Master Plan Feedback Form

Redevelopment options are limited due to poor soil conditions, contamination, and costly infrastructure needs. The majority of the property should be used for open space recreation and/or conservation.

Much of the neighborhood north of Apple Avenue is a short walk to Ryerson Creek. With improvements, the creek and surrounding wetlands can be more visually and physically accessible to residents. Increased visibility could also lessen instances of illegal dumping.

Much of the land along the creek is cannot be developed because it is located in a floodplain. Inappropriate zoning designations should be changed to ensure protection of the creek and its wetlands.

Almost every building within this area has been demolished in anticipation of future development. Efforts should be made to redevelop the land in a way that meets current needs, and utilizes the existing street grid.

The Lakeshore Trail on the north end of the neighborhood is nearby, but difficult to access due to the highway. The Laketon Trail on the south end of Angell is more accessible, but no formal route connects the two.

The neighborhood has a high number of vacant lots, both privately- and publicly-owned. Residential redevelopment of these lots is a priority to make up for the tax revenues lost when the former houses were demolished.

Many multiple-family houses are improperly zoned for single-family use, restricting financing options and limiting the ability of their owners to fund maintenance projects. Many other building types (churches, former storefronts) exist throughout Angell but have outlived their original use; reuse options are commonly limited to single-family housing.

While short-term fixes were most recently utilized during high-water levels in 2019, more permanent mitigation measures should be explored to reducing the impact of flooding in the future.

The Lakeshore Trail effectively ends at the Beach Street roundabout, leaving those using the trail with limited options to continue on to Pere Marquette Park, Margaret Drake Elliott Park, the Muskegon channel, and Harbour Towne Beach. Temporary bicycle facilities should evolve to incorporate a more permanent, safe, and comfortable route.

Parking spaces range from being in high demand to almost no demand depending on the time of the year, but one thing that is consistent is the difficulty of balancing the parking supply with preservation of the beaches’ natural beauty. Development of a strategy that identifies a multi-faceted approach to this issue is needed.

Boat storage is a necessity along the lake, but such a use of land is not always the most visually appealing. Efforts to beautify the area will make the route to the beach more inviting to residents and visitors.

Phase two of Dune Harbor Park borders the city of Muskegon along Sherman Boulevard, which does not contain adequate non-motorized/active transportation facilities. It will be important to offer safe and convenient facilities for alternative transportation along this busy corridor.

One of the benefits offered by housing choice comes in the ability of residents to continue living in their neighborhood as they age. As housing circumstances change, it is important to provide an array of housing situations that cater to people in various stage of life.

The sidewalk network is very incomplete throughout the neighborhood. Both individual parcels and entire streets lack any sidewalks despite numerous destinations being within walking distance of residents.

The 30-acre wooded property adjacent to Ruddiman Creek is within the McGraft charter park. It’s current zoning designation should be changed from recreation to conservation to preserve the land in its natural state.

The street grid is disrupted on the south end of the neighborhood, disconnecting many residents from the commercial development on Sherman and parts of Henry. Non-motorized connections could be established to provide residents with an alternative to driving to access these destinations.

Major streets through the neighborhood like Hackley Avenue, Glenside Boulevard, and Henry Street are likely oversized for the amount of traffic they carry. Improving the conditions of these streets for people traveling outside of vehicles would permit safe, comfortable, and convenient access to nearby destinations for residents.

Hudson Street between Pulaski and Barney Avenue is currently a dead-end street, but connecting it to Dowd Street and Kinsey Street via Pulaski would allow for addition of new houses in the neighborhood.

This large parcel was once reserved for a second phase of the subdivision development to its west, but was not completed due to contamination in the land. A redevelopment feasibility study for the property could initiate development efforts again.

The small residential pocket east of Madison and north of Keating measures about 11 acres and has been zoned industrial for the past 30 years in anticipation of future industrial expansion. The expansion has not occurred and has led to disinvestment in the housing stock.

