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County Planner/Coordinator Peter Garwood presented the plan to the commissioners at the Sept. 13 meeting.

"This is a culmination of the thoughts of the planning commission and input from the public,"Garwood said. "It's a pretty comprehensive document, ready for your review and possible approval in the future." An amendment to Michigan Public Act 282 in 2001 required all counties to have a master plan. That year, the county sent out an opinion survey. Since then, the county conducted a land use study, held visionary sessions and public hearings to put together the plan.

The 88-page document is informational and provides the most current information on land use, recreation, demographics, natural resources, economic development, agriculture, transportation and more. Besides outlining the current situation, data and programs in Antrim County, it provides 24 different maps analyzing the data.

But apart from the factual information, most chapters end with an implementation section to put forth specific ways of using the plan.

Planning Associate, Joe Meyer, who has worked very closely with the document, emphasized the plan does not and cannot regulate land use. Additionally, the implementation sections outline how the county hopes to move forward, but are not requirements for the county or any township within the county.

"We're not binding ourselves to this. A lot of things we're strongly encouraging,"Meyer told the Antrim County News.

The townships in the county that have zoning, Elk Rapids, Milton, Torch Lake, Banks, Forest Home and Kearney, as well as the villages are required to have their own master plans.

When any of those master plans are updated or redone, the county planners would look at the Antrim master plan to tell the localities what they think is important in planning.

"We'll say, these are our goals and this is what we recommend,"Meyer said. "But they don't have to follow those recommendations." The suggestions are based on nine guiding principles that make up Chapter 10 of the Master Plan. Each principle, such as "Keep Antrim County Rural"is defined and then followed by recommended policies and strategies to maintain or achieve that end.

One chapter in the drafted plan that many other counties don't include is "human element."The chapter features sections on affordable housing, solid waste and recycling, elderly care, health care and a historical perspective. Details in these sections have current programs for seniors, including various services provided by the Council of Aging. The health care section lays out what clinics or services are available, which is important since Antrim County doesn't have a hospital.

Meyer noted Garwood and others felt it was important to include this section. "There's a lot here that applies to Antrim and not other places,"Meyer said.

The book ends with an implementation checklist, with a section for immediate priorities, goals for the next one to four years, and what needs to happen in five years.

The final chapter also clarifies the planning commission has chosen not to use zoning as an implementation tool, and is using other tools to enforce its goals.

If the plan is approved, a copy will be in the county building, and in every township. It is also available for viewing online, and a current draft is already on the website. Interested people can also pick up a CD to view the plan.

"It has been a very public and open process,"Meyer said. "Anybody can review [the plan]. We're always taking comments on it."

The state requires the plan be updated every five years.

Hadley Robinson can be reached at hrobinson@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-533-8523.