Planner's Moments

Planner’s Moments is a project designed to give local planning officials a low-cost, easy way to learn more about important planning topics during their regularly schedules meetings. 

Local land use experts recorded a series of twelve, 15-minute video DVDs or audio CDs on a variety of current land use and smart growth topics. These DVDs/CDs are available to play at the beginning of a planning commission meeting, one each month or as often as the planning commission meets. Additional fact sheets and other information are included for each planning commission member.

This project is sponsored by Michigan State University Extension in cooperation with the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, Charlevoix and Emmet County Planning Departments and H.A.R.B.O.R., Inc. 

Funding for Planner’s Moments was provided by the Charlevoix County Community Foundation and the Petoskey Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation.

Each Session is 15 minutes long and includes the following topics:

Session 1:  Introduction to Smart Growth

Session 2:  Workforce Housing

Session 3: Farmland Protection

Session 4: Why Master Plans Sit on the Shelf

Session 5: Joint Planning

Session 6: Access Management

Session 7: Creating Active Communities

Session 8: Density Defined

Session 9: Growth Boundaries

Session 10: How to Conduct an Effective Public Hearing

Session 11: Farmland Protection Perspectives

Session 12: Shoreline Buffers

Communities can receive hard copies of each session.  Planner's Moments are available on-line.

New Designs for Growth

As part of the New Designs for Growth program, the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments is pleased to announce the release of planning resource guides for those that would like to become involved in the planning process.  These guides are available on-line.

These documents are intended to provide basic information to citizens that haven’t been closely involved in the planning process, but would like to learn more about how the process works in their community. Included in this attachment are four fact sheets outlining basic planning information, as well A Citizen’s Guide to Planning and Zoning, which is a longer document for those that would like more detailed information.  Please note that this is introductory information only, and citizens are encouraged to take advantage of other resources that are identified in the documents.