Discover Northeast Michigan

Master Plans

The purpose of a Master Plan is to provide guidelines for future development within the community over a 20 year planning horizon. Master Plans should be reviewed and updated every five years. NEMCOG staff provides professional planning expertise to counties, townships, cities, and villages across Northeast Michigan. NEMCOG has worked with many local units of governments to write and update Master Plans. We work with local Planning Commissions to write a Master Plan that analyzes a community's social and economic characteristics, natural resources including climate, geology, topography, soils, water resources, wetlands, woodlands, fish and wildlife, and scenic features, public utilities, transportation networks, medical facilities, recreation, schools, and existing land use patterns. From these analyses and after gathering public input from community members and those outside the community, NEMCOG staff assists the Planning Commission in the creation of Goals & Objectives and a Future Land Use Plan which guides the development of the community for the next 20 years. NEMCOG uses innovative planning techniques to tailor Master Plans to guide sensible development which is in harmony with the uniqueness of Northeast Michigan.

Current & Recent Master Plan Projects:

• Otsego Lake Township (In progress)
• City of Cheboygan (In progress)
• Bagley Township (In progress)
• Avery Township (In progress)
• Greenwood Township (In progress)
• Albert Township (In progress)
• City of West Branch Master Plan
• Tawas City Master Plan (In progress)
• Charter Township of Alpena Master Plan (In progress)
• Village of Roscommon Master Plan (In progress)
• Otsego Lake Township Master Plan (In progress)
• Briley Township Master Plan
• City of Gaylord Master Plan (In progress)
• Tri-Township Master Plan (In progress)
• Presque Isle Township Master Plan (In progress)
• Otsego County Master Plan
• Charlton Township Master Plan
• Chester Township Master Plan
• Elmira Township Master Plan
• Livingston Township Master Plan 
• Village of Pellston Master Plan (In progress)
• Presque Isle County Master Plan
• Lovells Township Master Plan (Eric Szymanski)
• Crawford County Master Plan (Eric Szymanski)
• Albert Township Master Plan (Eric Szymanski)
• City of Alpena Marina Master Plan (Nico Tucker/Eric Szymanski)
• Maple Forest Township Master Plan (Denise Cline)
• Grayling Township Master Plan (Denise Cline)
• City of Onaway Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• AuSable Township Master Plan (Denise Cline/Rick Deuell)
• Village of Hillman Master Plan (Denise Cline/Rick Deuell)
• Frederic Township Master Plan (Christina McEmber)
• Alpena County/Green Township/Wilson Township/Ossineke Township Joint Master Plan (Christina McEmber)
• City of Alpena 2020 Comprehensive Plan Update - (Denise Cline/Christina McEmber)
• South Branch Township Master Plan 
• Livingston Township Master Plan Update (Nico Tucker)
• Village of Roscommon Master Plan - MEDC RRC Project (Denise Cline)
• City of West Branch Master Plan - MEDC RRC Project (Denise Cline)
• Beaver Creek Township Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• Village of Lincoln Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• Briley Township Master Plan - (Denise Cline)
• Krakow Township Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• Tri-Township Master Plan (Alcona, Hawes & Caledonia Townships) - (Rick Deuell)
• Mikado Township Master Plan update - (Rick Deuell)
• Greenbush Township Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• Rogers City Master Plan Update (Denise Cline)
• Sanborn Township Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• Ossineke Township Master Plan (Denise Cline)
• Village of Lincoln Master Plan (Denise Cline)
• City of Harrisville Master Plan (Denise Cline)
• Wilson Township Master Plan (Denise Cline)
• Green Township Master Plan (Denise Cline)
• Mikado Township Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• Curtis Township Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• Mitchell Township Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• Bearinger Township Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• South Branch Township Master Plan (Rick Deuell)
• Crawford County Master Plan and Recreation Plan (Rick Deuell)