Moving Beyond the courthouse debate: Smart Growth debate sparking interest

By Jim Lively
(Michigan Land Use Institute — Leelanau Smart Growth Coalition)
Sun Op-Ed Contributor
The Leelanau Smart Growth Coalition is disappointed but not discouraged by last Tuesday’s election. Yes, we lost on an issue we worked very hard to win: Keeping the county seat in Leland. But we, along with many other citizens, sparked a lively civic discussion about the county’s role in land use issues. Voter turnout was extraordinary — the highest, by county percentages, in the state. Citizens here are very interested in Smart Growth.

We believe we lost because most residents did not view moving the seat the same way they view building strip malls or poorly planned subdivisions. Many saw it as an issue of “efficient government” or as a way to finally settle a decades-old debate. But many did actually share our view — a move would unnecessarily harm Leland and some scenic countryside.
And that is exactly why we intend to keep working to promote Smart Growth. The people’s decision, which we respect, motivates us to work harder at our core goals: Education and vigilance.
Education because we must continue to inform people about what our research and the experience of many communities show: Building at the fringes and abandoning the core of a community almost always harms both places. Vigilance because now we must all make sure that the worst does not happen — either in Leland, where business people now face even quieter times nine months of the year, or along M-204 in Suttons Bay Township, where the pressure for more development near the new county offices will be intense. We’ll keep showing up alongside our fellow citizens to make sure local officials respect master plans, enforce zoning ordinances, and consider all options, not just the easy ones.
We believe in Smart Growth: Villages with tree-lined streets, sidewalks, and pedestrian-friendly stores are great places to live; rural areas should stay rural; farms need and deserve help; Leelanau can both grow and remain beautiful.
We see many reasons to remain optimistic. Empire’s New Neighborhood development is adding more people and yet retaining its small-town feel. Michigan State University Extension is working effectively to help local farms stay in business. Northport is contemplating a sewer system that allows more growth at its center. The Leelanau Conservancy is protecting thousands of acres of productive farmland and irreplaceable natural areas. And citizen groups in Elmwood, Empire, Bingham, Leland, and Leelanau townships are getting more involved in local community development discussions.
Powerful movements never travel in a straight line because life and politics are full of change. But we believe people who love Leelanau County are willing to work hard to protect it. And the Leelanau Smart Growth Coalition will work with our members, neighbors, and local leaders so that the next generation of Leelanau residents will thank all of us for saving the beauty and quality of life that brings us to this fine place.
Jim Lively is a certified planner and project director of the Leelanau Smart Growth Coalition, which is a project of the Michigan Land Use Institute. He lives with his family in Empire Township.