The expanding medical campus has few parcels left for development. Zoning regulations could be updated to require more efficient use of land. Other parcels zoned for business on Roberts Street, south of Little Black Creek, may be well suited for medical development as well.

The former railroad right-of-way running east/west through the neighborhood and could be an extension of the Musketawa Trail, or an option for industrial expansion, if needed.

This highway interchange is one of the most dangerous in Muskegon County in terms of vehicle crashes. The bridge also does not provide adequate space for pedestrians, limiting access to the businesses east of the highway.

The industrial and medical campus areas in the neighborhood do not contain adequate pedestrian access.

As an employment center, the neighborhood hosts thousands of jobs. Possibilities exist to develop housing options on land available near employers. Shorter, potentially multi-modal commutes, would reduce traffic congestion during peak travel times.

Little Black Creek winds through the neighborhood, but is rarely visible and nearly inaccessible. There are a number of publicly-owned parcels through which the creek runs, but there are few protections in place to ensure that the creek is not subject to further disruption by surrounding development.

Businesses along Sherman are within walking distance of most Glenside residents, but the presence of heavy and fast-moving traffic on the street and the resulting parking lot frontages makes the business corridor uninviting to those outside of vehicles.

Most of Glenside’s iconic oak trees are located on private property, making maintenance the responsibility of property owners. The expertise of the City’s Forestry Department helps with planting of new trees in public areas, but could be expanded with guidance and education for homeowners.

Despite most streets carrying light traffic at slow speeds, missing sections of sidewalk leave residents with an incomplete network. Priority should be guided by resident input.

No formal non-motorized path exists between the Lakeshore Trail and the neighborhood, but uninterrupted public park space connects the two. An appropriate route could be determined with resident input, and a paved trail could be established.

A non-motorized connection between these neighborhoods could replace an established – though informal – footpath that utilizes a former railroad corridor.

With Fourmile and Ryerson Creeks bordering the neighborhood to the north and south, respectively, Jackson Hill is also home to a variety of wildlife that often travel between the two creeks. Development of a wildlife corridor plan could identify opportunities to better connect the neighborhood’s natural areas.

An array of neighborhood-serving businesses once existed, supported by residents, but many have left or closed. Efforts to promote grassroots businesses owned by neighborhood residents, and existing for residents, could reintroduce such amenities to Jackson Hill.

Jackson Hill has lost many of its historic structures, and disinvestment continues to threaten those buildings that remain. These structures must be documented and researched, and viable uses for them made possible to ensure their futures.

Major streets through the neighborhood like Marquette and Getty are likely oversized for the amount of traffic they carry. Traffic studies could support “road diets” to right-size the number of lanes and make these streets safer for all who use them.

Efforts for the past several decades have called for concentrating waterfront industrial and shipping uses at the east end of the lake. Many of such remaining uses are already located in this area, but incentives should be explored to continue this trend.

The Imagine Muskegon Lake Plan includes a series of recommendations for better connecting the neighborhood to the Muskegon Lake shoreline.

The neighborhood contains many vacant, city-owned lots which historically contained houses, and many of missing middle types. The loss of a tax base associated with the properties strains the City’s ability to provide essential services to its residents. Vacant lots can also be a financial burden to maintain, with neglected properties creating blight throughout the neighborhood.

Continuing the partnership between the City of Muskegon and the private owners of the former paper mill site will ensure that a development that benefits the Lakeside neighborhood and the city as a whole.

Mixed commercial and residential land uses on Sherman at McCracken and at Lincoln are no conducive to business expansion. A flexible zoning designation that allows for residential, commercial, or mixed use development would suit this area, and a unified approach with the City of Norton Shores would encourage a similar approach on the south side of Sherman Boulevard.

Centrally-located in the neighborhood, this cluster of civic and recreational uses could benefit from additional public realm amenities such as lighting, benches, sidewalk connections, and improved crosswalks.

Underground infrastructure in the public easement from Greenwood to Sherman prohibits the southerly extension of Greenwood. A footpath already connecting the neighborhood to Sherman could be improved. The undevelopable land to the north could be used as additional public space like a community garden or an extension of the natural space near the wetlands.

