PC minutes 8-13-2003

Population Age Distribution
Georgetown Township, 1990 and 2000
Age Group	2000 Number of Persons	2000 % of Total	1990 % of Total
Under 5 years	2,923	7.0%	8.3%
5 to 9 years	3,495	8.4%	9.3%
10 to 14 years	3,651	8.8%	8.8%
15 to 19 years	3,522	8.5%	8.4%
20 to 24 years	3,172	7.6%	7.5%
25 to 34 years	4,759	11.4%	15.6%
35 to 44 years	6,701	16.1%	16.3%
45 to 54 years	5,580	13.4%	10.8%
55 to 59 years	1,969	4.7%	3.7%
60 to 64 years	1,450	3.5%	3.1%
65 to 74 years	2,294	5.5%	4.5%
75 to 84 years	1,454	3.5%	2.9%
85 years and over	688	1.7%	0.8%

2000 Age Distribution
Georgetown Township, Ottawa County and MI
Age Group	% of 2000 Pop.
	Georgetown Township	Ottawa County	Michigan
Under 5 years	7.0%	7.7%	6.8%
5 to 9 years	8.4%	8.1%	7.5%
10 to 14 years	8.8%	8.2%	7.5%
15 to 19 years	8.5%	8.7%	7.2%
20 to 24 years	7.6%	7.9%	6.5%
25 to 34 years	11.4%	13.4%	13.7%
35 to 44 years	16.1%	15.9%	16.1%
45 to 54 years	13.4%	12.5%	13.8%
55 to 59 years	4.7%	4.3%	4.9%
60 to 64 years	3.5%	3.2%	3.8%
65 to 74 years	5.5%	5.1%	6.5%
75 to 84 years	3.5%	3.6%	4.4%
85 years and over	1.7%	1.4%	1.4%

Distribution of Housing Units by Type, 2000
Georgetown Township
Type of Housing Unit	# of Units (Georgetown Twp.)	% of Units (Georgetown Twp.)		% of Units (Ottawa Co.)
Single-family detached	10,559	73.2%		70.6%
Single-family attached	1,360	9.4%		5.3%
2-units in Structure	339	2.4%		3.9%
3-4 units in Structure	256	1.8%		3.3%
5+ units in Structure	1,816	12.6%		9.4%
Mobile Homes	88	0.6%		7.5%
Other	0	0.0%		0.0%
Total	14,418	100.0%		100.0%

Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing, 2000
Georgetown Township and Surrounding Communities
Community		Median Value
GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP		$137,700
City of Hudsonville		$133,000
Allendale Township		$118,200
Blendon Township		$140,700
Holland Township		$127,700
City of Grandville		$122,200
Ottawa County		$133,000
Kent County		$115,500
Michigan		$115,600


Median Household Income
Georgetown Township and Surrounding Communities
Community	1979	1989		1999
GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP	$23,937.00	$30,056.00		$58,936.00
City of Hudsonville	$19,978.00	$32,114.00		$46,961.00
Allendale Township	N/A	$30,738.00		$48,669.00
Holland Township	N/A	$35,523.00		$49,458.00
Blendon Township	N/A	$36,667.00		$56,094.00
City of Grandville	N/A	$36,906.00		$47,570.00
Ottawa County	$20,270.00	$36,507.00		$52,347.00


Occupation of Employed Persons, 2000
Georgetown Township
Occupation			Number Employed		Percent ofEmploy-ment
Management, professional and related occupations			7,635		35.1%
Service occupations			2,573		11.8%
Sales and office occupations			6,354		29.2%
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations			187		0.9%
Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations			1,605		7.4%
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations			3,371		15.5%
Total employment, persons 16 years and older			21,725		100.0%

DESIGNATIONS

Agricultural/Residential

The land uses in this category include farms, greenhouses, large vacant lots, and residential lots 5 acres or larger. These uses are predominant in the northwest and southwest portion of the Township where a small number of farms and some greenhouses exist, along with large lot residences.

Low Density Residential

Single family homes on lots less than 5 acres, primarily in platted subdivisions, are the major use in this category.

Medium Density Residential

Concentrated duplexes and attached single family homes (condominiums) are classified as medium density residential. This provides an alternative form of housing opposed to multiple family housing complexes and the detached single family homes.

High Density Residential

Apartments and residential uses with a density of 8 units or more per acre occupy this category. Retirement centers, townhouses, and multiple family housing units can be found in a number of residential areas throughout the Township.

Office/Service

Medical offices, funeral homes, insurance agencies, real estate businesses, banks, other professional offices, hair care, and veterinary clinics are typical uses found in this category. Concentrations of these uses are predominant along Baldwin Street and Chicago Dr., with pockets found throughout the Township, especially in urbanized areas.

Commercial/Retail

Retail/wholesale and commercial businesses, restaurants and automobile services stations are classified into this category. Most commercial uses are concentrated along major corridors such as Chicago Dr., Port Sheldon Street, and Baldwin Street.

