Elk Rapids, a beautiful "up north" village situated between Elk Lake and Grand Traverse Bay, experiences the common trappings of such a desirable place to visit: pressure to plan for the year-round residents, seasonal service workers, and toursist. Fortunately, through the engagement proces, the Village could find common ground; often what is good for one group is good for the other. This was revealed to be true when priorities were ranked in the following order: preserving natural features, improving water quality, year-round commercial viability, housing affordability, and traffic calming. With such focus, the Village can rely on this plan for concrete steps over the next five years.

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The Master Plan explored each topic in greater depth through a series of mapping, data analysis, conversations with the community and stakeholders, and action strategies that align with planning best practices. The Zoning Plan offers greatly consolidated zones to permit more flexibility (where needed) to meet the building blocks of each priority and the confidence to implement the community's vision.