The below message is from Steve Roach, LMB Director for Detroit and the Pointes. Norm Cox is one of the premier non-motorized planners in the Midwest:

Norm Cox of The Greenway Collaborative will make a presentation 7:00 p.m. May 4, 2011, Connelly Auditorium, Beaumont Hospital Grosse Pointe (468 Cadieux in Grosse Pointe, just north of Jefferson.)

The Community is invited to hear Mr. Cox and a presentation regarding plans to implement a bike route throughout the five Pointes.

This is your opportunity to give input, engage in dialog, and learn how to help.

Congratulations to the city of Novi! Last night, their city council unanimously adopted a Complete Streets Resolution.

According to Novi City Councilmember Andrew Mutch:

“The resolution declares Novi’s commitment to adopting and following Complete Streets principles. It also directs City staff to develop a set of proposed standards and ordinances to implement “Complete Streets” policies and practices in the City of Novi. These efforts, in concert with the newly initiated master plan for non-motorized transportation, will enable the city to better meet the strong desire of Novi residents to live in a more walkable and bikeable city and to provide a transportation system that takes into consideration the needs of all users.”

We believe this is the first community in Oakland County to have a Complete Streets resolution or ordinance.

As for the master plan noted my Mutch, the city has hired a top-notch team. Leading the team is the Greenway Collaborative, which has a web page for more information on this planning effort, including this overview:

The City of Novi is continuing its efforts to promote healthy, active lifestyles through the creation of a comprehensive non-motorized transportation plan. The plan will result in a clear vision and implementation strategy to establish a safe, convenient and enjoyable environment for bicyclists, pedestrians and other non-motorized users. This project got underway in July and should be completed by the end of the year. The public is encouraged to participate in the creation of the plan through a web based survey available later this summer and two workshops to be held this fall.

The page does list two public meetings:

Project Visioning Workshop

This workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 from 7:00pm to 8:45pm in the Full Meeting Room at Novi Public Library. During this workshop participants will express there hopes and concerns and identify areas in the community where different types of non-motorized elements would fit.

Preliminary Plan Workshop

This workshop will be held on Thursday, October 26, 2010 from 7:00pm to 8:45pm in the Full Meeting Room at the Novi Public Library. During this workshop participants will prioritized and evaluated the Draft Non-motorized Network Plan.

Mark your calendars. The city of Novi is really moving forward.

MarketWatch has a recent article on the top ten “must-have” features that home buyers are looking for according to a recent survey.

The feature list includes nine home features (e.g. large kitchen) and one community amenity:

Community landscaping, with walking paths and playgrounds. Forget about golf courses, swimming pools and clubhouses. Buyers in large planned developments prefer hiking among lush greenery.

This is not surprising as trails have been among the most desired community amenities for years now.

Metromode ran a related article on greenspace preservation in Metro Detroit.

Norman Cox, president of The Greenway Collaborative, Inc., has consulted in the region for over 20 years, mostly on greenway, trail, open space, and non-motorized transportation planning. He’s worked with several communities and finds the environmental ethic ingrained in regional culture. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a recreation plan of a county or a significant-sized township or city that does not have an open space component,” he says. “They’re looking at things a lot more holistically, realizing that parks aren’t just points on a map, but how can they be part of a system that’s preserving a functioning natural system from water and wildlife standpoint as well as providing recreational resources.”

Community research consistently notes that residents, and would-be residents, want places to walk, bike, and safely move without having to use their automobile, Cox says. “If you are a community trying to be an attractive place to not only retain the businesses that are there but attract new businesses, it’s a good economic move to provide these resources. This is what people are looking for. Yes, there is a cost for developing and maintaining them but there is a good economic pay-back — as a matter of fact it’s almost a matter of survival these days.”

How do you create green space in a dense urban environment? You look for natural opportunities, such as an abandoned rail corridor, a riverside or waterfront, or other abandoned land. “Sometimes you have to be more creative,” says Cox. “We are big proponents of an urban greenway that utilizes the existing local street network. Most pedestrians and bicyclists have their secret ways to get from one place to another, using local roads, trails through schoolyards, and parks. We look at formalizing those.” Cox is currently working on the Clinton River Trail, which runs about 10-12 miles through five communities.

And speaking of Norm Cox and the Greenway Collaborative: They are part of a team (along with Smith JJR and the Active Transportation Alliance) to develop a plan which includes extending the RiverWalk east to the Conner Creek Greenway and beyond.