Highway Commercial

Heavy machinery storage and sales, farm supply, mini-storage, and auto body repair are typical uses found in this classification. Heavy concentrations are located along the entire length of Chicago Dr.

Industrial

Salvage yards, manufacturing, warehousing make up this category. Industrial uses are clustered in the Georgetown Industrial Center located west of Chicago Dr. on both sides of Port Sheldon.

~~Mining~~

~~This land use category includes sand, gravel, and other mining operations.~~

(It was noted that this designation should be eliminated due to the fact that the land used for mining would be master planned for the reclamation use.

Public/Semi-Public

Schools, churches, police, fire, municipal offices, utilities (waste water treatment, Consumers right-of-way) and water pumping and storage facilities are included in this category.

Park/Recreation/Open Space

Golf courses, parks, and cemeteries comprise this category.

NATURAL FEATURES

The Township’s natural features play a significant role in planning for the future use of land in the community. Natural resources provide an essential element to the Township’s suburban character. Some benefits provided by natural resources may be destroyed or threatened by uncontrolled or unplanned development. They include:

recreation opportunities (such as hiking cross-country skiing, boating, biking);
education (heritage restoration, science, interactive education);
restoration of plan and animal species (Hager Hardwood Forest);
aesthetics (rural ambiance, serenity, privacy);
pollution reduction (emission, noise, water, waste);
wetland functions (flood control, groundwater recharge and purification, unique plant and animal habitat);
economic value (agriculture products).

The Township contains sensitive soils, prime farm land, wetlands, and floodplains. A discussion of the Township’s natural features with implications for land use planning follows:

Soils

The Ottawa County Soil Survey of 1972 was used to determine each soil type’s limitations for development. Agricultural land in Georgetown Township is made up of muck soils, primarily used for growing vegetables, and a variety of soil types, used for corn, wheat, and hay. The varying topography caused by geological and natural occurrences influenced the location of soil types. Soil characteristics evaluated for the Development Suitability map include water table, bearing capacity, percolation rate, and slope.

The following map, titled “Natural Features-Soil Limitations on Urban Development” indicates that a large portion of the Township is subject to the constraints described above. It is very evident from a review of this map that the development of the Township to date has been influenced been strongly by natural features considerations. In particular, soil conditions (and water service availability) have exerted a strong influence on the pattern of growth in the Township. Large areas of muck soils are undeveloped and largely in productive agricultural use. Much of the most suitable land for development has been consumed. Areas where much of the Township’s growth is now taking place are subject to heavy soil constraints. This results in higher development costs for foundations, dewatering and stormwater management. Unfortunately, it may also result in problems if developers need to avoid these higher costs. They then are passed on to the public and local government, who are left to solve such problems as flooding, poor drainage, and soil erosion and sedimentation.

Prime Farmland

Agricultural land uses have decreased over the past 20 years due to the continued development of new residential uses in prime farmland areas.

Wetlands

Wetlands are defined by the MDEQ as “land sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances does support, wetland vegetation or aquatic life.” The US Fish and Wildlife Service has identified wetlands in Georgetown Township through interpretation of aerial photography.

Wetlands in some instances can represent a limitation to development, but wetlands can also be a valuable development site amenity. Values of wetlands include:

assisting in the control of stormwater and floods;
improving water quality through filtration of pollutants;
serving as a groundwater recharge area;
controlling erosion;
providing critical habitat for wildlife;
providing open space and aesthetic value.

Significant wetlands in Michigan are protected by the Goemare-Anderson Wetlands Protection Act, Public act 203 of 1979. This Act places restrictions on, and in some cases prohibits, development within a wetland. The MDEQ is responsible for reviewing development plans in wetland areas. During this review, the MDEQ considers the following: location of project in mapped wetlands, existing soil types and vegetation, and depth to the water table. MDEQ staff should be consulted for an on-site wetland determination by developers prior to requesting action by the Township on development proposals. The areas identified as wetlands on the Floodplains and Wetlands map are based on general criteria which may differ from those used to determine whether a site is a regulated wetland status may be suspected, and total reliance should not be placed on the mapping included herein.

Floodplains

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has determined the 100 and 500- year floodplain boundary within Georgetown Township for purposes of administering the federal flood insurance program. The areas within the FEMA 100-year floodplain are included on the Natural Features-Floodplains and Wetlands Map.

Development within the 100-year floodplain is subject to compliance with federal, stated and local development standards. These requirements are all coordinated into a single system of floodplain management intended to lower the risks to life and property from flooding in the Township. The 100-year floodplain adjoins many of the smaller drainage courses in the Township, in addition to the Grand River. Floodplain area is found along Rush Creek, the Lowing-Comstock Drain (main drain and tributaries), Bliss Drain, Watson Drain and Huizenga Drain.

