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"Lets Decide How" Website Provides Online Venue For Community Engagement 
"LetsDecideHow.org" is a new website available to help local governments, non-profits, citizens, and businesses with sharing ideas, concerns and suggestions for the greater Grand Traverse Region. The website is available to anyone in the region, and will be used by The Grand Vision Networks to facilitate public input for a variety of projects. This tool is just one of many examples of collaborative ventures involving the networks and local organizations and units of government.
LetsDecideHow is built on a platform called "MindMixer" which acts as a virtual town-hall allowing community planning to happen online. It provides a way for people to participate in the planning process and contribute ideas without attending meetings that can sometimes be time consuming and inconvenient. Too often, great community ideas are lost because residents don't know how or don't feel comfortable getting involved. LetsDecideHow empowers people to improve their community, all from the convenience of their own home.
Communities and organizations will be able to turn on project sites at LetsDecideHow and determine challenges, establish topics, and ask for ideas. Community members will be able to add ideas, upload photos, add comments, and support ideas. Everyone can help spread the word online to help the project grow. Community leaders will review the ideas, give feedback, and implement the best ideas.
The first project to use LetsDecideHow is a comprehensive regional planning project called Framework for Our Future: Tools and Strategies for Supporting The Grand Vision. Public input will be used to develop a regional framework of inventories, plans, model ordinances, and more. The tools and strategies within the framework will be available to local units of government to use for their communities. The focus of the framework aligns with the six guiding principles of The Grand Vision. Public input for the project is facilitated by The Grand Vision Networks.
LetsDecideHow is free and available for everyone to use. To sign up go to: LetsDecideHow.org.
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Framework for Our Future Provides Tools and Strategies for Supporting
The Grand Vision 
Framework for Our Future, launched by the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, is a comprehensive, six-county regional planning project to develop tools and strategies that will help with implementation of The Grand Vision and its six guiding principles.
The Grand Vision provides a 50-year, big picture vision for the future of our region. Framework for Our Future looks at how we can make The Grand Vision a reality and how local governments and other community organizations support The Grand Vision. In other words, The Grand Vision is the what, Framework for Our Future is the how.
The Framework will be developed through input from local citizens and comprehensive research. The six Grand Vision Networks will convene public input sessions, conduct surveys, gather existing data and assessments, and will provide guidance throughout the process.
Public input sessions will be held in each of the six Grand Vision counties during the last two weeks of April. Click on the link for a schedule of those input sessions and more information about Framework for Our Future.
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| Information & Events
Transportation Network: 
March 5
Transportation Network Meeting
3:30 p.m., Second floor conference room
NWMCOG Offices
600 East Front Street, Traverse City
Growth & Investment Network: 
March 11
Growth & Investment Network Meeting
10:00 a.m., Conference room
Traverse City Michigan Works!
1209 S. Garfield
Food & Farming Network: 
March 12
Farm Route to Prosperity Summit
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Hagerty Center, Traverse City
Natural Resources Network: 
March 20
Natural Resources Network Meeting
9:00 a.m., Steelcase room
Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce
202 East Grandview Parkway
Housing Solutions Network: 
April 9
Housing Solutions Network Meeting
9:00 a.m., Second floor conference room
NWMCOG Offices
600 East Front Street, Traverse City
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Grand Vision Guiding Principles
Based on intensive research and input from thousands of citizens from Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, and Wexford counties, a vision that will lead to prosperity for people throughout northwest lower Michigan was created founded on these guiding principles:
A coordinated regional transportation network
Unique and vibrant communities
Housing choices
 Sustainable-energy uses in construction, transportation and economic development
Protected and preserved water, forests, natural and scenic areas
Viable regional farms and local food systems
thegrandvision.org
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