Genoa Township is a unique location, situated southeast of the center of Livingston County, Michigan. It lies between Livingston County's two largest municipalities, Howell and Brighton. It is home to over 15,000 people in its nearly-36 square miles, with approximately 2 square miles of water and wetlands. Paved roadways are a novelty, and roads which host traffic with more than two lanes of traffic are a standalone landmark. But the tree-lined canopies and diverse landscapes are one of the perks of this community and are well preserved by local citizen interest and comprehensive planning. Only Latson Road in the western portion of the township, Grand River to the north and East, and the mighty Interstate 96 possess more than four lanes of traffic. In addition to these enhanced roadways, two prominent railways bisect the township and intersect toward the northwest. Genoa Township holds the intrinsic characteristic of being a Sub-Rural community. Not quite a suburb, but upgraded beyond rual.
The anomaly of Genoa Township is no matter what lifestyle you seek, Genoa Township has many options for you. If you are seeking a larger home situated on an acre of land with neighbors, several communities along Brighton Road are available for you (and some communities even have undeveloped lots still available). If you desire a tree-lined rural parcel of land, Genoa Township's surplus of dirt roads leave several choices. And if you desire not to take care of a large parcel of land, several condos and townhouses exist along Grand River and North Latson. Lest not forget a barrage of fields and farmland, located prominently in the northeastern reaches of the township. With so many choices, the direction Genoa Township must grow becomes a delicate issue which rural and urban cultures intersect.
The main issues which are present in a transitional community such as this are transportation, commercial and business development, and the allowance of dense residential development. If the citizens of Genoa Township desire to have modern amenities such as gas stations, grocery stores and Starbucks, they will have to learn to live with more traffic lights. If people tire of unimproved roadways and heavier traffic, they will have to sacrifice the tree-lined roadways and become accustomed to wider roads. And more residential developments will require timeless dirt roads to be paved to modern standards. The failed road millage of 2013 stood as a testament to the struggle between varying viewpoints of Genoa Township citizens, and also reinvested my interest in this region, which was the foundation for how I chose a career in Urban Planning. As a youth, I always imagined what Genoa Township would be like if it were to develop into its own city.
Until I developed a career in Land Use and Urban Planning, I was firmly entrenched in a pro-development viewpoint. However, after watching my new home in Arizona experience an explosion of growth, my viewpoint leveled between development and preservation. Genoa Township cannot return to its rural character of the 1970's, yet should be carefully managed to avoid becoming another Farmington Hills (nothing in detriment to this phenomenal community, but Genoa Township isn't quite ready to become a suburb). My passages are directed to get local interests to critically examine how and when Genoa Township will progress, and even to engage some healthy dialogue among varying viewpoints. I welcome you to join me and evaluate developmental issues for this unique region.
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