Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC) is an alliance of governmental
units in the Grand Rapids, Michigan metropolitan area that are appointed
to plan for the growth and development, improve the quality of the communities
life, and coordinate governmental services.
Latest Developments
SAVE THE DATE - June 10, 2010 - GVMC Growing Communities Conference - "Choosing our Future: Innovations and Adaptations for Sustaining Community"
First off, we would like to thank all of you who filled out our pre-conference survey this year. Your input was very helpful in tailoring our conference this year to meet more of what you want to see and hear. As a result, the annual GVMC Growing Communities Conference will start out with a review of recent economic trends in Michigan and how this may be influencing our immediate decisions in the near future. Next, we will open up the conference to a give-and-take examination of our shared expectations and attempt to arrive and some concensus surrounding positive steps for our future.
We will then head into a set of pre-lunch breakouts covering a wide range of topics likely to include: applying standards for sustainability, cost efficiencies in government mergers, creating "cities of service", foreclosures, land banking, shaping our future with transportation, and the necessity of public/private partnerships.
After lunch, in addition to one or more additional breakouts, we will be bringing you a special panel-debate on the need for, and prospects of, a Constutional Convention for the State of Michigan. Should Michigan voters approve the call for a Constitutional Convention during this November’s election? That is the question we will explore during a fast-paced and interesting discussion and debate featuring two very knowledgeable and articulate gentlemen who are on opposite sides of this critical issue. Former Grand Rapids Mayor John Logie will argue passionately in favor of empanelling delegates from all 148 legislative districts to rewrite the Michigan Constitution, which was last revised and approved by voters in 1963. Arguing with equal passion against calling a Constitutional Convention is Richard Studley, President and CEO of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, who, in years past, served as a member of the Grand Ledge City Council and as City Manager of Clare.
Key Notes : First Morning Session - George Bosnjak of the Right Place, Inc., and Doug Rothwell, President & CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan
Second Morning Session - Lewis G. Bender, Ph.D., Group Facilitation.
You will not want to miss the conference this year since so much is at stake for our neighborhoods, towns and cities and state. We are confident that the information and perspectives you take away this year's conference will be at the same time highly useful and personally thought provoking as we begin to make real choices for sustaining our future!
I-196 will be reconstructed from the Grand River bridge easterly to Fuller Ave. beginning April 12, 2010. For more project information or to read about closures and detours, please visit the Michigan Dept. of Transportation website here...
Long Range Transportation Plan Amendment – GVMC is seeking input on proposed changes to the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan and the resulting Air Quality Conformity Analysis. A complete list of projects and a revised Air Quality Conformity Analysis are available by clicking the hyperlinks. Please direct any comments by Feb. 12, 2010 to: GVMC, Andrea Dewey, Transportation Planner, 678 Front Ave NW, Suite 200, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, (616) 776-7601 or Fax (616) 774-9292. Comments are also always welcome at the regularly scheduled Policy Committee meeting: Feb. 17, 2010 9:30-10:30 am at the Kent County Road Commission, 1500 Scribner NW, Grand Rapids.
LGROW Meeting Rescheduled – The GLRI project review meeting scheduled for tomorrow (12/11/09) has been rescheduled due to extreme weather conditions. The rescheduled meeting will be held on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 1:00 pm at the GVSU Alumni House. Contact Andy Bowman for further information.
Request for Proposals - The Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC), in cooperation with the Interurban Transit Partnership ( ITP )/The Rapid and Kent County, is requesting proposals for a latent transit demand analysis and needs assessment for Kent County, Michigan. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, the RFP is available by clicking here or at our office at 678 Front Ave NW, Suite 200, Grand Rapids, MI 49504 . Submissions are due by 4:00 p.m. EST on November 12, 2009 . For more information please call (616)776-7601 or e-mail Andrea Dewey.
Public Notice of GVMC Grant Application - GVMC has prepared an application for Federal Section 5304, Statewide Planning (Service Development and New Technology Program) funds for fiscal year 2010. GVMC ensures that work and hiring relating to the study will be done without regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The application is available at our offices during regular business hours or may be viewed by clicking here. For more information or to submit comments, contact Andrea Dewey, Transportation Planner, (616) 776-7601.
2035 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Update - GVMC is updating our LRTP beginning with the collection of Socio-Economic Data (pop and employment) projections for use in the transportation model. GVMC transportation and planning staff will be holding 5 Subregional meetings to collect this data and facilitate cross-jurisdictional planning. For more information about the meeting dates and location click here
The Grand Valley Metropolitan Council offices are moving on July 7, 2009, to the Riverview Building, 678 Front Ave. N.W., Suite 200, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. Phone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail addresses for all staff members will remain the same.
Growing Communities Conference, June 5, 2009 - United We Plan: Creating Community in the Information Age
With the world-wide internet now leading culture shifts in so many ways, there is an ever-increasing need for two things: (1) overhauling the way we engage everybody in planning for public investment and (2) reimagining our public places virtually, physically and in combination where they overlap. This year, at GVMC’s 16th Growing Communities Conference, we will be examining the many changes in our media, legal systems, politics, planning processes, technologies and techniques. Sessions will take a look at use of social networking websites, our outdated statutes tethering us to outdated methods, leadership among our younger generations, public involvement from all segments of society and the implications of seeing ourselves from everywhere all at once. Conferees will learn methods for improving the speed and effectiveness of public planning and how to create places which allow for continually changing demands. Conferees should also be prepared for some creative abandonment as we consider ways to both embrace our new “light speeds” as we plan for building places with longer, more sustainable “shelf lives”. Key Note addresses:
Morning, - Paul Schutt, Co-founder and co-CEO of Issue Media Group, creator of Rapid Growth
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for more information click here.
Travel Time Study - A travel time study was initiated in 2007 with an objective of providing travel time and speed data for the travel demand model. A second objective of this study is to provide congestion indicator for use in subsequent congestion management process. GVMC will conduct travel time study every 2-3 years. To view the map click the links below. - Off Peak Travel Time - Am Peak Travel Time - PM Peak Travel Time
Regional Transit in West Michigan? A study is underway to examine the demand for new commuter and intercity bus services connecting communities in Ottawa, Kent and Muskegon Counties. You can help by taking a brief survey on-line at www.westmichigantransitsurvey.info and be entered in a drawing to receive one of several $25 gift cards.Metropolitan Development Blueprint Award It’s time once again for showing off all the wonderful work being done throughout the region. Applications are now being taken for the Metropolitan Development Blueprint Award. The MDB Awarded is given each year to worthy projects meeting our measures of excellence in urban design, environmental design, regional collaboration, effective regulatory solutions, public involvement and other planning, development and community leadership efforts. For more information, click here…
GVMC Bicycle Lane Liability Workshop - Wednesday, Dec. 3 GVMC hosted a presentation on pedestrian and bicycle roadway design. Guest speakers included Josh DeBruyn, MDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, Ronald W. Emery, Assist. Attorney General representing MDOT, and Deirdre Thompson, MDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Engineer. To view their liability presentation click here...
Fisher Charrette - With generous funding support from several Grand Rapids-based foundations, the Grand Valley Metro Council is conducting a design charrette for Fisher Station, an area along south Division Avenue between 54th and 60th Streets that will house one of the transit stations planned for ITP-The Rapid’s proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) line. more...
GVMC Creates New, Regional Watershed Organization to Serve West Michigan - By unanimous vote, the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council has created the Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW), a region-wide, collaborative association of counties, municipalities, businesses, educational institutions, philanthropic organizations and individuals dedicated to restoring, enhancing and protecting water quality in the Lower Grand River and its tributaries. more...
2007 Federally-Obligated Projects List - GVMC has released is 2007 Obligated Projects List which outlines all transportation projects which used Federal transportation funds in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area in 2007. more...
REGIS Agency Receives Exemplary Systems in Government Award - The REGIS Agency wins the 2007 Exemplary Systems in Government (ESIG) Award in the Enterprise Systems category. The ESIG awards, inaugurated in 1980 by the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA), recognize extraordinary achievement by government agencies in the use of automated information systems. more...
GVMC Board Urges Lawmakers to Oppose Township Services Consolidation Act - By unanimous vote on June 7, 2007, the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council is urging all State Representatives and State Senators from West Michigan to oppose Michigan House Bills 4780-4788, the so called "Township Services Consolidation Act." In doing so, the GVMC Board joined a growing chorus of voices in opposition to this package of legislation which would require so-called "rural" townships to transfer to their respective county responsibility for delivering certain services, including assessing, taxation and elections. Unfer the bills, "rural townships" are defined as those under a population of 10,000 and those under 20,000 that do not provide police and fire service on a 24-hour basis and do not provide public water and sewer services to more than 50 percent of their residents. Read the GVMC letter to West Michgian legislators.
The Grand Valley Metropolitan Council has adopted, by unanimous vote, a major policy statement on State Budget and Taxation issues and has urged West Michigan to carefully consider the views of GVMC-member counties and communities as they work to solve the state's structural budget and economic problems. more...
GVMC Unveils Michigan's First Advanced Technology Tool to Analyze Pavement Conditions - Grand Valley Metropolitan Council's Mobile Pavement Management System (PaMS), a new advanced technology tool to gather data on pavement conditions and help local and state officials make better decisions about road repairs and reconstruction is now in service in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. more...
West Michigan Toolkit for Local Green Inventories - The Local communities in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area wishing to protect important natural features, now have another tool in their tool box! GVMC and the Land Conservancy of West Michigan have developed a new guideline entitled the “ West Michigan Tool Kit for Local Green Inventories.”more...
GVMC's Land Use Department announces the completion of its Form-Based Code Study. - The report provides local governments a template for zoning ordinances that emphasize the urban design of places. This is a new approach to zoning that supports traditional town and city forms such as main streets, village greens, and neighborhood centers. more...
Grand Valley Metropolitan Council
678 Front St NW, Suite 200
• Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504
Phone: (616) 77-METRO (776-3876)• Fax: (616) 774-9292
GVMC Board Meetings can be seen on GRTV Charter Communications Channel
24 the second Tuesday and Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Plus, starting
November 17th on Rogueview Community TV (RCTV) Charter Communications Channel
22 on Mondays at 11:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
GVMC Unveils Michigan's First Advanced Technology Tool to Analyze Pavement Conditions - Grand Valley Metropolitan Council's Mobile Pavement Management System (PaMS), a new advanced technology tool to gather data on pavement conditions and help local and state officials make better decisions about road repairs and reconstruction is now in service in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area.