PUBLIC UTILITIES

A large portion of the Township is served both by public water and sewer service. The Township is fortunate to be on the route of two of the three main water transmission lines which deliver water from Lake Michigan to the Wyoming metropolitan Area. The water and sewer service area map illustrates the general service areas for both utilities, based on main and distribution/collection system locations.

Public Water Service

Public water service is provided to the Township by both the Ottawa/Grand Rapids System and the Ottawa/Wyoming System. These systems were created by agreements negotiated by the Ottawa County Road Commission with the major water supplying communities in Ottawa and Kent County. The Ottawa/Wyoming System serves most of the Township, with the Ottawa/Grand Rapids System serving only a small area in the northwest part of the Township adjoining the Grand Valley State University campus in Allendale Township.

Sanitary Sewer Service

The limits of sewer service availability roughly follow that of public water service, with some exceptions. Currently, public sewers do not extend south of I-196 to the far southeast corner of the Township. Waste treatment services are provided by the City of Grandville through a service agreement. A small area south of the GVSU campus is served by the Allendale system.

The Township has a master system map for the water and sewer systems.

TRAFFIC AND VEHICULAR CIRCULATION

Vehicular circulation is constrained by the Grand River and the railroad tracks. Access to the expressway is provided at Chicago Dr. and 44^th St. A large volume of traffic funnels through the intersection of Main St. and Chicago Dr. Since the Township is basically a bedroom community, many residents travel to jobs in the Grand Rapids area via the I-196 Expressway.

Baldwin, Cottonwood, Bauer, and Fillmore, Chicago Dr. are main thoroughfares that move traffic from residential areas to the Jenison commercial center and to the expressway interchange at Chicago Dr. Port Sheldon/44^th St. also provides east/west access.

A recent cooperative effort with neighboring municipalities and the county have identified 48^th Ave. as the north/south corridor. In addition, 8^th Ave. will provide access from the South Beltline.

The Township has been working towards the development of an I-196 connector that would connect Baldwin directly with the expressway and eliminate the need to cross the railroad tracks and to travel through the intersection of Main St. and Chicago Dr.

Additional improvements should be made to the following areas:

future street extension of 28^th Ave.,
future river crossing to the north,
future 48^th Ave. interchange at I-196,
future widening/improvement to 48^th Ave.

Comments were as follows regarding this section:

8^th Ave. is a major corridor.

18^th Ave./20^th Ave. is a good road that connects residential areas to Chicago Dr. and 44^th St., but does not have much developable land. In the future, wetlands would be added to the GIS program.

32^nd Ave. through Hudsonville is very busy and the Township should work with Hudsonville along this area.

14^th Ave. would be used by the residential developments from 22^nd Ave. to VanBuren, to 22^nd Ave.

Access should be controlled on busy roads.

Schools generate a large amount of traffic and the Master Plan should refer to this, even though the Supreme Court ruled that Townships have no authority over them. Hudsonville School District should be encouraged to have one high school on Baldwin and one on Riley. The school on 32^nd Ave. should be a middle school instead of a high school. Due to the amount of traffic generated by schools, student numbers should be limited to 1,500 to 2,000 pupils.

LAND USE ISSUES, GOALS AND POLICIES

Land Use Issues

Consideration of existing conditions in the Township and types of concerns expressed by citizens during zoning, special use and site plan review processes, and concerns expressed by members of the Planning Commission and Township Board resulted in the following list of major land use issues:

Traffic circulations within the Township, and into and out of the Township

The Township has been identified as primarily a residential community with commercial areas to service the residents. Major needs include an easier way to get in and out of the Township, as well as a way to ease congestion within the Township. Continued population growth causes vehicular movements to commercial areas and to access the expressway to become a high priority. Township officials continue to push for the Baldwin St. connector to the I-196 expressway.

The location of the Grand River restricts traffic to the north and north east. The 48^th Ave. corridor will provide north/south access within and out of the Township.

Land use conflicts

Several locations where dissimilar types of land uses in close proximity create potential conflict. These types of conflicts should be avoided in the future.

Deteriorating housing maintenance due to occupation by other than the owner

Older areas of the Township have been becoming rental units when the owners with upgrade or move to retirement homes.

Number, size and location of neighborhood commercial centers

The majority of commercial services in the Township are concentrated in the Main St./Baldwin/ Chicago Dr. area, Baldwin/20^th Ave. area, Chicago Dr. corridor, and at the corner of 28^th Ave. and Port Sheldon. Small areas are located near GVSU at Pierce and 42^nd Ave. and at the southwest corner of Bauer and Cottonwood.

A need exists for a limited number of areas planned for small scale commercial services.

In addition, the area around the new Township ice rink, east of 48^th Ave. and north of Bauer, has been identified for commercial development, especially since commercial development has already located on the west side of 48^th Ave.

Revitalization of property along Chicago Dr. and on Main St.

