By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Atlas Twp. — From 4-6:30 p.m., June 13, Atlas Township, 7386 Gale Road, will host a Township Master Plan Open House. The gather will provide an opportunity for the community to review the current draft of the updated master plan.
“The entire process has been citizen driven by the Master Plan Advisory Committee and the results of the Citizen Survey completed last year,” said J. Michael Rembor, PC chairperson. “We are looking forward to citizen review and discussion of the current status of the plan before we schedule a Planning Commission Public Hearing of the final draft.”
Last October, the township board of trustees voted 5-0 to approve, at a cost of $20,500, to update the Master Plan. In addition, the township approved at a cost of $4,250, a new five-year Parks and Recreation Plan that will dovetail into the Master Plan. The new plan is necessary to apply for several DNR grants.
The current Master Plan, adopted in November 2009, was prepared when a nation-wide economic recession was occurring; the data used was based on the 2000 U.S. Census; the area population is aging; home sizes have changed; housing affordability is a big issue now; more residents are working at home and the township along with other nearby communities have invested in miles of walking trails.