The driving lanes on Marquette Avenue are excessively wide, leaving space to incorporate on-street bicycle facilities. Such a route would be an opportunity to connect to the larger non-motorized transportation network.

Marquette is bordered by natural areas to the north and the south. Ryerson Creek (south) and Fourmile Creek/Sanford Bayou (north) meander through wetlands and forests at the bottom of ravines. These areas are home to many different species of wildlife, which often traverse between the two locations. Opportunities exist to extend natural features farther into the neighborhood.

The terraces along Marquette Avenue are too narrow to support large species of trees – such as oaks, which are predominant in the neighborhood – so a public-private partnership could allow for trees to be planted on land owned by participating partners.

This underutilized, quasi-business corridor has the potential to become more of a community asset through the addition of more commercial, residential, or public space options.

Fire Station #5 on Marquette Avenue has potential for community event space/additions. The large outdoor space fronting Ducey Avenue provides an opportunity for building expansion or recreation. Additionally, it has been discussed in recent years to relocate this fire station. If that is pursued, the City should explore options to keep this facility as a community resource.

Some landscaping already exists in this area, but it is fairly sparse. A complete wall of various plant species could reduce noise and air pollution in the neighborhood.

Heavy and fast-moving traffic on Laketon Avenue divides the neighborhood, serving as a dangerous barrier for residents trying to cross. Discussion with neighborhood residents and patrons of Laketon businesses will help to determine key crossing locations where safer conditions can be created.

The business district along Laketon Avenue is not well-defined throughout the neighborhood, and long-term vacant or otherwise inactive buildings are prominent in some areas. More flexible zoning regulations could encourage reuse of buildings, allowing the corridor to better adapt to the changing demands of the real estate market.

Development of the utility corridor and former railroad right-of-way paralleling Keating Avenue is limited, but a few potential low-impact uses may be possible. A non-motorized transportation route or pollinator habitat could make use of an otherwise utilitarian area within the neighborhood.

The former railroad right-of-way limited access points between Muskegon and Muskegon Heights, resulting in many dead-end streets in each municipality. Now that the railroad is gone, there is now the potential to reknit the two sides by improving the many informal footpaths and two-track connections.

Over 11 acres of former railroad right-of-way exists in an industrial area of the neighborhood offering possibilities for industrial development or expansion of existing industries.

This underutilized commercial district contains mostly vacant retail buildings that are beginning to cause blight. Although some longstanding vacant buildings may need to be demolished, existing residential and office/service uses have seen success and should be considered for buildings where retail is struggling. Additional residential units near this intersection could provide the traffic needed for neighborhood-serving businesses.

Attracting new office tenants could fill the existing buildings, but reusing all of them may prove difficult. Through the years, Hartford Avenue, Diana Avenue, and Spring Street were vacated to create a campus, which served former uses well, but limited connectivity with the McLaughlin neighborhood. Future uses or redevelopment of the site may find value in reestablishing public rights-of-way and various lost street connections.

Many vacant, City-owned lots in the neighborhood historically contained houses, with many of them being missing middle housing types. The lost tax base once provided by these houses strains the City’s ability to provide essential services to its residents. The current vacant lots can also be a financial burden to maintain, with neglected properties creating blight throughout the neighborhood.

Acquire the former railroad right-of-way along Ambrosia Street and construct a non-motorized trail connecting the neighborhood to the Lakeshore Trail and downtown waterfront, the Laketon Trail, and the regional, Musketawa Trail.

The neighborhood contains 120 examples of missing middle housing types that are primarily located in areas zoned for single-family housing, making them all non-conforming. Non-conforming uses are restricted when it comes to financing options for needed property maintenance. Restrictive zoning designations also limit new missing middle housing types on vacant lots.

Vacant commercial and industrial buildings can be found scattered throughout the neighborhood. Options exist for reuse of these buildings, but acceptable uses should be better defined to avoid long-term vacancy or neglect.

