By Jim Bloch
Marysville has entered a contract with the Spicer Group, the civil engineering and community planning firm, to update the city’s master plan.
The city council voted unanimously at its regular meeting Aug.28 to hire the Spicer Group at a cost not to exceed $30,000. The company has 10 offices in Michigan.
The group will conduct an update of the full plan and will seek input from the public using an online survey.
“Is this done every five years?” asked Mayor Kathy Hayman, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on Vimeo.
“It’s supposed to be,” said City Manager Randy Fernandez.
“I know I’ve seen the recreation master plan go through its cycle two times,” said Hayman. “I don’t ever remember seeing the city master plan (updated).”
“With the rec master plan, when you’re submitting for grants … it’s imperative that you have that,” said Fernandez. “The five years is kind of a guide… But that’s on me. We’re a little behind in this endeavor. It needs to get done.”
The master plan was last fully updated in 2007 and amended in 2014.
The city budgeted $35,000 for the new plan.
An effective master plan will help guide the city in responding to opportunities for development and redevelopment, said Cynthia Spicer in her proposal to City Manager Randy Fernandez.
“It must work to build a sense of community identity by considering the dynamic local factors that make the city of Marysville unique,” said Spicer. “(It) should set forth a hopeful yet realistic vision that includes goals supported by the community and provides a solid foundation for effective zoning and land use decisions.”
The plan must comply with the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, Public Act 33 of 2008.
The Spicer Group will provide a snapshot of the city now and tease out anticipated trends using demographic data, maps and an analyses of current conditions.
The online survey will attempt to determine how residents feel about issues facing the city as well as future land use and development.
The new plan will lay out the goals and objectives that will guide development over the next five or more years.
One of the work products will include a land use map for the future that “will describe the rationale for the placement of various land uses in the city.”
The final document will include an action plan to guide the city’s planning commission, city council and other officials over the life of the plan.
Fernandez said the update should take about nine months, a year at most.
The council vote was 7-0.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
