| Wexford County, Michigan
was in the process of developing a Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP)
and wanted to facilitate communication with stakeholders during the
planning process.
The cost to reproduce and distribute large quantities of information
to support this vision via traditional media (i.e., an all inclusive
manual) exceeded the funds available at the county level. The county
worked with the management team from Michigan State University (MSU)
to develop a website, making data and information available to planners
as well as the public (visit the Wexford County land use planning
site at: http://35.8.121.133/wexford_county/index.html).
An online geographic information system was established as a key
component of the Decision
Support Tools section. Web accessible county information assisted
planners, developers, and citizens in viewing the county’s
spatial data. This resulted in more efficient use of existing information
(including ordinances, plans, maps, metadata, research results,
technical information, GIS-based DSS templates, training and education
programs, bulletins and fact sheets) in planning, modeling, and
trend analysis.
Approximately 70 citizens participated in the Citizen Plan Committee.
This included representatives of townships, cities, villages, environmental
groups, business leaders, industry and other interest groups.
Web accessible county information impacted resource management
decisions about local economic development and businesses, as well
as establishing a better relationship between viable economy and
viable ecosystems.
An evaluation of the understandability and usefulness of the system
by users in land-use decision-making indicated the system was widely
adaptable during the planning process. The interest by other counties
to participate in this process clearly demonstrates that the process
was a significant aid to decision-making and development of the
CMP. |
|
“The
end result of a good plan is a good community....
Specifically, it has an economy in which
locally controlled assets and wealth are expanding; equity, which
means that those expanding assets are shared fairly and public decisions
are inclusive and democratic; and a concern for ecology, stewardship
of natural and human resources.”
-Plan
Fact Book for the Wexford County Plan, April 2002. |
Case
Studies