Small business incubator spaces exist in a few places in Nelson, but a gap exists in “next-step” storefront options for small or new businesses. Moderately-sized commercial buildings or small retail units between 500 and 2,000 square feet would allow growing businesses to continue to do so.

Large formerly industrial parcels exist throughout the city and are often adjacent to residential areas that grew up around former employment centers. The site at Laketon and Seaway offers huge redevelopment potential for the neighborhood.

Many houses in the neighborhood were constructed many generations ago, and are beginning to show major signs of distress. In 2017, grant funds enabled the City to demolish dozens of homes in the neighborhood that were neglected to the point of being unsalvageable. Greater effort must be provided to protect the aging housing stock and avoid future large-scale demolition.

Nelson is home to several historic districts and a handful of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Unfortunately, some historically significant structures risk demolition due to neglect or the inability to find an owner willing to restore the property. The City of Muskegon’s historic infill program resulted in the relocation of several historic houses to Muskegon and Webster Avenues between 4th and 5th Streets, and the City owns one remaining lot in this area. Efforts should be made to relocate another historic house to this site rather than new construction.

The neighborhood is home to six educational facilities, nine faith-based institutions and three government facilities. Many of these sites contain amenities that are underutilized and sometimes underfunded. The City should assist in neighborhood residents’ efforts to utilize these facilities, which in turn could assist in funding efforts.

Public access points to the Lakeshore Trail from the neighborhood are limited and somewhat difficult to find where they do exist. Increasing the frequency of formal access points to and from the Nims’ residential areas will bring many residents within reach of open space and the waterfront.

Reuse of such buildings has proven to be difficult as current zoning regulations restrict business uses to those that are least likely to be a nuisance to neighbors. Some restaurant and retail operations have seen success, but as non-conforming uses, building expansions are limited. Allowing the conversion to missing middle housing types may also aid in redevelopment of some vacant, blighted properties.

The 2019 Lakeshore Drive reconstruction project made many needed improvements to pedestrian access across Laketon Avenue, but those improvements did not extend east to Palmer Avenue. Calming traffic on Laketon near Palmer would better connect the neighborhood to the north with the businesses to the south.

The neighborhood’s unique street grid contains a handful of small, triangular traffic islands within the public right-of-way. These islands are bound by streets on three sides, though not all three are always necessary. With park space largely concentrated along the perimeter of the neighborhood, near downtown, and along the waterfront, these traffic islands could instead be linked to blocks to serve as parks or playgrounds closer to residents.

Unique angled streets create highly-visible sites for significant civic buildings. The neighborhood does not presently contain any designated historic districts or sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places, but a State of Michigan Historic Marker acknowledges the area known as Pinchtown. Nims contains some architecturally significant houses as well as some potentially historically significant sites that should be recognized.

This area of the City is often underrepresented at planning and goal setting meetings. It also has a high concentration of renters, a demographic that is also underrepresented at City functions. A functional neighborhood organization could help the City hear the voice of marginalized groups

The 26-acre site contains the vacant former hospital building. The existing medical care zoning designation will eventually need to be changed to accommodate redevelopment efforts when they are identified. Vacated street easement could be reestablished to create a traditional street grid.

There are 15 office buildings on Wagner Ave, Wells Ave and Riley St but they remain mostly vacant or underutilized and have had a difficult time attracting tenants since the closing of the hospital. These properties are owned independently and are not associated with the hospital property. Many of the buildings are starting to deteriorate and owners are reluctant to invest in an area with much uncertainty.

Dense residential development, the college, and office uses bring many people to this area, but there is no place for residents to gather. There are no civic or government buildings, and the college’s facilities are often restricted to students. This intersection is close to the surrounding apartment complexes and offers opportunities for community improvements through private investment. New development should focus on density, mixed-uses, small setbacks, and pedestrian amenities.

Many houses along Getty Street are zoned for business due to a previous effort to expand commercial development in the area. This expansion never came and seems unlikely to happen today. Demand for commercial development along Getty, Apple Avenue, and Laketon Avenue has decreased in recent years as online retail and other consumer trends result in vacant commercial buildings. This area could instead benefit from the more diverse housing options to meet the needs of the neighborhood.

