Brighton Township officials looking to move forward in updating the municipality’s master plan held a community meeting seeking residents’ feedback.

The public forum was attended by approximately 40 citizens and held at township hall Tuesday night. The outreach served as a follow-up to a survey in the community engagement process in updating the township’s master plan. Emil Liszniansky of planning group Envision, says the planning team was looking for more detailed input on preserving the area’s rural character, expanding access to recreation, and connecting pathways. A board was displayed for each of those themes showcasing proposals for how they could be implemented in the master plan. Attendees were asked to pick two of their favorites by placing a push pin on the idea, or by suggesting other possibilities.

Liszniansky said the planning team wanted to dig a little deeper into the community response, admitting that the survey and public meeting are not a “catch all be all”, but instead opportunities for further conversation about what residents are looking for, as well as a chance to hear ideas that may not have been proposed. He says the planning team will use the feedback in making next steps to determine what updates should be made to the master plan.

The results of the exercise showed that the majority of attendees were in favor of non-motorized paths along Pleasant Valley and Spencer Roads. One of the proposals from an attendee that was not listed on the board was pathways to schools. Creating nature trails received an overwhelming response in passive recreation and one resident suggested an ATV park; however, about six residents indicated that they did not desire any recreational enhancements. Multi-use paths, a dog park, and a playground received the most support for active recreation, but there was also some that liked the idea of preserving historical buildings or barns, as well as a nature preserve and gathering space. (DK)