Attention needs to be paid to older developments that need to meet current ordinance requirements when applications are submitted for action on these sites. Major problems are poor aesthetic conditions along the length of the corridor, uncontrolled access in certain locations, and a random mix of uses. Changes could be implemented on a case-by case basis for individual properties as opportunities present themselves. Landscape improvements and driveway closures should be required.

LAND USE GOALS AND POLICIES

Based on consideration of the land use issues, the following goals and policies were established to guide the development of the Land Use Plan:

Goal

To achieve a mix of residential, commercial and industrial developments that provide quality living environments of various types, convenient access to a variety of commercial goods and services.

Revised as follows:

To achieve a mix of residential opportunities served by distinct neighborhood commercial nodes and identified industrial concentrations that provide quality living environments, convenient access to commercial goods and services, and some employment.

General Land Use Policies

Encourage development through the Planned Unit Development Ordinance to provide multiple densities of residential possibly along with commercial uses with flexible zoning requirements.

Revised as follows:

Planned Unit Development Ordinance and open space clustering to provide multiple densities of residential, possibly along with commercial uses with flexible zoning requirements.

Access to major roads (listed in the Zoning Ordinance) should be limited and placed in locations that have the least impact practical on the through flow of traffic. Special consideration should be given that good access management techniques are practiced, specifically on the major roads.

Direct new development to areas efficiently served by public roads, utilities, and other public services, or require the developer bring these services to the area to be developed.

Discourage intense development in areas having environmental constraints, such as floodplains, wetlands, and unstable soils.

Avoid development which creates land use conflicts between different uses. Provide gradual transitions from intensive commercial and industrial uses to low density residential uses, or require developers to provide an adequate buffer.

Residential Land Use Policies:

New residential development should occur contiguous to existing developed areas to ensure efficient utilization of existing utility lines, or the developer would be responsible to bring the utilities to the location.

The Township should provide a variety of living environments for differing preferences in housing styles and prices.

Higher density residential uses should be place in proximity to major roads and commercial services, to lessen impacts on the road system in the Township and lessen driving distances.

A housing code should be adopted for rental properties to maintain standards.

Commercial Land Use Policies:

Major commercial centers serving the entire community should be concentrated near the existing commercial core area in the vicinity of Main/Chicago Dr./Cottonwood.

~~Smaller~~ Confined neighborhood commercial centers should be provided in selected locations to place needed services conveniently accessible to residential neighborhoods.

Office/service uses and higher density residential uses should be used as transitional uses.

The Township should discourage strip commercial development to minimize traffic problems and unsightly development. Residential character with appropriate setbacks and buffers should be maintained along major arterial streets, such as Baldwin, 44^th St., and Port Sheldon Rd.

Industrial Land Use Policies:

The benefits of new industrial development should be weighed against the resulting traffic impacts, land use conflicts and potential noise, odor and other adverse impacts of industrial growth.

New industrial development should be directed to selected areas which have good road access and utility services, or are planned to receive them, and where conflicts with other land uses are minimized.

Comments regarding this section include the following:

A small commercial development is located at the corner of Bauer and Cottonwood. The area behind Target is also an area were commercial uses could be expanded. There was discussion regarding the creation of a joint sub area along Chicago Drive into Hudsonville. There would be potential for the Township to work with the City of Hudsonville with needs along this area such as access control and architecturally similar structures.

There was discussion regarding the need for more area to be dedicated for industrial uses and the decision was made that more was not needed due to the fact that areas were available in Allendale and Jamestown Townships. Industrial areas should be located close to an expressway.

Since alcohol is not available by the glass, it would be difficult for full service restaurants to locate in the Township.

Page 12 of the draft plan should be amended to exclude industrial uses.

It was noted that the Township should work together with the City of Hudsonville for uses along 48^th Ave. and for industrial uses, and that the goals should be amended.

It was noted that on the other side of the state municipalities put utilities where they want development to occur. Because of that, location of development is influences by the location of utilities. Another practice is congruency, that before any parcel is developed, all utilities, schools, and police and fire services would be available. It was noted that Metro Council would like multi-jurisdictional control and to eliminate local government.

There was discussion regarding LMR lots that back up to LDR lots that create neighborhood problems, specifically for the plat off 28^th Ave. However, it was noted that other areas do not have problems.

For residential developments, standards for property maintenance should be kept up and a rental ordinance should be investigated.

It was noted that no more land would be rezoned to HDR because no more apartments were needed.

FUTURE LAND USE

Based on the issues, goals and policies presented, and on consideration of potential future population growth in the Township, a map depicting the desired future development pattern in the Township was prepared. Following is a description of the general types of uses included in each of the land use categories, and a discussion of the rationale of the Map and its relation to the Plan goals and policies. The residential development densities associated with the land use categories are considered to be gross development densities measured over a large area, encompassing both developed and undeveloped land, as well a public right-of-way. As such, they are not intended to be applied as maximum densities for purposes of regulation. Their primary purpose is forecasting overall population distribution in the future.

