What are Goals and Objectives?

Goals - What does our vision look like?

If we think of the vision as the long-term future of the community, what does that actually look like in terms of policy? Goals should set the community up for making land use decisions, modeling planning leadership and providing resources for implementation.

Objectives - How do we get there?

Objectives should be the general path to help the community achieve the goals. They will serve as the why for the action strategies that follow.

Goals and Objectives for Grosse Pointe Woods

These tabs each have the draft (as of July 31, 2023) goals and objectives for various aspects of the City.

Goal:

Provide a range of housing choices for all ages, abilities, and incomes.

Objectives:

1. Encourage the development of new, high-quality senior housing opportunities, such as attached condominiums, multi-family or assisted living complexes, cottage court homes, or accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
2. Encourage a mix of residential housing styles (such as ranch and colonial-style single-family homes as well as single-family home-scaled buildings with multiple units like duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, cottage court homes, townhomes, etc.) while maintaining neighborhood integrity and design compatibility.
3. Explore options for increasing density while maintaining the character of residential neighborhoods such as accessory dwelling units (ADUS, also known as in-law suites, granny flats, and carriage houses) and two- to four- unit housing in appropriate locations.
4. Consider ways to support independence for those of all abilities.
5. Maintain water, sewer, and utility infrastructure to meet the needs of residents.
6. Create new opportunities to live along or near the city’s major thoroughfares of Mack Avenue, Cook Road, and Vernier Road.
   
7. Work with adjacent communities to maintain high quality, aesthetically pleasing housing options.
   

Goal:

Continue to work towards making Mack Avenue a vibrant commercial corridor that meets the daily needs of residents and visitors.

Objectives:

1. Encourage the strategic development of commercial businesses along Mack Avenue that primarily offer the types of goods and services used by local residents.
2. Maintain the aesthetic appearance of Mack Avenue.
   
3. Attract people to visit and spend time in the Mack Avenue corridor.
   
4. Encourage a mix of commercial and residential uses within the Mack Avenue Corridor.
   
5. Promote a safe and attractive shopping environment for multimodal users.
6. Improve the appearance of the alleys running parallel to Mack Avenue.
   
7. Improve the development review process for businesses, property owners and developers.
   
8. Work with adjacent communities towards a balanced mix of retail, personal service, and entertainment options in the area.
   

Goal:

Enhance the entire transportation network to provide safe, convenient, and accessible transportation choices.

Objectives:

1. Encourage the maintenance of and/or improvements to local streets and sidewalks to ensure safe access to the City’s residential neighborhoods.
2. Provide linkages for various modes of transportation to the City’s commercial districts.
   
3. Encourage through traffic to bypass residential neighborhoods.
   
4. Improve safety, comfort, and convenience for non-motorized transportation.
   
5. Promote sufficient, accessible and attractive parking along or adjacent to Mack Avenue.
6. Prepare for micro-mobility, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and other new transportation technologies.
7. Collaborate with adjacent communities to explore additional transportation options, such as a trolley, in the area.
   

Goal:

Strengthen sense of place, identity, and character throughout the City and its neighborhoods.

Objectives:

1. Strengthen and enhance the single-family character of existing neighborhoods, with quality parks, commercial areas, public services, and schools.
2. Offset negative impacts of commercial activities (e.g., noise, light, traffic, etc.) on residential areas with well-designed buffers and transitions.
   
3. Promote neighborhood identity.
   
4. Maintain quality parks.
   
5. Ensure existing single-family homes are consistent with the surrounding neighborhood.
   
6. Maintain quality building materials and design throughout the City.
   
7. Identify, preserve, and enhance the culturally significant sites in the City.
   
8. Promote public art throughout the City.
   

Goal:

Promote resiliency to create a more equitable and inclusive community.

Objectives:

1. Promote the City as an attractive community for all.
2. Increase healthy tree canopy throughout the City.
   
3. Increase resident participation in community events and decisions.
4. Prepare for severe weather events, flooding, and other environmental threats.
   
5. Collaborate and coordinate with surrounding communities to enhance services provided to residents.
   
6. Ensure the City’s Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance continue to reflect the community’s vision and needs.
   
7. Support a variety of work environments, including home-based businesses and co-working spaces.
   
8. Collaborate with adjacent communities to develop preparedness and resiliency plans.