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But participants of a recent planning workshop formulated land use and transportation strategies in a way some said "took them back to the first grade."

The fruits of their efforts were presented during a Grand Vision East workshop held on Jan. 24 at The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme.

The Grand Vision is a land use and transportation study process. It aims to facilitate the creation a framework that will propel the Grand Traverse region into the next 50 years and beyond.

More than 15 groups of participants brainstormed over giant maps of a section of Acme Township located near the resort, hoping to create future planning scenarios for the area.

The Acme workshop was timed to follow another held on Jan. 23, where Grand Vision focused on the Traverse City area. It also coincided with a Grand Vision workshop focusing on an area around Interlochen on Jan. 24.Ê

Ê The Grand Vision's mission is to use a transparent and citizen-led discussion process to ensure the development of a community vision, plans for the future and projects that address land use and transportation challenges facing the region, according to its Web site.

Since the year 2000, Grand Traverse County has grown 4.5 times faster than the rest of Michigan, Grand Vision organizers say. Acme Township is one area where urban and regional planners like John Fregonese predict significant growth.

"Tonight we want to look at what areas we want to see evolve or be restored," Fregonese said.

He told workshop participants to consider that labor jobs could drive economic development in the area in the future. Participants were also instructed to place colored stickers on the maps representing different zoning districts for development and were asked to designate new residential areas or expand existing areas as they deemed fit. They were also required to mark areas they would like to see preserved, or to have new roads, transits or trails placed. A streetscape design plan was another task of the participants.

Prior Grand Vision meetings revealed no clear pattern of development and Fregonese said this was what planners hoped to draw from the Acme workshop.

Some local participants included Whitewater Township property owners Lloyd Lawson, Kevin Scott, Cheryl Walton, Jim Lagowski and Kevin Lewis. Jim Gurr from the Antrim County Planning Commission and Helena Township Board of Trustees also attended as an advocate.

These participants sat at one table and worked out a plan which was later presented to fellow table groups who had gone through the same process.

They created a set of their desired future goals for the township: 1. To minimize the necessity of driving to and through Traverse City. 2. To maintain a complete range of housing options. 3. To establish a retail/commercial area to provide employment opportunities. 4. To preserve state owned wetlands and forests. 5. To establish a four-lane divided boulevard on highway M-72.

This is just a small sample of the ideas shared. Other groups also suggested the creation of a four-lane divided boulevard on highway M-72.

Some groups expressed desires for development that did not include stores like Meijer, while other said they formed a surprising consensus in favor of a "smaller" Meijer store. Some groups said they were interested in the return of a train system, while some said they felt the cost of such a system would be astronomical.

The next Grand Vision meeting is scheduled for March of 2008, and details are will be announced at a later time. For more information about the Grand Vision visit Web site www.thegrandvision.org

Megan Taylor can be reached for question or comment at mtaylor@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-264-9711.