[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6585892,"mediaKeyId","5581412-bf2260c9bd2dba32d3962efda4f7a51f","parentId",5581412,"title","City presents South Side Creekways plan connecting Plaster and Silver creeks","audioSeconds",480,"startMs",645000,"endMs",1125000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5581412-bf2260c9bd2dba32d3962efda4f7a51f&start=645&end=1125","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5581412-bf2260c9bd2dba32d3962efda4f7a51f/thumbnail_645000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6585892/Grand-Rapids-City/Kent-County/Michigan/City-presents-South-Side-Creekways-plan-connecting-Plaster-and-Silver-creeks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6585892-d2c44d612ffad0447afa1cad0f6afbe0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775035067&Signature=A6fhp91hBR9xREj5yw7FTScpbHXQbuuZnpFrM~nxsJDFWXGpxGKhsWZG2Pqosi6eKCDtRiydEiRcBvRAeklQY5fRT0QFknrdMkOTzoeEGophAs15ayhHzKeXfGuECxISBA7tKvAQdNAWQY8QQU8VYbwW8bt6IhGdwQTlrA7lQdr~Y0kZ-0kzuTOG0F24~CYcuYjQ5TV7lAppZbvA5SZ-WiWPTUdyRq9rm95OstDIVTeuCK~zqQh7daC51CcgvEAAISRPT-MbaFGKD4ms-fBtURlBH5SKhCw1vEUtMtP0YfYdf6uQlQgSkovOGT0qGPL4OZ4-1PtJOLvqSkHDB5xPhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-08-13T04:56:13Z","article","Karen Henriquez, project manager for the Grand Rapids parks department, presented the city’s South Side Creekways planning project, describing a multi-department effort to study trails, creek daylighting and supportive land use in neighborhoods along Plaster Creek and Silver Creek.

The project team will evaluate separate and connected approaches for the Silver Creek and Plaster Creek corridors, Henriquez said, with goals that include trail connectivity to downtown, economic strategy to support local businesses, water quality and green infrastructure work, arts and culture integration, and land-use alignment for resident and business needs.

“At the core we are really looking at both the Silver Creek Corridor as well as the Plaster Creek Corridor, how they operate separately and how they operate together to create a connected system that’s gonna improve the quality of life for the residents and for the businesses as well,” Henriquez said.

Henriquez said the project team includes city departments (parks, planning, environmental quality, zoning and others), the SmithGroup consultant team and Sidewalk Detroit as the community engagement partner. Sidewalk Detroit also recruited a community leadership team of residents and business representatives to lead neighborhood conversations.

The presentation described project geography and existing conditions. The Plaster Creek trail currently begins at the Ken O’Shea trailhead and runs to Plaster Creek Family Park, with a gap at the 131 corridor and rail yards the city is examining ways to bridge. Silver Creek is largely culverted—“about 98% of it is underground in a culvert,” Henriquez said—and daylights only in a few locations, including near the Adams Street Apartments in Boston Square. The creeks meet at a confluence that flows to the Grand River; planners are looking at connections to Roosevelt Park, the Oxford Trail and the broader greenway and riverfront network.

Staff said the project is in a discovery phase of community engagement and data collection. The schedule posted in the presentation calls for Phase 2 to begin in September to produce potential alternatives for trail alignments, daylighting and economic development opportunities, public walk-and-talk events in early October and draft recommendations next summer with final work by 2026. Henriquez said the effort is tied to a $1,500,000 allocation of city ARPA funding.

Commission discussion focused on how the trail plan aligns with other infrastructure and private investment efforts in neighborhoods including Seymour Square, Boston Square, Burton and areas along Eastern Avenue and MLK. One commissioner said staff are scheduling a meeting with economic development and partner organizations to coordinate trail planning with private investment and street infrastructure improvements.

A commissioner noted a potential conflict of interest and said they might need to recuse from future votes because they own property in the project area.

