# L I T T L E T R AV E R S E B AY B A N D S O F O DAWA I N D I A N S

> Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more.

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Alittle_traverse%3Aa9e98c3d3c3bb63b

## Record

- **Collection:** Tribal code
- **Document type:** Tribal code

## Text

L I T T L E T R AV E R S E B AY B A N D S O F O DAWA I N D I A N S
PLANNING DEPARTMENT

L I T T L E T R AV E R S E BAY
BA N D S O F O DAWA
INDIANS
MASTER LAND USE
PLAN
A POLICY PLAN FOR LAND DEVELOPMENT
AND ACQUISITION

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CHAPTER ONE

TABLE OF
CONTENTS

Background ................................................................................3
Document point of view ..........................................................3
A Brief history of Non-tribal development in the area.......6
History of Little Traverse Bay Bands Of Odawa Indians...7
CHAPTER TWO
Population and its characteristics..........................................10
Housing characteristics...........................................................15
Economic characteristics........................................................17
CHAPTER THREE
Land use change, 1978 to 1998 .............................................20
Topography and Surface Features ........................................22
Zoning.......................................................................................25
CHAPTER FOUR
The need for a predictive development model...................29
The Model ................................................................................30
Model Results...........................................................................40
CHAPTER FIVE
Government Program data – Financial Strategic Plans ....42
Citizen Input from Public Meetings.....................................42
State-wide public meeting results..........................................45
Appendix A - Land Development Policies .........................47
Appendix B - Tables and Graphs .........................................50
Appendix C - Maps .................................................................73
Appendix D - Public Input Meeting Results.....................103

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L I T T L E T R AV E R S E B AY B A N D S O F O DAWA I N D I A N S
PLANNING DEPARTMENT

MASTER LAND USE
PLAN
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION
THE LTBB MASTER LAND USE PLAN

B A C K G RO U N D

On Sept. 21, 1994, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians (LTBB) were federally
reaffirmed with the signing of Public Law 103-324. A seven member Tribal Council, with staggered
terms, governs the tribe. The tribe has approximately 3800 members with a large number living
within Charlevoix and Emmet Counties. The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians presently
employs about 145 full and part-time employees. The historically delineated reservation area, located
in the northwestern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, encompasses approximately 336 square
miles of land within the two-county area. The largest incorporated cities within the reservation
boundaries are Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and Charlevoix. See Map 1, Reservation Overview.
The reservation area of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians encompasses the
majority of Emmet County and a portion of Charlevoix County. This particular area has experienced
tremendous growth in recent years, particularly in the number and area of residential developments.
The population of Emmet County, which was 25,040 in 1990, is expected to increase by over 21% in
the coming decade. 70% of that population growth will take place in the 3 townships that surround
Little Traverse Bay. Since 1990, the number of new housing starts has averaged 368 per year, with
the majority of these again being in the southwestern area of the county.
As originally stated in the 1971 Emmet County Future Land Use Plan, and repeated in the 1997
revision of that plan,
“Emmet County’s resource base must be viewed as an important element of the ecological structure of Michigan
and the (entire) Upper Midwest. Deer hunting…and clean waters represent major factors in the local economy and are
attractions which account for the increasing demands upon the rural environment.” (Abridged, emphasis added.)
With the advent of gaming and other revenue to the Tribe, more opportunities exist for both
land acquisition and property development. The rapid growth of tribal programs and services also
place pressure on the Government to fully provide the infrastructure needed to deliver them. It is
against this backdrop that the LTBB Master Land Use Plan is being developed.
The resources utilized to prepare and review the plan consist primarily of Planning Department
staff. To ensure the highest quality content for the Plan document, a Master Land Use Plan
Working Group was formed by the Tribal Administrator to act as an editorial committee. This
Working Group includes staff that has prior experience with Land Use Planning and the process of
developing this kind of document. The work effort was begun in earnest in late fall of 2003, with
initial drafts complete in early fall of 2004.
DOCUMENT POINT OF VIEW

