Consultants present Tassel Park and village plan; residents raise traffic, flooding and density concerns

Tony Slanek, principal at OHM Advisors, presented a three-phase village-area plan to the Cascade Charter Township DDA and Board of Trustees, saying the project ‘‘moves from exploration to a preferred, transformational concept’’ and is intended to guide private investment and local policy. He told the joint meeting the plan centers on four goals: activate the riverfront, create a vibrant mixed-use village center, improve multimodal streetscapes, and build an authentic local brand.

Slanek said the Tuffy site and Thornapple Plaza could serve as a catalyst for redevelopment and described a preferred concept that leans toward higher-intensity, mixed residential and commercial uses to support retail and walkability. ‘‘You have an incredibly unique asset, and that’s obviously the river,’’ he said, adding the plan proposes stronger river access, terraces, and programming that…