DESCRIPTION OF FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORIES

AG/RR-Agriculture/Rural Residential

Land in this category is not anticipated to be developed for urban uses within a 20 year timeframe. It is intended for agriculture uses, as well as very low density residential development which does not required provision of public utilities. Gross density of residential development in this category is not intended to exceed one dwelling per ten acres, although zoning may permit development on lots smaller than this. The gross density figure is intended to be an overall measure of density in this category, including public right-of-way and land devoted to agricultural uses or other non-development uses.

LDR-Low Density Residential

This category includes land developed for primarily detached single-family residential use in the LDR and LMR zoning districts. Residential development in this land use category is intended to be served by public water and sewer services. Since the Future Land Use Map anticipates future urban growth in areas not currently served by public utilities, it is recognized that this growth will be contingent on expansion of utility services through main extensions, as well as the construction of a new elevated water storage facility near 36^th Ave. and Baldwin St. In some cases, development of attached forms of housing may be appropriate, at low densities, in response to site specific circumstances, such as wetland, steep slope, floodplain, or other natural features constraints. Overall development density in this category is assumed to be two/three dwelling units per acre.

MDR-Medium Density Residential

Development in this category includes multiple family residential uses, up to a maximum density of seven units per acre. Development in this category includes attached single-family condominiums as well as townhouse condominiums. It might also include manufactured housing developments approved in accordance with Township zoning regulations. Average gross density in this land use category is assumed to be five dwelling units per acre.

HDR-High Density Residential

Residential development density from seven to fifteen units per acre is included in this category, with an average assumed gross density of ten units per acre. Multiple family residential apartments are the predominant type of housing in this density range.

OS-Office Service

This category includes personal and business service uses which typically are of low intensity and do not generate high traffic volumes. Examples include professional, administrative and medical offices, banks, and services such as dry cleaning and photocopying. These types of uses do not involve processes or activities that are visually objectionable or which produce noise, odors, dust, smoke or other environmental effects.

NC-Neighborhood Commercial

Neighborhood Commercial uses are intended to serve the convenience commercial needs of the immediate area. As such, there are a very limited number of areas where land is provided for these uses. Neighborhood commercial centers are typically small in size, in the range of two to six acres. A neighborhood commercial center should be small in size and scale, typically being no greater than 20,000 square feet in total floor area. This category is not intended to provide for uses which serve the community-at-large, or which compete with existing commercial centers in the Township and the City of Hudsonville. Examples of neighborhood commercial uses include convenience retail stores, small sit-down or carry-out restaurants not having drive-through service windows, bank branch offices, dry cleaners and other personal services. A full-service supermarket, which typically would include a minimum of 40,000 square feet of floor area, would not be considered consistent with the purpose of this land use category.

CC-Community Commercial

This land use category includes a full range of retail and service commercial uses, including department, discount or membership retail stores, restaurants, gasoline and service stations, vehicle sales and repair, and other commercial uses which typically serve the entire community, generate high traffic volumes or are dependent upon high volumes of traffic on adjacent roads.

I-Industrial

Included in this category are a variety of light manufacturing and fabrication uses, as well as heavy equipment or materials handling and storage. Warehousing and trucking would also be placed in this category.

~~M-Mining~~

Land shown in this category on the Future Land Use Map is anticipated to be used for sand and gravel extraction over the timeframe of this plan. There are other locations of active extraction in the Township which are not indicated as such on the Future Land Use Map. The Plan assumes that these operations will be completed and the land converted to other suitable uses in the future.

P/QP-Public/Quasi Public

This category includes governmental and private non-profit facilities, such as the Township offices, fire stations, post office, churches and schools.

REC-Recreation/Open Spaces

All public parks are included in this category, as well as public, private and semi-public golf courses. In addition, stormwater detention areas owned by the Ottawa County Drain Commission and/or the Township in the west end of the Township and on the north side of Port Sheldon Rd. are placed in this category.

RATIONALE AND HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP

The Future Land Use Map reflects the expected continued development of the Township as a high-quality residential community. In addition, smaller amounts of land are provided for expansion of the Township’s commercial and industrial base. Following is a discussion of the Future Land Use Map organized according to several specific geographical sub-areas of the Township which served as the focus for issue identification and policy development by the Planning Commission.

Jenison Commercial Core

The land adjacent to the Chicago Dr., Baldwin St., and Cottonwood area serves as the commercial service core of the Township. The extension of Cottonwood St. south of Chicago Dr. to Port Sheldon Rd. provides the opportunity for minor expansion of the commercial core. Commercial uses should not encroach any further north on Cottonwood or west on Baldwin St. If Baldwin St. is extended and ramp access to I-196 provided as contemplated, additional land on Baldwin St. is provided for low commercial use, such as Office Service, with limited access and developed as a single development. However, the Grand River and Rush Creek floodplains, as well as the nearby City of Grandville waste treatment facility may impose limits on the extent of any new development along the east end of Baldwin St.

