Commission declines separate master‑plan steering committee, directs staff to refine and distribute community survey

The Lapeer City Planning Commission decided May 14 not to create a separate master‑plan steering committee and instead agreed the planning commission will act as the review body and community champion for the master‑plan update.

Commissioners debated the tradeoffs: some argued a steering committee could widen community input and help with outreach while others said the planning commission should retain control of the process to avoid duplicating work. Commissioner Brady volunteered to participate in subcommittee work if needed, but a motion carried that the planning commission itself will review documents, gather input and provide guidance for the update.

Staff presented a draft community survey intended to gather resident priorities for the master plan. Staff noted typical response rates of 10–15% in similar communities and said a recent citywide survey had returned about 1.5% response with 74% of respondents over age 45. Commissioners asked staff to produce a condensed (five‑ to ten‑minute) version and suggested targeted shorter thematic surveys (parks, downtown, trails), QR codes on utility bills, youth‑focused questions for high school outreach, and use of additional social platforms to broaden participation.

A motion to distribute the master‑plan community survey after staff incorporated the commission's feedback and returned for a final review carried unanimously.

What happens next: staff will revise the survey to create a shorter/consolidated instrument, develop outreach tactics targeted to underrepresented demographics, and present the revised survey for final review before distribution.