Preserving Rural Character in the Manchester Area: A forum for local officials and residents
August sunset over a field in Manchester Township. Photo credit: Sara Swanson.
submitted by Sybil Kolon
This monthly forum is open to anyone who wants to share their thoughts about the topics of land preservation and rural character in the Manchester area. Please contact me at sybil.kolon@gmail.com or reach out to the Mirror to submit your thoughts. If you are on Facebook, and even if you’re not, please share this and other related articles with your friends and family around the Manchester area.
This month we are featuring the effort by Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission to develop a comprehensive master plan for the entire county. The article below includes details about a meeting on December 12 and a survey for residents to give feedback. Please take advantage of this opportunity, as it is one more way for us to demonstrate our commitment to preserving the rural character of the entire Manchester area and to get Washtenaw County to support that effort.
This week’s Mirror also has an article about Manchester Township’s effort to guide growth in a way to preserve our rural character. As the chair of Manchester Township’s Land Preservation Committee, I see this discussion as very important to our task of identifying areas to consider for preservation and methods for doing so. The Township Board and Planning Commission will decide which of those to enact. This will take many months. Now is the time when your ideas can help shape these plans. The next township identity meeting will be Monday, January 8, at 7pm.
The decisions of property owners to take steps to preserve or develop their property will be up to them, within the planning and zoning parameters established by the Township Board and Planning Commission. One of my primary goals is to help property owners understand their role in determining our future. By providing information and opportunities for input, Township officials are hoping to engage our residents. If you love the woods, waters, and farms that surround us and that we often take for granted, your participation is needed. Please check Manchester Township’s Land Preservation web page. There is information relevant to the entire Manchester area.
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Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission News
Posted on: November 16, 2023
https://www.washtenaw.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2598
Help Shape the Future of Recreation in Washtenaw County
The Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission is in the process of developing a Comprehensive Master Plan to guide the organization for the next five years and beyond. PROS Consulting has been engaged to optimize the planning process. With more than 100 years of combined experience, the Commission is confident in their ability to lead this effort.
As part of the planning process, the team from PROS will be conducting a series of public engagement opportunities to ensure that the broad interests of the community are considered. You are invited to participate in the first Public Forum to provide input on the future of recreation in the county.
Date: December 12
Time: 6–7:30pm
Location: Learning Resource Center, 4135 Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor
We hope you can join us for a lively, interactive meeting! Light refreshments will be provided.
Can’t attend? Please visit our custom master planning website, which will provide on-going project updates and serve as an avenue to crowd-source information. There, you can take a short survey and participate in a mapping activity. Shortly after the new year, the team will be issuing a comprehensive, statistically valid needs assessment and online public survey. Information will be provided as it becomes available.
We hope that you will participate in the important community engagement process and share your vision for Washtenaw County Parks.
For more information, please contact Park Planner Kira Macyda at macydak@washtenaw.org.
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