City of Rockford
Master Plan
Kent County, Michigan
The City of Rockford is a vibrant community located along the shores of the Rogue River. Much has changed in the past twenty years since the current Master Plan was written. As this Plan reaches it’s horizon, Williams & Works assisted the city in the creation of a new Master Plan that sets goals and objectives consistent with modern planning practices and community desires.
Williams & Works led a creative public engagement campaign to inform the Plan. Multiple techniques were used, including our “pop up” style outreach to seamlessly integrate our planning efforts into local, well attended events, an online survey, four focus group meetings with local leaders and advocates, and two student workshop sessions at North Rockford Middleschool.
The new Plan is organized in an approachable and easily digestible format that includes elements from other past planning efforts as well as outlining new concepts to support sustainability and progressive mobility standards. Future land use designations have been consolidated and reworked to preserve the area’s unique charm, expand economic drivers, and respond to housing and transportation issues facing the community. The Plan was adopted in early 2023.
