Grand Valley Metro Council Regional Planning Facilitation,
Grand Rapids, MI

HFA provided workshop facilitation and technical assistance to the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC), an alliance of governmental units in the Grand Rapids, Michigan metropolitan area, for a series of workshops for seven subregional alliances.  HFA prepared and presented educational materials about the concepts and applications of “transect planning”, a form of planning that seeks to create a series of immersive zones ranging in character from rural to urban.

HFA also worked with GVMC to develop the workshop design, and facilitated the working sessions. During each workshop, participants played a “Growth Management Game” using regional maps and development type chips. The game highlighted trade-offs between different types of development and helped participants see the differences between the status quo development scenario and their preferred future.

Click here for the Grand Valley Metro Council Regional Planning Facilitation project sheet