Village of Bancroft

November 20, 2025                                                                                         Arthur Mullen

                                                                                                                    313.456.8510                                                                                                                           amullen@wadetrim.com

Bancroft Prepares Vision for Future

Master Plan Survey Now Open – Public Asked to Participate!

BANCROFT, Mich. – The Village of Bancroft is updating its land use Master Plan.  They’re asking the public to help set their future course.  A Steering Committee wants to hear from residents, visitors, and property/business owners about what they envision for and desires of the Village’s future. 

A community’s master plan provides guidance to the Village’s Planning Commission and Village Council regarding land use and capital infrastructure decisions.  This plan will lay the framework for and set the Village’s course regarding future development for the next 15 to 20 years 

To gather the public’s suggestions and ideas, the survey is open now through Sunday January 4, 2026.  It may be accessed online at:   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BancroftMasterPlanSurvey.  Hard copies of the survey are available by contacting Village officials.  Fliers with QR Code links will be located around the Village where residents will be able to scan the survey link with their phone. 

The Master Plan will be comprehensive and will provide action strategies to enhance livability, address unique community challenges, and limit the opportunities for negative land use outcomes. 

Bancroft Master Plan 2026 will serve as a framework for Village development through a series of goals and actions and implementation strategies.  The Master Plan’s long-range view of the community will guide development over the next 10 to 20 years while providing flexibility to respond to changing conditions, innovations, and new information.

For the plan to be effective, it requires the public to provide its future vision for the Village.  Outreach efforts include the formation of a Master Plan Steering Committee, a public survey, Planning Commission open meetings, and a formal public hearing in the spring before the Planning Commission. 

The Master Plan Steering Committee is comprised of a variety of interested individuals, representing the Village Council, Planning Commission, Downtown Development Authority, residents, and business owners.  This diverse group will help guide the development of the revised Master Plan. 

The public survey is designed to elicit responses from residents, business owners, property owners, and others.  Topics include community character, housing, development location, recreation, and others.   

All of the public input will be distilled down by the consultants and the Master Plan Steering Committee.  This information will inform the committee’s discussions on various land use topics, and these discussions will then guide the formation of the community’s vision and the Master Plan itself. 

To ensure that the plan reflects the goals and desires of all Village residents and Village users, the team drafting the plan also wants to know about the land use issues that face or concern residents?  What land use decisions could be made that would improve the Village resident’s quality of life?   

The approach is for the Master Plan Steering Committee is to submit the draft Master Plan to the Village’s Planning Commission.  The Commission will review the committee’s recommendations and the draft plan before recommending it to the Village Council. 

The Village Council would then review the Plan and recommendations before authorizing the draft plan release to all the review agencies, for a 63-day period.  After the required review period concludes and a formal Planning Commission public hearing is held, the Plan is then ready for adoption. 

Got great ideas on how Bancroft should continue to develop?  The Steering Committee would like to hear from them.  Everyone is asked to take the brief survey and attend the upcoming Steering Committee and Planning Commission meetings when the Village’s future development course will be set. 

The multidisciplinary consulting firm Wade Trim is leading this effort.  Wade Trim has been providing urban planning services to municipal and private sector clients since 1972, and its team is focusing on the unique needs of Michigan’s small towns and rural communities.  

Any questions or additional information, please contact Brian Barnum, Bancroft Village President, at (989) 666-7153. 

December 9th, 2025 at 6:45 p.m.

108 Warren St. Bancroft, Mi. 48414

Special Meeting Agenda

Date: September 4^th, 2025

Time: 7:30 pm

Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call of Members

Approval/Additions to the Agenda

Review of Minutes

Review of Bills

Treasurer’s Report

Planning Commission Business

New Business

Old Business

Member Comments

DDA Business

New Business

1. Summerfest

Old Business

Public Comments

Member comments

Motion to adjourn meeting