Even though this intersection is heavily trafficked and contains a church and mixed-use building, its zoning classification only allows for single-family detached housing. This restricts the mix of land uses that are characteristic of a neighborhood center, and limit options for reuse of existing buildings.

Streets like Evanston and Creston would benefit from narrowed travel lanes and possibly a reduction in or elimination of parking lanes. Most commercial and residential properties in the neighborhood contain off-street parking spaces, lessening the use of on-street spaces. The unused on-street parking lanes often go unused, effectively creating wide driving lanes that encourage faster speeds. This additional pavement is still maintained in the form of snow removal, maintenance, and repaving, even though the extra space rarely serves its purpose.

Turner Avenue offers another potential area to introduce new housing options. Lot sizes could accommodate additional housing units within duplex and small-multiplex formats. Its limited access to the neighborhood and proximity to a major street (Laketon), transit, and the Laketon Tail make it a candidate for dense, residential development.

The former railroad property off of Getty near Laketon could provide an extension of the bike path leading to downtown.

Access to the existing commercial corridors from the neighborhood could be improved through the addition of wider sidewalks, high-visibility crosswalks, street trees and landscaping, and a maintenance plan.

The neighborhood contains many civic buildings, such as churches and schools, which account for nearly 33-acres of land. If these buildings’ current uses ever leave them, all of these properties are limited in their redevelopment options due to their restrictive zoning classifications. Permitted land uses should be expanded to allow for more options for redeveloping these buildings – like offices and multiple-family housing – while still permitting their existing uses.

Serve as a buffer/transition from the residential core of the neighborhood, provide a steady customer base for neighborhood-serving businesses, and provide much-needed housing options in the neighborhood.

The school’s re-envisioning of their outdoor recreational space would open up opportunities for public use after school hours if the access across Madison Street for pedestrians was improved through traffic-calming measures.

Upon the school’s closing, redevelopment efforts should begin as soon as possible before the building falls into disrepair or shortly after its demolition if that is the district’s plan. Residential and office uses are most common when redeveloping a former school, but the current zoning does not allow for those uses. Also, neighbors utilize the open space/fields during off-hours, but those amenities are threatened with the closing.

Nearly the entirety of the creek bed is publicly-owned, but access to the natural areas are largely limited to established City parks and cross streets like Getty and Home. Potential trail improvements along the creek offer an opportunity for hiking and a connection to Muskegon Lake.

Although there are minimal vacant residential lots in the neighborhood, there are several properties that have acquired other buildable lots to increase their parcel size. These properties are underutilized because they previously contained homes that paid for the infrastructure (streets, sewers, etc.) and services that they use. It should be encouraged that such large conglomerations of parcels be returned to their original sizes.

The former greenhouse at 808 Oak Avenue is underutilized. Its zoning designation limits redevelopment of the 9.1-acre property, and much of the land’s north end is in a floodplain. This property, along with other lots on the north side of Oak, could offer a unique opportunity for multi-family housing. Its 220 feet of frontage could also provide space for other types of housing, such as a cottage court development. A public easement could be established for the area in the floodplain to connect walking paths.

A balance in the needs of all types of traffic – auto, bicycle, and pedestrian – is critical to maximizing mobility for all users of the city’s streets regardless of how they choose to travel. While the design of Muskegon’s streets will strive to appropriately balance all users’ needs, the character of each street will vary by location.

While all streets should be safe for all users, priority should be given to major corridors where the features necessary to do so are currently lacking, as well as at neighborhood centers where people are expected to gather in greater numbers.

Muskegon has no dedicated funding source for improvements to the streets and public rights-of-way. Streets classified as Major Streets can receive state and federal funding, but the many remaining local streets, sidewalks, and non-motorized trails often require creative funding sources.

Muskegon benefits from public transportation service, but the City does not manage its operations. That considered, focusing on improving the design of the public realm near bus stops and along fixed routes will improve the experience for those that currently utilize public transportation, and make the service more attractive to those that do not.

