The Village of Empire is in the process of updating their Master Plan, a long-term policy document that sets goals for how Empire will develop in the next 5 to 10 years.
“Our small community has the opportunity to work together to update our vision and plan for the future of the Village of Empire,” says Carey Ford, a member of the Master Plan Working Committee. “The Village looks forward to reading what community members share in this questionnaire and we encourage everyone to participate.”
Empire is releasing a community questionnaire to gauge what the community thinks about the Village currently and in the future, according to a press release.
Empire recently moved forward with a $70,000 contract with Renovare, a Detroit-based real estate development company, that was originally tasked with helping the village find a new office to help with the villages master plan. Brad Lonberger and Elise Craft of community development firm Placecraft are working as contractors with Empire on the master plan. Craft founded the Traverse City firm in 2018.
The questionnaire is available online or in print and will be open through August 11, 2024.
Printed copies of the questionnaire can be picked up at the following locations: Glen Lake Community Library; Village Department of Public Works (11518 S. LaCore Street).
A master plan is used by elected officials, staff, residents, and others to guide decisionmaking about how land is used, where new development occurs, where and when new infrastructure is provided in the Village, how streets are designed for different types of transportation, and more, according to a press release.
Take the questionnaire online at this link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/ Empire2024.
Additionally, Empire invites the public to save the date for a public open house on August 1 from 4 to 6 p.m. More details, including location, will be shared closer to the date.
Interested folks are encouraged to follow the Village website ( www.leelanau.gov/empirevillage. asp) for updates on this project and other news. Additionally, all are welcome to attend the Master Plan Working Committee meetings on the second and fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. These meetings are either held in Empire or via Zoom—details are shared ahead of each meeting on the Village website.
