Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Trails topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Macomb County committee forwards 2025–2029 parks and natural resources master plan to full board
Summary
County planning staff presented a five-year comprehensive parks and natural resources master plan, which the committee voted 12–0 to forward to the full Board of Commissioners for adoption and to schedule a public hearing.
Planning staff presented the Macomb County 2025–2029 Comprehensive Parks and Natural Resources Master Plan and the committee voted unanimously to forward the plan to the full Board of Commissioners for adoption and to schedule a public hearing.
The plan bundles five elements — an urban forestry partnership, a greenways plan, a strategic agricultural conservation plan, a non-motorized plan and water/paddling-trail planning — and documents more than 1,200 public responses gathered during the outreach period, Planning and Economic Development staff said. "We got over 1,200 respondents," the presenter said, noting the team used county-wide sign boards and QR codes to broaden input.
The committee motion included three parts: (1) receive and file the proposed plan, (2) forward the plan to the full Board of Commissioners for adoption at the Jan. 23 full-board meeting, and (3) hold a public hearing at the full-board meeting in late February. The committee approved the three-part motion 12–0.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about what the county actually owns and operates. The presenter noted Macomb owns and operates Freedom Hill and assists on regional trail and greenway planning rather than running municipal park systems. The presenter said federal and state transportation funds are often earmarked for non-motorized projects and that the county helps local governments place projects into the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) when communities request them.
Commissioners and staff discussed how the plan acknowledges the county board in the plan's acknowledgments and agreed to add the incoming District 1 commissioner’s name administratively before the full-board adoption. Several commissioners praised the public outreach and the plan’s usefulness for future grant applications.
If adopted by the full board, staff said the plan would be used beginning Feb. 1 for grant applications and project planning.
The committee action now moves the plan to the Jan. 23 full-board agenda for adoption and schedules the public hearing noted above.
