Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The deadline is nearing to submit public comments on the Livingston County Parks & Open Space Plan.

The Livingston County Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee in partnership with the Livingston Planning Department drafted an update to the current five-year plan. The purpose of the plan is to guide the parks, open space and recreation decision-making of Livingston County government over the next five years. The draft 2023-2027 plan will replace the current plan.

County Planning Director Kathleen Kline-Hudson tells WHMI the plan includes photos and results from a survey of county residents that gauged what kind of recreational opportunities they would like to see in county parks. She noted the plan has an inventory of all of the parks throughout Livingston County, whether state, regional, county, city or village. Beyond that, Kline-Hudson says the real narrative of the plan is about Livingston County’s two parks – Lutz County Park in Deerfield Township and Fillmore County Park in Genoa Township.

Kline-Hudson says the new plan they’re looking to adopt has a large chapter on Filmore County Park, what’s currently there, and future plans. Those include a mountain biking trail on the west side of Kellogg Road, which is part of a 98-acre portion of the park that hasn’t been developed yet.

Kline-Hudson added that they are finding that more people are learning about the county parks but they still have a lot of marketing and community education to do to help make residents aware of where the parks are.

The public review and comment period for the plan is open through this Wednesday.

Kline-Hudson says they’re looking for feedback on what’s included in the plan and whether or not their future plans jive with what residents expressed in the citizen survey this past spring. The top five most preferred outdoor activities were trails, picnic areas, wildlife watching, pavilions, and playgrounds.

More information on the public comment process is available in the attached press release. The plan can be viewed via the provided link.