt City Clinton County Tri-County Region State of Michigan Less than High School High School (inc. HS equiv.) Some College Associate’s Degree Bachelor’s Degree Graduate/ Professional Degree 11.9% 28.1% 26.4% 9.0% 15.9% 8.7% 3.6% 20.6% 28.5% 10.0% 22.7% 14.6% 10.8% 32.9% 26.2% 8.9% 13.8% 7.4% 11.3% 26.6% 25.6% 8.1% 16.9% 11.5% 16.5% 31.3% 23.3% 7.0% 13.7% 8.1% Source: US Census Bureau, Census 2000 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-6 �ECONOMY Employment In 2004, the year-to-date labor force in DeWitt Township is estimated at 7,075, up 100 persons from 2002, and the unemployment rate is 4.4%, up .5% from 2003. See Table 2-9. Unemployment within DeWitt Township parallels that of Clinton County and is slightly below state and national levels. The national unemployment rate has held steady at about 5.7% since December 2003. In contrast, those employed that live in the city of DeWitt have done better as the city has an extremely low unemployment rate of 1.6%. Table 2-9 DeWitt Township Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment Commun ity 2002 Labor Force 2002 Annual Average Unemployment Rate 2003 Labor Force 2003 Annual Average Employment DeWitt 6,975 3.0% 7,025 6,750 Township DeWitt 2,450 1.1% 2,475 2,425 City Clinton 36,025 3.2% 36,350 34,850 County State of 5,039,000 6.2% 5,054,000 4,695,000 Michigan Source: MDCD/ESA/OLMI, Labor Market Analysis Section 2003 Annual Average Unemployment 2003 Annual Average Unemployment Rate 2004 Year to Date Average Employment 2004 Year to Date Average Unemployment 2004 Year to Date Average Unemployment Rate 275 3.9% 6,775 300 4.4% 25 1.4% 2,450 50 1.6% 1,500 4.1% 35,075 1,700 4.6% 358,000 7.1% 4,719,000 360,000 7.1% In 2000, the employed civilian population 16 years of age and over in DeWitt Township was 6,133 persons, with over 35% employed in management, professional, and related occupations. Educational and health and social services industries account for over 19% of employment, followed by manufacturing at 12.8%, and retail trade, which employs 11%. See Table 2-10. Employment figures for Clinton County categorized by sector are shown in Table 2-11. Construction, transportation and public utilities, and services experienced substantial job growth within the County between 1997 and 2000. Over 12% of Township residents were employed within the public administration category, most likely due to the proximity of DeWitt to state government. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-7 �Table 2-10 DeWitt Township Employment by Industry 2000 Number Employed Classification Agriculture service, forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining Construction Manufacturing Transportation and warehousing & Public Utilities Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Rental and Leasing Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services Educational, health and social services Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services Other Services (except public administration) Public Administration Total Percent 31 0.5% 382 785 6.2% 12.8% 270 4.4% 162 673 2.6% 11.0% 553 9.0% 582 9.5% 1,186 19.3% 288 4.7% 384 6.3% 741 6,037 12.1% Source: US Census Bureau, Census 2000 Table 2-11 Employment by Industry, Clinton County 1997-2000 Classification 1997 1998 1999 2000 Private Agriculture service, forestry, fishing, and other Mining Construction Manufacturing Transportation & Public Utilities Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate Services Government and Government Enterprises Federal, civilian Military State and Local Total Employment 17,303 18,319 18,731 19,035 Total Change 19972000 1,732 396 405 426 407 11 2.8% 83 1,692 2,849 80 1,706 2,858 76 1,818 3,018 N/A 1,932 3,107 N/A 240 258 N/A 14.2% 9.1% 508 577 656 627 119 23.4% 882 4,137 927 4,036 940 4,007 986 3,980 104 -157 11.8% -3.8% 1,112 1,485 1,634 N/A N/A N/A 5,644 6,245 6,156 6,231 587 10.4% 2,530 2,531 2,585 2,675 145 5.7% 233 444 1,853 39,666 295 431 1,805 41,700 311 414 1,860 42,632 326 410 1,939 41,655 93 -34 86 1,989 39.9% -7.7% 4.6% 5.0% Source: Michigan Economic Development Corporation DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-8 % Change 19972000 10.0% �Income In 2000, the average household income in DeWitt Township was $49,782. This was 11.45% higher than the Michigan average of $44,667. See Table 2-12 for the percent of households with income at different levels in DeWitt Township and the state of Michigan in 2000. Table 2-12 Income Distribution in DeWitt Township and Surrounding Area Community DeWitt Township DeWitt City Clinton County State of Michigan Percent of Households $35,000 $50,000 $75,000 to to to $49,999 $74,999 $99,999 Less than $10,000 $10,000 to $14,999 $15,000 to $24,999 $25,000 to $34,999 $100,000 to $149,999 $150,000 to $199,999 $200,000 or more 4.0% 4.8% 11.7% 12.1% 17.5% 19.9% 15.6% 10.4% 2.3% 1.6% 4.5% 2.8% 5.0% 13.1% 13.1% 23.7% 21.4% 19.0% 3.2% 2.0% 4.0% 3.9% 10.1% 11.5% 16.7% 25.2% 15.7% 9.5% 1.9% 1.6% 8.3% 5.8% 12.4% 12.4% 16.5% 20.5% 11.4% 8.6% 2.1% 2.0% Source: US Census Bureau, Census 2000 According to the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 105 families with children under 18 years of age below the poverty level in DeWitt Township, or 6.8% of 1,554 families with children under 18 years of age. See Table 2-13. Of 278 families with a female householder and no husband present, with children under 18 years of age, 65 families, or 23.4% are below the poverty level. Table 2-13 Poverty Levels in DeWitt Township and Surrounding Area Families with related children under 18 years Community DeWitt Township DeWitt City Clinton County All Income Levels Below Poverty Level 1,554 820 8,854 105 42 468 Percent Below Poverty Level 6.8% 5.1% 5.3% Families with female householder, no husband present, related children under 18 years Percent Below All Income Below Poverty Levels Poverty Level Level 278 65 23.4% 148 34 23.0% 1,292 299 23.1% Source: US Census Bureau, Census 2000 Tax Base State Equalized Value (SEV) is a measure of the value of the tax base of a community. In Michigan, SEV must equal 50% of true cash value of property. An analysis of the SEV in the years 1999, 2001, and 2003 of real property in DeWitt Township shows that residential land values are strong and continue to increase. Commercial and agricultural land values have also been on the rise, while the value of industrial land has slightly decreased. Residential land represented 75% of the total SEV in 2003, up 4% from 1999. The total residential SEV rose 54% between 1999 and 2003. While agricultural SEV rose over $2.2 million in value, it remained only 2% of total SEV. See Table 2-14. In contrast, industrial SEV for DeWitt Township represented only 1% of the total SEV in 1999 and dropped to .3% in 2003. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-9 �Commercial SEV rose by over $20 million in value between 1999 and 2003, but only increased by 1% of the total SEV. Table 2-14 DeWitt Township SEV: 1999, 2001 and 2003 Total Change 1999-2003 $2,225,400 % Change 1999-2003 42% Total Change 1999-2003 -$29,000 % Change 1999-2003 -2% Total Change 1999-2003 $23,098,300 % Change 1999-2003 51% Total Change 1999-2003 $102,411,100 % Change 1999-2003 54% 2003 Total Change 1999-2003 % Change 1999-2003 $390,455,900 $125,036,390 47% AGRICULTURAL 1999 2001 2003 State Equalized Valuation Agriculture as % of Total SEV $5,260,400 $6,265,000 $7,485,800 2% 2% 2% INDUSTRIAL 1999 2001 2003 State Equalized Valuation Industrial as % of Total SEV $1,415,900 $1,415,900 $1,386,900 1% .4% .3% COMMERCIAL 1999 2001 2003 State Equalized Valuation Commercial as % of Total SEV $45,358,500 $53,590,600 $68,456,800 17% 17% 18% RESIDENTIAL 1999 2001 2003 State Equalized Valuation Residential as % of Total SEV TOTAL REAL & PERSONAL Total State Equalized Valuation $189,406,300 $233,128,700 $291,817,400 71% 73% 75% 1999 2001 $265,419,510 $318,324,240 Source: Michigan Department of Treasury, State Tax Commission Total real and personal SEV increased by $125,036,390 from 1999-2003, a 47% increase. About 81% of this increase came exclusively from the residential sector. The residential sector will continue to represent the largest amount of the total real and personal SEV for DeWitt Township in the coming years. See Table 2-15. If current trends continue, the total real and personal SEV for DeWitt Township is expected to rise from $390,455,900 in 2003 to $432,999,800 in 2005 and $497,594,500 by 2007, a 27% increase. Approximately 91% of this projected increase will come from the residential sector. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-10 �Table 2-15 DeWitt Township Projected SEV: 2005 and 2007 AGRICULTURAL State Equalized Valuation Agriculture as % of Total SEV INDUSTRIAL State Equalized Valuation Industrial as % of Total SEV COMMERCIAL State Equalized Valuation Commercial as % of Total SEV RESIDENTIAL State Equalized Valuation Residential as % of Total SEV TOTAL REAL & PERSONAL 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 Total Change 2003-2007 % Change 2003-2007 $5,260,400 $6,265,000 $7,485,800 $8,598,500 $10,453,000 $2,967,200 40% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 Total Change 2003-2007 Total Change 2003-2007 $1,415,900 $1,415,900 $1,386,900 $1,372,400 $1,357,900 -$29,000 -2% 1% .4% .3% .3% .3% 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 Total Change 2003-2007 Total Change 2003-2007 $45,358,500 $53,590,600 $68,456,800 $80,005,950 $91,555,100 $23,098,300 34% 17% 17% 18% 18% 18% 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 Total Change 2003-2007 Total Change 2003-2007 $189,406,300 $233,128,700 $291,817,400 $343,022,950 $394,228,500 $102,411,100 35% 71% 73% 75% 79% 79% 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 Total Change 2003-2007 % Change 2003-2007 Total State $265,419,510 $318,324,240 $390,455,900 $432,999,800 $497,594,500 $107,138,600 27% Equalized Valuation Source: Michigan Department of Treasury, State Tax Commission; Projections by Planning & Zoning Center, Inc. based on Linear Growth Method. NATURAL RESOURCES Topography and Drainage The land in DeWitt Township varies from generally flat areas formed of glacial till plains to gently rolling areas resulting from moraines and outwash areas. Variations in the surface relief in the Township are generally not pronounced and as a result, the natural drainage network is poorly developed. To improve drainage, a fairly extensive system of improved county drains has been developed over the years. Much of the topography in the Township is seen as an asset to development because slopes are generally less than 5%. DeWitt Township possesses very little topography too severe for development. The highest point in the Township is approximately 930 feet above sea level and is found in Section 34 in the extreme southeast. The low point in the Township is at the Looking Glass River as it exits the Township in the northwest, along Airport Road. At this point, the elevation is approximately 785 feet. From east to west, the fall of the Looking Glass River is less than 20 feet in six miles. Throughout the Township, the vast majority of elevations are in the 830 to 870 foot range with local relief seldom varying by more than 30 feet. See Map 2-1. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-11 �Map 2-1 Topography Topography El:,r,o lJlir, (P'..,,. A t tM, S.~ • rs - uo - &!J - - !.••• J 7'!11 - BDD - B1-0 !111 - 8:il) !2 . 930 - 85 83 • i!JID _ e.o,. llfio ~ • B60 - B7<1 an - BSD SIi - BUD 1191. 9ua 9:l • 9·10 91 -~o 9:2 · 9"30 N t Charter -fownshi p IP1anntng Department 140 l W. Herbison :Rd. OeWi , Ml 48820 (5 17) 669-6:576 S:iutr::..: !e of Mi,t,iua • · · ma!'Jm Ci!nll!rllir Ge<!Qr~ph"' DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-12 �All of DeWitt Township lies within the broad Grand River drainage basin. Only the extreme southern portions of the Township drain directly southward toward the Grand River. The remainder of the Township is within the watershed of the Looking Glass River, which ultimately empties into the Grand River far to the west in Ionia County. Map 2-2 shows the four subwatersheds in DeWitt Township. Photo 2-1 Looking Glass River Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department The Looking Glass River is the predominant natural drainage feature of the Township. See Map 2-3. The Looking Glass River and the overall drainage network is an invaluable asset from an environmental standpoint as well as for the visual character that it provides to the community. The river, which is a remnant glacial drainage way, diagonally traverses the northwest quadrant and flows from the northeast to the southwest. Its 100-year floodplain lies within the 793 and 806 feet elevations. The width of the floodplain is generally from 800 to 1,000 feet, but is nearly one mile wide at its extreme in Section 3 where the Remy-Chandler Drain from the south and the Rouse Drain from the north converge with the Looking Glass River. Other significant low lying flood-prone areas are located along the Gunderman Lake Drain adjacent to US-27BR between Northcrest and Clark Roads, and along the Prairie Creek, south of the City of DeWitt. Map 2-4 illustrates the extent of mapped floodplains in DeWitt Township. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-13 �Photo 2-2 Remy-Chandler Drain Photograph by Bruce Keilen Many of the drains, as well as the Looking Glass River, will flood the low lying areas along their banks in times of heavy rainfall and also during the springtime snowmelt. These flood-prone areas have several implications for planning, such as consideration in the construction of structures, the planning and design for new roads, including bridges, culverts, storm drains, and stormwater retention facilities, and the location of recreational and other open space areas. Efforts should be made to preserve and maintain the floodplains, the woodlands, and pasture lands along the streams in a vegetated state. In so doing, the potential long-term adverse environmental and economic impacts that development of these fragile corridors brings can be minimized. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-14 �Map 2-2 Watersheds Watersheds. IM;ap . .I V Looid ~a'ferac.lT!ed!i D n Glass Iver G.r.!ol'ld Rt,,e.Loo'r.1'11,J 0 1896 Ftllrer - LOOklng G IB9!1 River , - Remey Chandler Oram April 27, 2004 Charter-Town · Plcann·ng Departmen t 140 1 W. Herbr5on Rd . DeWitt, t.t l 48820 (517) 669-6578 S a nce : Mlel,ga r:.. por1m ""' c,1 ~ oru ro l R.,..,.,n,~ DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-15 �Map 2-3 County Drains in DeWitt Township Cliinton County Drain Map / \ / c nton oounty Dra ins Townsh· Boumla ry D N i March 31 , 2004 Planning Depa rtmttnl 1401 W. H:erbison Rd. flew·tt, Ml 48820 (517 ) 669-6576 !le<m:e: Clin b:i:i Cconly Cr~ Corr,m l n DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-16 �Map 2-4 Environmental Limitations and Hazards ,Environmental L1mitations ,& IHazardls Map ~ W~llal'lld a-.tl h)-dl ie-M ils O\l . 'la~ Floocillain, Steep S~ing Soils LJ Tcwn5ililp ,60unef~ dli)lofe<l ·Ofl lhl!. m<13 r.gr.ipll t\OQII: :re for lnW!n mill J)Jrf>OSt!'l; only. F""°'"" h <>On$ w e ~p r<ipriolio ~ t:'/ r Cletl i<i>d 1~11.ilO"lt CII' envimrwnenfaj lim fbrticas ~ aza-d s. N t April rn. 2004 DeVVi C:lhlrter Township Pl an11ing Department hl0<1 H,e rbison Rd . w_ 1:1~Wttt, Ml 4882 0 (517) 00Mi57 8 so,,He: Na-:ion• W Uan ln'<Wlt1;11y, N.iJb oo .1 15?10C!d s;ur:lil Clit .Pr-=>5r-11Yt Jun.e 1&, 1•i;-.so, et,,1C<) Oour,fy· G4S , Unil;d Sla~ ; l;)ep;irjm en1 cf Aw yl~re DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-17 �Surface Waters and Wetlands The Looking Glass River and its natural and improved tributaries are the predominant water bodies in the Township. The largest body of water is Lake Geneva and it is located within the boundaries of the City of DeWitt. There are also a few small ponds within wetland areas, and several are the result of sand and gravel extraction operations. Photo 2-3 Wetland in DeWitt Township Photograph by Mike Nolen There are numerous wetland areas within the Township and many are found in association with the floodplain of the Looking Glass River and the other drainage ways. See Map 2-4. Within DeWitt Township, wetlands are generally comprised of deciduous shrub and grass swamps and lowland forests. In an effort to maintain the natural drainage network, it is important to protect the associated floodplains, wetlands, and vegetation from overdevelopment. Protecting floodplains and wetlands helps prevent flooding, erosion, and pollution problems. Wetlands provide for water quality improvements, fish and wildlife habitat, flood control, and recreation. Woodlands Mature trees found in various portions of the Township are important features of the community. In some cases there are relatively large tree stands, primarily on undeveloped property. In other, more developed areas, there are groups of trees, or larger, mature single trees. These resources contribute to the character of the area and deserve consideration during the development review process. See “upland forest” on Land Use/Land Cover Map 2-8. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-18 �Photo 2-4 Woodland along DeWitt Township Road Photograph by Mike Nolen Soils and Environmental Limitations Soils in DeWitt Township range from well drained sandy loams to very poorly drained soils formed in sandy loams, clay loams, and muck. See Soils Map 2-5. Much of the undeveloped portions of the Township contain soil that is highly productive and very valuable for farming purposes. These areas are under increasing pressure to develop. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-19 �Map 2-5 DeWitt Township Soils Soils M,ap Solt Serie5, - Adrian II Blount - 80\,'er Capac Gi!!r!I~, CQhoc:tah Gett/OM GOt'unn:a I Edw:an!t.. Gilford Granby H~h.k1tr1 Kibble Lap~r Al tte N Ma1hertor1 - Metamor~ Me1ea Oil ille Oshtemo - a,....os:5,0 Palm~ - Parkhill - Se1iE!'lla Sel ridge Sims - Sisson Sloan - Sl)ink:s The'lf-ol'd = Wallllill Wa$13pi Wa$htelll'3i'f Ottier Pian r1ing Uepartmer1t 1401 W . Herbisof! Rd" D.QWitt, Ml 48820 {517) ,5139>,5576 S.Ouroa. Sall Surv<'}•arel bm Co1nl)>, '-I • IJ !;. C p;ilfT1nlJn1 .,.!JIQ.Jll ur~ 4117!11 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-20 �Map 2-6 Soils with Septic Limitations S01 ls with Sep·tic L·im1itations Map ___, TOW~l'tp 80'1nd$)' SOil ij - S8'"'-"1;1 Mooora1ll _J Slight M I September 16. 2004 Planning IDepartmenl 1401 W. erbison I DeWitt, ~I 48620 (54 7) 669•6576 SOIi: ce ll ilea Si.ii~ D!lpa!Vnei'JI Cl /i.(!(IOIJliue-, Silil Conseri..alion &fl,ce DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-21 �Map 2-7 Soils with Basement Limitations Basement. L1imitat.ions. Map April 16, 2004 DeWi Cha,rt - . r To'i,lll n shlp Plan ning Departmell'I 14,01 W , Herbi son Rel. De Witt, MI 4&820 (5,117) 669-&5 6 SOul"Cfl. Cl Lal COun'1y G S,, U SIi ~ I ol""91K1JI ""· 191l DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-22 �Map 2-6 depicts soils with septic limitations. In areas with soils unsuitable for septic systems, individual on-site treatment systems are possible, but require much larger lots and possibly special engineering for large drainfields and replacement fields. The second drain field to be built is often needed about 15 to 20 years after the first. On soils with limitations for septic systems, maintaining an adequate separation distance between the septic system (tank and drain fields) and the well and those of neighbors usually requires lots at least two acres in size. Of course, much smaller lots are possible where there is public sewer available. Sites with septic systems or on-site treatment systems are subject to review by the Mid-Michigan Health Department and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Map 2-7 depicts soils that have limitations for basements. These soils are unstable and foundations are more susceptible to cracking and heaving. Greater attention to engineering of foundations and concrete slabs is necessary in those areas with moderate to severe limitations. In addition, special drainage may be necessary around the footings to prevent wet basements. Basements are subject to DeWitt Township Building Department review and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The location of the soil groupings having the most severe on-site septic system and other developmental limitations is therefore an important consideration in the Township’s long range development plans. LAND COVER AND LAND USE Land cover is a description of the presence or absence of vegetation and if present, the type of vegetation and if not, the type of land use. Types of vegetation could include agriculture, upland forest, lowland forest, pastures or meadows and others. Non-vegetative cover types include developed areas (commercial, residential, industrial), gravel pits, etc. Photo 2-5 Agriculture in DeWitt Township Photograph by Bruce Keilen DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-23 �Map 2-8 depicts land use and land cover in the Township in 1999. The land cover type with the most extensive, continuous area was active agricultural land. Agriculture occupied much of the northeast and parts of the northwest and southwest portions of the Township and extended into neighboring jurisdictions. The total land area of DeWitt Township, excluding the City of DeWitt, the City of East Lansing and areas subject to PA 425 agreements, is approximately 19,880 acres. Of this total area, more than 6,834 acres, or about 34.4% of the Township area has been developed (residential, commercial/institutional, industrial, infrastructure and recreational), based on the information shown in Map 2-8. In total, 37.7% of the land in the Township was in agricultural use in 1999. Residential accounted for 21.7% of the land in 1999, commercial 2.8%, and industrial 0.3%. See Table 2-16. Upland fields and forests are scattered in nearly all areas of the Township but are more numerous and extensive in the central portion. Photo 2-6 Woodland in DeWitt Township Photograph by Stephen Gobbo Table 2-16 Land Cover/Land Use in DeWitt Township, 1999 Land Use/Cover Categories Agriculture Residential Commercial/Institutional Industrial Infrastructure Recreational Extractive Upland Field Upland Forest Wetlands Open Water Total Number of Acres % of Total 7,504 4,315 557 61 1,877 25 364 2,229 1,966 859 124 19,880 37.7% 21.7% 2.8% 0.3% 9.4% 0.1% 1.8% 11.1% 9.9% 4.3% 0.6% 100% Source: DeWitt Township Planning Department. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-24 �Map 2-8 Land Use/Land Cover, 1999 Data Land Use/ 1 Land Cover :M,ap ltM rufol ~1111:iil r I • ~·· d ililr_1?~ N I June 9, 2004 Ch...arter-Townshi,p Ianni r1ment 1401 son R:d . De.WU, Ml 48820 (5 17) 669°657 S Sa.Jno.., F'I DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-25 n-(:ou y lbeg<?n.al ~ CO!flrnl~~oo 1!1!;1l(t•la �Map 2-9 Land Use by Tax Class Land Use By Tax. ,Cllass Ma.p June 9. 2004 Planning Department t401 W _:Herbl~on R.d . D@Witt, Ml 48820 {5 17) 669-6576 S.C.Jrc,,,_ D!!WiltC a~Jo-M'l~hlp, ""~;$$"~ o~-~1 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-26 �LAND USE BY TAX CLASS Map 2-9 shows land use by the classifications used by the tax assessor. The tax classifications include agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, developmental and exempt (publicly owned or other lands not required to pay property taxes, such as federal, state, county and Township-owned lands). This information is different than that in Map 2-8, Land Use/Cover, in that it depicts land use by tax class with a parcel map as the basis. Not all of a parcel may presently be used by the tax class indicated. The two maps together provide a good description of how land is presently used and the present extent of that use. Agriculture Map 2-8 illustrates land in agricultural use in 1999. Most of this land has been in agricultural production for more than 100 years. Prime farmlands are naturally endowed with the soil quality, growing season, and moisture content necessary to sustain high crop yields under average farming practices. “Unique” farmlands are those areas that because of their peculiar properties are highly suitable for the production of certain specialty crops. In DeWitt Township, the muck lands that are located in the southeast area are considered unique because of their ability to support truck farming. Truck farming is growing fruits and vegetables for market, to sell to individuals or to supermarkets and grocery stores. The term truck farming originated when growers began transporting their produce by truck to cities and other places to be sold. The majority of local prime agriculture lands are located in the eastern third of the Township. Agricultural products produced in DeWitt Township include cash crops, truck crops, and livestock. Photo 2-7 Sod Farming on “Unique Farmland” in DeWitt Township ------- Photograph by Bruce Keilen DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-27 �Where there are large blocks of farmland, farmers have often taken action to protect the farmland from conversion to another use through enrollment of the land in either the state PA 116 (Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program) or the state PDR program. Under the PA 116 program, land owners have agreed to relinquish their non-farm development rights for periods in excess of ten years in exchange for State Income Tax credits and exemptions from certain special assessments. About 838 acres have been permanently protected by purchase of development rights through the state PDR program. The high participation by farmers in the eastern portion of the Township in these programs has helped to prevent otherwise expected parcel fragmentation and rural housing development in this area. Many of the PA 116 parcels can be expected to come out of the program within the next five years. Should this occur and other measures to preserve farmland are not taken, the eventual fragmentation of many large parcels into smaller lots to support rural residential development can be expected. If allowed to occur, this could result in the loss of significant areas of prime farmland. Properties enrolled in the PA 116 program are predominately located in the northeast quadrant of the Township, east of US-127 and north of I-69. A smaller number of parcels are enrolled in the program in the southeast corner of the township, east of US-127 and south of I-69. Map 2-10 illustrates these lands. A number on a parcel indicates the year a PA 116 contract expires. If not renewed, this is often an early indicator that the land may soon become available for development. Other agricultural areas within the Township include the northwest corner of the Township along Airport Road, between Howe Road and Cutler Road, and south of I-69, near Stoll Road and DeWitt Road. There are also a small number of agricultural parcels scattered throughout the remaining parts of the Township. