Key Ideas & Themes
Some of the key ideas and themes that are represented throughout this Master Plan are summarized below. Concurrently, as part of this planning process, the City undertook updating its Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Analysis and recommendations for the City’s recreation facilities can be found as part of that plan.
Neighborhood Character
One of the most referred to strengths of the Pleasant Ridge community is the character of its neighborhoods. The Plan is aware of development pressure that may result in the future. Maintaining and enhancing the community character is core to all components of this Plan.
Increased Housing Diversity
The Plan envisions increased housing diversity in the city to ensure that the City is supportive of residents at all stages of life and remains a highly livable community. This can be accomplished by incorporating mixed land uses, encouraging and facilitating density on Woodward that could accommodate residential development, and incorporating new housing types that are compatible with the scale of a single-family neighborhood, such as accessory dwelling units.
Potential Future Character
The Plan, anticipating the potential desire for redevelopment in the commercial areas, identifies the potential future character of areas along Woodward Avenue and further presents how that redevelopment may incorporate mixed use and accommodate residential development.
Safe, Efficient Travel
The Plan envisions Pleasant Ridge as a well-connected pedestrian-friendly environment that promotes safe, efficient travel for all users of public ways.
Climate Adaptation
The Plan suggests strategies to adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. As a community affected by more severe and frequent flooding abating additional run-off is an important initiative. The incorporation of innovative stormwater infrastructure can help alleviate the pressures on the existing system.
Goals & Objectives
As with previous City Master Plans, goals and objectives have been developed to guide staff, the Recreation Commission, and the City Commission. These goals and objectives are designed to be as impactful as the capital improvement priorities and will help steer the City’s efforts over the next five years. The following goals and objectives were created by drawing from past plans, brainstorming sessions with City staff and leadership, and feedback gathered through online questionnaires and input sessions. They are presented without a specific ranking of importance or priority.
Implementation Plan
The purpose of the Implementation Plan is to serve as a policy guide for preserving and advancing Pleasant Ridge, and providing guidance for future physical and policy initiatives
Zoning Plan
This zoning plan highlights necessary updates to the current zoning ordinance to ensure it aligns with the goals and vision of the new Master Plan.