The property located south of Chicago Dr. in the vicinity of Cottonwood could be developed as a planned unit develop with a community feel, possibly consisting of the following: a Town Square, athletic fields, and walkable commercial uses such as grocery stores. In addition, the 20 foot shelf built above Rush Creek should be used for a walking trail.

Chicago Dr. Corridor

No major changes in the existing land use pattern along the Chicago Dr. corridor are anticipated. Much of the undeveloped land on the south side of Chicago Dr. is subject to wetland, floodplain or unstable soils constraints. Reuse of the DeWent Gravel property for industrial use is anticipated. Much of the land on the south side of the corridor is placed in the AG/RR category, where wetlands, floodplains or poor soils make more intense uses infeasible or environmentally damaging. Attempts should be made to improve appearances, limit driveway access, and to take advantage of opportunities when they become available.

At the southeast end of the Township, the area south of Chicago Dr. is designated for Highway Commercial and the land along New Holland and 40^th Ave. is designated for LDR.

Baldwin St. Corridor

A major goal of the Plan that has been established and continues to be important is to maintain a residential living environment along Baldwin St. frontage, where non-residential uses have not already been established. The Jenison commercial core and the small clusters of commercial and office service uses near 20^th Ave. and west of 12^th Ave. should not encroach further east or west.

A narrow strip of muck soils which crosses Baldwin near west of 12^th Ave. has been designated as park/open space on the Future Land Use Map. Acquisition of this land on the north side of Baldwin would provide a valuable green space corridor connect the existing park/stormwater detention area on the south side of Baldwin to Maplewood Park and Maplewood Lake north of Baldwin. A pedestrian/bicycle trail along this greenbelt could eventually be extended further north along the edge of the muck lands all the way to Cedar Lake and the County Park on the Grand River.

Northeast Corner of the Township

Extensive sand and gravel mining activity continues in this area. A reclamation plan has been adopted by the Board and by Ottawa County, titled Bend Area Park Site, A Planned Mining and Reclamation Program, dated September 2000, prepared by Bauer-Ford Reclamation Design. The plan is adopted within this plan by reference. This plan encompasses approximately 1,000 acres, bordered on the north and east by the Grand River; on the south by the golf course, Taylor Street, Residential properties and Fillmore Street; and on the west by 22^nd Ave.

A small amount of area is designated for neighborhood commercial use at the corner of Bauer and Cottonwood.

Southeast Corner of the Township

Lack of public sewer service currently constrains development in the area south and east of I-196. In addition, this area has rolling topography that is not conductive to urban development densities. Therefore, it is anticipated that this area will continue to be characterized by very low density residential development, typically on lots of five acres or more.

Another significant influence on this area is the proposed South Beltline freeway. The alignment enters the Township near Jackson St. and 12^th Ave., and connects to I-196 immediately north of this intersection. Full direct access to the South Beltline is provided at 8^th Ave. in Jamestown Township. Access to the South Beltline at 8^th Ave. will provide greater accessibility for the southeast corner of the Township to employment centers outside the Township. This could create more demand for development in the part of the Township, but for lack of public sewer service to this area.

~~To maintain~~ the current low density residential character of the area and the attractive natural features which characterize the area, ~~extension of sewer service to the area should be avoided.~~ should be encouraged and maintained until sewer becomes available.

Eventual improvement of 8^th Ave. south from 44^th St. may be needed to serve traffic into and out of the Township using the 8^th Ave. interchange on the South Beltline.

The area around Parsons Drive and 8^th Ave. should remain residential, including detached homes, single-family attached, and even some multi-family dwellings.

Bauer Rd./Fillmore Area.

The Master Plan recognizes that this is an area in transition from very rural to urban residential. However, the natural character of the area should be preserved to the extent possible. As public water and sanitary sewer become available, planned development in the form of PUDs or open space preservation projects should be permitted within an overall residential density limit of 3.5 units per acre. Preference should be given to large scale developments that will maintain open space and preserve the natural character of the land, while meeting the residential goals of this Plan. Conventional subdivisions that simply divide the land into lots with no amenities and little regard for the natural character should be discouraged.

Edson Dr./VanBuren Area.

The area east of the Hudsonville City limits is still dominated by gravel extraction and agricultural uses. However, completion of mining activities will eventually produce reclaimed land with water amenities that will be reclaimed for residential development. The area between Edson Dr. and VanBuren St. is expected to develop for residential use, while the area south of VanBuren extending to I-196 is projected to remain as agricultural, very low intensity use.

Property along the south side of Chicago Dr. that abuts the City of Hudsonville now has a high density residential use.

North of Hudsonville

The Plan encourages residential infill in the area between Baldwin and Port Sheldon Rd., from City View Estates west to the Georgetown Forest area. As stated in the Plan goals and policies, infill development is needed to make more cost-effective use of the Township’s investment in water and sewer facilities. Heavy clay soils and elevation limits area are a constraint on development, but can be overcome. The installation of a new elevated water storage facility near Bauer and 36^th Ave. is a priority of the Township. However, developer financial participation in its cost is necessary so that current utility customers are not subsidizing new development in this area. Future plans include an elevated water storage facility located behind the Fire Station on Baldwin St. and 36^th Ave.

