CASSOPOLIS — Eighty people packed Cass County Road Commission Thursday to lend their vision to the 10-year update of the master plan.
A third half-hour brainstorming table exercise after listing “prouds” and “sorries” involved gazing into a crystal ball at Cass County 2030. There was a ripple of nervous laughter because of participants’ already advanced ages.
Billed as the Future Vision Town Meeting, the forum sponsored by the Cass County Board of Commissioners and its Planning Commission, identified many “commanalities,” facilitator Mark Eidelson said.
“If 20 years from now, it has evolved like you wanted and you’re looking down from a balloon, what images do you see?” Eidelson asked.
Modern health care facilities, prosperous communities, municipal sewer and water to all developed areas, vocational education, superior school systems, a county transit system, opportunities for youths to stay here, diversified business, an agricultural processing center, a four-year university, a world-class ag expo center, bike and walking trails, a sports center, a farm market, more better-paying jobs, full industrial parks, small, efficient government, good infra- structure, pristine lakes, “Norman Rockwell” communities, no blight, family farms, city green space and high-speed internet merited mention.
Summarizing results will take about a month.
“By law,” Planning Commission Chair Barbara Cook said, “the purpose of a master plan is to guide development that is coordinated and harmonious and to consider the character of an area and the suitability of particular uses that best promote public health, safety and general welfare.”
Cass County “has urban areas, rural areas and surburban areas that fall in between,” Eidelson said. “It’s made up of one city, four villages and 15 townships which all have local governments. There are also school district governments,” which there was some sentiment heard to consolidate.
“There is also county government, whether it’s drain commissioner, parks department, Board of Commissioners or various other departments. There are strict commercial areas, such as downtowns and business centers, farmland, neighborhoods, streams, wetlands and abundant lakes with year-round residents and warm- weather residents. The population of 52,000 is spread over 490 square miles — 315,000 acres. One of 17 is under age 5; one of four, 18; one of six, 65-plus. While the county is part of Michigan, it’s also very much part of the Greater South Bend-Elkhart, Ind., regional area. Half of those employed commute 25 minutes or more to work.”