Active transportation, such as walking and biking, offers a great way for residents and visitors to get around. The sidewalk network is substantial and should be maintained, bridging existing gaps and upgraded to ensure accessibility for all. Also available are nearly 14 miles of off-street, multi-use trails, bike lanes, and paved shoulders. Improving connections to all neighborhoods will allow opportunities to explore the city via a variety of transportation modes.

Muskegon’s parking supply influences the way in which residents and visitors get around the city. This plan strongly advises that parking not be provided in surplus where it is not needed, acknowledging that current minimum parking requirements have led to a parking supply that often exceeds demand. Policy changes should strive to right-size the parking supply.

The question of how to appropriately redevelop large, often former industrial, sites is among the top facing Muskegon today. These large properties tend to be poorly integrated into their surrounding neighborhoods. When land is developed, new streets should be connected to the existing system in a way that accommodates all modes of transportation, adequately disperses traffic, and allows for flexibility in handling different development intensities.

In recent years, a number of cities have adopted a less conventional approach to street design that focuses on quick implementation, flexibility, community input, and affordability. Commonly known as “quick build” projects, such initiatives utilize low-cost, temporary changes to streets as a means of testing design tweaks prior to committing to permanent changes tied to street reconstruction projects.

Alleys can offer functional value by relocating “back-of-house” operations like parking access, trash pick-up, and utilities from the public street. They also enable different housing types in some zoning districts. A policy to guide alley vacation requests and decisions does not exist, but is needed. Although it is highly unlikely that vacated alleys are re-established, a future policy should not allow for alley elimination unless absolutely necessary.

As the largest city on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, Muskegon has historically served as a regional transportation hub. Today, the greater Muskegon area is severely limited in terms of transportation options for those looking to travel outside the county, region, or state. Aside from a personal vehicle or direct, cross-lake ferry service to Milwaukee, there are no transportation connections to and from the city proper to population centers outside of the county.

Muskegon has come a long way from the days of waterfront industry. Decades worth of zoning, economic development, and environmental policies and initiatives have resulted in the restoration of Muskegon Lake and its connecting watershed. Tens of millions of dollars were utilized to restore Muskegon Lake resulting in its delisting as an Area of Concern. Protections must be in place to ensure that future development around the watershed has minimal impact.

As the waterfront continues to transition away from industry, competing new uses may arise. New marinas may require clean-up of historic fill, but limit habitat restoration efforts. Concerns over the number of new boat slips and the level of enforcement of speed and noise ordinances on the water, have led to questions of a cap on the number of boats in Muskegon Lake. Public access to the water and waterfront amenities is essential to ensuring Muskegon Lake continues to balance recreational opportunities for all.

Several large greenway corridors align with undevelopable ravines and waterways. Many of these areas are in close proximity to one another or to other natural areas like parks. Bolstering efforts to improve the urban tree canopy will also provide visual and physical connections throughout the city.

Despite many being publicly-owned, private land uses and development pressures have a direct effect on some natural corridors in the city. Identifying locations for acquisition of privately-owned land for public use and establishment of conservation easements should be considered to protect and improve the condition of greenway corridors.

The creeks and ravines bordering many neighborhoods are home to a variety of wildlife, but are segmented by developed areas. Wildlife corridor plans could identify opportunities to better connect the city’s natural areas, improving these natural habitats.

The Muskegon Lake watershed encompasses a vast area. Large sections of the city as well as parts of neighboring cities route stormwater directly into Muskegon Lake, with Ruddiman Creek and Beidler’s Creek also being directly affected. Adoption of design guidelines and construction of green infrastructure, where possible, will help to mitigate the negative effects of stormwater runoff.

Muskegon was once home to a wide array of housing options at various price points. As the flexible development regulations of the past have become more rigid, housing options have become restricted as well. Diverse housing types are needed across the city to provide flexibility in housing choice for residents.

