By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

In an effort to capitalize on future grant opportunities, South Lyon City Council has approved a plan to update their Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

Community Image Builders’ Director of Planning Kelly McIntyre told Council, at their most recent meeting, that last April the Michigan DNR put out new guidelines for what needs to be in place in master plans. These guidelines are important for municipalities that wish to pursue DNR grants. On the agenda was a resolution to spend roughly $19,000 on the master plan overhaul.

McIntyre said the requirements have substantially increased, and that once they have this new foundation, future updates shouldn’t be so intensive. She said the DNR will be looking for things like how many man-hours it takes to maintain the park and what fertilizer and mowing costs. They also require a capital improvements plan. Once these are in place, McIntyre said future, minor updates won’t be as costly.

Council member Maggie Kurtzweil noted that the city has not done well in pursuing grants, and saw this as a way of reversing that. She pointed out other cities that have received large sums from the DNR for parks projects and said they need to get on this and be aggressive with it.

In order to qualify for DNR grants in 2022, City Council needs to have the new plan approved by February 1st. McIntyre said it will be a tight deadline that will come upon them rapidly, but if they get started by next month she believes it can be done.

Residents, business owners and community stakeholders should be on the lookout for opportunities to participate in the process, share their ideas, and get involved.

City Council approved the motion unanimously.