Scio Township

 We created a downtown "gateway" plan for Saline that specified uniform landscaping, lighting and design elements. The plan caught on, and, while not an ordinance, property owners within the gateway area began incorporating the theme in their plans. The former Visteon plant voluntarily adopted some of the elements along their frontage and the fencing details have popped up in several locations within the gateway area on Michigan Avenue.  This is also one of Doug's projects.

Don Wortman and the city of Plymouth cooperated with Plymouth Township on an overlay district along Ann Arbor Road.  It established landscaping and design details and included a clock tower at a key intersection. Local business owners praise it. 
 
"It's inviting and it's clean," said Adam Aguageel, general manager of the Plymouth Super Center. "It makes people more welcome.  The lighting and landscaping make a very important first impression before people even decide to pull into your business."

Building on Troy's master plan, we were chosen to prepare a new zoning ordinance and establish development guidelines and design standards for the DDA.
 
Other new clients (a mix of continuing services and projects) include Highland Park, Bridgewater Township, Blissfield Township, the Village of Pinckney, Lexington Township, the City of Keego Harbor, Clayton Township, Leslie Township, the Village of Barton Hills and Sumpter Township.  Unadilla Township is a returning client.

 

Huron Township senior park

In 2000, 12 percent of the region's population was 65 years or older. By 2035, SEMCOG says that number will rise to 25 percent, while the percentage of the population under age 14 declines.  So shouldn't our public parks reflect those changes?  Huron Township thinks so. Their new senior park was covered by the News Herald and the Detroit Free Press.  John Enos is the township's director of municipal services.

Michigan Planning Enabling Act
 
The Michigan Planning Enabling Act took effect September 1.  One implication is that all commissions should review their bylaws, especially concerning conflicts of interest.  We at Carlisle/Wortman are routinely performing that task on behalf of our clients.
 
Noteworthy changes in the act:

• Ex officio member can no longer chair a planning commission
• Non-qualified electors (business owners, for example) can serve as planning commissioners, with full voting privileges

Sally Elmiger has written an excellent summary of the act.  Read it here.
 
SEMCOG and MDEQ have published a new, low-impact development manual.  Sally was on the project steering committee.  Here's a link to the manual.