Bath-DeWitt

DeWitt has been improving its community thanks to the Master Plan

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By Holly Osmer
Bath-DeWitt Connection Staff Reporter

DEWITT — The City of DeWitt, with its local businesses, pleasant parks, and quality schools, has seen a large increase in the amount of residential growth in the past 10 to 15 years, and their economy is expected to continue growing, despite Michigan’s overall slowed pace. According to the “City of DeWitt Master Plan The Big Picture DeWitt 2010 to 2020,” this growth pressure is expected to continue to impact DeWitt, the DeWitt School District and other public services during the life of this Master Plan and beyond. “The Master Plan is a document that depicts how the city would like the land to be used and developed over the course of time covered,” said DeWitt City Administrator Dan Coss. “The Planning Commission and City Council worked on the Master Plan for approximately 12 months and then by State Statute it is reviewed every five years,” said Coss. “The time it takes [to finish a Master Plan] really depends on if there are any amendments to the plan, typically 6-12 months.”

Since its creation, there are several aspects of DeWitt that have been either added or improved.

Ingham County

Zoo to charge in winter; will march in the moose

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By Jacqlyn Burnett
Ingham County staff writer

This is the first year Potter Park Zoo is charging admission from November to March. Coming up at Potter Park Zoo is March in The Moose. On March 15, the zoo will hold the March In the Moose benefit from 6-9:30 p.m. at Potter House. There will be dinner, an animal presentation and a performance by concert pianist Sergei Kvitko. This event will help fund the transportation of the Moose’s from Alaska and help make Lansing feel like their home.

Ingham County

Parks Department seeks community input

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By Marina Csomor
Ingham County Chronicle staff writer

INGHAM COUNTY — Karen Fraser wants Ingham County residents to help decide the future of the area’s parks. After all, it’s the public who owns them. “They’re not my Ingham County parks or not the Parks Department’s parks,” said Fraser, who is secretary and treasurer for Friends of Ingham County Parks, a nonprofit organization that works to improve local parks. “They’re something the community owns, so (citizens) really should have the opportunity to have a say.”

This opportunity came in January when Ingham County Parks allowed citizens to offer input on its 2012-2016 Master Plan — a plan which establishes a framework for coming decision-making within the department. More than 700 park users, including Fraser, completed a voluntary online survey on which they detailed what park officials should do not only to maintain the quality of the parks and to improve these sites.