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-28 �Map 2-10 Agricultural Preservation Map Ag rii cu l tu ra II Preserva·t1on Map Ill Pio - ellies I fhe PDR Program Pro;pedies in the Pa 116 Program ow11~ Doun<I I)' N August 3. 20 fllannt gi l)epartmenl 14•01 W . lrl'erbison IR.d. DeWiU. MI 48820 (5 71'669'-6576 &,,,l(,e.- DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-29 Mteh•OAft i,partm<l'II clA;rlcullur<t �Residential Land Use In the more rural areas of the Township, residential development has come in the form of singlefamily homes on large, wooded tracts of land and on farmsteads. Much of this rural residential development is in the north-central portion of the Township along Wood Road, from Webb Road to Round Lake Road. Most of this land is zoned Agricultural and the minimum lot size in the Agricultural zoning district is one acre. Photo 2-8 Residential Subdivision in DeWitt Township Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department Residential subdivisions are scattered throughout the Township, with the heaviest concentrations being located in the center of the Township west of US-27BR, from Interstate 69 north to Dill Road, and in the northeast portion of the Township near the City of DeWitt. Most of these subdivisions contain single family homes. Residential subdivisions close to the US-27BR corridor are zoned for both single family and two-family homes. Multi-family residential areas can also be found in this area and serve as a buffer between the US-27BR commercial strips to the east and the single and two-family residential to the west. These subdivisions are generally zoned R3, R4, or R5, with lot sizes ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 square feet. A large pocket of land in the southern tier of the Township, south of Stoll Road along the US27BR corridor, is currently zoned M-2 Multiple Residential, which has the potential to be developed at 4.1 to 8 dwelling units per acre. This land is mostly undeveloped. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-30 �Photo 2-9 Apartment Complex in DeWitt Township Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department Mobile home parks can be found east of Wood Road, between Stoll Road and Coleman Road, near the US-127 freeway. Another mobile home park can be found near the southern border of the Township off of Turner Road. Photo 2-10 Commercial along US-27BR Photograph by Phyllis Daggy Commercial Commercial uses are primarily located along US-27BR. The area near Capital City Airport also contains significant commercial acreage. Typically, commercial establishments seek out major streets with high traffic volumes to maximize their visibility and encourage drive-in trade. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-31 �However, when a major street begins to develop commercially, the number of driveways often proliferates, contributing to traffic congestion and conflicts between through traffic and the vehicles entering and exiting driveways. This Plan recognizes that the demands for a wide variety of commercial types of development are likely to increase within the planning period as more and more residents move into the area. These demands are most likely to be greatest along the entire length along US-27BR, where traffic volumes are greatest, and where commercial establishments can take advantage of a more concentrated consumer market. Because the existing commercial area along US-27BR south of I-69 is experiencing blight and there are conflicts between mixed uses, the Township should analyze potential markets for the area and devise a program to revitalize the area. Photo 2-11 Crossroads Plaza along US-27BR Photograph by Phyllis Daggy US-27BR is the primary commercial corridor within DeWitt Township. There are two distinct commercial subareas along US-27BR: the portion of US-27BR south of I-69 to the Lansing border and the portion north of I-69 to Round Lake Road. The southern portion of US-27BR south of I-69 is older and in need of redevelopment in order to compete with other corridors in the region. Most of the commercial land use in the southern tier is geared toward community businesses. Significant vacant land still exists along US-27BR in the southern tier of the Township. Local and community businesses, along with shopping center businesses mark the US-27BR corridor north of I-69. Most of these businesses and centers are newer than those on the southern portion of US-27BR. The Clark Corner development (formerly the Lansing Factory Outlet Mall) near the intersection of Clark Road and US-27BR has gone largely underutilized. Many of the stores within the development are vacant. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-32 �Photo 2-12 Clark Corner (Formerly the Lansing Factory Outlet Mall) on Clark Road Photograph by Mike Nolen Office Uses Office activity in DeWitt Township is primarily located in existing commercial areas, including the Crown Pointe development on US-27BR, north of State Road, and the Schavey Road shopping center. New office development is beginning to emerge on properties at the western Township border along Airport Road, north of the I-69 interchange. Most of the land zoned for office uses in this area is located on both the north and south sides of Clark Road. These properties are generally adjacent to local and community-based businesses as well as a few multiple family residential developments. Auto-Owners Insurance Company is considering relocating from its current location in Delta Township, to a new location within DeWitt Township. The proposed site sits along I-69, south of Clark Road and west of DeWitt Road. The current Auto-Owners home office is located in a business and residential complex in Delta Township. If the move takes place, a new AutoOwners headquarters would have significant impacts on traffic flow and local road capacities. It has the potential to attract other commercial and office developments and could bring in a significant number of new residents who are employed by Auto-Owners. Industrial A small number of industrial land uses exist in DeWitt Township. Approximately 61 acres are used for various industrial activities; however, 396 acres are zoned for industrial uses. Geographically, industrial activities are not concentrated in one particular area, but rather are dispersed throughout the community. The largest grouping of industrial uses within the Township is at the southern border along Wood Road. There is also a small pocket of industry located south of Clark Road between US-27BR and Boichot Road. There are a small number of industrial sites scattered about the northern section of the Township. The Capital City Airport and excellent freeways serving the Township provide significant opportunities for long-term industrial use. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-33 �Photo 2-13 Industrial Site in DeWitt Township Photograph by John Warbach INFRASTRUCTURE Water Supply Residents in the Township are provided with municipal water through the distribution system of the Lansing Board of Water and Light (BWL). In recent years, a major extension of the water distribution system along Herbison Road, easterly to US-27BR has occurred. This extension allows service to reach a large number of new residential and commercial customers as well as several areas of existing developments. Because the remainder of the Township presently must rely on private wells, additional extensions of the municipal water system are expected to occur over time but are very much subject to cost feasibility. See Map 2-11. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-34 �Map 2-11 Public Water System Water Map Water Legerid N. 6" & 8" w~•ar ine ~ W' & 12" Waler Line ~ 16" Water Line W ,301• Water Lin@ L] Tmvnshlp Bounda ry N t Ap ·11 6, 2004 Pl:i nnrng Depa limenl ·1140 W. Herbison Rd. DeWitt , Ml 48820 (5 7) 669-6 576 Source . Lan8ing Boaid 61"Wat.., & LIQ!II DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-35 �Map 2-12 Public Sewer System Sanitary Sewe-r Map N April 14, 2005 Ch l"l;el"T nning oeparunen 1401 w. Heroison RO. DeWitt, MI 4-8820 (S'17) 689-657,6 S.Oufl:e: ,$c;,ulkm Clht.oro Co1;nly !u_niel~i U "li1i~ A/JU)Orit; (SCCl~U.A) t.a..i... Tt,i!i 111 '!Ji do · Olh!tr ,n:n D.Wli I Tct,.,,•h ip. ~ , tiif ~ ~IIO'M> - r ·nsihr.at~ O'Miied b:, ffU'licipa..l ilie& L, ·re """""' ..... Jl,.ppl k:ar«. l!d l;o verif i:J l!l'la <1ep1h" ,,,;Iii .sccr-1 . A. «•~..- m>in ~~• • • DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-36 u_, �Wastewater Treatment DeWitt Township along with the City of DeWitt, Watertown and Bath Townships are part of the Southern Clinton County Municipal Utilities Authority (SCCMUA). The wastewater treatment plant is located on Herbison Road just west of Schavey Road. It has a maximum capacity of 5 million gallons per day, and is currently operating at one-fifth of its total capacity. SCCMUA discharges into the Looking Glass River and maintains a current National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Its capacity is shared by the four municipalities it serves. SCCMUA is governed by a ten member Board of Commissioners comprised as follows: two representatives from Bath Township, two representatives from Watertown Township, one representative from the City of DeWitt and five representatives from DeWitt Township. SCCMUA also operates and maintains the wastewater collection systems, including the 42 lift stations, numerous manholes, over 30 miles of force main, and sewer collection pipes (greater than 200 miles of various line size) for the four municipalities. At the present time, sanitary sewer lines serve much of the development in the Township south of the Looking Glass River and west of US-127. See Map 2-12. Photo 2-14 Wastewater Treatment Plant Photograph by SCCMUA COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES Township Hall The DeWitt Township Hall was constructed at its 1401 W. Herbison Road location in 2000. The Township Hall houses the Township’s administrative offices as well as the Board Room, where board meetings, public hearings, and planning commission meetings take place. The Township Hall and the public facilities in the following sections are located as illustrated on Map 2-13 entitled “Publicly Owned Land.” DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-37 �Photo 2-15 DeWitt Township Hall Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department Public Safety The DeWitt Charter Township Police Department provides police services to residents and businesses on a full-time basis. The Department is comprised of a Chief of Police, a Lieutenant, two Sergeants, and ten Patrol Officers, including two K-9 teams. The administrative staff provides professional office support to these sworn personnel. The Chief of Police oversees all aspects of the Police Department operation both directly and through the Command staff. Photo 2-16 DeWitt Township Police Station Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-38 �Map 2-13 Publicly Owned Land Publlicly Owned Landi u~ila t..,oo Dll,W;tt Chill'! TO'M116 hlll •Oilf al DeWitt •City tlf i.;ar11ir(i 1·· htoncw ,ii, De-\WlPubli Libra'1' DeWitt Public Sci'lools. l..a~ll!J Public i;hooll; Cap,~ R,,giDII Airport "'.J.Jlticfil'I -I ,.tc higan Dl!pl <1f \1;;1. .l!n ~ril:I Milit;, - Mai,, i, lllgan Department or Traml)!)f"iEtlara i'"<,dcr,,i Av i;alim, Adlrin i•lr~ion N t May 241, 2005 Ple.nni g Dep.arune11t 1401 W. erbisolil Rd. DeWitt, Ml 48820 (frl 7 ) 669.16576 :5o-Jn;o- D-eWitl cri,,n~r Tawn~ip A:i•,~''"11 Olli DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-39 . �Fire Department Established in 1962, the Township Fire Department operates out of two stations. Station 1 is located at 1080 East Wieland Road. Station 2, which houses the Administrative offices, is located at 1445 West Herbison Road in the Township (adjacent to the Township Hall). Department staff is comprised of a full-time Chief, a full-time Firefighter, a part-time Fire Marshal, a part-time secretary, 30 paid-on-call firefighters, and two paid-on-call administrative support staff. The Department provides the following services: fire suppression, fire prevention, medical first responder care, vehicle extrication for vehicle accidents, carbon monoxide alarm, public education and other fire related incident responses. The Fire Department also provides mutual aid assistance to neighboring communities. Township firefighters respond to more than 1,000 calls a year for assistance. Photo 2-17 Herbison Road Fire Station Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department Parks and Recreation The DeWitt Charter Township park system consists of nine properties, which total approximately 200 acres (as of 2005). The system contains a variety of neighborhood parks/play lots, community parks and undeveloped property. Community parks are larger than neighborhood parks and offer a broader range of facilities to a larger service population. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-40 �Photo 2-18 Station House Park Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department Neighborhood Parks/Play Lots Coleman Road Park. Granger Waste Management Company donated this 1.3-acre park on Coleman Road, just off Business Route 27, to the Township. It contains a play structure and benches for relaxation. Valley-Turner Park. This 3.4-acre park is located at the intersection of Valley Road and Turner Road. The site is rich with mature maple and oak trees, providing a beautiful, natural canopy to enjoy a picnic lunch or read a book. The park includes six swings, climbers, tunnels, and two picnic tables for the family to enjoy. Station House Park. Station House Park is located at the Township Hall and Herbison Road Fire Station property at 1401 W. Herbison Road. The play lot includes a play structure, four swings, and a picnic table. The play structure complies with the accessibility guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The park also provides barrier free parking and sidewalk access. Community Parks Granger Meadows Park. This 75-acre facility is located at Wood and State Roads. The park has been designed to reflect the agrarian roots of the Township with rolling berms covered in natural meadow grasses, a small orchard, and buildings utilizing natural materials. The park features approximately 9,300 feet of paved trails and 4,500 of mulched trails in a mature, wooded setting. The park also includes three picnic pavilions, a softball diamond, and children’s play area. There is also an outdoor inline hockey rink, with dasher boards, boxes and a scoreboard. The park is designed for year-round activities with a 70-foot high sledding hill. Richard A. Padgett Natural Area. Located on Herbison Road, halfway between Airport and Schavey Roads, this 70-acre natural area park offers a system of both marked and unmarked wandering trails. The southern half of the property is dominated by a mature hardwood stand which includes oaks, cherries and maples. Though barrier free parking and barrier free access DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-41 �to the restrooms are available, the trail system itself is a woodchip surface. The facility also includes picnic tables, grills, and benches on which to rest after a good walk. Looking Glass Riverfront Park. Along the banks of the Looking Glass River, this 5.2-acre park offers beautiful access to the meandering river, picnic tables, grills, canoe access, and a river observation deck. The park has 930 feet of river frontage and includes a gravel parking area. Riverfront Park is located on Herbison Road, just east of Airport Road. Valley Farms Park. The 25-acre Valley Farms Park, located at the intersection of Brook Road and Wieland Road, is the primary active recreation facility in the Township, housing both the Kramer-Ruthruff Area and the Township Community Center. Valley Farms Park contains baseball and softball diamonds, basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, a play structure, two multi-purpose soccer/football fields, grills and picnic tables and lighted, paved barrier free parking. The Kramer-Ruthruff Area is a heavily wooded area, which includes a ninehole disc golf course. Water’s Edge Park. The Township is currently in the process of acquiring the undeveloped 11 acre property at the corner of Wood and Round Lake Roads. The site features river access and will likely include a fishing area. Additional uses are to be determined at a later date. Wood – Webb Park. Located near the intersection of Wood and Webb Roads, this undeveloped property is currently being maintained in a largely undeveloped state. Commonly referred to as “Wood – Webb Park,” the property’s future use is to be determined. It is approximately 7.5 acres in size. Recreational opportunities in the Township are offered through the DeWitt Area Recreation Authority (DARA). DARA was formed in 2003 and handles all recreational programming for the Township and the City of DeWitt. Cemeteries There are two public cemeteries in the Township. The Hurd Cemetery, located on DeWitt Road just north of Stoll Road, has approximately 2,600 gravesites. The Gunnisonville Cemetery, at the intersection of Wood Road and Clark Road, has about 3,000 gravesites and also has a large expansion area that is not platted for gravesites. Community Center The Township Community Center, located at 16101 Brook Road, is the former Valley Farms School and also served as the DeWitt Township Hall from 1980 until 2000. After relocating to the current Township Hall, the Township began a multi-year renovation program to convert the facility into a Community Center. The facility is the home to the DeWitt Area Recreation Authority (DARA) office and hosts many of the Authority’s indoor recreation programs. The facility houses the collection of the Clinton County Genealogical Society and provides a dining site for the Meals-on-Wheels program through the Tri-County Office on Aging. The Community Center has meeting and multi-purpose rooms, a gymnasium, and kitchen facilities available for rent, and also houses a police department substation. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-42 �Photo 2-19 DeWitt Township Community Center Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department Schools Public schools are an important part of the community in DeWitt Township. Schools both educate students and further act as a localized center for community and neighborhood social and recreational activity. The Township is served by five school districts: DeWitt Public Schools, the Lansing School District, Bath Community Schools, East Lansing Public Schools and St. John’s Public Schools. Most school-aged children are served by the DeWitt and Lansing school districts. Map 2-14 shows the boundaries of the school districts. DeWitt Public Schools include four elementary schools, one junior high school and one high school. Elementary schools include the Fuerstenau Early Childhood Center, which serves preschoolers and kindergartners; Schavey Road Elementary, which houses the first and second grades; Scott Elementary School, which houses the third and fourth grades; and Herbison Woods School, serving the fifth and sixth grades. DeWitt Junior High School serves seventh and eighth graders. DeWitt High School is located on Panther Drive, north of Clark Road, and serves grades nine through twelve. In 2002-2003, 2,742 students were enrolled in DeWitt Public Schools. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-43 �Photo 2-20 DeWitt High School Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department Photo 2-21 DeWitt Junior High School Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department The Lansing School District has two elementary schools located within the Township: Gunnisonville Elementary School on Clark Road and the Sheridan School on Sheridan Road. Otto Middle School serves these students as they age. It is located on East Thomas Street, between Sheridan Road and Lake Lansing Road along North Larch Street in Lansing. The Lansing School District as a whole had a headcount enrollment of 17,079 in 2003. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-44 �Photo 2-22 Gunnisonville Elementary School Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department East Lansing Public Schools (ELPS) consists of six elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. Like the Lansing School District, enrollment in ELPS has been declining for twenty years. In 2003, the district had a headcount enrollment of 3,711 students. Elementary students in the southeast corner of DeWitt Township attend Donley Elementary School on Lake Lansing Road, while middle school students go to MacDonald Middle School and high school students go to East Lansing High School. St. John’s Public Schools (SJPS) consists of six elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. It also has an alternative education center. In 2002-2003, SJPS had a headcount enrollment of 3,358. Only students in about 15 acres on one property in northwest DeWitt Township attend St. Johns schools. Bath Community Schools is made up of Bath Elementary School, Bath Middle School and Bath High School, all located about 2 miles east of the DeWitt/Bath Township line in Bath. In 2003, the district had a headcount enrollment of 993. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-45 �Map 2-14 School Districts in DeWitt Township School Districts Bath School District l~ ~ ~=U._ _._ _lli-l/tlo-- -= = =""""""!!e===il f l t i A ,School District Boundary 'l '"'J Townshlp Boundary N i February 24, 2005 Planning Department 1401 W . Herbison Rd. DeWitt, Ml 48820 (5 17) 669-6576 Sou rce : OeWitl Charte r Township Assessing Department East Lansing School Distric DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-46 �TRANSPORTATION The road system serves as the backbone for growth and development of any community. By providing a means for internal and external circulation, it serves the community by helping shape the intensity of land use. Thus, this costly and highly visible element of the community’s infrastructure is one of the most dynamic features of the community’s on-going development. Street Classification The street system serving DeWitt Township can be classified as follows: • Freeways and Controlled Access Arterials: These facilities perform little or no land service function but instead are devoted entirely to the task of traffic movement by providing for large volumes of traffic at relatively high speeds. It is characterized by limited access, multi-lane, divided highways. • Major Arterials: This class of street serves major movements of traffic within or through the area. Mainly designed to move traffic, the secondary function is to provide access to abutting land. Business Route 27 (US-27BR) is the major arterial in DeWitt Township. • Minor Arterials: This class of street serves primarily local or shorter distance traffic and provides a limited degree of continuity. Their principal function is moving traffic with a secondary purpose of providing local land access in connection with the collector and local street system. • Collector Streets: These streets serve the internal traffic movement within specific areas and connect those areas with the major and minor arterial system. Generally, they are not continuous for any great length. The collector street is intended to supply abutting property with almost the same degree of access as a local street, while at the same time serving local traffic movement. Traffic control devices may be installed to protect and facilitate movement of traffic; however, these devices would not be as elaborate as those on arterial streets. • Local Streets: The sole function of these streets is to provide access to immediately adjacent property. There are a number of these roads in the community, but they carry a small proportion of the vehicle-miles of travel. Map 2-15 depicts the street network in DeWitt Township by the above types. Map 2-16 shows the road network by the entities responsible for its maintenance. Photo 2-23 Expressway I-69 in DeWitt Township Photograph by Stephen C. Musselman DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-47 �Map 2-15 Classification of Area Roads - j DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-48 �Map 2-16 Roads by Jurisdictional Responsibility Round Lake Rel 'O 0:: How Rd. Road Ju r1sd icti,ons WebbRdL Herbison Rd. CliarkRd. Stoll Rd. F Stoll Rd. l February 23, 2·005 P lanrfrn(I D eparttnlln t 1401 W . Herbi!al!;lll Rd . DeWitt, I 48820 (5 17) 669-'657 6 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-49 �Freeways and Regional Circulation The most significant transportation related asset of DeWitt Township is the two highways which bisect the area. Interstate 69 traverses the area in a generally east/west direction providing connections to Marshall and Fort Wayne to the south and Flint and Port Huron to the east. US127 crosses the area in a generally north/south direction allowing motorists to travel north through St. Johns and to Lansing and Jackson to the south. These freeways allow safe and efficient access to adjoining jurisdictions as well other intermediate points within the region. Within DeWitt Township are four interchanges along I-69 at Airport Road, DeWitt Road, Business-27 and US-127, and two interchanges along US-127: one at I-69 and one at Round Lake Road along the northern border of the Township. Both freeways primarily accommodate through-traffic. Map 2-17 shows the annual average 24-hour traffic volumes for area highways as of 2003. Map 2-17 Annual Average 24-Hour Traffic Volumes for DeWitt Area Highways and Surrounding Region I i MUIR CLINTON (PEWAMO r-.r-.._..a-..;::u , OQ - ST. J - ·~100,, 4800 OWLER<S> I 1 .. ' . I OVI (6300 !Jd ! , QW 25000 700~. . 