Henriquez closed the presentation and invited questions from the commission.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Economic Development Project Team - August 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Karen Henriquez, project manager for the Grand Rapids parks department, presented the city’s South Side Creekways planning project, describing a multi-department effort to study trails, creek daylighting and supportive land use in neighborhoods along Plaster Creek and Silver Creek.","taxTitle","Grand Rapids City, Kent County, Michigan","taxId",3704,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6585882,"Commission approves April 15, 2025 minutes",25,598000,623000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5581412-bf2260c9bd2dba32d3962efda4f7a51f&start=598&end=623","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5581412-bf2260c9bd2dba32d3962efda4f7a51f/thumbnail_598000.jpg","/articles/6585882/Grand-Rapids-City/Kent-County/Michigan/Commission-approves-April-15-2025-minutes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6585882-9e51f5201ac4367eaad47b47ef564ff0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775035067&Signature=JBSZp~Rurd6yLfoxUo9c6OmtIVdTwzr8ZChue5cwjWQ-qlr4OZcRpp8BINIw5kEjf-gQfEEGNWKxqyKmwGxqmknZyo7JUq8U2MQYH-QqLda9yO3X4L22HiqsdSlWkJPEMocT8hcBQO00fknVE-KVVAULcvWWe3mwU0~hsmkRewtnU3HnPjfJ3HiR7u0I74JM1O8~8S9pzd9NBUv2f6r9Q8q~B4SRD4-Jopq3cXlWklDy~tyKbh8YuKIjVn-rRUyG8lun7xtqfZZI920cdEzJrnYnLNZrU8MwJv6~VjL1DuFDCUqOBzNHG5CN9ULSViNE9uCA48EkovceGiEipZMyHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Grand Rapids City Commission approved minutes from the April 15, 2025 meeting by voice vote at the start of the session.

A commissioner moved to approve the minutes; another commissioner seconded. After asking for any discussion, the chair called the question. Commissioners voted by voice: “All those in favor, say aye.” The chair announced, “The motion carries.”

No individual vote tallies or named mover/second were captured in the transcript.

","The commission approved the minutes from the April 15, 2025 meeting by voice vote after a motion and second; no recorded roll-call tally was provided in the transcript.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6585888,"Development Center reports $750 million in construction value; inspection delays easing",248,1428000,1676000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5581412-bf2260c9bd2dba32d3962efda4f7a51f&start=1428&end=1676","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5581412-bf2260c9bd2dba32d3962efda4f7a51f/thumbnail_1428000.jpg","/articles/6585888/Grand-Rapids-City/Kent-County/Michigan/Development-Center-reports-750-million-in-construction-value-inspection-delays-easing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6585888-cd1d84c446ef2cd7ff2e3c3ca8ed5299/orig.mp4?Expires=1775035067&Signature=A-3Z84I6G8IYOdGtquJI9VOjYFNo8LbxSM5lHBbtAarzaPQdngRQXSZ9aKrQ6ac-0ngaorwZ-wy702Liyr3YE0WMi7~E8C3PuslSMn4-0If5Hn8LxDgKtst9W3o7vVJ7YA1zH9YsDyAWAxn0mFhKXg898B3j37wnyEiby~eczNk0GhcJPf7xCS7Dv1un1MbqBVjftwAdCMqCEQQla3uNtLzcS1Bebr3vgJFKW6VtwmKslJVHY2RFK2sLbNoQBwqbW-7MZhHJiUKW3zBRm~4qLm4IJ87tE64lkN5AKgG5~Da8RUSZnQgsYEDhGgq6Rh9hXrSzrdiN071T94hZgnn2Ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jonathan Overman, director of the city’s Development Center, told the commission the city recently exceeded about $750 million in construction value and is seeing improvements in permit review and inspection timelines.

“We've just exceeded, you know, $750,000,000 in construction value,” Overman said, describing high development activity across the city.

Overman said the average full land-use review cycle has dropped from about 70 days earlier in the year to roughly 50 days at present, though the figure can vary by project size. He described progress on inspection backlogs after the city began contracting third-party plans review and inspection services and made classification adjustments for electrical inspectors.

“Especially electrical inspections, we were, at the beginning of the summer, looking at about a 3 week delay, and that is now brought down to about 7 days,” Overman said. He added that mechanical inspections in most areas average about three days, with a few two-week delays remaining, and that the city expects to be under a five-day average for inspections within the next two months as new staff are certified and trained.

Overman reported that the full construction permit for the city’s soccer stadium, which had previously been issued only for foundation work, was issued last month.

Commissioners asked for clarification on charts and trends and whether third-party contractors had reduced inspection backlogs; Overman answered that third-party partners and hiring efforts had helped reduce the queue and that additional staffing is expected to improve turnaround further.

The commission thanked staff for the update and had no further action on the report.

","City Development Center reported a spike in construction value and improvements in permit processing and inspections; the full permit for the soccer stadium was issued and electrical inspection delays fell from about three weeks to roughly one week with third-party support and additional hires planned.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City presents South Side Creekways plan connecting Plaster and Silver creeks

Commission approves April 15, 2025 minutes

Development Center reports $750 million in construction value; inspection delays easing