Planning for the future of Wayne

The Wayne Planning Commission and Downtown Development Authority meet pre-pandemic to work on the new master plan.

By Carolyn Marnon – The Wayne City Council approved the City of Wayne 2020 Master Plan at the January 19, 2021 council meeting. Mayor John Rhaesa commented, “We don’t want to just have a plan and not do anything with it, so I think that’s going to be the next challenge for our council to make sure that we provide the resources to make sure that we start moving us forward and not just having something sitting on a shelf collecting dust. It’s a much more comprehensive and realistic look at our city and gives us the ability to accomplish things which I think is very important moving forward and it keeps the city, it gives us the ability to make some things happen. That’s the responsibility of this council to make sure that we give the resources to our staff and put those places together.”
The Master Plan is an official document which gives the City a roadmap for future decision making. It is intended to provide a long-term view for guiding growth and development in the City for the next 20 years and beyond. The Michigan Planning Enabling Act (MPEA), Public Act 33 of 2008, requires that the planning commission approve a master plan as a guide for development and review the plan at least once every five years after adoption.
Previous planning efforts have included the 2010 City of Wayne Downtown Plan, the Wayne Parks and Recreation 2014-2018 Five Year Master Plan, and the City of Wayne 1964 Master Plan, the last citywide master plan.
Objectives for the downtown area include preserving the historic character while incorporating new, quality design; building the downtown residential population; increasing downtown retail and office opportunities; making downtown safer for biking and walking; and improving street connectivity and safety along Wayne Rd. and Michigan Ave.
You can find the complete 2020 Master Plan on the City’s website.