1 ! Source: MDOT Annual Average 24-Hour Traffic Volumes Map, 2003 Business Route 27 US-27BR is a state trunkline with a cross section that ranges from four lanes in the south section of the study area to five lanes with additional deceleration lanes north of I-69. The rightof-way along this section varies from 160 to 230 feet. US-27BR is bisected by an interchange DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-50 �with I-69 and provides a major route for Lansing area traffic to reach destinations to the north, along with the US-127 freeway to the east. The US-27BR corridor through DeWitt Township is a roadway that has experienced steady growth in land development and associated traffic volumes prior to the opening of US-127. US-27BR carries a significant amount of traffic and, for many, it serves as a type of identifying feature for the Township. Photo 2-24 Business Route 27 in DeWitt Township Photograph by Stephen Gobbo In December 1993, the Township adopted the US-27 Corridor/Subarea Access Management Plan for the section of US-27BR from Solon Road north to Webb Road and extending along Clark Road for one-half mile on either side of US-27BR. The plan was intended to provide for more efficient access design, to separate conflict areas, to provide driveway location and spacing standards, to preserve public investment and the integrity of the roadway, and to discourage commercial sprawl and strip development. The US-27 Corridor/Subarea Access Management Plan is incorporated into this plan by reference. Traffic Volumes in DeWitt Township For a community with the population of DeWitt Township, traffic volumes are high. See Map 218. Table 2-17 shows the change in traffic volume on key road segments in DeWitt Township in recent years. For example, traffic volumes on Clark Road from Schavey Road to DeWitt Road increased 175% between 1997 and 2003. Clark Road also experienced a 152% increase in traffic volume from Airport Road to Schavey Road during that same time period. Growth here and north of the Township will put considerable pressure on Airport, DeWitt Road, and Turner Road for additional capacity improvements. The character of those improvements will go a long way to preserving the rural and open space character of the Township, or transforming it into an urban setting. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-51 �Table 2-17 Traffic Volume Increases/Decreases on Key Road Segments Road Segment Airport Road from Grand River to Stoll Airport Road from Stoll to I-69 Airport Road from Clark to Herbison Howe Road from Airport to Schavey Clark Road from Airport to Schavey Clark Road from Schavey to DeWitt Road Wood Road from Webb to Howe Wood Road from Stoll to Clark US-27BR from Stoll to Clark Increase or Decrease % Change Change Year of Counts Increase 18.6% 6,458 to 7,664 1990 & 2003 Increase 34.5% 6,707 to 9,023 1990 & 2003 Increase 12.2% 6,407 to 7,188 1997 & 2003 Increase 27.5% 2,312 to 2,947 1997 & 2003 Increase 152% 1,129 to 2,850 1997 & 2003 Increase 175% 1,442 to 3,959 1997 & 2003 Increase 97.9% 798 to 1,579 1990 & 2003 Increase 39.7% 4,032 to 5,632 1997 & 2003 Decrease 22.8% 19,186 to 14,800 1995 & 2003 Source: Tri-County Regional Planning Commission and the Clinton County Road Commission, 1999-2004 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-52 �Map 2-18 Traffic Counts Tra'ffic Count,s, Average Da:I'.,' Vehfc N Trips Co'Jnt (Year) N t ovem ~r .29, 200.:1 De1Ni C h arter Tow o ship F' ,~,ming Dep~n1ment 1 ' 1 W . HerbliSo Rd . De Wilt, ~I 48820 (511) 669-6576 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-53 �Transit The Clinton Transit System, based in St. Johns, provides demand responsive public transportation service to DeWitt Township and the surrounding community. As of 2004, it had no fixed routes. Common trips are transportation for senior, handicapped and lower income citizens to the doctor, the social security office, the Family Independence Agency and to grocery stores. As the population of the Township ages, demand for transit will gain importance. Many Township residents rely on Clinton Transit to get around the community. Occupants of over 3% of all housing units in Clinton County do not own a vehicle. According to the Transit Development Plan for the Tri-County Region (2003), a joint effort of the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, the Capital Area Transit Authority (CATA), the Eaton County Transit Authority, and Clinton Transit, the census block groups with the highest proportion of zerovehicle occupied housing units were located in the southern part of DeWitt Township close to the City of Lansing and around St. Johns. These are a main target market for transit. In 2002, total annual ridership was 51,230. During 2002, Clinton Transit operated a total of 13,893 vehicle hours and 367,677 vehicle miles annually. It is projected that, by 2008, Clinton Transit will operate about 21,000 annual vehicle hours and could provide as many as 73,768 annual passenger trips. Clinton Transit expects the increased capacity to be dedicated primarily to improved service in DeWitt Township, DeWitt City and Bath Township. The focus of this improved service is the US-27BR corridor (with a side pass through DeWitt City). The Transit Development Plan indicates that CATA is also considering the creation of fixed route service along US-27BR from Lansing to St. Johns. It will be important to consider transit stop locations when planning and approving new development, especially along US-27BR. Air Transportation The Lansing metropolitan area is served by the Capital City Airport located in the southwest corner of DeWitt Township, between Airport Road and DeWitt Road, from the Lansing city limits to Stoll Road. The airport is served by six carriers, including Northwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines. Many carriers offer daily non-stop flights to such destinations as Cincinnati, Chicago, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. As part of the process to plan for the future of Capital City Airport, the Capital Region Airport Authority has begun the following planning studies: • Airport Master Plan Update • Airport Noise Compatibility Update • Runway Safety Area Study • Pavement Management Plan The Airport Master Plan Update will provide guidelines for future airport development in a way that will satisfy aviation demand in a financially feasible manner while at the same time addressing airport-related environmental and socioeconomic issues existing in the community. Key features of early drafts of the updated Airport Master Plan are en extension of the existing east-west runway and a new terminal near the intersection of State and DeWitt Roads. The airport last updated its Master Plan in 1995. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-54 �IMPLICATIONS IF EXISTING TRENDS AND POLICY CONTINUE Growth and Preservation Policy of the 1991 Plan In an attempt to better manage growth and development activities in parts of the Township, stagnation in other parts, and a desire for long term agricultural preservation in still other parts, the Township prepared and adopted its first growth management plan in 1991. While it was labeled as a Comprehensive Development Plan, it included all the key characteristics of a growth management plan. It had an urban growth boundary, a development area, transition areas and a preservation area. It had a two-tiered plan for the staging of infrastructure. It also included a description of future land use that was directly tied to the zoning districts used to implement the Plan. The 1991 Plan was also a projections based plan. Extensive text was devoted to projecting future land use needs by type and amount. This was used to guide the identification of primary and secondary stage urban areas where infrastructure and public services were to be targeted first to the primary stage areas and then to the secondary stage areas. Unfortunately, as is often the case with such plans when development is already widely scattered across the Township, future development has not always occurred when and where it was planned. That does not mean the Plan was irrelevant or unimportant—quite the contrary. It has been used to widely guide land use decisions in the last decade, but the staging elements are increasingly less relevant to contemporary land use decisions. Yet, staging is very important, because when development prematurely occurs in an area before all the necessary infrastructure is in place, it puts unnecessary pressure on roads, and the natural environment, and makes it very difficult to cost-effectively provide necessary services. Since development is so widely scattered in the Township, a rigid staging strategy is not likely to work well. Instead, staging should be guided by the availability of necessary infrastructure. When a development is dense or intense enough to require full urban infrastructure and services, then such development is not permitted until those facilities and services are in place. The developer chooses to provide the missing facilities and services or waits until the Township makes them available. An adequate public facilities ordinance should be adopted to accomplish this type of staging (this is discussed in more detail later in the chapter). In an effort to keep the 1991 Plan relevant, it was significantly updated by the adoption of three special subarea plans. The first was the US-27 Corridor/Subarea Access Management Plan in December 1993 for the area from the intersections at Solon Road to Webb Road along US-27BR. This Plan has effectively guided substantial development along this stretch of US-27BR. The second was the High Density Residential: Multiple Family Residential and Manufactured Housing Plan completed in 2001. It determined that the Township need not zone for more manufactured housing parks, or apartment complexes in the near term. The third was the Northwest Area Master Plan a subarea plan to provide more detail for land development in the rapidly growing northwest quadrant of the Township. It was adopted in November 2002. Considerable positive development has occurred pursuant to the 1991 Plan and the three subarea plans. For example: • Strong access management has led to a safe and effective design for new development north of the I-69/US-27BR intersection. • The Township has planned for an appropriate mix of housing, including, stick built homes, manufactured homes, and apartment units. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-55 �• • Over 600 new single family dwelling units have been built in the northwest quadrant. Over 830 acres of farmland have been permanently preserved by farmers in the northeast quadrant through state purchase of development rights and another 2,284 acres are enrolled in the state PA 116 Farmland and Open Space Protection program. As noted earlier in this chapter, development of new single family homes has been rapid since the census in 2000. In addition, many more new developments are proposed. For example proposed projects that have been approved or are nearing the end of the approval process include the following: • 431 single family residential building sites • 217 apartment units, as well as 190 additional manufactured homes in a mobile home park. • 107 acres of office and commercial development. • A new industrial development by the Granger Company is underway on 75 acres between US-27BR and Wood Road in the south central portion of the Township with a new 19.7 acre commercial-industrial park under development across US27 from the Granger development. In addition: • The Capital City Airport is considering a major expansion in the Township over the next twenty years. • The Auto-Owners Insurance Company is planning relocation of its corporate offices to 300 acres located in the Township. • Across Airport Road in Watertown Township, a mixed used development with 272 apartment units and 22 condominium units are proposed, with about 4.2 acres of commercial, office and light industrial. • The entire Eastwood Town Center mall development is rapidly building out just south of DeWitt Township in Lansing Township between Wood and US-127, north of Lake Lansing Road. Residential Buildout Analysis All of the above development activity has led to a growing desire to better understand the implications of growth on the Township’s ability to meet the infrastructure and public service needs that go with that growth. As a result, the Township Planning Department prepared a residential buildout analysis of both the 1991 Township Plan and the 2004 Township Zoning Ordinance. A residential buildout analysis is an estimate of the number of dwelling units that may result if all the land in a community is developed at the maximum allowable density. In conducting both analyses, all types of housing were considered, including single family, duplex, multiple family, and manufactured home communities. The first step in completing the analysis was to determine the portion of the Township that remains “buildable.” Staff used its Geographic Information System (GIS) to evaluate those lots in the Township that have been fully developed for residential. Next, the lots and portions of lots which are unbuildable due to the presence of wetlands, hydric (muck) soils, open bodies of water, and floodplain were eliminated. Although some of these lots may be subject to some development in the future, the presence of these natural features means that they will develop at a significantly lower density than most other properties. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-56 �Two analyses were then conducted on the buildable area of the Township. First, the number of dwelling units that could develop if the Township built-out following the existing Zoning Map was calculated by applying the maximum allowable density in each residential zoning district. The same analysis was then conducted with the Future Land Use Map. In 2004, there are 5,787 dwelling units in DeWitt Township. At total buildout under the current zoning map, the Township could potentially reach 15,534 dwelling units. At total buildout under the current Future Land Use Map, the Township could potentially reach 21,321 dwelling units. Translated into population, the Township would have between 38,680 and 53,089 persons at build out. This is 3 to 4.5 times the current population. There are enormous implications on roads, utilities, police, fire service, parks and schools if the Township were to develop at these densities. Road and utility impacts from recent development are starting to be evident. Congestion is growing on Herbison Road and Airport Roads during peak periods. It will grow substantially more unless the Township in cooperation with the County Road Commission and the City of DeWitt and Watertown Township do not soon begin to plan for significant road improvements. Many other roads will be impacted from future growth as well. The situation will be compounded by future development in adjoining jurisdictions. ANALYSIS OF ADJACENT JURISDICTION PLANS The comprehensive plans of the communities surrounding DeWitt Township, as well as Clinton County and the City of DeWitt were examined for their potential to affect land use in the Township. Plans were examined from the City of DeWitt, Bath Township, East Lansing, Lansing, Lansing Township, Clinton County and Watertown Township. City of DeWitt The City of DeWitt is an “island” completely surrounded by DeWitt Township, but it appears that the City Plan and the Northwest Area Master Plan of the Township are being implemented in a way that largely blurs any distinction between City and Township. According to the City of DeWitt Comprehensive Development Plan 1995 to Beyond 2000, revised in 2002, the City intends to continue to foster a character quite similar to that of DeWitt Township; that of medium to low density residential neighborhoods. However, the City also desires many amenities, such as town squares, broader commercial services, preserved open space, non-motorized recreational and transportation links, a discrete, viable downtown in a traditional town form that are not included in the 1991 Township Plan. The City of DeWitt appears to share the concerns of DeWitt Township officials regarding the impact of traffic, especially future traffic on important roads within the community. A city objective to foster residential development along DeWitt and Herbison Roads in order to reduce traffic speeds may have that effect. The City, Township and Road Commission will need to work together to find bold, long-term solutions to managing common roads in the future. The City of DeWitt Plan highlights six “planning areas,” five of which border DeWitt Township. Three of the areas are planned for medium density residential development. One of these (Planning Area #1) is at the northwest corner of the City, a second (Planning Area #2) is at the northeast corner, along Round Lake Road, and the third, (Planning Area #6) is at the southern border of the City, straddling DeWitt and Herbison DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-57 �Roads. This latter area also includes a mixed use development area across DeWitt Road from the medium density residential area parcels that are adjacent to areas within the Township. One Planning Area is designated as low density residential, and is adjacent to the Township on the north side of Webb Drive. There is also a Public/Quasi Public area (Planning Area #4), which is the Prairie Creek Golf Course, located between Herbison Road and Webb Drive adjacent to the Township, and would perform the function for both communities of recreational open space. All of these areas are planned for future land use that is compatible with land use proposed by DeWitt Township in the Northwest Area Master Plan and this Comprehensive Development Plan. Bath Township Bath Township shares a border with DeWitt Township along Chandler Road/Abbott Road. According to the Bath Township Comprehensive Development Plan, 1996-2000, Bath Township intends to remain rural along the northern part of its border with DeWitt Township, but is planned to develop with a higher density farther south along the mutual border. This latter area is also in the vicinity of recent expansion of East Lansing. The primary objective of the Bath Township Plan, is to promote low-density residential development that preserves environmentally sensitive neighborhoods and rural character. At the same time, their Plan seeks to provide public water to as many residents as possible. Portions of the Plan cite the need for higher density development to support public services. Bath Township faces very severe development limitations in the southwest corner of the Township, as well as other areas in the north central portions of the Township. It has designated a large area in the southwest as “sod farm,” that fits the wetland character of the area, but also includes a strip of mixed use immediately along its southwestern border. Across this border is the area that East Lansing controls by a 425 agreement. The Bath Township Plan poses no current incompatibilities along it’s borders with DeWitt Township. East Lansing East Lansing, in its Northern Tier Element of the Comprehensive Plan, 1993, has clearly stated its intention to fully develop commercial and residential uses in the area that borders DeWitt Township, and to expand the area through annexations (or 425 agreements) as the opportunity arises in an effort to expand its tax base. This includes both medium and high density residential areas and commercial areas. This area is in close proximity to the US-127 interchange at Lake Lansing Road, and also close to north-south roads that feed into the older areas of East Lansing and Michigan State University. This is contrary to the DeWitt Township 1991 Plan and the goals and policies of this Plan which are to preserve that area for long term agricultural use in keeping with the unique agricultural characteristics of the land and the existing large agricultural investment that exists there. Watertown Township Watertown Township (according to the Comprehensive Development Plan Amendment 2002) shares many of the same goals as Bath and DeWitt Townships: maintaining some agricultural areas, maintaining low-density, rural residential character, protecting sensitive environments, and promoting managed economic growth. Watertown seeks to promote medium and high density residential development along its border with DeWitt Township. Airport Road forms the border between the jurisdictions and there is an I-69 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-58 �interchange at Airport Road. DeWitt Township has approved considerable residential and nonresidential development proposals in the area. South of I-69, Watertown Township is also planning higher density residential development, which will border the Airport in DeWitt Township. This will add significantly to travel on Airport Road and suggests a great need to coordinate future road improvements on Airport Road with Watertown Township. The Grand River Avenue corridor enters Watertown Township at its southeastern corner, and connects in the northwest at I-69/I-96. The corridor has long been planned for and is developing with non-retail commercial and industrial development. There is public sewer and water along Grand River Avenue. The Watertown Township Plan also seeks links of trails and other greenspace elements (although not described using the term, “greenspace.”), which offers some opportunities for cooperation with Watertown for recreational and open space amenities. Clinton County The Clinton County Comprehensive Plan, adopted in November 2002, outlines a future land use that accepts relatively high levels of growth for DeWitt Township, along with Watertown and Bath Townships, while the townships north of DeWitt would remain relatively rural. The County Future Land Use map anticipates very modest spill-over growth in Olive, Riley and Victor Townships, at the edges of DeWitt, Watertown and Bath Townships. The interiors of Olive, Riley and Victor Township would remain mostly in agricultural preservation, with the exception of the US-27BR corridor extending north of DeWitt through Olive Township and into Bingham Township and St. Johns. Except for the US-27BR corridor, development is anticipated to extend only a short distance across township lines. However, this could produce a much greater number of driveways along Cutler Road, with a decreased level of safety. An examination of the “Agricultural Conversions” map in the Plan shows that there has already been extensive strip rural residential development along the roads of Olive Township as well as Riley and Victor Townships. This pattern of development can make agricultural preservation more difficult, and provides a source of traffic seeking routes through DeWitt Township into the metropolitan Lansing area. The US-27BR corridor is designated as a “study area,” but the Plan provides little information on the future of studies of the corridor. According to the County Plan, nearly all of the land area of the Townships north of DeWitt is zoned for agriculture at a density of 1 dwelling unit per 10 acres. With a minimum required lot width of 330’, this would still permit as many as 16 homes per mile on each side of the road, or 32 homes per mile of road. This density, while preserving a relatively low density, could create impacts for DeWitt Township and do little to protect agriculture in those areas. The Draft Clinton County Zoning Ordinance, which pertains to Olive, Riley and Victor Townships, plus nine other townships in the County, proposes open space and agricultural cluster provisions within the agricultural zones, that would permit building on lots as small as ½ acres providing sufficient open space were preserved within the development. City of Lansing The City of Lansing Northeast Area Comprehensive Plan, 1990, completed in 1984, addressed land use, environmental, transportation, infrastructure, housing and other issues for the area immediately south of DeWitt Township. The City of Lansing Plan provided strategies intended to be implemented over a ten-year period to correct DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-59 �deficiencies and promote a future land use plan for the area. The Plan called for commercial use along the US-27BR corridor, with residential use up to 7 dwelling units per acre beyond the commercial parcels. It also planned for industrial/warehouse use for substantial areas east of the commercial and residential areas along US-27BR and along the north side of North Grand River Avenue, to the Airport. While it addressed many issues, a common theme of the Northeast Area Plan was to improve the visual character of the area. This was to be accomplished through enforcement of existing codes, repairs to infrastructure, regular maintenance of infrastructure and buildings, streetscape design improvements, and other strategies. The Northeast Area Plan provided many drawings which served as design guidelines, and illustrated how to create a more unified, cohesive visual appearance to transportation corridors, public facilities and neighborhoods. Visual character remains an issue for the Northeast Area of Lansing and the US-27BR corridor in both Lansing and the southern part of DeWitt Township. Lansing Township Lansing Township was finalizing plans for its northern area at the time the DeWitt Township Plan was being developed. Although still in the draft form, Lansing Township’s plans called for more intensive development of the area with mixed uses in a Neotraditional form, and a “Village Center” at the corner of Lake Lansing and Wood Roads. Multi-story residential and mixed office and commercial uses with residential above would be developed along Lake Lansing Road, Wood Road and north of the Eastwood Town Center. The latter area is immediately adjacent to an industrial area in DeWitt Township. There could be a future demand for residential or mixed use development to expand north into DeWitt Township between Wood Road and US-127, but this would continue to place those land uses in close proximity to industrial uses in the southern area of DeWitt Township and along Wood Road. The more intensive development planned for the Wood Road and Lake Lansing Road area will likely place an even greater traffic load on Wood Road, which experiences substantial heavy truck traffic from the interchange at Round Lake Road and US-127. Together these plans anticipate substantial new residential, commercial and industrial development in this area over the next two decades. While it is unlikely that any of these communities (with the possible exception of the City of DeWitt), or DeWitt Township itself will build out during the next twenty years, it is feasible that a large part of the development inherent in each plan could occur over the next two decades. As a result, it will be important for each of these communities to coordinate not only future road improvements, but also new fire and police stations, extensions of public sewer and water services, schools, and parks, recreation, and trail development. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 2-60 �Chapter 3 GENERAL VISION AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK INTRODUCTION This Chapter presents a general vision statement, a planning framework and key planning concepts to guide future land use change and infrastructure investment in DeWitt Charter Township. Definitions of key terms follow. Vision Statement: The vision statement is an attempt to capture in words, what the Township will be like in 2025 if the goals of this Plan are achieved and the policies are implemented. The vision statement is a general overall description of the Township and is not intended to provide a description by functional categories or for specific geographic sub-areas of the Township like the goals, policies and strategies do. Planning Framework: A set of practical local and regional considerations guiding the development of this Plan. The term can also refer to a variety of, or set of planning concepts. Planning Concepts: Well-established ideas for different aspects of community development, that are based on sound planning principals and are often combined to achieve a set of interrelated objectives, or aspects of a community vision. A “compact settlement pattern,” “new urbanism” and “sustainable development” are all examples of planning concepts. During the period that a concept becomes widespread in its application, it can also be known as a movement. GENERAL VISION STATEMENT Following is a vision statement that describes DeWitt Township as residents in 2005 want it to be in the year 2025. The vision is organized into topic areas that separately focus on key elements of the Township and the process of planning for and managing its future. Following the vision statement are goals and policies to chart a path for achieving the vision. These provide a clear direction for future decisions, both short and long term, to achieve the vision. When reading this vision, it is necessary to mentally “transport” yourself into the future. Thus, there are references “back” to the early 2000’s. This approach is intended to give the reader a clearer sense of the desired future. This statement was prepared based on two Visioning Town Meetings conducted in 2004 and refined following subsequent Planning Commission, Township Board and public input. Proactive Planning and Sustainability DeWitt Township has moved into the third decade of the 21st century as one of the most desirable places to live within Mid-Michigan. Residents and businesses in DeWitt Township enjoy a rich quality of life and are reaping the benefits of proactive planning and commitments started in the 1990’s and refined in the early part of this new century. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 3-1 �DeWitt Township has become a true reflection of sustainability. Sustainability means meeting the needs of all the people of the present generation, in all parts of the Township, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Neighborhoods, parks, businesses, local government and natural resources are healthy and self-sustaining in 2025. Reaching sustainability required the community to look beyond short-term gains in order to plan for a better life for their children and grandchildren. A cooperative spirit resides in DeWitt Township that has led to increased joint efforts of the Township and DeWitt City. This includes cooperation of police and fire protection, recreation facilities and programs and joint land use planning and zoning. DeWitt Township has been able to maintain its borders and land area over the past two decades, stemming the tide of annexations to neighboring jurisdictions. Growth in DeWitt Township has been characterized by a mix of land uses, that have helped balance the tax base, with commercial and industrial growth helping to support services desired for both businesses and the residential population. Some of the retail stores and commercial services that DeWitt residents had to drive a considerable distance to reach have now located in DeWitt Township. As the airport and related industrial development expanded, adequate buffers were put in place to minimize impacts on adjoining residences. New residential development was discouraged where it would be impacted. Residential neighborhoods are clearly defined, linked by open spaces, both natural and recreational, with convenient access to local neighborhood commercial services. Residential neighborhoods uniformly appear to be well maintained. New development and rehabilitation use quality material, pleasing architecture and good construction. Quality of Life: Impressions, Standards and Visual Character When asked about DeWitt Township, residents use descriptive terms like “nature,” “farms,” “open space,” “rural,” “modern public facilities,” “good schools,” “easy access,” “great recreation,” and “nice neighborhoods.” Despite a large amount of new development, large-scale changes to the landscape have been minimized by the consensus decision of community leaders to permit only growth that meets standards of sustainability, maintenance of the natural resource base and visual character. The major corridors within DeWitt Township have an attractive, cohesive visual character. Well-designed and well-kept businesses, signs, street trees and other landscaping present a positive image of the community. Open space corridors connect natural open spaces to active community spaces, such as parks and play grounds. The center spine of the system consists of rivers, trails, street rights-of-way, and utility corridors. Special efforts to improve areas of decline have paid off with a turn-around in those neighborhoods and business areas. This is especially true along south US-27BR and the neighborhoods that intersect with it on the south side of the Township. The former outlet mall has been revitalized and expanded with new retail uses. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 3-2 �Quality of Life: Close to the City but Retaining Rural Qualities The most common landscape view when driving into DeWitt from the north, east or west is of trees, fields and open space. Neighborhoods and commercial areas are tucked behind vegetation, retaining nature as an important feature of the Township as it grows. Active farms remain in large blocks. The vegetated landscape does more than simply provide scenery, as the benefits of nature to citizen mental well-being are recognized as very important. Farming continues as a viable economic sector for those landowners interested in continuing in agriculture. Woods and fields help with water infiltration, maintain biological diversity and provide habitat for wildlife. Property owners have coordinated the retention of natural areas, forming connections to create ecological corridors, enhance recreation and provide a more continuous natural scenic view along transportation corridors. Streams, wetlands and ponds have buffer plantings that help protect water quality. Citizens, well-versed in land and water protection approaches, have been deeply involved in making decisions about preservation. Key parcels have been preserved by working with conservancies, developers, Clinton County and the State Purchase of Development Rights Program. Many approaches have been used over the past two decades, including donations, conservation easements and development rights purchases from willing landowners. As a result, wetlands, forests, farmland and green spaces that comprise the scenic character and ecosystem of the Township have been permanently protected while protecting the property rights of affected landowners. Photo 3-1 The Most Common View is of Woods and Open Spaces Photograph by Mike Nolen Quality of Life: Neighborhoods DeWitt Township residential neighborhoods are well-kept and provide a variety of housing choices, especially with the expansion of opportunities for seniors over the past two decades. Neighborhoods that had once suffered deterioration of homes and businesses have been significantly improved. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 3-3 �Quality of Life: Access to Opportunities Commercial, office, and industrial employment centers have expanded in DeWitt Township in carefully planned locations that are easily accessed from the freeway and county road system. These jobs provide new opportunities for some residents to live close to work. Quality of Life: Recreation The Township has long held recreational opportunity as an important aspect of quality of life. Township/City parks have been maintained and expanded. Recreation for all ages, especially for seniors has expanded in the past two decades. The DeWitt Area Recreation Authority (DARA) has continued to work effectively. DeWitt Township is known as a walkable and bikable community, providing safe connections for recreation, enjoying nature and for a transportation alternative to driving. These connections are part of a Township-wide greenspace system that includes greenway trails and undeveloped open spaces. There are also links to greenways with trails that extend beyond DeWitt Township into other communities throughout the region. Quality of Life: Urban Infrastructure Beginning in the early 2000s, the Township carefully planned for the extension of utilities and the expansion of roads in order to foster incremental growth while preserving uncongested travel and using designs that protect community character. Good quality County primary roads help move people around and through the Township and access management has helped preserve the public investment in roads. However, in order to keep a rural character many roads in the rural parts of the Township have been maintained as they were in the early 2000s. Capacity improvements to Herbison, Airport, DeWitt and Clark Roads have helped accommodate increased traffic volumes. Parkway designs have been used to preserve a pleasing aesthetic character as these roadways where improved. Intersection improvements have made driving through the Township safer. Photo 3-2 Some Roads Should be Maintained as they were in the Early 2000s to Protect Rural Character Photograph by Stephen Gobbo DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 3-4 �PLANNING FRAMEWORK To implement the General Vision Statement, DeWitt Township is engaged in an ongoing comprehensive planning and growth management process, to influence the rate, type, location, and timing of growth and development in order to achieve a logical, efficient, and balanced pattern of development that takes into consideration the natural developmental limitations of the area and minimizes disturbances to the natural environment, while creating a more diversified tax base capable of supporting community facility and infrastructure needs. It is recognized that DeWitt Charter Township is an integral part of the Lansing Metropolitan area. Many interrelationships exist and these, most importantly, include land use, transportation (including the freeway system and major highways), recreation and employment centers. Past and future development of the Township has been and will continue to be greatly influenced by these various relationships. The Township therefore realizes that it cannot plan for its future development in complete isolation of the needs and growth trends of the balance of the area. Within this general framework, however, the Township also realizes that it is a separate community obligated to plan for its future in accordance with needs and desires of the local residents. The following statements represent a specific framework for developing goals and policies for the major functional components of the community. These statements are based on recognition of both the Township's area wide responsibilities and responsibilities to the residents and land owners within the Township. • While the Township recognizes the need to accommodate future growth and development, growth will be planned for, timed to match the Township’s capacity to handle that growth, and designed to contribute to the sustainability of the Township. The public cost of growth will be minimized by “pay as you grow” policies that require each new private increment of growth to pay its own way. • The Township recognizes that the loss of such attributes as neighborhood integrity, and farmland and open space to development, are irreversible losses to local residents and in the case of farmland, the region, state, nation, and to future generations. It is therefore the intent of DeWitt Township to guard against land use conflicts, to promote the preservation of farmland for as long as feasible, and the conservation of important open space areas such as floodplains and wetlands. • All development, existing and proposed, should be assessed based on its intensity and the availability of the services and facilities necessary to assure the continued protection of the environment and the health, safety, and welfare of the community. • Future development shall be assessed on its economic impacts, its ability to promote efficiency of service, and its ability to maintain or improve the value of adjacent properties. • When necessary, the Township will use innovative planning and zoning techniques to encourage the use of land in accordance with its character and adaptability and to provide substantial benefit to present and future residents. • The support and involvement of Township residents will be enlisted to achieve community goals and educate the public regarding the benefits of growth management and the variety of Township governmental issues. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 3-5 �PLAN CONCEPTS The summary of existing conditions and trends related to the Township’s physical, social and economic makeup presented in Chapter 2, the general vision statement and the planning framework presented above led to the formulation of eight broad concepts that were used in the development of this Plan. Most of the first four of these were also the basis for the 1991 Plan. These include: 1. Staging of Growth: Growth trends and population projections indicate that there will not be sufficient pressure during the foreseeable future to warrant full development of the Township. It is therefore appropriate to determine development priorities for the various lands within the community. The staging of development will promote more orderly and concentrated development versus expensive sprawl development. The Township will use an annually updated capital improvements program to help stage its investment in public utilities and road improvements, and expects the private sector to pay all the direct costs of infrastructure extension or expansion that occurs before public facilities are immediately available to a site. The Township will not approve any intensive development until all the public infrastructure and services are adequate to accommodate the impacts of the proposed development. This concept is explained in more detail in Chapter 6. 2. Balanced Residential Character: Varying income levels and life styles of newcomers and residents, the availability or unavailability of utilities and physical limitations of the Township, require that a variety of housing types and densities be provided for. In addition, older neighborhoods showing signs of neglect need to be rehabilitated to improve quality of life for those residents and preserve an important supply of affordable housing in the Township. 3. Diversify the Tax Base by Providing for a Variety of Commercial, Office, and Industrial Types: Given the Township's accessibility to regional transportation arteries as well as the employment and shopping needs of local residents, a range of both locally and regionally oriented types of commercial, office, and industrial developments should be provided for. To accomplish this, various types of economic development must be encouraged to locate in the areas best suited to meet business needs. The deliberate and objective allocation of different types of economic development in specific locations will also help to avoid or minimize future land use and traffic conflicts while over time, broadening the community's tax base. However, premature commercial, office, or industrial development can hurt the appropriate long-term development of an area as the Township has already experienced in some places. As a result, every effort will be made to limit premature or undersized development. Similarly, a significant effort must be made to rehabilitate, restore and or reuse older commercial and industrial sites that show signs of neglect, or have documented pollution of the land or groundwater. Creative use of brownfield redevelopment and downtown development authority legislation should be explored to help meet this need. 4. Protect Environmental Resources: DeWitt Township has a variety of environmental resources. These natural features should be protected and incorporated into development projects. The Township should promote the preservation of wetlands and groundwater quality by working with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and other agencies with regulations that address these resources. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 3-6 �5. Smart Growth Tenets: In the pursuit of the general vision of this Plan, the Township is guided in part by the “10 Tenets of Smart Growth” popularized in Michigan by the state Land Use Leadership Council. These tenets are listed below. • Create a range of housing opportunities and choices; • Create walkable neighborhoods; • Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration; • Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place; • Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective; • Mix land uses; • Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas; • Promote a variety of transportation choices; • Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities; • Take advantage of compact development design. 6. Traditional Neighborhood Development: TND is an old form of community design that was popular in the early decades of the last century. It was characterized by higher density than is common today, and also by development on small lots, narrower streets and common public open spaces. It was often built around a 3-4 story “downtown” commercial area (with residences on the upper stories) with a mix of housing types in residential areas. TND evidences all the smart growth tenets. As of 2004, there are two significant examples of new TND’s in Michigan. The first is Cherry Hill Village in Canton Township, and the second is Howell Town Commons in Howell. This Plan identifies one subarea as being especially well-suited for this type of development. It is east of north US-27BR and north of Webb Road and is described in Chapter 6. Photo 3-3 Examples of TND from Cherry Hill Village, Canton Township Photograph by Mark Wyckoff DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 3-7 �7. Green Development: Green development is the integration of social and environmental goals with financial considerations in real estate projects of every scale and type. It is the pursuit of environmental excellence that produces fundamentally better buildings and communities—more comfortable, more efficient, more appealing and ultimately, more profitable. Most on-the-ground examples in Michigan are both highly energy efficient and low impact on the environment (such as the new Ford Motor Company Rogue Plant, Dearborn; the new Herman Miller facility, Zeeland; and the new East Grand Rapids Public Safety Building). National and international standards called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) have been developed to certify buildings that meet LEED standards. It is expected that mid-Michigan will soon begin to host a number of new LEED buildings. DeWitt Township encourages such efforts by the private sector and will do all it can to encourage new green development in the Township. Photo 3-4 A Lansing Area Green Roof Photograph by Anne Woiwode 8. Sustainable Development: The implementation of the above seven planning concepts will go a long way to helping the Township be a living example of sustainable development. This is development which meets the needs of existing residents while not reducing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Based on the above planning concepts, this Comprehensive Development Plan attempts to strike a balance between the need and desire to promote and preserve certain elements of rural character with the need and responsibility to accommodate a wide variety of new urban and suburban growth and development in an efficient cost-effective manner. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 3-8 �Chapter 4 FUTURE LAND USE & COMMUNITY FACILITIES: Goals and Policies INTRODUCTION There are five major sections in this chapter. The first explains the purpose of Map 4-1, Future Land Use. The second major section describes the categories of future land use illustrated on the Future Land Use Map and the goals and policies associated with each category. The third major section presents goals and policies for various community facilities. The fourth major section presents goals and policies for other related land use issues including historic preservation and greenways. The last major section describes the special planning areas that require a separate strategy from the general future land use category. Definitions of key terms follow: Goal: Goals are broad-based statements of intent and establish the direction for the DeWitt Charter Township Comprehensive Development Plan. Goals could generally be thought of as the desired "ends" of successful implementation of this Plan. Policy: Policies are specific actions aimed at achieving particular goals. Policies serve as a guide to decision-making. Decisions affected by policies ideally contribute to successful implementation of the goals of this Plan. Many of the policies in this Plan will require regulatory or program changes by the Township Board in order to be implemented. FUTURE LAND USE MAP Map 4-1 presents anticipated future land use in 2025. All the land area of the Township is depicted into one or another category of land use. The map, the accompanying descriptions in the next section, the goals and policies associated with these categories of land use, the zoning plan elements described in the next chapter, and the growth management strategy described in Chapter 6 make up the key elements of this Comprehensive Development Plan. In other words, Map 4-1 is intended to be interpreted by carefully reading all the text in Chapters 3, 4, 5 and in light of the Growth Management Strategies in Chapter 6. The Future Land Use Map will be thoroughly reviewed and updated, if necessary, every five years to ensure it reflects community interests and relevant trends. As a general policy, it is recommended that the rezoning of any land in support of the Future Land Use Map be deferred until specific applications are made. This will allow maximum opportunity to ensure that appropriate levels of public utilities are available to support the development. Similarly, no rezoning should be made that is inconsistent with the Future Land Use Map and/or text of this Plan, unless this Plan is first amended after careful study to establish the appropriateness of the change. As a general rule, this means if the proposed use is dense or intense enough to require public sewer and/or water and both are not present at the site, a rezoning request to permit the use should be denied, until the necessary public utilities are available to the site. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-1 �Map 4-1 Future Land Use Future Land Use Ma!P N j Februmy 25, 2005 Plarn nlng De:pa-1men1 1401 w.-Herbi so Rd. OeWi , • Ml 48820 (517) 669-6576 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-2 �FUTURE LAND USE Seventeen different future land use designations are depicted on Map 4-1. These designations can be grouped into seven broader categories. These categories and the corresponding future land use designations are as follows: Environmental Protection and Conservation Conservancy Agricultural Land Uses AP – Agricultural Preservation A – Agricultural Residential Land Uses SF-L – Low Density Single Family Residential SF-M – Medium Density Single Family Residential SF-H – High Density Single Family Residential MFR – Multiple Family Residential MHP – Manufactured Home Park Commercial Land Uses NC – Neighborhood Oriented Commercial CC – Community Oriented Commercial HC – Highway Oriented Commercial ACOM – Airport Commercial Office Land Uses O – Office Industrial Land Uses I-L – Light Industrial I-H – Heavy Industrial I-P – Industrial Park Institutional Land Uses INS – Institutional The following sections detail each category and their corresponding future land use designations. Environmental Protection and Conservation The Future Land Use Map includes a Conservancy designation illustrating lands within the Township that are environmentally sensitive due to the existence of wetlands, floodplains and other sensitive drainage features. This designation serves as an “overlay”, drawing attention to the areas where extra care is necessary to ensure protection and to avoid their degradation. While the “underlying” planning designations call out the general type of development planned for in a particular area, those areas “overlaid” by the Conservancy designation will be subject to additional regulations under State wetland protection laws and floodplain overlay zoning that are likely to affect site design and development intensities. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-3 �From a Parks and Recreation and Open Space Planning standpoint, the Conservancy designation can also be utilized in establishing the general areas of the Township where future public acquisition for Parks and Nature Preserves should be given priority. Goal: 1. Protect the natural environment of the area in order to ensure a high quality living environment for current and future residents. Policies: A. Through land use regulation and planning, promote the conservation and wise use of the Township's natural resources, including woodlands, water features, wetlands and open spaces. B. Discourage development in the floodplains and other environmentally sensitive areas of the Township and minimize the potential for property damage and public health hazards from flooding. C. Site Plan review provisions in the Zoning Ordinance should be updated based on the model approach used in adjoining jurisdictions (that are served by the Board of Water and Light) to protect groundwater and surface water from stormwater runoff, erosion and improper storage or handling of hazardous materials by ensuring that as site plans for new development are reviewed, the developer demonstrates that all elements are consistent with the regulations of applicable county, state and federal agencies. Agricultural Land Uses As a means of ensuring the continued agricultural and rural qualities of DeWitt Township, this plan in essence proposes two agricultural designations separated by a long-range urban growth boundary. The first area, the AP (Agricultural Preservation) designation is intended to be an area in which farming activity is promoted as the primary land use and non-farm development is discouraged. The second A (Agricultural) designation is intended to serve as a transitional area where public water and sanitary sewer are generally presently not available. Farming and rural residential uses are encouraged in this area. As infrastructure is extended to these areas and surrounding areas build out for more intensive uses, these areas will be evaluated during the fiveyear reviews to determine if a different designation is appropriate. By making the two designations, it is envisioned that the Township can improve its ability to protect and conserve the areas within the Township best suited for agricultural purposes while at the same time accommodating rural residential development in areas where farming is more marginal or already negatively impacted by existing development. Goals: 1. Preserve designated farmlands, especially prime farmland, for long-term agricultural uses and protect agricultural activities on other farmland for as long as farmers wish to farm it. Policies: A. Promote the enrollment of land into the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Act (Michigan Public Act 116) and participation in county and state purchase of development rights or transfer of development rights programs in areas planned for long-range agricultural use and discourage long term enrollment in areas DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-4 �B. C. D. E. planned for another intensive use like commercial, industrial, office, or residential. Avoid the extension of water and sewer utilities within agricultural areas as a means of discouraging non-farm uses in such areas. Discourage the fractionalization of farmland brought about by scattered rural housing development. Assess agricultural lands on the basis of their use as a means of assuring that the value of the land is not artificially inflated thereby promoting the economic viability of farming operations. Promote the coordination between zoning and other land use controls relating to farmland and property tax assessing measures. Photo 4-1 Active Farmland in DeWitt Township Photograph by Bruce Keilen AP (Agricultural Preservation): The primary intended outcomes of the AP planning designation are: 1. To promote farming activities as the primary land use in the areas of the Township best suited for such use; 2. To preserve woodlands and wetlands associated with farms which because of their natural characteristics, are valuable as water retention and ground water recharge areas, as habitat for plant and animal life and which have important aesthetic and scenic value which contribute to the existing and desired future character of the area. 3. To prevent the conversion of agricultural land to scattered non-farm development, which when unchecked, unnecessarily increases the cost of public services to all citizens and results in the premature disinvestment in agricultural. The primary bases for these outcomes are the following observations. Most of the land in this land use category is presently in agricultural and open space uses. Approximately 867 acres is presently permanently preserved under PDR agreements between the landowner and the state and another 1,488 acres are temporarily preserved through PA 116 contracts; 767 acres are north of I-69. There are few paved roads and no public water in this land use category, the freeways make for natural barriers, and only low density uses exist in this land use category and are planned in adjoining areas in Bath DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-5 �Township and Olive Township as well. The Township has huge infrastructure needs in other parts of the Township where there is already an existing and growing population, so it needs to prioritize its available resources and to expend significant monies on infrastructure in this quadrant would take away from its ability to meet existing legitimate infrastructure demands elsewhere. If these circumstances change (such as if MDOT were to put an interchange in at Chandler Road), each five years when this Plan is updated, the Township can reexamine whether this strategy should change. If the Township finds support and interest from those who own land within the AP designation, it may consider establishing new agricultural district within the Zoning Ordinance that would be exclusively for agricultural and related uses. Such a district could include a reduction in the permitted density for single family residential from the one dwelling unit per acre allowed in the current agricultural district. An exclusive district of this sort could help to reduce encroachment of incompatible uses into intensive agricultural areas and help maintain the long-term viability of existing and future farm operations. A (Agricultural): The primary intended outcomes of the A (Agricultural) area are: 1. To provide a buffer between more intensively developed urban and suburban areas. 2. To preserve woodlands and wetlands which are useful as water retention and ground water recharge areas and which have important aesthetic and scenic value. 3. To encourage the continued use of valuable farmland while accommodating rural estate types of residential development at a density that will maintain the overall rural environment by not overextending the capability of soils to process septic waste, and to accommodate a wide variety of non-farm, but still rural uses that require large land areas. 4. To provide a "land bank" for areas of land that could be allowed to develop more intensively when the Township determines that more intensive structural development is appropriate and when the necessary public facilities and infrastructure is in place to support it. 5. To prudently meet the public service needs of Township residents in the area south and east of the intersection of I-69 and US-127 while taking all reasonable steps to prevent further annexation of this land. For achieving the outcomes of the A (Agricultural) land use designation, it is recommended that the existing primary provisions of the A (Agricultural) Zoning District be retained and that the only permitted land uses are those allowed in the A District, unless an agricultural area is rezoned consistent with this Plan. See relevant text in Chapters 5 and 6 for more insights. Residential Land Uses The Residential Land Use areas represent the allocation of three major types of residential dwellings and dwelling unit densities. These include single family residential dwellings, multiple family residences (including apartments, condominiums and townhouses) and manufactured home parks. As DeWitt Township continues to grow, a greater portion of the developed land will be taken up by residential uses. In itself, this fact is an important planning consideration; however, the primary concern must be the realization that the living environment is the DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-6 �real heart of the community and, therefore, a major basis upon which to formulate major land use decisions. The Residential Land areas are intended to produce safe, convenient, and pleasant neighborhoods for the mutual benefit of all Township residents. Goals: 1. Provide a balanced range of housing types, including affordable housing types, at varying densities while maintaining or improving the character of existing neighborhoods. 2. Conserve the structural integrity and habitability of dwellings and preserve the stability of all existing single family neighborhoods and multiple family and manufactured housing communities. 3. Ensure that all new development is of high quality in design, materials, construction and management. 4. Assure public health and safety by permitting intensive residential growth in only those areas which can be adequately served by public utilities and services. Policies: A. Provide all types of residential development, ranging from large low density units to high density multi-family uses to satisfy housing needs. B. The housing stock should be roughly apportioned so that both multiple family and manufactured housing represent about thirty percent (30%) of the housing stock by the year 2020. C. Maintain residential growth in neighborhoods where necessary community services, including police protection, fire protection, water, sewer, and schools, can be most economically provided. Photo 4-2 New Home in DeWitt Township Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department D. E. F. Discourage premature subdivision of vacant lands unless a specific demand is evident and adequate public services are available to the site. Do not locate residential areas within floodplains of rivers and streams or in any other locations which present hazards to the safety or health of residents. New residential developments shall be designed to be compatible with the natural features of the site. Significant topographic features, tree stands, DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-7 �G. H. I. J. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. U. wetlands, and other important natural features should be preserved wherever possible. The level of residential development should be continuously monitored in terms of the impact on natural features. Assure the provision of sufficient open space to serve each dwelling unit either through the encouragement of common open space areas. Stabilize property values by protecting residential areas from the encroachment of incompatible land uses. Encourage the upgrading and improvement of residential dwelling units showing signs of deterioration. Encourage self-initiative in upgrading property. Initiate housing rehabilitation and neighborhood revitalization efforts in appropriate areas. Follow a policy of stringent code enforcement in all residential areas. Carefully monitor areas where high-density residential uses are located adjacent to single-family developments, industrial or commercial uses, so that timely safeguards against blight and land use conflicts can be initiated, as necessary. Place greater density land uses nearer areas of higher intensity land uses to act as a transitional zone between high density residential uses, intensive commercial uses and other residential uses to assure protection of existing established neighborhoods. Discourage the pattern of scattered, rural housing in areas of important and prime farmland. In consideration of the area's natural soils limitations to accommodate on-site septic systems without the danger of pollution to groundwater supplies, it is the policy of DeWitt Township to limit the density of all future residential developments that locate in areas that cannot be economically provided with public utilities. Work with landowners and developers to identify and implement needed capital improvements within existing residential neighborhoods and encourage the use of unique development techniques in proposed residential developments. Residential developments should be permitted in accordance with the ability to provide necessary public services, including public water and sewer services, road construction and maintenance, police and fire services and governmental administrative services. Develop incentives, including such elements as lot size and setback reductions, and flexibility regarding housing types, to encourage the use of “development setbacks” at the entrances to residential developments and along the existing public streets. Existing natural features in these development setbacks would be supplemented with landscaping to enhance the natural characteristics of the site. Assure traffic safety and privacy of residential areas through the design of streets that discourage through traffic, but still connect to abutting developments. Following are descriptions of each of the residential classifications on Map 4-1. Single and Two Family Residential Areas: Single and Two Family Residential uses are comprised of three categories: SF-L, SF-M and SF-H. • The SF-L (Low Density Single Family) designations correspond to the existing zoning classifications of Rl and R2 and support developments on lots with minimum sizes ranging from 30,000 to 40,000 square feet. • The SF-M (Medium Density Single and Two Family) designations are intended DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-8 �• as extensions to existing developments that have occurred consistent with the current R3 and R4 Zoning Districts. Minimum lot sizes are intended to range from 15,000 to 20,000 square feet in size. They serve as transitions from higher densities of residential development to low density areas. An attempt has been made to plan these areas where the full range of utilities is likely to be developed within the planning period. The SF-H (High Density Single and Two Family) designations are intended to occur on minimum lot sizes of between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet for single family uses and 20,000 square feet for duplexes, and correspond to the existing R5 and R6 zoning classifications. They are intended to serve the market for the most affordable single family homes. They are situated where sanitary sewer and water facilities are present or impending and are generally nearest the major transportation arteries and commercial services. Photo 4-3 Single Family Home Under Construction Photograph by Stephen Gobbo Multiple Family Residential Areas: The majority of MFR (Multiple Family Residential) designation illustrated on Map 4-1 are for the most part already developed or zoned that way. The Zoning Ordinance presently allows densities ranging from 2 to 24 units per acre. Multiple family areas are intended to satisfy the demands for apartment and attached dwelling units, while serving as transitional uses from commercial areas and transportation routes to the lower density residential uses. Several of the proposals along US-27BR are recommended as alternatives to commercial strip development. It is recommended that all multi-family developments be provided with public water and sewer facilities to ensure public health. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-9 �Photo 4-4 Multiple Family Housing Photograph by DeWitt Township Planning Department MHP (Manufactured Housing Parks): The Future Land Use Map recognizes the existing mobile home parks within the Township and identifies areas for their expansion. Map 4-1 shows an area north of the existing mobile home park between Wood Road and US-127 for expansion, as well as areas east and north of the existing park on Turner Road. Given the ability to expand several of the existing mobile home park developments, it is felt that the existing parks and the proposed additional area contain adequate land area to satisfy long-range demands, while attempting to avoid conflicts between these uses and adjacent low, medium, and high density single family residential areas. Photo 4-5 Manufactured Home Park in DeWitt Township Photograph by Jane DeHoog Housing Mix: In 2001, the Township adopted a supplement to the 1991 Comprehensive Development Plan entitled, High Density Residential: Multiple Family DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-10 �Residential and Manufactured Housing. This Plan supplement documented the amount of high density development in the Township and made projections of the number of units and land needs for multiple family and manufactured housing through the year 2020. This information is specifically summarized in Table 3 of the Plan supplement. Table 4-1, below provides an update of this information, based on the population increases projected in Table 2-3 of this plan. Table 4-1 Land Planned for High Density Residential Multiple Family Manufactured Housing Current Planned Acres Current Uncommitted Planned Acres Year 2005 Units Year 2020 Units Add’l Units 2020 Gross Acres Anticipated 2020 (1) Surplus (Deficiency) Acres (2) 259 167 659 1149 490 155 12 292 76 1026 1629 603 94 (18) 1. Acres based on 4 dwelling units per acre for multiple family and 8 dwelling units per acre for manufactured housing. Also factors in 25% of the lot area for roads and other amenities. If undeveloped lands develop at maximum densities (24 d.u/acre for MFR and 10 d.u./acre for MHP), the gross acres anticipated in 2020 would decrease to 26 acres and 75 acres, respectively. 2. Current Uncommitted Planned Acres less Gross Acres Anticipated in 2020. Clearly, it will be necessary to monitor the actual population growth over time in the Township to assure that adequate land will continue to be planned for high density residential uses. There certainly is an adequate amount of land shown on Map 4-1 to accommodate these uses for the next 10 years, and likely through 2020. All the key policies of that Plan supplement have been incorporated into this Plan update and the projections and analysis of that supplement remain important determinants of Township policy for high density land uses. As a result, the projections and analysis of the supplement are incorporated into this Plan by reference. Commercial Land Uses Typically, commercial establishments seek out major streets with high traffic volumes to maximize their visibility and encourage drive-in trade. However, when a major street begins to develop commercially, traffic congestion too often occurs and conflicts result between through traffic and the vehicles entering and exiting driveways. This Plan recognizes that the demands for a wide variety of commercial types of development are likely to increase within the planning period as more and more residents move into the area. These demands are most likely to be greatest along the entire length along US-27BR, where traffic volumes are greatest, and where commercial establishments can take advantage of a more concentrated consumer market. Unless careful site planning and access controls are instituted, conflicts between uses can occur, opportunities for integrated uses lost, and the capacity of streets can be greatly reduced. It is therefore recommended that the rezoning of land designated on the Future Land Use Map for commercial purposes be done cautiously to help assure that development is not done prematurely or haphazardly, with disregard for the lack of utilities or the uses that are in existence or could develop on an adjoining site. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-11 �Goals: 1. Encourage high quality commercial development (in terms of design materials, construction and management) to locate in appropriate areas. 2. Achieve a balanced variety of neighborhood, community, and regionally oriented facilities that will meet the shopping and service needs of the community and nearby metropolitan area populations without unnecessary duplication. 3. Promote the redevelopment of under-utilized and blighted commercial land along the US-27BR corridor. 4. Promote green development that meets LEED standards. 5. Accommodate limited yet appealing shopping facilities that provide a sufficient amount of goods and services to meet the daily needs of a growing Township population, as well as a growing regional, highway-oriented market. 6. Promote the physical clustering of commercial establishments rather than strip development, thereby providing for joint use of parking facilities, more convenient shopping, pleasant pedestrian spaces, and minimal extensions of utilities. Policies: A. Refine zoning regulations to group related and compatible business uses together in suitable and properly located areas. B. Discourage commercial developments in areas along major streets where inadequate lot depth is provided for turning movements because of the conflicts that develop between through-traffic and commercial traffic. C. Locate highway service areas to serve motorists without creating traffic congestion or harming adjacent properties. D. Encourage pedestrian facilities, sufficient parking and attractive appearances for commercial buildings and properties in business districts. E. Discourage additional commercial sprawl and strip development. F. Commercial areas, outside the US-27BR corridor, will be small in scale, with a limited range of uses intended to support nearby residential areas. G. Commercial development related to the US-27BR corridor will be consistent with the principles and practices of the US-27 Corridor/Subarea Access Management Plan and any of the subarea access management plans adopted by the Township, and will be carefully planned to include such provisions as: • Generous building and parking setbacks • Front or rear service drives • Carefully placed, single driveway locations for multiple properties • Extensive landscaping; and • Modest signs to avoid distraction from the roadway. H. The I-69 interchanges will include the same access management provisions as the US-27BR corridor, but will be limited in scale to the areas nearest the interchange, without encroaching on nearby planned residential development. I. Encourage planned commercial expansion in limited areas on the west side. • Continue implementation of planned neighborhood commercial and freeway commercial uses according to the Northwest Area Plan and zoning map; except add a small neighborhood commercial area in the northwest corner of the Township. J. Explore a range of tools to assist with the rehabilitation, reuse and/or redevelopment of blighted and polluted commercial properties through possible creation of a brownfield redevelopment authority and/or a downtown DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-12 �K. L. M. development authority. Until public water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer systems are provided, major development should not be permitted. Landscaping should be provided along the street edge to enhance aesthetics and screen parking areas. Specific landscaping requirements should be incorporated to ensure adequate and uniform landscape treatment among businesses. Where appropriate, sidewalks or paths should be provided to link businesses with each other and residential areas. Photo 4-6 Commercial Development in DeWitt Township Photograph by Gregory White Following are descriptions of the various categories of commercial land use that appear on the Future Land Use Map and where applicable their relationships to existing zoning classifications. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-13 �Photo 4-7 Site Plan Review Standards Should Guide Sign Number, Size and Location Photograph by Stephen C. Musselman NC (Neighborhood Oriented Commercial): The NC designation applies to areas intended to support retail and personal service establishments catering to the day-to-day convenience needs of residents in the immediately surrounding residential areas. The areas are generally intended to be developed under zoning provisions outlined under the existing BL (Business, Local) district contained in the Township Zoning Ordinance. CC (Community Oriented Commercial): The CC designation is applied to those areas of the Township that have both good regional access and easy access to several existing and/or emerging neighborhoods. The designation is intended to accommodate a wide range of commercial land uses ranging from retail to service establishments that are primarily destination oriented, as opposed to drive by business. The areas illustrated are envisioned to be developed under the provisions of the BC (Business, Community) and BSC (Business, Shopping Center) zoning districts as depicted on the Township Zoning Map. There is an area of land on the east side of US27-BR, north of I-69 and south of the Twinbrook subdivision that, because of its proximity to the I-69 interchange, is particularly suited for CC (Community Oriented Commercial) use. However, the limited access right-of-way of the interchange extends along the US-27BR frontage of the property, denying it direct access to US-27BR. The Township will consider rezoning this property for uses consistent with the CC (Community Oriented Commercial) designation where a developer elects to provide a service drive consistent with the Access Management standards that connects to the access drive associated with the commercial properties north of the Twinbrook neighborhood. In the absence of such a connection, the property only has access through the existing subdivision. In such a case the property is better suited to be developed as it is currently zoned, in a mix of residential, local commercial, and agricultural zoning districts. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-14 �HC (Highway Oriented Commercial): The HC designation is applied to areas in which free standing drive-by or highway oriented uses such as convenience stores, motels and automobile sales and services are now being provided and where infill by similar uses should be encouraged. ACOM (Airport Commercial): The ACOM designation is provided as illustration of those areas on Capital City Airport property that are designated on the Airport Master Plan to support land set aside for airport facilities and private airport related commercial/industrial development that may occur on property leased from the airport. Photo 4-8 Highway Oriented Commercial Development in DeWitt Township Photograph by Mike Nolen Office Land Uses The areas designated on Map 4-1 for office uses are intended to accommodate a wide variety of office types. These include single office buildings on one or more parcels, unified office park developments, and large corporate office facilities. In general, these areas are intended to provide employment opportunities and necessary services for Township residents, as well as to diversify the Township’s tax base. Development within these areas is expected to minimize adverse traffic and environmental impacts. Developments are intended to locate in areas where they will be compatible with surrounding land uses, even serving in some instances as transition areas between incompatible land uses. Goals: 1. Provide for a variety of different kinds of high quality office developments from small buildings on existing lots (such as along US-27BR) to office parks and corporate office developments. 