 (1).gif)
Ludington Municipal Building
LUDINGTON — The City of Ludington has been awarded the Outstanding Best Practice Planning Excellence Award by the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP), the state chapter of the American Planning Association (APA). The award recognizes Ludington’s forward-thinking and community-centered approach to zoning reform, which was recently adopted after a nearly three-year process of research, collaboration, and public engagement.
According to a press release from the city, the new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) represents a modern, inclusive approach to land use regulation—prioritizing housing flexibility, design consistency, and accessibility. The revised zoning code reflects the city’s commitment to long-term sustainability, community vibrancy, and economic vitality.
A jury of planning professionals from the APA Texas Chapter, who reviewed submissions for MAP, praised Ludington’s approach as a model for other communities:
“Very progressive code—great approach to housing, thoughtful, well-implemented, and community-centered approach to zoning reform.”
The award-winning UDO was the result of:
- 67 public meetings and workshops were held throughout the planning process.
- The project spanned nearly three years, involving input from the Planning Commission, City Council, local stakeholders, the public and professional consultants.
- The zoning reform aligns closely with Ludington’s Master Plan, Recreation Plan, and housing goals—all aimed at building a more resilient and inclusive community.
“This award is a testament to the spirit of Ludington. We are proud of this recognition and even prouder of the community that made it happen,” said Mayor Mark Barnett.
______________________
Please Support Local News
Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news.
To sign up, email editor@mediagroup31.com. In the subject line write: Subscription. Please supply your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number (indicate cell phone). We will not share your information with any outside sources. For more than one email address in a household, the cost is $15 per month per email address.
We can send you an invoice for a yearly payment of $120, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address).
Payment must be made in advance prior to subscription activation.
We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.
_____
This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2025, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.
As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.
.png)