1) Purpose. The LTBB Master Land Use Plan is a precursor in the development of a
Land Acquisition Policy for the tribe. The reasoning is that before land acquisition
decisions can be made there needs to be an understanding of both current

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development patterns in the Reservation area, as well as the direction the larger
community is taking. This, and the priorities of the tribal membership, can only be
addressed by a Master Land Use Plan. The Plan is a policy guide for Tribal
decision-making. It does not carry the force of law or statute, but may be utilized to
generate Tribal statutes or other public policy tools as may be necessary for the
Tribal Council to achieve the goals and objectives in the Plan.
a. The Plan will be a resource document for Tribal Council and staff to gauge
how the proposed acquisition will “fit” and whether it is advisable to
pursue.
b. The Policy, developed from the Plan, will provide the guidance on what
types of acquisitions should be pursued, and what factors any particular
acquisition should be judged against.
c. The Plan is not a substitute for detailed site planning and site plan review of
proposed developments, either Tribal or otherwise. While the Tribe’s
“Land Base Restoration Plan” (last updated in 1999) provides general
direction for which uses the initial tribal land acquisitions should be put to,
they and all other development sites still must rely on original and on-site
data gathering for best results.
2) Governmental Context. As a practical matter, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of
Odawa Indians only has jurisdiction over land use on property it owns and has
placed in trust. This means that land use decisions elsewhere are made at the
Township, City, or County level, depending on who has been granted zoning
authority. Thus, any land use plan developed by the Tribe must take other plans
into consideration. Therefore, a great deal of our analysis focused on these
“external” plans and ordinances.
The external reservation boundaries of the LTBB encompass 12 Townships, 3 Cities
and 2 Villages or Names Places. This, in addition to the County governments of
both Emmet and Charlevoix, as well as sometimes distinct or overlapping Federal
authority can create a jurisdictional patchwork that is sometimes difficult to
negotiate. Nevertheless, and largely because of the sovereignty of the Tribe, any
land use decisions made at any level of government can have an impact on all the
others.
3) Process. To create a Master Land Use Plan for the tribe, a great many factors must
be considered. This includes information about trends in the larger population,
tribal populations, current and historic land use information, and the capability of
the land itself to support development.
Traditionally, future land use plans and policies are based on elements such as:
a.

The needs and desires of the citizenry and elected public officials, in this
case citizens of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and it’s
Tribal Council;

b.

The location, number, and quality of existing public facilities
(infrastructure) such as roads, water, sewer, parks, and other elements of
the built environment;

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c.
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The capability of undeveloped land to sustain proposed uses, along with
the type and extent of any limitations thereof;

d.

The existing land use and land cover distribution; and

e.

The quantitative need for various types of land uses such as commercial,
residential, and industrial.

This last element can be easily derived for the area as a whole, but is almost
impossible to gauge for the future development of the Tribe. Therefore, this plan
relies most heavily on the first four elements for guidance. It is these elements,
along with the availability and timing of revenue, which will determine the last factor
in all likelihood.
The work plan for the document was as follows:
a. Staff from the Planning and GIS Departments gathered data and other
information while formatting it for presentation in charts, maps, and
graphs. Meanwhile, the Working Group authored the goals, objectives, and
strategies for the document. In addition, this Working Group assisted with
public participation meetings.
b. Next, the Planning Department analyzed the data gathered by staff, and
assembled descriptive text for the information. At the same time, public
input was obtained in several ways. A survey was sent to all Commissions
and all Program Directors soliciting input regarding future land needs for
the Tribe. This was part of a presentation shown at public meetings to the
Elders, and tribal members around the state in Lansing, Grand Rapids,
Escanaba, and Harbor Springs. Their input and rankings were then added
to the plan.
c. Finally, all information, input, maps and written documentation were
assembled into the final product by the Work Group and presented to
Tribal Council by the Planning Department, after public input was gathered
on the draft document.
4) Structure. Originally, the need for a Master Land Use Plan was brought in to sharp
focus by the ability of the Tribe to make more frequent land acquisitions. It is
generally accepted by Tribal Council that a set of criteria or guidelines are needed to
make better land decisions. This led to the desire for a “Land Acquisition Policy”
that will outline the goals, objectives, and specific information needed to make a
land purchase decision.
This Land Acquisition Policy will be based on facts, the desires of the tribal
membership, and the direction of Tribal Council. Because of this, an integrated
“plan” document is needed, and in this case it is an ideal opportunity to put together
a Master Land Use Plan for the LTBB Reservation. This Plan will provide the
information and procedures necessary for Tribal Council and staff to make land
purchase recommendations with a record of why or why not the purchase should be
made.