2. Allow office developments to buffer residential areas from commercial areas. 3. Promote green development that meets LEED standards. Policies: A. Create a new POD (Planned Office District) zoning classification to accommodate office campus developments with related mixed uses. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-15 �B. C. D. E. F. Discourage office developments in areas along major streets where inadequate lot depth is provided for turning movements because of the conflicts that develop between through-traffic and office traffic. Locate office developments by minimizing traffic congestion and preventing nuisance impacts on adjacent properties through careful site design and effective landscape buffering. Ensure there is adequate utility service and access to appropriate transportation facilities in all office areas prior to approval of new office uses. Revise residential PUD regulations to permit office as a buffer use where it has access from an arterial or collector, and it can be done in manner that is compatible with the area. Apply access management principles and regulations the same as for commercial uses. Industrial Land Uses The Industrial Land Use areas shown on Map 4-1 are intended to identify and provide for future industrial areas as a means of diversifying the tax base and promoting local employment opportunities. The industrial areas must be situated for easy highway access and to minimize potential conflicts with residential uses. Industrial development should also be supported by the provision of adequate sewer and water. The Future Land Use Map reflects the continued desire of the Township to build on existing industrial uses adjacent to the Capital City Airport, along US-27BR and Wood Road in the south central portion of the Township. Goals: 1. Allocate appropriate land areas for new high quality industrial development while minimizing land use conflicts with abutting development in order to achieve improved local employment opportunities and a more diversified tax base. 2. Promote green development that meets LEED standards. 3. Encourage most new industries to locate in well planned industrial park settings thereby maximizing the efficiency of providing for the necessary infrastructure and minimizing environmental and land use conflicts. Policies: A. Ensure there is adequate utility service and access to appropriate transportation facilities in all industrial areas prior to approval of new industrial uses. B. Group industries together in specific areas with attractive site planning, landscaping, building setback and coverage controls. C. Separate industrial areas from residential areas with buffer areas, formed by some combination of off-street parking, parks, open space or parkways. D. Explore a range of tools to assist with the rehabilitation, reuse and/or redevelopment of blighted and polluted industrial properties through possible creation of a brownfield redevelopment authority. E. Industrial development that occurs in previously zoned industrial areas where public utilities are not present should be carefully monitored for environmental impacts. F. Incorporate provisions in the Zoning Ordinance that would discourage extensive outdoor storage areas and other unenclosed uses that may detract from the character of the Township, and harm the value of surrounding properties. G. Discourage the development of industries which, because of their scale or type of DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-16 �H. operation, could have adverse environmental impacts or overburden public services. Incorporate access control mechanisms similar to those discussed in the Commercial Land Use element into zoning provisions relative to the industrial districts. Photo 4-9 Granger Landfill and Recycling Operations is an Industrial Use in DeWitt Township Photograph by Granger Waste Management Company Institutional The Institutional designation contained on the Future Land Use Map primarily reflects those areas of the Township that are presently put to a Public or Semi Public use. These include the Township Administrative Offices, existing parks, the wastewater treatment facility, existing and planned Capital City Airport properties, several of the more isolated cemetery sites and religious institutions, and school sites. Photo 4-10 Greater Lansing Area Airport in DeWitt Township Photograph from the 1993 Airport Master Plan This Plan does not attempt to direct the precise location of future institutional uses, but recognizes the importance of careful site selection and site design in locating public and DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-17 �quasi-public uses to ensure compatibility with adjacent uses. Various zoning district provisions of the Township's Zoning Ordinance contain standards for the review and approval of most institutional uses, prior to their development. All proposed institutional uses should go through site plan review. Goals: 1. Appropriately plan ahead for the establishment of institutional land uses. 2. Promote green development that meets LEED standards. Policies: A. All Township owned and operated institutional facilities should be planned and sited consistent with this Plan and the Township Zoning Ordinance. The site plan review process should be the principal vehicle for guiding review of specific facilities. B. All Township owned and operated institutional facilities should be incorporated into the annual capital improvement program. C. All Township owned and operated institutional facilities should be designed with a high degree of attention to quality architecture and civic design so as to set a high standard for future private development. D. All Township owned and operated institutional facilities should be carefully designed and sited so as to minimize nuisance impacts on abutting properties. E. All Township owned and operated institutional facilities should be carefully sited to maximize access to the facility for Township residents and to ensure a wide variety of possible connections to alternative means of transport if the facility is one likely to be used by a diverse citizenry. F. All other institutional uses shall be reviewed for consistency with this Plan and the Township Zoning Ordinance prior to approval. All such uses shall be encouraged to use site planning processes that take concerns of neighbors into account, prior to preparation of the site plan submitted to the Township for review. G. Promote awareness of Township Future Land Use and Infrastructure Plans with the Capital City Airport Authority. H. Remain aware of changes in the Capital City Airport Authority Plans and wherever feasible, influence those plans to be consistent with Township Plans. I. Pay particular attention to the future location of DeWitt Road, to the northeastern boundary of the airport, to the future location of a new terminal, and to the location and size of a new northern runway as it may relate to attracting compatible nonresidential uses south of Stoll Road. COMMUNITY FACILITIES Four categories of community facilities follow with associated goals and policies. Recreational facilities; transportation systems; public utilities, facilities and services; and regional cooperation and coordination are addressed. Some of these facilities are depicted on Map 4-1 under the INS – Institutional category, and three new roads are also depicted. Additional new roads and road expansions are presented on Map 6-2. Recreational Facilities Goal: 1. Provide parks and recreation facilities that are in tune with the needs and desires DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-18 �of all age groups of residents within the Township and through land use planning and regulation ensure the preservation of important natural features for use as open space. Policies: A. Encourage open space areas and recreational facilities as part of future subdivisions, planned unit developments, and other major residential developments. B. Explore development of combined or adjoining school-park and recreational facilities in order to ensure maximum and efficient use and to reduce land costs. C. Fully develop existing parks and acquire and develop additional recreational land so as to offer residents a full spectrum of recreational opportunities. As identified in the Township’s Parks and Recreation Plan, it is important that planning and decision making for the provision of additional recreational facilities begin at an early stage. This is especially important in terms of land acquisition, where early acquisition can greatly reduce overall costs and better assure the ability to acquire land in the most desirable location. It is therefore recommended that the Township take the following measures in maintaining a parks and recreation program, in fulfillment of the above goals and policies: 1. Regularly update the Township's Parks and Recreation plan to qualify the Township for the receipt of Land and Water Conservation Funds (LWCF) and Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) grants from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2. Identify and pursue potential park and recreation funding sources such as private foundations and other local, state and federal programs. 3. Continue to work with the Clinton County, the City of DeWitt and other adjacent communities and school districts to ensure a coordinated approach to providing facilities with organized recreational activities. 4. Continue to provide recreation programs that meet the needs of the community through the DeWitt Area Recreation Authority (DARA). 5. Monitor citizen needs and concerns. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-19 �Photo 4-11 Encourage Open Space Areas as Part of PUDs and other Major Residential Developments Photograph by Stephen C. Musselman Transportation Systems Goals: 1. Maximize the capacity and function of the existing arterial and collector streets and to minimize the conflicts between their functions by regulating land use, building setbacks, and driveway openings, and where appropriate, by requiring the development of front or rear access service drives. 2. Through on-going planning, cooperation with state and county agencies and capital improvements programs to establish priorities for ongoing maintenance, and the construction of necessary improvements or additions to the street network. 3. To acquire wherever feasible right-of-way along designated roads for future road use and non-motorized trails. 4. Achieve a well coordinated and interconnected street system by ensuring that as each new development is reviewed and approved, it connects with abutting development and existing or planned streets. 5. Develop access management standards for those portions of the US-27BR corridor that are not currently addressed in the Zoning Ordinance. Policies: A. Maintain the road classification system in Chapter 2 that focuses on ensuring arterial roads are built and expanded concurrent with needs of land development in the area. B. Direct the majority of road improvements to areas of the Township where it is most practical for growth to occur, or where road improvement spending will provide the greatest return in improving traffic safety and reducing traffic congestion. C. Direct the remaining road improvements toward areas where traffic volumes will increase because of new development both within and outside the Township. D. Maintain rural gravel roads at current capacity standards. E. Assess the traffic impacts of all proposed developments, including the logical DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-20 �F. G. H. I. J. K. future street locations which development may obstruct. Ensure the capacity and function of existing roads and minimize conflicts between through traffic and local traffic by regulating land uses, building setbacks, driveway openings, and where appropriate, encouraging the development of front or rear access service drives. Coordinate the road system with those of adjacent communities to ensure an economical and functional system. Continue to require each new development to connect its roads with abutting development and to use stub streets as the planned connection points. Plan for transit stops in appropriate locations along US-27BR in cooperation with a future transit provider. Develop a subarea plan or plans for access management for the US-27BR corridor north of Webb Road to the northern Township boundary and south of Solon Road to the southern Township boundary. It is recommended that zoning and subdivision controls officially recognize the hierarchy of the road network by taking into consideration the traffic volume, noise, speed and clear vision requirements of each roadway class. Such requirements could translate into larger minimum lot frontages and building setbacks along major streets than those along local platted streets. Photo 4-12 Achieve a Well-Coordinated and Interconnected Street System Photograph by Stephen Gobbo The primary objective of the existing street system of DeWitt Township is to provide a street network which will encourage the most logical orderly development of the area while providing for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. The major problem with the street system is increased traffic volume on 2-lane collector and minor arterial streets. Other factors that are increasingly significant include the need for better traffic and access controls to avoid traffic and land use conflicts. In considering the street system, it is important to remember that the Township does not have jurisdiction over the public streets. Most of the surface streets are under the jurisdiction of the Clinton County Road Commission. The freeways, US-27BR and Grand River Avenue are subject to the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-21 �Transportation (MDOT). Necessary improvements will need to be coordinated with the appropriate agency. Photo 4-13 Most of the Streets in DeWitt Township are Under the Jurisdiction of the Clinton County Road Commission Photograph by Stephen Gobbo The following transportation related recommendations are intended to address existing problems and to avoid problems in the future: 1. Within zoning and subdivision regulations maintain access controls intended to reduce traffic conflicts along the major and minor arterials and collectors thereby preserving their volume and function. 2. Establish road improvement priorities. Through cooperation with the Clinton County Road Commission, monitor traffic volumes and road conditions as part of a program to establish road improvement priorities. In this way, the Township can objectively allocate its limited resources to those areas already having the greatest need. 3. Consider the ability of existing roadway conditions to handle projected traffic volumes resulting from new development when reviewing site plans and rezoning requests. 4. Add right-of-way dedication standards to subdivision and zoning ordinances and consistently implement these requirements as new development occurs. In addition to the above recommendations, the Future Land Use Map depicts three new major roads. The first is the relocation of DeWitt Road from Sheridan Road to I-69 to accommodate runway extensions and a new airport terminal location, as well as to expand its capacity as a parkway that respects the natural character of the area. The second is the new road from south US-27BR to Wood Road through the new Granger Development. The third is an extension of Herbison to Wood Road. The final location of these new roads is likely to differ from that depicted and should only be viewed as approximations. Public Utilities, Facilities and Services Goals: 1. It is the goal of DeWitt Township to promote an adequate level of public services DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-22 �2. and facilities to protect the public health, safety and welfare, and to ensure a high quality of life for residents. It is the goal of DeWitt Township to encourage the majority of new development to locate in areas where public utilities can be most efficiently and cost effectively provided. Policies: A. Provide the necessary public utilities and public safety services to accommodate the growth of the Township's population while minimizing costs to the taxpayer through proper planning. B. Locate public facilities in relation to the population they serve. C. Before approval of land development projects, the Township will seek from applicants and other sources, information about utilities, sewer and water systems, drainage, roads, fire and police protection, and other Township services to ensure that they are adequate to serve the proposed project and future development in nearby areas. In the event they are not adequate, the project will not be approved until such time as they are determined to be adequate. D. Private sewage treatment systems beyond those necessary to serve an individual home are not permitted in the Township. E. Applicants for subdivision and zoning approval for all uses are responsible for the costs of extending public sewer and water to their property as a prerequisite to development, except for those portions of such costs that can be reasonably assigned to the public or other abutting property owners as determined by the Township. F. The Township will continue utility payback procedures as an option for a developer to get paid back for the portion of a sewer or water line extension that also benefits other property owners. Regional Cooperation and Coordination Goal: 1. Closely coordinate growth management policies with those of neighboring communities. Policies: A. Community cooperation with the City of DeWitt will be promoted to provide an adequate level of services that does not duplicate efforts, conserves Township and City resources, acts to improve the quality of life of both communities, and ensures that growth considers the direction established by the Master Plans of each community. B. The Township will participate in regional planning efforts in utility, street transportation, drainage, and land use planning to encourage consistency with, and further implementation of, the Township’s Comprehensive Development Plan as well as other regional plans. RELATED LAND USE ISSUES Historic preservation and greenways are two related land use issues that are not depicted on Map 4-1. However, goals and policies follow in order to improve aspects of quality of life in the Township related to these issues. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-23 �Historic Preservation Goal: 1. Identify and protect important historic structures in the Township. Policies: A. Inventory important historic structures in the Township. B. Adopt zoning regulations that prevent destruction of historic structures. Photo 4-14 Protect Historic Resources in DeWitt Township Photograph by Kimberly Smelker Greenways Goal: 1. Develop a greenways plan, and then implement an integrated system of greenways that include both improved trails for non-motorized use and natural greenways that primarily protect important wetlands, woods and other open spaces in a planned, coordinated fashion. Policies: A. Develop a network of trails within all parts of the Township that connect with trails in adjoining jurisdictions. B. Develop a network of natural open spaces for wildlife and environmental protection. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-24 �Photo 4-15 Develop Connected System of Greenways that Includes Parks Photograph by Gregory White SPECIAL PLANNING AREAS While the Future Land Use Map and corresponding designations provide goals and policies for the general development of the Township, it is recognized that there are some smaller geographic areas that require additional specialized analysis. In some cases, that analysis has been conducted and is provided in the subsections that follow. In other cases, it will be necessary for the Township to complete area plans in the future with participation by neighborhood residents, property owners, and developers. The special planning areas are listed below and depicted on Map 4-2. • Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) Area • Neighborhood Conservation Area • Commercial and Industrial Revitalization Area Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) Area Goal: 1. Work cooperatively with the large landowners east of US-27BR, north of Webb Road, south of Round Lake Road and west of Wood Road to develop a subarea plan for a high density TND around the existing gravel pit ponds which includes: • A multi-story downtown styled commercial area that faces the TND on the east side and also serves passersby on the US-27BR side of the road; • A wide range of residential housing types including row house designs that target seniors, singles and young married couples--unless it also includes an elementary school; • Thorough design controls and design guidelines that require formbased zoning in both the TND portion of this area, as well as along the portion of US-27BR that is adjacent to the TND area. 2. Depending on what is learned by exploring TND under Goal 1 above, consider allowing TND in other parts of the Township. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-25 �The primary initiatives needed to implement this goal are as follows: 1. Township officials should take advantage of opportunities to become much more familiar with TND (also known as New Urbanism and Neo-Traditional Town Design) by: a) purchasing books and downloading some of the rich material on the subject from the Internet; b) attending workshops and conferences on TND; c) monitoring TND projects proposed or under development around the state; d) raising the option to potentially interested developers and urging them to get well informed on the option. 2. Informally begin conversations with landowners in the area to better ascertain their interest and current use plans. If there is no interest or outright opposition, the TND initiative should probably be abandoned. 3. When the time is right, prepare an RFP for consultant assistance to create a TND subarea plan. The consultant (team) to be hired should have: a) demonstrated commitment to and experience conducting a TND design charrette that fully embraces property owner, township official and broad public input; b) experience with creating the necessary design templates to achieve the desired architectural features; c) experience with drafting a form-based zoning code to implement the consensus TND design; d) experience in costing the public elements of the selected TND design and be able to provide assistance with cost-effective financing options. Neighborhood Conservation Area Goal: 1. Develop and aggressively implement a housing conservation and rehabilitation program. The primary initiatives needed to implement this goal are as follows: A. Identify boundaries for residential conservation and rehabilitation as roughly illustrated on Map 4-2 and labeled as Neighborhood Conservation Area. B. Work with neighborhoods throughout the quadrant to build support for a major housing conservation and rehabilitation program targeted at neighborhoods in the south central portion of this quadrant. C. Promote expansion of affordable infill housing in this area. D. Explore the full range of programs that might be utilized to improve the neighborhoods, including a property maintenance code, a brownfield redevelopment program, and a Downtown Development Authority (DDA). E. Aggressively remove substandard housing that is not brought up to code within a reasonable time. F. Tie into county and regional housing rehabilitation programs. G. Identify sites where housing should be removed and commercial uses expanded and begin an acquisition program if the private sector does not. Commercial and Industrial Revitalization Area Goals: 1. Prepare and implement a detailed subarea plan for commercial rehabilitation and expansion along US-27BR south of I-69. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-26 �2. Incorporate detailed access management guidelines for the portion of the corridor that does not already have such guidelines in place. The primary initiatives needed to implement this goal are as follows: A. Investigate interest of the City of Lansing to work cooperatively in the preparation of a detailed commercial land analysis subarea plan from Lake Lansing Road to the I-69 interchange. If the City is interested, do it cooperatively, if it is not, prepare a detailed commercial land analysis from Sheridan Road to I-69 interchange. B. Compare existing building footprints to zoning setbacks and existing and planned future right-of-way. C. Decide on which land uses to permit/encourage in the planning and why; and what ‘fallback’ there is if the market is not receptive to these ideas. Focus initially on residential and business services such as home improvements and repair businesses such as plumbers, electricians and heating and cooling companies. D. Create a new zoning district that focuses on service businesses with minimum quality design standards and encourage its use along US-27BR. E. Identify incentives to encourage the market to develop these lands (especially the larger undeveloped parcels) for the desired uses specified in the subarea plans. F. Restructure zoning regulations for the use, size, scale, height, bulk and design characteristics to allow the development of new, desirable, nonresidential or mixed use development in these areas. G. Establish a mechanism to deny all other uses that would underutilize the development potential of properties within the planning area, except for de minimus uses that could be easily removed once more substantial development opportunities emerged. H. Identify areas where commercial lots should be expanded to permit better redevelopment, moving buildings back and buffering the back of commercial property from residential uses. I. Develop incentives for redevelopment including property acquisition and zoning changes. J. Pick key places for stimulating changes and initiate action. K. Explore the full range of programs that might be utilized to encourage redevelopment and revitalization, including a property maintenance code, a brownfield redevelopment program, and a Downtown Development Authority (DDA). DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-27 �Map 4-2 Special Planning Areas Sp.eciia l Planniing1 Areas lll =Alaa-ii I 1'11 ~ • - ~ "'"" ·c:J Tr,o<J<kr!ol N~gh;;,;,,l.x,d ¢0-~.c_;.,,..