Online survey to garner public input for master plan update

Anybody who wants to give their two cents regarding future development in Oxford Township will soon have their opportunity to do so whether they’re at work in a suit and tie or at home in their underwear.

In order to garner public input as they begin the process of updating the master plan, the planning commission last week gave the green light to township planner Matthew Lonnerstater, of the Ann Arbor-based Carlisle/Wortman Associates, to post an online community survey that will run from mid-March to mid-May.

Lonnerstater will use SurveyMonkey, a company that allows people to create and publish online surveys.

As a safeguard against someone purposely skewing the results, he said, “You’re only allowed to take it once per computer.”

Hard copies of the survey will be available at the township office (300 Dunlap Rd.) for anybody who doesn’t have internet access or who just wants to take it the old-fashioned way.

Consisting of more than 20 questions, the survey will collect basic data about participants, such as residency, property and/or business ownership, age, gender, employment status, education and household income.

More importantly, it will ask participants for their thoughts on the township’s future as it pertains to residential, commercial and industrial development; safety paths; improving traffic flow; needed road improvements; public transportation; parks; housing for seniors and young families; affordable housing; preserving open space and natural features; community character; and protecting water quality.

Todd Bell, chairman of the planning commission, explained the online survey is meant to replace and improve upon the old method of garnering public input on the master plan, which was to host workshops and invite people to attend.

He said those workshops “are always a waste of time” because “nobody comes.”

“That’s why we went this route,” Bell said.

He cited an example where a community tried doing both workshops and an online survey. There was a “drastic difference” in the results, according to Bell.

The workshops drew 40 people from a community of 35,000, whereas the online survey garnered about 1,000 responses, he said.

An online survey is much more convenient for citizens and property owners, according to Lonnerstater, versus trying to get them to attend a workshop.

“Residents can take it on their own time. They don’t have to dedicate an hour to come out to the township hall,” he said.

Lonnerstater said “the key” to online survey success is “making the public aware that it exists.”

Officials discussed promoting the survey via the local newspaper, social media, posters, the school district and billboards. Lonnerstater said there will be a link to the survey posted on the township website.

Township Supervisor Bill Dunn, who attended the planning commission meeting as an audience member, didn’t wait for the online survey. He expressed what he’d like to see with regard to the master plan update.

He said allowing residential development “up against” industrial uses has created problems, such as noise issues, which turn into complaints registered with the supervisor’s office.

He wants to see “some sort of transitional area” created where there’s “something lighter like offices” between the two types of zoning.

“The more we can eliminate (this) type of (zoning conflict), the better off my life and the township’s life is going to be,” he said.

Commissioners are hoping to have a draft of the updated master plan completed by August, then conduct a public hearing in November or December and adopt it in December.

“The timeline is flexible, (depending on) what the public says,” Lonnerstater said.

 

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