Returning vacant residential lots to productive use through the construction of infill housing is easier said than done, but efficient use of the limited amount of land is critical to the city’s operations and ability to provide essential services to residents.

With the benefits of having daily needs met within a short walk of one’s home, spending could increase within neighborhoods, fewer vehicle trips would need to be made outside the immediate neighborhood, and residents could feel better connected to their community. This was once the norm in Muskegon, but reactivating former neighborhood-serving commercial and civic areas will require many steps.

For some development projects, a Planned Unit Development provides an opportunity for the City and developer to negotiate certain public amenities in exchange for variances from zoning regulations. Existing residents can benefit from amenities like waterfront access, sidewalk and street connections, and multi-use pathways or other recreational or park space. Establishing a process to better understand the types of amenities desired in an area is needed.

Neighborhood associations have many benefits for its residents and the community as a whole. They improve neighborhood life by helping to build community and respect, give residents a voice, address targeted concerns and issues, and coordinate block clean ups and dumpster days. These associations serve as the direct connection to departments at city hall.

The definition of “blight” is in many ways, nebulous, but it includes common sights that most would agree fit this definition. New and continued efforts to partner with neighborhood associations, youth programs, and other less-centralized efforts would help to maintain a blight-fighting presence in every neighborhood.

Many residents benefit from access to the many recreational opportunities here, but access for some is easier than others. Areas with a surplus of parks or recreational amenities often draw residents from elsewhere in the city, and providing a multitude of connections between neighborhoods will allow all residents to fully experience what Muskegon has to offer.

Redevelopment in disinvested neighborhoods can be transformational, and drastic changes are understandably concerning for existing residents. Fear of gentrification can and often does lead to opposition to new development, and addressing these fears requires the cooperation of existing and future residents, city leaders, and private developers.

Walkability has been shown to correlate with increased property values, educational attainment, employment, and new business starts. Many businesses are increasingly making their expansion, relocation, and new business development decisions based on which communities are most walkable. Mixed use, walkable development generates greater tax revenue per acre, saves on up-front infrastructure costs, and results in lower costs for service delivery than car-oriented, suburban development.

Residents have expressed desire for neighborhood-serving businesses. While it was once common for many neighborhoods to contain small-scale commercial options, the rise of dedicated business districts has led most neighborhood-serving stores to close. Buildings that housed these businesses still exist, though typically sitting vacant or replaced with a new, non-commercial uses. Often, these buildings are stifled by zoning codes that prohibit reasonable redevelopment.

Muskegon’s award-winning beaches, outdoor recreation, and water-based activities such as world-class fishing and sailing, fuel the tourism industry. Muskegon Lake, the largest natural deep-water port in West Michigan, allows the Port of Muskegon to handle over one million tons of freight, aggregate, and salt every year. By integrating water resources with jobs and development, Muskegon strives to grow businesses and jobs in water-related sectors.

The city is home to several industrial companies that rely on a highly-skilled workforce. These positions are often filled by workers from out of town as the education level of the local workforce is lower than average while the workforce participation rate is also below average. Residents must be able to compete for employment opportunities and benefit from economic prosperity.

Housing should be considered alongside employment, transportation, and business development as a central component of economic development. The lack of availability, inflexibility, and resulting affordability issues challenges labor mobility. Quality housing aids in retaining and attracting a skilled workforce.

The diversity of the community should be reflected in the city’s businesses and business owners. The City must continue to promote policies that ensure all are empowered to thrive in Muskegon’s business community.

There are currently five zoning districts that allow for business operations. Oftentimes, a business may be prohibited from locating in an area because of zoning regulations, even though it may be a good fit. Other times, a business may need to go through additional, time-consuming steps in order to locate in an area. Such zoning requirements should be studied and updated for today’s business climate.

Downtown Muskegon serves as the entertainment and cultural hub of Muskegon County. Its proximity to Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan also ensures a seasonal influx of tourists. Two colleges and a concentration of office space provide a steady stream of foot traffic during business hours, but additional residential units are necessary to provide the population needed to attract desired services like grocery stores and retail.