Creating an Updated Vision for Rogers City Waterfront

News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Joe Hefele
City Manager, Rogers City
(989) 734-2191

[Rogers City, Mich.] – Rogers City has been selected as a case study community in developing a sustainable small harbor management strategy for Michigan’s coastal communities. A research and design team will engage the Rogers City community in a variety of exercises to identify opportunities to secure the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of public waterfront facilities and the nearby community.

Driven by input from local citizens and community leaders, the project will review a draft coastal community sustainability toolkit and create some updated vision options for the Rogers City harbor and waterfront. This will include learning from potential management strategies useful for small harbors elsewhere in Michigan and, more specifically, to assist Rogers City with identifying planning objectives that help ensure a more secure future.

The project is supported by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of the Great Lakes, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lawrence Technological University, Edgewater Resources, Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development, and Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Public Meetings for Sustainable Harbor Visioning

Initial Visioning Meeting
6–8 p.m. Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Rogers City Theater
257 N. 3^rd Street, 49779

Community Design Charrette
October 25–27, 2016
Presque Isle District Library Rogers City
181 E. Erie St.

Agenda and details

Benefits to Rogers City

As one of six case study communities, Rogers City will benefit from in-depth visioning assessment — typically valued into the tens of thousands of dollars — at no direct cost. The project team will host an initial meeting and then a three-day public planning meeting, or “community design charrette,” to garner feedback, develop ideas, and create a sustainable vision for the Rogers City waterfront and nearby areas.

Share Your Vision

Developing a vision for a sustainable harbor requires input from a wide range of stakeholders including landowners, waterfront users, planning officials, chamber of commerce members, and local citizens. To share your vision, please attend upcoming public meetings to collaboratively develop a plan for the Rogers City waterfront.

The initial visioning meeting is scheduled for 6–8 p.m. Wednesday, September 14, 2016, at the Rogers City Theater (257 N 3^rd Street, Rogers City). Those who attend the initial meeting will have the chance to weigh in on the future of the Rogers City waterfront and will help identify assets linked to existing or potential public waterfront uses and/or facilities. Discussion will include pedestrian access, harbor use, and linking the waterfront to downtown and commercial areas.

In the community design charrette scheduled for October 25–27 at the Presque Isle District Library – Rogers City (181 E Erie St, Rogers City), participants will assess and prioritize design and planning options. The result will be a preliminary vision for the public waterfront of Rogers City 2036. The three-day design charrette will include small working groups (by invitation) and public sessions. A detailed agenda will be made available on the project website as the event date draws near.