Alpena Township Civic Building 4385 U.S. 23 North Alpena, MI 49707 Phone: (989) 356-0297 2017 MASTER PLAN Alpena Township Alpena County, Michigan Alpena Township Planning Commission Resolution of Adoption: August 21, 2017 Alpena Township Board Resolution of Concurrence: August 28, 2017 Prepared by: Alpena Township Planning Commission Thomas Hilberg (Chair) Fred Sterns (Vice Chair) Ann Marie Rich (Secretary) Lisa Brendle Larry Dehring Chuck LeFebvre Norm Poli (Board Liaison) Alpena Township Board Nathan Skibbe, Supervisor Karie Bleau, Clerk Laura Ellery-Som ers, Treasurer Matt Dunckel, Trustee Cash Kroll, Trustee Norm Poli, Trustee Nathan Thomson, Trustee Assisted by: Richard Deuell Resource & Community Planner 3545 Camp Sherwood Road Boyne City, MI 49712 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1-1 Location and Regional Setting ..................................................................................... 1-1 History .......................................................................................................................... 1-2 Planning and Zoning in Alpena Township .................................................................... 1-3 CHAPTER 2 – SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS ........................................... 2-1 Population .................................................................................................................... 2-1 Seasonal Population .................................................................................................... 2-2 Age Distribution and Racial Make-up........................................................................... 2-3 Households .................................................................................................................. 2-3 Income and Employment ............................................................................................. 2-4 Commuting to Work ..................................................................................................... 2-6 Education ..................................................................................................................... 2-6 Disability Status ........................................................................................................... 2-7 Housing Stock and Property Values ............................................................................ 2-7 CHAPTER 3 – NATURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY .......................................................... 3-1 Climate ......................................................................................................................... 3-1 Geology ....................................................................................................................... 3-1 Bedrock Geology ............................................................................................. 3-2 Surface Geology ............................................................................................... 3-6 Wooded Dune and Swales ............................................................................... 3-7 Topography .................................................................................................................. 3-8 Soils ............................................................................................................................. 3-9 Woodlands ................................................................................................................. 3-11 Wetlands .................................................................................................................... 3-11 National Wetlands Inventory ...................................................................................... 3-14 Natural Features Inventory ........................................................................................ 3-16 Water Resources and Water Quality Issues .............................................................. 3-18 Long Lake ....................................................................................................... 3-18 Thunder Bay ................................................................................................... 3-19 Thunder Bay River ......................................................................................... 3-19 Devil’s Lake .................................................................................................... 3-19 Mud/Sunset Lake ........................................................................................... 3-20 Fishery Resources ..................................................................................................... 3-20 Wildlife Resources ..................................................................................................... 3-22 Islands ....................................................................................................................... 3-23 CHAPTER 4 – PUBLIC UTILITIES AND SERVICES .............................................................. 4-1 Water and Sewer ......................................................................................................... 4-1 Transportation .............................................................................................................. 4-3 Energy Suppliers ......................................................................................................... 4-5 Communications .......................................................................................................... 4-6 Public Safety ................................................................................................................ 4-6 i Solid Waste Disposal ................................................................................................... 4-6 Educational Facilities ................................................................................................... 4-7 Medical Facilities.......................................................................................................... 4-7 Recreational Facilities .................................................................................................. 4-8 CHAPTER 5 – EXISTING LAND USE ..................................................................................... 5-1 General Land Division Patterns ................................................................................... 5-1 Land Cover Use ........................................................................................................... 5-1 Residential ................................................................................................................... 5-2 Commercial .................................................................................................................. 5-3 Industrial/Extractive ..................................................................................................... 5-3 Institutional/Recreational ............................................................................................. 5-3 Forests and Wetlands .................................................................................................. 5-3 Non-forested Land ....................................................................................................... 5-6 Agricultural ................................................................................................................... 5-6 Water ........................................................................................................................... 5-6 Beaches ....................................................................................................................... 5-6 CHAPTER 6 – COMMUNITY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ..................................................... 6-1 Public Input .................................................................................................................. 6-1 Community Web Survey .............................................................................................. 6-3 Quality of Life ............................................................................................................... 6-4 Planning, Zoning & Community Development ............................................................. 6-4 Residential Areas ......................................................................................................... 6-6 Commercial Areas ....................................................................................................... 6-6 Industrial Land Uses and Development Areas ............................................................. 6-7 Infrastructure, Public Services, Recreation and Transportation ................................... 6-8 Economic Development ............................................................................................... 6-9 Government ................................................................................................................. 6-9 Natural Environment .................................................................................................. 6-10 Collaboration .................................................................................................. 6-10 Resource Conservation .................................................................................. 6-11 Water Resource Protection ...........................................................................