In an effort to foster greater cooperative planning within the region, the Grand Traverse County Planning Commission convened a series of meetings with the Village of Kingsley and Paradise Township Planning Commissions to discuss recent legislation and new opportunities for joint planning.

Through these meetings, the two planning commissions identified a list of options for coordinated policies, placing the highest priority on pedestrian/recreational trails. The two jurisdictions (in cooperation with the Kingsley Area Public Schools) submitted a proposal to the Partnerships for Change program and were awarded a Firsts Steps service grant to help establish a collaborative environment between the two jurisdictions and develop a community-wide trail/pedestrian plan.

Community Update: In October of 2010, the two jurisdictions (and Kingsley Area Public Schools) formally adopted the Kingsley-Paradise Community Pathway Plan -- the result of a year-long comprehensive planning process that included several public meetings and opportunities for stakeholder discussion. We are also pleased to announce that the two jurisdictions have incorporated the key strategies of the plan into a new joint recreation plan for the community.