Although no specific locations are shown on the Future Land Use Map, future residential development in this area may justify providing a small amount of land for neighborhood commercial uses, in accordance with the limitations on size and scale recommended earlier in this document. A possible alternative location includes the following:

36^th Ave. and Baldwin St.
~~36^th Ave. and Bauer Rd.~~

Any specific proposals for rezoning to the neighborhood commercial district in this area should be evaluated based on proper land use planning considerations, including the following:

whether the property proposed for rezoning has physical and environment characteristics which are suited for the proposed zoning;
compatibility with uses of adjoining properties;
the availability of public utility services, which should be required for commercial use.

South of the ridgeline which lies south of Port Sheldon Rd. muck soils are anticipated to remain in agricultural use. This muck land extends into the northwest corner of the City of Hudsonville.

Northwest Corner/GVSU Area

The draft study done by LSL is adopted by reference (we need a clean copy that does not say draft).

44^th St. Corridor

The future land use recommendation in the 1986, ~~the Township prepared a~~ Corridor Plan for the land in the vicinity of the newly-constructed extension of 44^th St. between Kenowa and Chicago Dr., has been established as a pattern. The Plan identified a desired land use pattern along this important roadway. This Land Use Plan incorporates the important elements of that Plan, including the following:

providing for commercial uses only at the extreme ends of the corridor, at Kenowa Ave. and near the Chicago Dr./Port Sheldon Rd. intersection, and at the 8^th Ave. intersection, mid-way through the corridor.
providing for a mix of low-to-medium density residential uses along the corridor, with site design which minimizes access driveways onto 44^th St.

The Corridor Plan provided one new location for neighborhood commercial use, at 8^th Ave. Approximately ten acres of land, located within the Fairway Estates PUD, are provided for neighborhood commercial use.

The Plan designates Kenowa to remain residential on the west side of the street, other than near 44^th St.

48^th Ave. Corridor

This has been identified as the major north/south corridor for the Township, as well as other municipalities bordering the street and GVSU. The future plan is to widen the street to a five lane road from the southern border of the Township to Bauer Rd., then to a four lane Boulevard north.

The Township is building an ice rink at the corner of Bauer and 48^th Ave. The area near this site should be developed as a planned unit development with community commercial uses near 48^th Ave. and ~~multi-density~~ mixed residential uses to the east. Special consideration should be given to good access management along this corridor, as well as to larger setbacks. Commercial uses are located ~~north~~ west of 48^th Ave. in this area in Blendon Township.

The section of 48^th Ave. from ~~Jackson St.~~ New Holland north to Port Sheldon should be designated as AG/RR, with the potential to be LDR if utilities are brought to the area either by a developer or the Township. The section of 48^th Ave. from Port Sheldon north to Bauer Rd. should be developed as LDR. The section of 48^th Ave. from Bauer Rd. north to Pierce St. should include the above noted reference to the area around the ice rink, and include north of that area to include residential.

Special consideration should be given to good access management policies along 48^th Ave. and increase setback requirements.

Comments regarding this section include the following:

For commercial developments, consideration should be given to spruce up properties with design and aesthetics, and to limit access for traffic generating uses on the major streets.

When the new Baldwin connector is constructed, Main St. should be converted to a one-way street leaving Jenison.

On Chicago Dr., care should be given to achieve a better blend of uses with a consistent pattern. Attempts should be made to improve appearances and to take advantage of opportunities when they become available. The Township should even require changes and improvements.

Specific corridor overlays could control access management, landscaping and sign standards, and could be more stringent than along other streets.

It was noted that the Dave Maier property could be developed with a community feel, with a Town Square, athletic fields, and walkable commercial uses such as grocery stores. In addition, the 20 foot shelf built above Rush Creek should be used for a walking trail.

The railroad crossing at New Holland will be closed and the crossing at 48^th Ave. will be improved.

The Township has had a long standing policy to not allow Baldwin to become a commercial strip and has been successful. Traffic on Baldwin would be worse if this was not controlled. The area of Baldwin on the hill should be LDR and the developer should provide their own access. It could be developed as a PUD and a bike path would be good.

There was discussion regarding the Rex Troost property. The decision was made that development could be considered with utilities become available.

There was discussion regarding the area that Eastbook Builders would to develop a PUD. It was noted that LDR should progress to the west and fill in areas. A large area near 48^th Ave. should be provided for residential development. Both of these areas should be developed as PUDs and concepts should be presented to the Township. Language should be prepared for the areas to be subsections accommodating the desire to have well-planned integrated mixed development. Isolated and small scale developments should be discouraged and density guidelines should be developed. The planner would provide text for this area. Small developments should not be stopped.

