CITY OF TRAVERSE CITY

CORRIDORS MASTER PLAN EAST FRONT • WEST FRONT • EIGHTH • FOURTEENTH • GARFIELD

ADOPTED OCTOBER 2013 PREPARED BY HOUSEAL LAVIGNE ASSOCIATES & DLZ

SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION



Traverse City Corridors Master Plan

SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION Overview & Purpose

The Traverse City Corridors Master Plan is designed to improve the appearance, function and vitality of the City’s key commercial corridors. The Corridors Master Plan focus on restoring economic vitality by identifying opportunities for housing, commercial activity, and improvements to public infrastructure, including both the vehicular and pedestrian networks. An overarching goal of the project is to facilitate progress toward becoming a city of healthy and sustainable neighborhoods. There are a number of ways in which the Plan will serve in achieving this goal:

»»

»»

The Traverse City Corridors Master Plan is a plan for five corridorsd within the the City of Traverse City and its stakeholders to use in enhancing and redeveloping property and infrastructure along Front Street, Eighth Street, Fourteenth Street, and Garfield Avenue. Effective implementation of the Plan will require the cooperation and initiative of the City and private property owners. The Traverse City Corridors Master Plan is the result of a 13-month planning process and involved the residents and business owners within the City.

»»

»»

»»

The Traverse City Corridors Master Plan is a policy guide for physical improvement and development within and along these corridors. It considers not only the immediate needs and concerns of the community, but provides guidance to the City and property owners encouraging desired redevelopment and improvements to health neighborhoods and commercial areas for years to come. The Traverse City Corridors Master Plan will assist the City in protecting important existing nearby residential neighborhoods, coordinating property enhancement and redevelopment, and establishing a strong and positive community image and identity along the corridors. The Traverse City Corridors Master Plan provides guidance in several major categories that most impact these corridors, their appearance, their businesses, and their users. The Plan includes recommendations for the use of land; the movement of vehicles and pedestrians; and improvements to the character, image and identity of these important corridors.

»»

»»

»»

The Traverse City Corridors Master Plan provides a framework by which City staff, the Planning Commission, and City Commission can review and evaluate private development proposals. The Plan also provides a guide for public improvements and can help to ensure local dollars are spent wisely on enhancements that bring about the desired change. Although the document is the official plan for the city’s key corridors, variations from it may be considered since it is intended as a guide. The Traverse City Corridors Master Plan provides the basis for updates to zoning and other development regulations, and direction and rationale for capital improvement plans, all of which should be used to implement planning policies and recommendations. These were informed by analysis of the market and physical conditions in the Corridor and vetted through a number of meetings with the community.

37 Lake Leelanau

22

Leelanau

West Arm Grand Traverse Bay

East Arm Grand Traverse Bay

31

Greilickville Greilickville

72

72

Traverse City 31 37

Finally, The Traverse City Corridors Master Plan promotes the unique assets and advantages of the City, and indicates to property and business owners the City of Traverse City is committed to maintaining a vital community and welcomes enhancement and redevel