Coastal Community Survey

Lack of coordinated planning is one reason that conflicts occur, says Michigan Sea Grant Extension Specialist Mike Klepinger.

“The sheer number of governing bodies with land use planning authority has led to uncoordinated development,” says Klepinger. “Communities are influenced by development decisions made in adjacent communities. Coordinated planning makes sense from a watershed or shoreline perspective.”

To help shoreline communities make sound land use decisions, Klepinger surveyed all of the state’s coastal communities in 2002 to gauge the status of land use planning tools and resources available at the local level. The survey is part of Michigan Sea Grant’s sustainable coastal community development initiative.

“We wanted to determine the level of activity—how many coastal communities have Master Plans, whether or not they’re using Geographic Information Systems, and identify staff resources devoted to planning.”

Answers to these questions give an idea of the extent of planning taking place at the local level, says Klepinger, and begin to reveal gaps that could lead to serious environmental and social consequences.