-..... ,. c.,.,.,,.,...1onlllndo-«<11lfl:.., .., .,,,... April 13, 2005 an nl1ng1Depa em 1401 W. Herbi~-on Rd. DeWitt, MIi 46620 (517} 669-6576 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 4-28 �Chapter 5 ZONING PLAN INTRODUCTION This chapter opens with a general description of a zoning plan. It is followed by a brief explanation of the relationship between this Comprehensive Development Plan and the Zoning Ordinance of DeWitt Township. The intent and key dimensional standards of the zoning districts are briefly described. WHAT IS A ZONING PLAN? A “zoning plan” is another term for a “zone plan” which is used in the Michigan planning and zoning enabling acts. Section 1(a) of the Township Planning Act, PA 168 of 1959, as amended, requires that the plan prepared under that act serve as the basis for the zoning plan. Section 7 of the Township Zoning Act, PA 184 of 1943, as amended, requires a zoning plan be prepared as the basis for the zoning ordinance. The zoning plan identifies the zoning districts and their purposes. It must be based on an inventory of conditions pertinent to zoning in the township and the purposes for which zoning may be adopted (as described in Section 3 of the Township Zoning Act). This Plan fulfills that purpose for the Township. RELATIONSHIP TO COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN This Comprehensive Development Plan sets forth the vision, goals and policies for growth and development in DeWitt Township for approximately the next twenty years. It includes a specific strategy for managing growth and change in land uses and infrastructure in the area over this period, and will be periodically reviewed and updated at least once each five years. This chapter presenting the Zoning Plan, along with the rest of the relevant parts of this Comprehensive Development Plan, is intended to guide the implementation of and future changes to the Zoning Ordinance. Existing permitted uses of land, including density, setbacks and other related standards are as established in the Zoning Ordinance. As a general policy, it is recommended that the rezoning of any land in support of the Future Land Use Map be deferred until specific applications are made. This will allow maximum opportunity to ensure that appropriate levels of public utilities are available to support the development. Similarly, no rezoning should be made that is inconsistent with the Future Land Use Map and/or text of this Plan, unless this Plan is first amended after careful study to establish the appropriateness of the change. As a general rule, this means if the proposed use is dense or intense enough to require public sewer and/or water and both are not present at the site, a rezoning request to permit the use should be denied, until the necessary public utilities are available to the site. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 5-1 �FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATIONS COMPARED TO ZONING DISTRICTS Following is Table 5-1, a comparison of the designations on Map 4-1, the Future Land Use Map and comparable districts in the Township Zoning Ordinance. Table 5-1 Comparison of Map Designations on Future Land Use Map and Zoning Map Future Land Use Map Designation Environmental Protection and Conservation Conservancy Agricultural Land Uses AP – Agricultural Preservation A – Agricultural Residential Land Uses SF-L - Low Density Single Family Residential SF-M – Medium Density Single Family Residential SF-H - High Density Single Family Residential MFR - Multiple Family Residential MHP - Manufactured Home Park Commercial Land Uses NC - Neighborhood Oriented Commercial CC - Community Oriented Commercial HC - Highway Oriented Commercial ACOM - Airport Commercial Office Land Uses O - Office Industrial Land Uses I-L - Light Industrial I-H - Heavy Industrial I-P - Industrial Park Institutional Land Uses INS - Institutional Zoning District No comparable district, but there are separate regulations over floodplains and wetlands Agricultural District A District: Agricultural A District: Agricultural Residential Districts R1 and R2 Districts Residential Single Family R3 District: Residential Single Family R4 District: Residential Single Family and Two Family R5 District: Residential Single and Two Family R6 District: Residential Single Family M-1 through M-4 Districts: Multiple Family Residential MHP District: Mobile Home Park Development Commercial Districts BL - Business, Local BC - Business, Community and BSC – Business Shopping Center BC – Business, Community BC – Business, Community I-P – Industrial Park Office Districts PO – Professional Office OP – Office Park POD – Planned Office Development Industrial Districts IL - Industrial, Light IH - Industrial, Heavy I-P - Industrial Park Includes properties in any district that are owned by public or nonprofit institutions DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 5-2 �ZONING DISTRICTS Following are the general purposes and characteristics of zoning within DeWitt Township. The specific purposes of individual zoning districts and permitted land uses are listed in the specific district provisions of the Zoning Ordinance. The Section references indicate where detailed ordinance language for each district is located within the Zoning Ordinance. Agriculture District One zone is an agriculture district: Section 5.4 A District: Agricultural This district is intended to preserve, enhance and stabilize existing areas within the Township which are presently used for general farming and areas which, because of their soil characteristics and flora, should be conserved for agricultural purposes. In addition, premature urban development within rural areas can result in increased public costs because of the necessity of serving scattered urban development with water, sewer, schools, roadways, and other public services. It is, therefore, the intent of this district to preserve essential rural land from urban development and to safeguard these lands and their essential economic value as agricultural lands. The Township might consider creating a second agricultural district that focuses on preservation of the agricultural lands in the northeast quadrant of the Township per the recommendations in the last chapter, and retain this agricultural district for other agricultural lands in the Township. Photo 5-1 Agricultural District Photograph by Bruce Keilen Residential Districts The following zoning districts are residential districts: Section 5.5 R1 District: Residential Single Family Section 5.5A R2 District: Residential Single Family Section 5.6 R3 District: Residential Single Family Section 5.6A R4 District: Residential Single and Two-Family DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 5-3 �Section 5.7 Section 5.7A Section 5.8 Section 5.9 Section 5.10 Section 5.10A Section 5.11 R5 District: Residential Single and Two-Family R6 District: Residential Single Family M-1 District: Multiple Residential M-2 District: Multiple Residential M-3 District: Multiple Residential M-4 District: Multiple Residential MHP District: Mobile Home Park Development Photo 5-2 Residential District Photograph by Stephen Gobbo The principal purpose of these districts is to provide for a range of residential dwelling types at various densities within individual zones tailored for specific uses. The “Residential Single Family” districts are categorized through density, with “R1” being the least dense and “R6” as having the greatest amount of density. The “R1” district is established to encourage the development, on fairly large lots, of residential properties of semi-rural character within areas of the Township which presently have public water and sewerage services or will receive such services shortly. The “R2”-“R6” districts establish higher density through building on smaller lots and include areas within the Township which presently have or will have within the reasonable future, public water and sewer facilities. The “Multiple Residential” districts follow the same pattern in regards to density, with “M1” having the least amount of density and “M-4” as having the greatest. These districts are provided to accommodate a mixture of two-family and multiple family dwellings on specified lands. These districts can also serve as transitions between low and high density residential areas. The allowable density within the “Multiple Residential” districts, range from 2 units per net acre to 24 units per net acre. The “MHP” district is intended to provide for the development of Mobile Home Parks and Planned Mobile Home Park developments in areas of the Township where public utilities are available and to insure that the residents of such communities shall be provided with certain minimum standards for quality of their living environments. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 5-4 �Office Districts The following zoning districts are office districts: Section 5.12 PO District: Professional Office Services Section 5.12A O-P District: Office Park Section 5.12B POD District: Planned Office Development The “PO” District is intended to provide for quiet, non-retail types of business and public health uses that do not generate constant high volume traffic from the general public. The “O-P” District is intended to provide for the development of a variety of office uses of a business and professional nature as well as to provide for the development of certain related activities in proximity to office uses. The regulations contained in the “O-P” section are designed to ensure a harmonious relationship between the Office Park District and the abutting land uses and to promote efficient functioning for uses located within the Office Park District. A new “POD” District has been created to address siting issues with the new Auto Owners campus and similar office development that may be attracted to the Township Commercial Districts The following zoning districts are commercial districts: Section 5.13 BL District: Business, Local Section 5.14 BC District: Business, Community Section 5.15 BSC District: Business, Shopping Center The general purpose of these districts is to provide retail shopping opportunities for Township residents and those living within the region. The “BL” district is designed to provide convenient day-to-day retail and personal services to persons living in local adjacent residential areas with a minimum impact upon that surrounding residential development. This district accommodates a major portion of the existing strip commercial development, but it is the intent of this district that future local business development be placed in planned centers rather than small scattered local business zones. The “BC” district is designed to facilitate the needs of a larger consumer population than is served by the local business districts; and typically, accommodates those retail and business establishments that serve the community at large rather than localize residential areas as would be served by local business activity. In regard to the “BSC” district, the intention is to provide for and encourage the development of grouped retail sales and service establishments at logical and sound locations. Typically, such planned centers are located on a single unified site and are designed and constructed as an integrated unit for shopping and other business activity. Industrial Districts The following zoning districts are industrial districts: Section 5.16 IL District: Industrial, Light Section 5.17 IH District: Industrial, Heavy Section 5.17A I-P District: Industrial Park The “IL” district is established primarily to accommodate wholesale, warehouse, and industrial activities which, if properly buffered, can function with a minimum of undesirable and detrimental effects on surrounding districts. It is also intended to accommodate certain limited commercial uses that offer convenience to persons employed in the industrial district as well as those commercial uses that have characteristics which are recognized as being detrimental to other retail activities and DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 5-5 �residential uses. The “IH” district is intended to encourage and facilitate the development of industrial enterprises in a setting conducive to public health; economic stability and growth; and to protect from blight, deterioration and incompatible non industrial encroachment. It is the intent of this district to allow for heavier industrial enterprises that generally require larger areas, greater outside storage and inherently produce greater levels of noise, odor, dust and smoke. The “I-P” district is designated to accommodate a variety of light industrial, applied technology, research and related office uses within a subdivision setting. The use of this specialized district is intended to provide a campus environment through the coordinated application of development standards such as building height, gross area coverage, signage, landscaping and other unifying elements. SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS Standards related to bulk, height, density, and building setbacks for each of the zoning districts are listed in the aforementioned sections of the Zoning Ordinance and/or Section 5.18 of the Zoning Ordinance. The Zoning Ordinance also includes chapters that address signs, landscaping, parking, and the like for developments in the respective districts. PROPOSED CHANGES TO ZONING ORDINANCE Following is a list of changes that could be made to the Township Zoning Ordinance to be consistent with the policies in this Plan. • Add a new planned unit development office district (POD). • Add a new PUD for mixed use residential and open space. • Add lock-in driveway’s regulations along undeveloped land throughout Township through an approved Access Management Plan. • Establish right-of-way preservation standards in the zoning and subdivision regulations. • Increase zoning setbacks along arterials and collectors based on future ROW. • Add site plan review standards that will allow future transit stops to be provided for uses along the US-27BR corridor. • Add interconnected bicycle and pedestrian circulation system (non-motorized transportation) standards to the site plan review standards of the Zoning Ordinance. • Review veterinarian hospital and kennel regulations. • Review standards for auto-oriented businesses such as drive-through oil changes. • Review fence regulations. • Review current regulations regarding in-home child care in residential districts. • Determine whether reductions are appropriate for rear yard setbacks in residential districts. • Examine the minimum number of parking spaces required for the various uses in the Township and determine whether any adjustments, deletions, or additions are necessary. • Consider adding a comprehensive set of lightning standards to the Zoning Ordinance. • Review the landscaping standards to assure that the Township’s rural character will be adequately protected. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 5-6 �• • Conduct a review of the uses allowed in the various districts to assure that modern uses are adequately addressed. Review regulations and update as needed to assure that the private sector can provide necessary services to an aging population, including housing and health care. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 5-7 �Chapter 6 GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY INTRODUCTION This chapter describes the infrastructure, community facilities and services strategies and initiatives that will be necessary for the vision in Chapter 3 and the future land use arrangement in Chapter 4 to become a reality. It discusses the importance of ensuring that public investments in land and infrastructure contribute to building the kind of community desired by Township residents and paid for as each new increment of growth occurs. It describes the importance of adopting an adequate public facilities ordinance, maintaining an annual capital improvements program and helping ensure major investments are made into the Township road system according to Township design standards. The importance of adequate public sewer and water, fire, police and park and recreation services is also stressed. These measures replace the urban growth staging strategy promoted in the 1991 Plan. INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC LAND INVESTMENTS Background Where a municipality does and does not spend public money to improve roads or extend sewer and/or water lines is one of the most effective tools available to guide growth. However, it is very expensive for municipalities to build new infrastructure to stimulate growth in an area and may create a situation where existing residents are paying for most of the infrastructure costs of growth rather than the new residents served by the new infrastructure. Partly as a result, it has long been the policy of DeWitt Township that new development pay all the incremental infrastructure costs associated with new development. This is especially fair given that existing and former property owners of the Township have paid for the existing major infrastructure framework, such as the sewer and water mains, the treatment facilities, the fire stations, Township Hall and major Township parks—which for the most part served existing development when they were constructed. This Plan is based on a continuation of the policy that the Township does NOT pay for the incremental costs of infrastructure expansion, except perhaps in the following instances: • Where it is an extension of a sewer or water main that will serve much more than the new development, and there is some major physical problem giving rise to unusual costs, such as topographic relief requiring extra large lift stations. The normal policy is for the developer to construct the expanded infrastructure at a size determined by the Township to be able to serve the additional property, and the Township will incur those costs associated with over-sizing the system to serve beyond the new development. • Where right-of-way acquisition is involved on properties not proposed for development and the right-of-way is not being acquired by a road authority to address an existing congestion or safety problem, but rather is for the purpose of ultimately building a new road at a higher standard than the road authority would otherwise build it. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-1 �Photo 6-1 Road and other Public Infrastructure Investments will be Necessary Photograph by Stephen Gobbo Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance Communities that reach the level and rate of suburban development that DeWitt Township has, usually consider adopting an adequate public facilities ordinance (APFO) to ensure that as new development occurs, developers are fairly and equally treated as relates to paying for new infrastructure. This way, existing Township residents do not experience deficiencies in infrastructure and public service needs or have to pay higher taxes for infrastructure that developers should have provided. An APFO sets level of service thresholds for new development in each of the service areas it covers, such as paved and gravel roads, public sewer and water, storm drains, and often parks, recreation and school facilities. Each new development above a certain size threshold is required to be reviewed for its impact on these public facilities and if found to be inadequate, are not approved unless the project is scaled back to an acceptable impact level, or the public facility or service is improved to the point the impact is acceptable. This approach requires new development to pay for the incremental cost associated with the new development, without saddling existing taxpayers with subsidies for the new development. Not all costs of new development could be fairly charged to developers. For example if a water main is needed on a road, that line may need to be larger than necessary to service a particular development, so only the cost of the line associated with the service needs of the development could be charged—or the developer could pay for it all and get paid back as adjoining lands are developed. The same is true of a lane widening or intersection improvement. APFO's are common in many parts of the country but are just starting to come into use in Michigan. They require communities to carefully plan and know the excess capacity of each public service included in the APFO, and to set and uniformly apply fair standards for the application of the ordinance. They are often effectuated through development agreements signed by the developer and the Township Board. The ordinance usually permits the Township Board to waive certain standards when the public benefit is great enough to warrant doing so. This may be the case where a developer volunteers to build a new road segment at an oversized standard as a substitute for mitigating another facility impact. Or, perhaps a developer has proposed an affordable housing project with an especially good design in an area that is both planned for affordable housing and at a time when the need in the Township for such housing is not being adequately met. An DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-2 �adequate public facilities ordinance should be in place before public sewer is extended up US-27BR to Round Lake Road. Capital Improvement Programs Communities use capital improvement programs (CIP) to help make infrastructure investment decisions. A CIP is a schedule of public infrastructure improvements for the next six years. The CIP is updated annually by removing the just completed year and adding one more year at the end. The CIP lists each new public facility or expansion to an existing facility, where it will be located, how much it will cost, what the means of financing is and relevant information related to the project. Each project is scored against criteria that include conformance with this Plan. A CIP allows a community to stage development and spread infrastructure investment over time so the community does not overextend its finances. Some communities only include the community cost portion of infrastructure in the CIP, others include any infrastructure expansion, including that by developers. The most important public infrastructure as relates to development are: roads, sewer, water, storm drains, fire, police and schools. Each is briefly discussed in the next few sections of this Chapter. Future Road Improvements Three major highways, US-27BR, US-127 and I-69 run through the Township. These highways give the Township exceptional accessibility within both a regional and statewide context. Map 2-15 shows the existing street classification system in Township. Due to its geographical relationship to Lansing and the highway network, DeWitt Township is inherently tied to the future development of the overall Lansing Metropolitan area. DeWitt Township has a good system of arterial roads and collector streets to efficiently move people and goods. Numerous north/south routes are most important for journey-to-work travel, especially for persons from DeWitt and adjoining jurisdictions to the north that travel into Lansing on a daily basis. The major problem with the street system is that it is not designed to accommodate the increased traffic volume on arterial and collector streets that will come if the Township and adjoining jurisdictions build out as planned. As the Township grows, better traffic and access controls will be necessary to avoid traffic and land use conflicts. Several roads already have congestion problems, especially during peak hours. These include Herbison Road and Airport Roads, and parts of Clark Road. Many of the roads within DeWitt Township have just two lanes, some with paved shoulders. In the more rural areas of the Township, some of the east/west collector streets are gravel. For example, Howe Road is gravel on the east side of US-127 and is of diminishing quality eastbound until it intersects with Chandler Road. The Township’s Planning Department conducted two buildout analyses to provide an estimate of the number of homes that might result if all property in a community developed at the maximum allowable density. The first analysis examined the total buildout if the Township fully developed under the current Zoning Map. The second analyzed the total buildout under the current Future Land Use Map. Assuming the trend of approximately 2.49 persons per household remains constant, the population of the Township under the two buildout scenarios would increase to between 38,500 and nearly 53,000 people. The roads within the Township are not adequate to accommodate such growth. Any section in the Township with over 800 dwelling units will be a DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-3 �significant problem. The average household makes about ten trips per day. This would result in 8,000 trips per day per section, not counting through trips starting and ending outside the Township. The numerous two-lane roads throughout the Township will start to be congested over time as buildout occurs. Generally, a two-lane paved road can handle a maximum of about 15,000 vehicles per day. The system of roads in DeWitt Township will require improvements to better handle the increasing traffic and congestion from within the Township and through traffic from adjoining jurisdictions. At a minimum, the road segments in Table 6-1 will need major lane additions, from two lanes to four or five lanes or boulevards. These and other new roads are illustrated on Map 6-2. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-4 �Map 6-1 Future Road Improvements Future Road lmp1 rovem,ents Pl'O!lcoled Roa.I I m a• _ fll!t1i" 1.\,/t.J,::,,v Mar;: N :H.al'lll rrarne Cslrned or 3-lafte E,p ond le 4,Lane 'f er Rc-.1 NgJnQll EJqu y;ud · 81 . 