Representatives from the City of Hudsonville stated that the intersection of Chicago Dr. and 32^nd Ave. was awkward and development to the east should have limited access to Chicago Dr.

It was noted that according to conversations with representatives from GVSU, no more HDR land would be needed in the area because the university planned to keep most housing on campus. Nice residential developments should be considered for this area.

A 48^th Ave. interchange should be encouraged for the expressway.

Representatives from the City of Hudsonville stated a concern with the sewer system west of 40^th Ave. because it was old and not capable of handling more development. Jamestown Township wants to add to this system. Major pipes would be needed to handle the overflow and a major fix would be needed. Possibly the renovation could be shared by municipalities.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN

Management of growth in a community is a continuous process composed of may components, one of which is the preparation of a long-range Plan for the development of the community. Management of growth does not end there, however. A variety of steps should be taken by the Township to encourage the realization of the future vision of the community expressed in this Plan. These steps fall into the following major areas:

use of the Land Use Plan as a guide to land use decisions;
modification and fine tuning of development regulations to achieve Land Use Plan goals;
use of the Land Use Plan in making decisions concerning investments in capital facilities.

Use of the Plan as a Guide to Land Use Decisions

Zoning and subdivision regulations are the primary mechanisms for ensuring that future development in the Township furthers the attainment of the goals expressed in this Plan. Realization of these goals will only occur if the Township Planning Commission and Township Board consistently use the Plan as a guide in making zoning and capital expenditure decisions.

This does not require blind adherence to the Plan in deciding each and every rezoning request which comes before the Township. The property use of the Land Use Plan as a policy document involves asking the following questions when deliberating land use decisions:

Does the proposed request conform to the Land Use Plan?
If it does not, what was the reason for the land use designation contained in the Plan?
Is this reasoning still valid, or have conditions changed or new information become available which now renders the original Plan designation no longer applicable?

Land use decisions, whether conforming with the Land Use Plan or not, should be made after explicit consideration of the relationship of the decision to the Land Use Plan. If a decision contrary to the Plan is made, it should be for a specific, stated land use planning factors. If the reasoning and soundness of the Land Use Plan are still valid, a planning request which conflicts with the Plan should be denied.

The Land Use Plan should also be an easily accessible and highly visible document, to make property owners, developers and the general public aware of the community’s goals for the future.

Use of Land Use Plan in Programming Capital Expenditures

One of the major benefits and uses of a Land Use Plan is its use in programming and prioritizing capital facilities expenditures. The future growth pattern will affect the need for new roads and improvements to existing roads, and the location of future utility improvement needs.

The relationship between the Land Use Plan and public facility improvements could be strengthened by the development of a Capital Improvements Plan, or CIP. Preparing a CIP involves a sequence of steps which are intended to help ensure that the Township’s limited financial resources are allocated most effectively. These steps include the following:

preparing an inventory of the Township’s existing capital facilities and their condition;
preparing a list of all capital facility improvement needs, including their initial cost;
ranking the facility needs in order of importance, according to a set of criteria;
projecting available revenues sources;
based on the priorities established and the available revenue, establishing a five year plan for capital improvements;
annually updating the plan.

Need for Periodic Plan Updates

Finally, the Plan should be periodically re-examined, to ensure that it continues to reflect the needs and desires of the community, as conditions change in the future. If properly kept current, the Plan should continue to be a valuable policy guide to the Planning Commission and Township Board.

VIII. Adjourn

The chairman adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m.

Historical Population
Georgetown Township and Surrounding Communities, 1970-1990
Community	1970	1980	% Change 1970-80	1990	% Change 1980-90	2000	% Change 1990-2000
GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP	17,615	26,104	48.2%	32,672	25.2%	41,658	27.5%
As % of Ottawa County total	13.7%	16.6%		17.4%		17.5%
City of Hudsonville	3,523	4844	37.5%	6,170	27.4%	7,160	16.0%
As % of Ottawa County total	2.7%	3.1%		3.3%		3.0%
Allendale Township	3,554	6080	71.1%	8,022	31.9%	13,042	62.6%
As % of Ottawa County total	2.8%	3.9%		4.3%		5.5%
Holland Township	10,849	13739	26.6%	17,523	27.5%	28,911	65.0%
As % of Ottawa County total	8.5%	8.7%		9.3%		12.1%
Blendon Township	2,927	3,763	28.6%	4,740	26.0%	5,721	20.7%
As % of Ottawa County total	2.3%	2.4%		2.5%		2.4%
Ottawa County	128,181	157,174	22.6%	187,768.00	19.5%	238,314.00	26.90
City of Grandville	10,764	12,412	15.3%	15624.0%	25.9%	16263.0%	4.1%
% of Kent County total	2.6%	2.8%		3.1%		2.8%
Kent County	411,044	444,506	8.1%	500,631	12.6%	574,335	14.7%