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Bridge to Our Future Activities Launch

Thank you for participating in the Bridge to our Future launch activities, the first round of public input for the Grand Rapids Community Master Plan. There are six activities and a “tell us about yourself” questionnaire to help the planning team know if the participants are representative of city demographics. Please click on the tabs on the left to get started. The activities can be completed in any order and all questions are optional.

Activity A: Hopes and Dreams
Activity B: Big Ideas for the Future
Activity C: Area Specific Plans
Activity D: Future Housing Mapping
Activity E: Share Your Understanding
Activity F: Story Telling
Tell Us About Yourself

A. Hopes and Dreams

Grand Rapids Round 1: Activity A. Hopes and Dreams

B. Big Ideas

Grand Rapids Round 1: Activity B. Big Ideas

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Before you submit…

Please separate each unique idea by clicking the “add” button for a new comment field. Share as many ideas as you want.

Topics of interest shared by the public during the pre-planning phase include:

  • Equity
  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • Vibrancy
  • Economic Development
  • Arts and Culture
  • Environmental Justice
  • Parks
  • Climate Change
Click here for more information about the pre-planning phase

C. Area Specific Plans

The map below illustrates locations of three new Area Specific Plans that will be created as part of the Community Master Plan process. For more information about each area, click the signs on the map.

Click here for more background information about the Area Specific Plans.

CRESTON NEIGHBORHOOD

  • Creston requested an Area Specific Plan for several years and the city requested they wait for the New Community Master Plan
  • There is a desire to better connect neighborhood to river
  • Increased development pressure due to riverfront restoration
  • Plainfield and Monroe Avenues are in need of planning and visioning
  • Funding may be available from the North Quarter Corridor Improvement Authority
BUTTERWORTH AREA

  • No current unified vision
  • The area blends into GVSU’s downtown campus
  • Increased development pressure due to riverfront restoration
  • Residential areas zoned near industrial areas along Marion Avenue and Butterworth Street
  • It has a business district
SOUTHTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS

  • A large number of Planning Commission cases come from this area
  • The Southtown Business Area Specific Plan was business focused rather than residential, development in the residential areas could better fit in with the existing character
  • Seeds of Promise and GVSU have identified 180 lots for small, infill development
  • The current zoning ordinances encourage demolishing structures to build
Grand Rapids Round 1: Activity C. Area Planning

Which area are you commenting on?
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D. Mapping Future Housing

Change the basemap

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You've marked a housing opportunity. Tell us...

Please complete all form fields before clicking the submit button.


You can place multiple dots to identify a linear or large area. All dots submitted together will have the same description.

To clear your dots and start over without saving, click the X at the top right.

Future Housing Opportunities

  1. Click on the map to mark a location.
  2. Describe why you think the City needs more housing in that area and what type of housing you think is most appropriate. Think about infill opportunities, types of housing (i.e. duplexes, quadplexes), proximity to job centers, or proximity to walkable areas or transit.
  3. Submit your marker and description. Your saved marker will appear.
  4. Feel free to submit as many housing opportunities you'd like. There's no limit to the number of ideas you can submit.

E. Share Your Understanding

Write your understanding or definitions of the following terms as they relate to Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids Round 1: Activity E. Share Your Understanding

F. Story Telling

Grand Rapids Round 1: Activity F. Tell Us a Story

Tell Us About Yourself

The following questions are intended to help the planning team know if participants are representative of city demographics according to the Census. These questions are optional and your responses are anonymous.

Grand Rapids Round 1: Launch Activities - Exit Questionnaire
1. How did you hear about Launch Activities? Check all that apply.
2. Which racial or ethnicity group do you most closely identify with?
3. Are you Hispanic/LatinX
4. What is your age?
5. What is you gender?
6. What is your highest level of education?
7. Where do you live? Use the map to locate your ward.
Grand Rapids Wards
Grand Rapids Neighborhoods
9. If you live in Grand Rapids, how long have you lived here?