CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Purpose of the Master Plan
Planning Commission and Its Role
Since 1959, Michigan statutes have
permitted townships to play an active role in
planning for the future by making and
adopting a land use plan. The planning
commission is the public body responsible
for preparing the plan. That law (Township
Planning Act, PA 168 of 1959) was repealed
and replaced by the Michigan Planning
Enabling Act, PA 33 of 2008, which became
effective September 1, 2008.
The Long Rapids Township Planning
Commission is a five-member body, serving
three-year staggered terms. Planning
Commission members are intended to
represent a broad spectrum of community
interests, including recreation, commerce,
industry, government, education,
transportation, and so on. Planning
commissioners may come from many walks
of life, but they all contribute their time and
talents to the local planning process. In
addition to the responsibility of preparing the
Master Plan, the Long Rapids Township
Planning Commission is charged with
making recommendations on Zoning
Ordinance and Zoning Map amendments
and reviewing development projects as they
are proposed.
PA 33 of 2008 requires that, “A planning
commission shall make and approve a
master plan as a guide for the development
within the planning jurisdiction… The master
plan shall address land use and
infrastructure issues and may project 20
years or more into the future.” Once the
master plan is adopted, the plan provides
the basis for land use and infrastructure
decisions. The law also requires that the
plan be reviewed at five-year intervals.
For the purpose of preparing the Long
Rapids Township Master Plan, Long Rapids
Township has retained professional
consulting services from the firm of Wade
Trim, Inc.
In preparing a master plan, the planning
commission is authorized to:
o Make careful and comprehensive surveys
and studies of present conditions and
future growth of the planning jurisdiction
and with due regard to its relation to the
neighboring jurisdictions.
o Consult with representatives of adjacent
local units of government in respect to
their planning so that conflicts in master
plans and zoning may be avoided.
o Cooperate with departments of the state
and federal governments and other public
agencies concerned with programs for
economics, social, and physical
development within the planning
jurisdiction and seek the maximum
coordination of the local unit of
government’s programs with these
agencies.
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Status of Planning and Zoning in Long
Rapids Township
The original Long Rapids Township
Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1975,
and after more than three decades the
Planning Commission recommended that
the time is past due to update the plan.
The Township’s first Zoning Ordinance had
an effective date of September 22, 1977.
That ordinance was thoroughly revised and
became effective January 1, 1981. The
current Zoning Ordinance, an update of the
1981 ordinance, became effective
September 13, 1990 and has seen several
amendments through the present time.
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Location and Transportation Links
Historical Perspective
Long Rapids Township is located in northwestern Alpena County in Michigan’s Lower
Peninsula. The Township is adjacent to
Maple Ridge Township on the east, Wilson
and Green Townships on the south,
Wellington Township on the west, and
Posen Township in Presque Isle County on
the north. M-65 runs north/south through
the Township, connecting the Township to
US 23 by way of Posen and to M-32, a
major east/west route connecting Alpena to
East Jordon. For reference, a general
location map is shown as Map 1, while a
road and parcel-line base map is shown as
Map 2.
The Alpena County area of Michigan was
first settled by people from Southern
Michigan, New York, and New England.
Settlers later immigrated directly from
European countries and Canada. The City
of Alpena was the first settlement in the
area of any significant size. This was due to
its transportation advantages and close
proximity to interior farming and forestry
resources.
The economy of the region was based on
the vast forest that covered Long Rapids
Township and all of Northeastern Michigan.
The area experienced booming forestry
production in the mid to late 1800’s.
Northern Michigan provided thousands of
board feet of lumber for Michigan and the
new industrializing nation. Most of the
settlements of the region, including Long
Rapids Township, owe their birth to the
lumbering industry.
There are no railroad lines in Long Rapids
Township, although a former railroad grade
converted to a recreational trail passes
through the Township along the southern
boundary line. The nearest airport to Long
Rapids Township is about ten miles away,
located just west of Alpena on M-32.
At the turn of the 20th Century, the forest
production began to slow, and the economy
began to shift to that of farming and mining
of top soil and gravel. Transportation
systems improved, and railroads linked the
towns and villages. The railroads were later
followed by roads. The general decline in
forest production and the advent of farming
and improved transportation has brought
the area to its present economic base of
farming, mining, light industry, some forest
production, recreation, and tourism. Long
Rapids Township is an economic and
geographic component part of this broad
economic and physical area of Alpena
County and Northeast Michigan.
Long Rapids Township is somewhat remote
from large urban areas of Michigan. It is a
five-hour drive to Detroit, four hours to
Lansing, and three hours to the Bay
City/Saginaw area. Traverse City is about
three hours away. In the Upper Peninsula,
Sault Ste. Marie is three hours away, and
Marquette is about five hours away. On the
other hand, the recreation and resort
facilities of the northeast region are
available to local residents and draw people
to the area. Many Long Rapids Township
residents travel to work in Alpena and
neighboring cities due to limited
employment opportunities in the local
community.
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Early land uses and settlements have given
way to more complex villages and cities.
Increased population and improved
transportation systems have produced a
more mobile population than ever before.
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Hold Page
Map 1, Location Map
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Hold Page
Map 2, Base and Transportation Map
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