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When asked to describe the significant factors that affect their health, most people would list their family medical history, diet, or level of fitness. However, other factors can affect health as well. Some of these factors include access to the natural environment, living conditions, and the manmade community around them - otherwise known as the "built environment."

The way a community is designed or "built," can affect access to physical exercise, and increase pollution, crime, stress, and traffic accidents resulting in high obesity rates, increase unintentional injury rates, stress related mental and physical illness, increased respiratory infections and distress, and shortened years of life. As illness increases in a population, poor health can ultimately begin to affect the community economy by increasing the cost of health care and reducing productivity among workers. (Marya Morris, AICP, American Planning Association, Aug. 2004)

Muskegon Activities

Muskegon Area-wide Plan (MAP)

A unique partnership facilitated by the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission of local governments, citizens, business leaders, and policy-makers working together to create a vision and strategy to guide future growth and development in Muskegon County. The MAP provides a forum for consensus on a common vision and the policies necessary to reach that vision.

West Michigan Strategic Alliance  

The West Michigan Strategic Alliance is a diverse group of residents and business, government, and institutional leaders who are working together to be a catalyst for regional collaboration in economics, transportation, tourism, and community growth.

Muskegon Area First
Muskegon Area First is a countywide economic development corporation focused on business growth and the creation of high-quality employment opportunities in Muskegon County. Some of the organization’s major initiatives include the rebuilding of the downtown area of Muskegon; rejuvenation and redesign of landmark buildings to provide housing and space for small business; and the building of the community center in Norton Shores.

Imagine Muskegon
The Imagine Muskegon! project was originally initiated by the City of Muskegon’s Webster/Muskegon Turn-Back Committee and the desire to update the City’s master plan. Guided by the mission “to gather and reflect significant community consensus for a Muskegon downtown conceptual plan that sparks the imagination of citizens and the redevelopment of the downtown,” the Imagine Muskegon! process involved a wide variety of community members in the development of a vision for Muskegon. The process culminated in the creation of a booklet that individuals, governments, and developers can use when questions arise about the direction the community wishes downtown development to go.

Learn More

Project for Public Spaces

Community Guide (CDC)

Walkable Communities

Assessment Tools

Walkability Checklist

A Residents Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities

Nutrition and Physical Activity Tools and Calculators

Other Resources

Building Healthy Communities Resource List

Michigan Health Tools

NACCHO Community Design/Land Use Planning

Designing and Building Healthy Places

Active Living Research

Safe Kids

Safe Routes to School

Muskegon County Trail Guide

For more information, please call (231) 724-1293.