What is a Master Plan?
A Master Plan is a community-driven policy document used by elected and appointed community leaders to guide land use decisions, including those related to transportation, development, recreation, economy, natural resources, and arts. Communities are required to update their Master Plan every five years, per the Michigan Planning Enabling Act (MPEA).
The Master Plan lays out “where we should go” informed by a combination of existing data, stakeholder input, community input, and best practices related to how communities of sizes and locations like Marquette can best position themselves for the ever-changing future.
The plan is not binding, but guides public projects and the Zoning Ordinance, which is local land use law. You can get an understanding of how a Master Plan functions by perusing the existing City of Marquette Master Plan.
When are key project activities occurring and how will the community be invited to participate?
Below is the planned project timeline with community engagement opportunities identified beneath the timeline.
Our community (that’s you!) will be asked to participate in a variety of ways throughout the project, including in-person and online events and online surveys. We hope to reach as many voices as possible during this process.
What happens next?
- Please pass on this information to folks you live, learn, work, and/or socialize with who should be aware of this process.
- Encourage them to sign up for updates at www.marquettemasterplan.org.
- We are designing online surveys for you to complete throughout this process. The surveys will be emailed to you, as well as shared via local media, social media, and community channels.
- We are continuing to host pop-ups around town, to raise awareness of the project in places where you, our community, is already living, working, learning, and playing. You’ll find our team at local brewpubs, coffee shops, events, grocery stores, and other places around town. If you see us, please say hello!
- We are planning a community events. Be sure to check in on the Community Calendar for all planned events!
Questions?
If you have questions about this update and/or the Master Plan project, please contact Dennis Stachewicz, City of Marquette Director of Community Development, at dstachewicz@marquettemi.gov.