[Jswee]

Originally Posted by Peter B

The citizens of Grand Traverse County deserve better than what they have. If you don't think so, you are part of the problem

Deserve better what? Kind of an open-ended proclamation that you have made there, don't you think?

Let's see what we have.

One of the most beautiful scenic settings in Michigan with an unbelievable amount of public access to enjoy our natural resources.

A thriving, vibrant downtown area, when many downtown areas in Michigan are disintegrating.

A low crime rate.

An outstanding public school system and more private school alternatives than you can shake a stick at.

A world class medical center that provides stable employment for a large number of the local citizens.

Opportunities for cultural enrichment that rival many major metropolitan areas. Between Interlochen, Dennos, the State Theatre, the Film Festival, just to name a few, you would be hard pressed to not be able to find something to do.

A thriving downtown farmers market that provides access to fresh local agricultural products.

Enough "big box" store shopping available so that you don't have to drive hundreds of miles to find something that will fit your needs.

So excuse me, just exactly what are we missing here that we "Deserve" to have?

About the only thing that I can think of is better roads. I will agree that the roads are pretty poorly maintained but off the top of my head that is about all I can think of. Please enlighten us.

[scottmi]

Traverse City sounds fine for the OP...he has money, doesn't necessarily need work and is fine with the weather/physical location of Traverse. I say go there and have fun.

I personally would avoid TC and all northern parts of Michigan like the plague because I'm not a big fan of snow or driving 30+ miles one way every time I want to do something (& unless you live in or very, very close to TC, you will be driving a LOT).

I'm also in my mid-20s so the bleak economy (that will only get worse - Munson can't sustain all of TC forever---), distance from a major expressway/highway (which all but ensures TC will never get as big as downstate cities...ever), high cost-of-living (home prices and property taxes are killer in GT county), old-fogey-local-politics (TC is so snobbish they have fought Meijers - a department/grocery store - from building a new location in the outskirts of the city since the early 2000s just because rich officials live nearby the Grand Traverse Resort) and an even bleaker state economy (just read this messageboard and see why there's a mass exodus from Michigan) have made me bitter towards all things-TC.

[Michigansnowflake]

Originally Posted by scottmi

Traverse City sounds fine for the OP...he has money, doesn't necessarily need work and is fine with the weather/physical location of Traverse. I say go there and have fun.

I personally would avoid TC and all northern parts of Michigan like the plague because I'm not a big fan of snow or driving 30+ miles one way every time I want to do something (& unless you live in or very, very close to TC, you will be driving a LOT).

I'm also in my mid-20s so the bleak economy (that will only get worse - Munson can't sustain all of TC forever---), distance from a major expressway/highway (which all but ensures TC will never get as big as downstate cities...ever), high cost-of-living (home prices and property taxes are killer in GT county), old-fogey-local-politics (TC is so snobbish they have fought Meijers - a department/grocery store - from building a new location in the outskirts of the city since the early 2000s just because rich officials live nearby the Grand Traverse Resort) and an even bleaker state economy (just read this messageboard and see why there's a mass exodus from Michigan) have made me bitter towards all things-TC.

Those are good things. TC is big enough, and why do they need 2 Meijers?

Charlevoix fought a Wal-MArt, we dont need one, there is one in Petoskey and one in TC and one in Gaylord, sheesh! how many do we need?

[Peter B]

The old-fogey-local-politics is a HUGE problem. These dimwits don't realize that a Meijers in Acme is necessary. So much fun shopping in Meier in July, waiting on line for 20 minutes and having all of your dairy products spoiled when you get home (even with the stupid insulated bags they SELL you). Short sightedness is a huge problem up here that will eventually go away when the ill-informed are removed from positions of authority and replaced by folks who think progressively rather than regressively.

[Michigansnowflake]

Originally Posted by Peter B

The old-fogey-local-politics is a HUGE problem. These dimwits don't realize that a Meijers in Acme is necessary. So much fun shopping in Meier in July, waiting on line for 20 minutes and having all of your dairy products spoiled when you get home (even with the stupid insulated bags they SELL you). Short sightedness is a huge problem up here that will eventually go away when the ill-informed are removed from positions of authority and replaced by folks who think progressively rather than regressively.

Ya, cause a 15 min drive to the one already there is so unreasonable! Geez, if I want to shop at Meijers, I have to drive 45 min, dont hear me complaining. As it is now, I have to drive 15 min to my local Glens to shop, big deal. What is it with people? Everything has to NOW! CLOSER! FASTER! BIGGER!. Thats why some (most) people live here in the North, to get away from all that.

[mkfarnam]

Originally Posted by Michigansnowflake

Ya, cause a 15 min drive to the one already there is so unreasonable! Geez, if I want to shop at Meijers, I have to drive 45 min, dont hear me complaining. As it is now, I have to drive 15 min to my local Glens to shop, big deal. What is it with people? Everything has to NOW!

Thats why some (most) people live here in the North, to get away from all that.

Yeah.........I just don't understand some women

[Peter B]

Newsflash!!! The population in NW Michigan is increasing, believe it or not, & the infrastructure needs change to handle it!!! Oh, that's right!!! They don't WANT change & will fight it at every step. The ill informed still rule the roost in many cases

[bluestar2]

Originally Posted by Peter B

Newsflash!!! The population in NW Michigan is increasing, believe it or not, & the infrastructure needs change to handle it!!! Oh, that's right!!! They don't WANT change & will fight it at every step. The ill informed still rule the roost in many cases

Pretty much accurate assessment of the situation up here. If you fast-forwarded to 10 years from now, I'm not sure things would be that much different. The local townships are highly resistant to change. Many people up here actually seem to prefer the "old ways". The population has grown by leaps and bounds, even without the vacation home crowd. One day Meijer is going to explode from the sheer volume of customers inside. There are so many nice things about living "up north", but there needs to be a little dose of managed growth to go along with it.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by bluestar2

Pretty much accurate assessment of the situation up here. If you fast-forwarded to 10 years from now, I'm not sure things would be that much different. The local townships are highly resistant to change. Many people up here actually seem to prefer the "old ways". The population has grown by leaps and bounds, even without the vacation home crowd. One day Meijer is going to explode from the sheer volume of customers inside. There are so many nice things about living "up north", but there needs to be a little dose of managed growth to go along with it.

Doesn't it seem just a bit ironic that people are fleeing the eastern and south-eastern part of the state and then saying that the place they are fleeing to needs to "progress"? Maybe the places they are leaving ought to become more like Traverse City or Grand Rapids which are the towns that are still doing well.

[TaxBait]

Originally Posted by Michigansnowflake

Ya, cause a 15 min drive to the one already there is so unreasonable! Geez, if I want to shop at Meijers, I have to drive 45 min, dont hear me complaining. As it is now, I have to drive 15 min to my local Glens to shop, big deal. What is it with people? Everything has to NOW! CLOSER! FASTER! BIGGER!. Thats why some (most) people live here in the North, to get away from all that.

The drive from the current Meijer to the aintnevergonnahappen Meijer would be over 30 minutes. That's the real problem in this area - too many NIMBYs so all the stores are concentrated in bring-it-on Garfield township. An Acme Meijer would relieve traffic in TC and probably in Acme too. And at today's prices, 1 or 2 gallons of gas is not trivial either.