7v'oorrvl!11 10 Bowk!Vara Q PiJe:si ~ Flo!ZUl'i:lbout t April 13, 2005 Piao · , 9 D merit 1401 W. Hl!ltii.Uln FM. DeWin. Ml 45820 (517) &69•6576 DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-5 �Table 6-1 Proposed Road Improvements Location of Segment Existing Design Character 2-lane paved Proposed Design Character Existing ROW Future ROW 4-lane boulevard with separate bike path on one side Mostly 66 feet, but varies with 80-100 feet at subdivisions US-27BR from Lansing to Round Lake Road 5-lane paved 4-lane boulevard by filling center lane wherever feasible Clark Road, from Airport Road to US-27BR and from Wood to Chandler 2-lane paved DeWitt Road from Lansing to Interstate 69 Herbison Road from Airport Road to US27BR Herbison Road should also be extended from US-27BR to Wood Road Stoll Road from Airport Road to Wood Road 2-lane paved 4-lane with separate bike path on one side (may be better as 3 lane with path on both sides) 4-lane boulevard with separate bike path on one side 2- or 3-lane paved with traffic calming with separate bike path on one side 4 lane boulevard with separate bike path on both sides of road Varies widely with 100 feet min. and much 130-170 feet, and some 225350’ Mostly 66 feet but varies with 80-100 feet at subdivisions 120 - 150 feet at intersections and boulevard openings if semitrucks are likely Same 2-lane paved 2- or 3-lane paved with traffic calming with separate bike path on one side Mostly 66 feet in the middle with 100 feet on the west end and 80100 feet on the east end State Road from DeWitt Road to US-127 2-lane paved 4-lane with separate bike path on one side (may be better as 3 lane with path on both sides) Mostly 66 feet Airport Road from Grand River to Cutler Road 2-lane paved Does not yet exist 100-120 feet at intersections Mostly 66 feet 150 feet Mostly 66 feet by the City, but 80100 elsewhere 100 feet with 120 feet at intersections if feasible 150 - 200 feet necessary to accommodate large semi-truck turns 100-120 feet at intersections NA 100-120 feet at intersections Examples of road cross sections consistent with these rights-of-way follow (see Figure 6-1). DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-6 �Figure 6-1 Future Road Cross Sections 4 Lane -1:50' Right--of-Way P·a,rkway 4. il ane -1100 1' Right-of-Way Graphic by Planning & Zoning Center, Inc. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-7 �The Township will have to work diligently to acquire a significant amount of right-of-way to expand some roads to four-lanes or boulevards. Boulevards with raised medians separate opposing traffic and reduce conflict points by eliminating left-turns into and out of driveways along an arterial. In fact, when properly designed, a roadway with limited median crossovers is the safest design with the maximum traffic carrying capacity. Rebuilding Airport, DeWitt and creating the as yet the unbuilt Herbison Road extension from US-27BR to Wood Road as boulevards will not only improve traffic flow and safety, but will also serve to give DeWitt Township a more clearly defined regional identity. The Township will carefully monitor improvements at Capital City Airport. A proposed new terminal building near the current intersection of State Road and DeWitt Road will place increased emphasis on State Road between DeWitt Road and US-27BR as an entrance to the Airport. This may necessitate the expansion of State Road to as many as four lanes, in an area where existing development may make right-of-way acquisition difficult. As development is proposed at the Airport, the Township will explore the feasible roadway profiles in this area, up to and including, four lanes. One way to acquire the needed right-of-way is to ask developers to donate it as a part of local plat or site plan approvals. In some cases, development incentives may need to be offered in the form of higher density or intensity of use of the site in order for the donation to be made. In other cases where no additional development is contemplated, the Township may need to buy it, and a fund should be created soon for that purpose. Clear guidelines for the circumstances under which Township funds will be used to purchase right-of-way will also need to be created. Opportunities to use federal, state and county road commission funds for obtaining the needed right-of-way should be actively sought. The Township should work cooperatively with all road authorities and developers to ensure that actual road improvements are paid for using funds from road authorities and developers wherever feasible. The Township may need to assist road authorities with the process of applying for and securing these funds, especially when discretionary and/or competitive. Similarly, the Township will need to review the setback standards in all districts and establish greater setbacks on those roads which are planned for a wider right-of-way, so there is still an appropriate setback once the planned road segment is constructed. No arterial or collector right-of-way should be planned for less than 100 feet in width. This permits not only a five-lane roadway, but also space for separated sidewalks/bike paths on both sides. That would mean minimum setbacks that are now 35 feet from an existing 66' right-of-way, would need to be 35 feet from a future 100' right-of-way, or 17' more on each side than now. In some locations, existing development near the road will make it difficult to acquire the additional right-of-way needed to widen roads and add capacity. It may be appropriate to consider a major tree planting effort along these roadways as an alternative to raod widening. A substantial tree canopy can have the effect of “calming” traffic, encouraging drivers to lower speeds and choose alternate routes with greater capacity. A major tree planting effort will have the additional benefit of helping the Township to retain its rural character. In addition to the lane additions noted above, major intersection improvements will also be needed. Roundabout designs should be seriously considered in some locations. They are much safer and move traffic better. However, they require more right-of-way and DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-8 �may cost more to create. As the above road improvements are made, roundabouts should be studied for placed at the following intersections: • DeWitt Road and Stoll Road. • Round Lake Road and US-27BR. Figure 6-2 Roundabouts should be Considered for Some Locations Graphic by Planning & Zoning Center, Inc. The border roads of Airport Road and Chandler Road, should be carefully watched for volume increases, and measures taken to plan for road improvements long before any improvement work actually begins. DeWitt Township will need to work closely with its neighbors to maintain the efficiency of the circulation system, especially along boundary roads or traffic will use other routes to cut through the Township. As mentioned earlier, access management plans are recommended for the following road segments and property along all roads in the Township should be required to conform with state, county and Township access management regulations. • US-27BR north of Webb Road to Round Lake Road • US-27BR south of Solon Road to Sheridan Road (perhaps in two segments) Any access management study in these road segments should be done in concert with other studies conducted in the special planning areas described in Chapter 4. As previously recommended, access control standards should be designed to regulate and coordinate access to undeveloped land along US-27. These standards should address such items as driveway placement, width, and number; acceleration and deceleration lanes; driveway distance from intersections; joint driveways; frontage roads and service drives; and pedestrian movement. In establishing access control standards, the Township must enlist the support of Michigan Department of Transportation officials in jointly reviewing site plans for new developments so that the access control standards developed by the Township can be implemented. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-9 �It will also be important to continue to require that each new development have a road and pedestrian system that connects to abutting property. If there are existing stub roads, they need to be connected to, and if the abutting property has not yet been developed, stub roads need to be appropriately designed and constructed. Private Roads Private roads are only permitted in site condominium developments, multi-family developments and the new Planned Office Development zoning district. They must be constructed consistent with County Road Commission standards. Transit Services When Township residents express a sufficient demand for expanded transit services, the Township will work with the Clinton Area Transit System (CATS) and Capital Area Transit Authority (CATA) to explore scheduled bus service in the Township. It is recommended that all new development along major arterials and collectors, particularly US-27BR be reviewed to ensure that it is transit friendly, and includes locations for future transit stops. Appropriate provisions should be placed in the Zoning Ordinance site plan review standards to ensure such a review takes place. Public Sewer & Water Map 2-12 illustrates the present extent of public sewer service in the Township while Map 2-11 depicts the service area for public water. Large areas of the Township remain unserved with either public sewer or water. As was noted earlier, it is the Township’s policy that the costs of infrastructure associated with new developments will generally be paid by the developers of those projects. Among the exceptions to this policy are instances when issues such as topography make it impractical for developers to accomplish the infrastructure extension without assistance from the Township. For example, the Township has been planning the extension of sanitary sewer (and coordinating the extension of public water) along US-27BR due to the topography associated with the Looking Glass River While the Township will continue to plan for the eventual extension of these utilities along US-27BR, it does not appear that there is an immediate need to proceed with an expenditure of public funds for the project, based on the following observations: • There is a considerable amount of land along and adjacent to the US-27BR corridor that is planned and/or zoned for commercial use, that is presently served with public water and sanitary sewer, and is undeveloped or underdeveloped. • There is also a considerable amount of land just north of Webb Road along the US-27BR corridor that is planned for commercial use that can be served with privately funded extensions of public water and gravity sanitary sewer. • Last, there is a considerable amount of land in the Township off from the US27BR corridor, such as at the intersection of Clark and Airport Roads, that is planned and/or zoned for commercial and office uses, already served with public water and sanitary sewer, and is presently undeveloped. It is important that development utilize this existing infrastructure before the Township invests public money into new extensions. The Township will continue to use its annual Capital Improvement Program (CIP) process to identify the areas in which public sewer and water will be extended. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-10 �Above-Ground Utilities Utilities that are placed above ground on utility poles can have significant aesthetic and economic impacts on an area. The Township will explore programs to encourage, and perhaps require, existing and future electric, telephone, cable, telecommunications utilities to be placed below-ground. Fire and Police Services The Township has recently completed thorough reviews of its fire and police services. In 2003, the Township completed the Fire Department Apparatus Study to examine apparatus needs and staffing levels for the department. The Township has already begun implementation of the study by making necessary apparatus purchases and implementing a firefighter recruitment and retention program. In 2004, the Township partnered with the city of DeWitt to examine police services in the two municipalities. The two communities formed a joint Police Services Exploratory Committee to review the manpower, equipment, and services of the two departments. The Committee considered options for delivery of services, including joining the two departments together and partnering with the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department. The Committee completed its Study Regarding Police Services Options in May of 2004, concluding that the two departments function very efficiently and recommending that the departments remain autonomous, but explore joint training and equipment purchases to further increase efficiencies. Greenspace, Parks, Open Space The Township should move forward soon with the development of a Greenspace Plan that identifies both passive and active greenspace areas and connections between them. Connections should range from sidewalks to bike trails to walking paths and simply natural animal corridors. As new residential development occurs in the Township, it will also be necessary to ensure that each new development is contributing to meeting the need for future parks and open space, and for connections to the greenspace system. This can be done by requiring the need to be met with private recreational facilities on site, by building connecting trails or pathways, and/or by permitting developers to contribute land or money to public recreational facilities to be constructed in the area. Of course, this means the Township needs to be vigilant about tracking growing recreational needs and acting long before the need is acute to acquire key property for recreation, permanent open space, or trails. This effort should be a tandem effort with the load carried by both the Planning Commission and the DeWitt Area Recreation Authority (DARA). The Township Park Plan should continue to be updated at least once each five years and the Township should be vigilant in watching for federal and state grant programs to help meet local recreation needs. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-11 �Photo 6-2 Develop Greenway Connections such as this one in Western Michigan Photograph by City of Grand Rapids Park and Recreation Department SUMMARY OF PUBLIC LAND INVESTMENTS Many of the public infrastructure investments in this chapter will require public land investments by the Township to become a reality. Notable among them are the following: • Acquisition of right-of-way for future road improvements where the land is not donated by the landowner or developer, nor acquired by the road authority; • Public parks; • Trails, where land or easements are not donated. These investments need to be included in the annual Capital Improvement Program (CIP) the same as any other infrastructure investment. The Planning Commission should always review all proposed capital improvements for consistency with this Plan, as required by the Township Planning Act, prior to approval of the CIP by the Township Board. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 6-12 �Chapter 7 IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS INTRODUCTION This Plan was prepared to protect and improve the quality of life in DeWitt Charter Township. However, as important a benchmark as this updated Comprehensive Development Plan represents, the initiatives proposed in this Plan will not implement themselves. It will take continued support and commitment for many years. The central ingredients to successful Plan implementation will be: • Commitment by the Planning Commission, the Board of Trustees, and staff of the Township. • A citizenry educated on the vision in this Plan. Information about farmland protection options, neighborhood conservation and implementation of the growth management strategy need to reach citizens or they may not understand why and how local decision-making is directed to implementing this Plan. FOCUSING ON PRIORITIES As the body principally responsible for preparing and maintaining a Comprehensive Development Plan for a community, but one which also has substantial responsibilities in review of proposed developments for zoning compliance, it is easy for a Planning Commission to become distracted with ongoing tasks or ad hoc, controversial issues. Still, the Planning Commission needs to prioritize its tasks relative to implementation of this Plan. Time needs to be set aside for high priority items. These include the preparation of an annual report and work program for the next year, drafting updates to the Zoning Ordinance, assisting the Township Board with any capital improvements or public land acquisitions or disposals, and the five-year Plan update. These are discussed below. ANNUAL TASKS As required by the Township Planning Act, the Planning Commission should prepare an annual report to the Township Board on all the activities it undertook in the previous year, with a special focus on actions taken to implement this Plan. A proposed work program that identifies priorities and projected expenses for the next year should also be prepared and submitted in time to be included in the annual budget process. TOP PRIORITIES The Planning Commission cannot be expected to implement all of the measures listed in Chapter 3 (Vision, Goals, and Policies), Chapter 4 (Future Land Use), and Chapter 5 (Zoning Plan) alone. Many of these can only be accomplished with support from the Township Board and with help from other agencies or groups both within and outside of the Township. It is essential that discussions begin with each of these entities so that DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 7-1 �they understand the goals, find agreeable common ground where there are differences, and obtain a commitment to a common action. Photo 7-1 Preserving the Natural Environment, while Accommodating New Homes and Linking them throughout the Township are Key Priorities of this Plan Photograph by Stephen C. Musselman LIST OF RECOMMENDED PRIORITIES The following activities should be the key priorities of the Planning Commission and Township Board for the next five years: 1. • • • • • • South Central Neighborhood Conservation and Commercial Revitalization Plan (see Special Planning Areas Map 4-2) Create a South Central Neighborhood Conservation and Commercial Revitalization Plan. One portion would be a subarea plan for neighborhood conservation and improvement in the south central portion of the Township on each side of US-27BR. The other portion would be a subarea plan for revitalization, reuse, and redevelopment of commercial and industrial uses along US-27BR. Adopt and implement a housing conservation code and enforcement program. Select the best option for linking interested homeowners (existing and prospective) to state and federal low interest loan and home improvement programs. Explore the costs, benefits and feasibility of establishing a brownfield redevelopment authority and downtown development authority to assist with improvements in the subarea. If appropriate, establish and implement one or both of these entities. Prepare an access management plan for south US-27BR. Select the best option for linking interested business owners (existing and prospective) to state and federal low interest loan and business improvement programs. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 7-2 �2. • • • • • • • • 3. • • • 4. • • Zoning & Related Ordinance Amendments Update the Township Zoning Ordinance to be consistent with this Plan as outlined in Chapter 5 and other relevant parts of this Plan. Review other land development regulations in the Township (such as land division and subdivision regulations) and update as necessary to be consistent with this Plan. Especially require interconnected streets and trails with each new development. Add lock-in driveway’s regulations along undeveloped land throughout Township as part of the access management regulations in the Zoning Ordinance. Establish right-of-way preservation standards in the zoning and subdivision regulations consistent with the recommendations in Chapter 6. Increase zoning setbacks along arterials and collectors based on the future ROW line as discussed in Chapter 6. Add transit friendly design standards to the zoning ordinance to improve safety and convenience for children and seniors who use transit service along US-27BR and implement through site plan review. Add interconnected bicycle and pedestrian circulation system standards to the site plan review standards of the Zoning Ordinance. Adopt an adequate public facilities ordinance to ensure that each new increment of development will be adequately served by public facilities at the time it is ready for occupancy. North Central Commercial Development and Mixed Use TND Plan (see Special Planning Areas Map 4-2) Facilitate public and property owner input into a north central area Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) Plan, as described in Chapter 4. Based on the public and property owner input, prepare a conceptual TND Plan for development east of US-27BR, north of Webb Road and west of Wood Road with appropriate form-based code zoning amendments to ensure the desired development occurs as intended. Prepare an access management plan for US-27BR north of Webb Road on both sides of the road. Determine and then adopt development restrictions to accompany expansion of public sewer along north US-27BR and the timing for such an extension. Clearly identify desired commercial uses along the corridor along with the scale and mass of desired development. This activity should be done concurrent with, or as a part of the preparation of the access management plan (described above), and depending on the timing, possibly coincident with the development of the TND plan as well. Opportunity-Based Initiatives Work closely with MDOT, the Clinton County Road Commission, the Capital City Airport Authority, the City of DeWitt and other abutting jurisdictions to implement the road improvements proposed in this Plan. Develop a Greenway Plan which identifies trail locations and options for creating the trails, as well as identify appropriate implementation tools for acquisition of title or development rights from willing sellers, and set up funding mechanisms for implementation. Link all parts of the Township and insert trail connections with trails in similar plans of adjoining jurisdictions. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 7-3 �• • 5. • • • • • • • • Create bike paths along key Township roads as they are repaved/extended/restriped where warranted. Design and implement a major tree-planting program along Township Roads in order to preserve rural character, slow traffic, and thereby improve travel safety and the visual interest of each drive. Duty-Based Initiatives Educate all citizens about the vision, goals, objectives, and policies of the updated Comprehensive Development Plan and provide technical assistance in the integration of these elements into property owner development and redevelopment efforts. Use capital improvement programming process to assist with staging infrastructure improvements. Work with adjoining jurisdictions to ensure affordable housing needs in this part of the County are met. Use this Plan in the analysis and review of proposed rezonings, zoning text amendments, site plans, and new or amended master plans of adjoining jurisdictions submitted to the Township for statutory review and comment. Exercise the inter-jurisdictional review authority of draft plans and plan amendments in ways to improve local decisions by guiding them toward integrated and coordinated solutions based on the core policies in this Plan. Monitor neighboring jurisdiction and County agency decisions and periodically inform other local governments and the County Board of Commissioners on the status of efforts to implement this Plan. Join efforts with others outside the Township to modernize planning and zoning enabling legislation and to authorize or use new tools to better manage growth and preserve open space. At least once each five years, the Comprehensive Development Plan should be thoroughly reviewed and jointly updated by the Planning Commission and the Township Board. DeWitt Township Comprehensive Development Plan - 2005 7-4 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wyckoff Planning and Zoning Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Planning & Zoning Center (Lansing, Mich.) (Organization) Wyckoff, Mark A. Description An account of the resource Municipal master plans and zoning ordinances from across the state of Michigan, spanning from the 1960s to the early 2020s. The bulk of the collection was compiled by urban planner Mark Wyckoff over the course of his career as the founder and principal planner of the Planning and Zoning Center in Lansing, Michigan. Some additions have been made to the collection by municipalities since it was transferred to Grand Valley State University. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Michigan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960/2023 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a> Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Comprehensive plan publications Master plan reports Zoning--Michigan Zoning--Maps Maps Land use--planning Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-240 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Language A language of the resource eng Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Dewitt-Charter-Twp_Comprehensive-Plan_2005 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource DeWitt Charter Township Planning Commission, DeWitt Charter Township, Clinton County, Michigan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005 Title A name given to the resource DeWitt Charter Township Comprehensive Development Plan Description An account of the resource The DeWitt Charter Township Comprehensive Development Plan of 2005 was developed by the DeWitt Charter Township Planning Commission in consultation with the Planning & Zoning Center, Inc. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Planning & Zoning Center, Inc. (consultant) Subject The topic of the resource Comprehensive plan publications DeWitt Charter Township (Mich.) Clinton County (Mich.) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives