Reimagine Plainfield
These concepts are part of the Plainfield Corridor Redevelopment Advisory Committee’s Reimagine Plainfield initiative, which was approved by the Township Board on May 24, 2021.
The plan’s adoption follows eight community input sessions that included webinars, an in-person open house and a virtual public hearing for community members to provide feedback on the plan and ask questions to Township staff.
After two years of extensive public input, the Township Board unanimously approved changes to the zoning ordinance on Nov. 22, 2021, to encourage new investment and redevelopment along the Plainfield Corridor.
Effective, Dec. 9, 2021, the new zoning ordinance creates opportunities for new development along the Plainfield Corridor, which now allows for mixed-use developments. Throughout the new ordinance, there are clear and predictable standards for development that will allow projects to move more quickly through the approval process and encourage investment along the Corridor.
Other key changes to the zoning ordinance include:
- Protecting existing residential neighborhoods through required buffers and setbacks.
- Increasing landscaping regulations to promote green infrastructure along the Plainfield Avenue corridor.
- Offering expanded land use options along the corridor.
- Modifying parking lot and access street designs to develop areas that are friendly for all modes of transportation, such as walking, cycling and driving, including vehicles, and delivery services.
Questions can be emailed to contact@plainfieldmi.org. Updates will be added to this page as more information becomes available.
Click below to watch one of the community webinars for the draft plan.
About Reimagine Plainfield
The Plainfield Corridor Redevelopment Advisory Committee was formed in fall 2019 to create a vision for a revitalized Plainfield Avenue corridor. The committee includes residents, business owners and Township Board members.
The committee has worked with Township staff and local consultants for more than a year to develop a long-term revitalization strategy for the corridor to promote growth, reinvestment and retention of businesses that support the community, its identity and services that support Township residents.
The committee first met with developers, commercial real estate professionals, transportation experts and environmental engineers to understand all the various issues along the corridor. It then gathered hundreds of responses through online surveys to better shape its vision for a redevelopment plan. In fall 2020, the Township held design sessions with community members in partnership with local architectural and engineering firm Progressive AE.
The corridor is defined as the area along Plainfield Avenue from Four Mile Road to East Beltline Avenue/Northland Drive continuing north to the Grand River and south on East Beltline to Grand River Avenue.
The plan outlines several key concepts for the corridor’s future, including:
- Allowing the corridor to be more flexible to meet the needs of residents, business owners and visitors.
- Developing areas for people that create energy and activity as well as build wealth in the community.
- Creating a collection of places that have their own unique identities, functions and relationships with neighborhoods and businesses that surround them.
- Developing more options for goods and services that meet the daily needs of residents, business owners and visitors.
Other aspects of the plan include making the corridor more friendly for all modes of transportation, such as walking, cycling and driving, including vehicles, busses and delivery services. The plan also emphasizes a need to “green” the corridor by adding more landscaping and trees that create attractive public spaces.