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The basic structure of this document begins with a presentation and analysis of area
demographics. This includes information presented in the Emmet County Master
Plan and more recent information assembled by Tribal staff.
Next, the physical features and development infrastructure are discussed. Existing
land use, zoning, soil capabilities and other development limitations are analyzed.
This will then result in a third component of the Plan, Development Sustainability
Indicators.
Finally, these elements will be compared with the extensive public input gathered in
meetings across the State, from Tribal Commissions, and from Program Directors
in the Government.
A B R I E F H I S TO RY O F N O N - T R I BA L D E V E L O P M E N T I N T H E A R E A , F RO M A N O N TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE1

“Emmet County is at the top of the Michigan mitten. Its northern tip bumps into the Straits of Mackinac and
Lake Michigan outlines its western boundary. At first, Ottawa Indians, … occupied the lakeshore rim. Beyond the
water's edge there was only the forest, the lakes, the streams, and some swamps dismal enough to discourage a traveling
bear. Its strategic location on the great lakes waterways, however, marked it for early discovery by white men and the
point of control for the whole upper great lakes territory. By the time Michigan became a state, well over one hundred
years of … history was already behind it.
Recorded history started about 1715, the year the French built Fort Michilimackinac on the Straits, at present
day Mackinaw City. The history of the area revolved around this fort for the next 66 years. For the first 46 years,
until 1761, the French were in control. The Indians were generally [loyal] to them. They agreeably [returned with]
…the furs, and just as agreeably sent war parties far distances to harass the British forces at war with the French.
France lost this final aspect of the struggle to get control of the fur trade, called the French and Indian War, and by
treaty provisions, the vast great lakes country. British forces moved into Fort Michilimackinac when the French moved
out in 1761. With the exception of one little set back, they were there until 1781.
The setback occurred on June 2, 1763 …by an efficient massacre of most of the garrison. This was the most
blood-curdling episode in the territorial period of the county's history. It took about two years after the massacre for the
British to reestablish themselves at the Fort. They were there when the Revolutionary War was fought. Two years before
the end of that historic struggle the Fort Commandant had a new fort built on the more Gibraltar-like Mackinac
Island. Old Fort Michilimackinac was abandoned in 1781 and the beehive center of the fur trading, military and
political doings shifted from the mainland to that island.
The Indian settlement on the western lake shore rim of the county, however, continued to flourish. In 1840, the
year Emmet achieved shape and form as a county of the State of Michigan; Indian villages were almost continuous
along the shore line from today's Harbor Springs to Cross Village. The area was still a wilderness, the Indians, by
treaty provision with the U.S. Government, having the right to occupy the land. The county continued to be mostly
Indian reservation until 1875. In that period of time it was used pretty much as a political football and went through
numerous changes in shape and size.
In 1840 the State Legislature, wishing to take the basic steps necessary to insure proper development of the whole
state, passed Act No. 119 laying off and outlining the boundaries of certain northern counties. These counties were
unorganized, or prospective only. Section 28 of that Act described the boundaries of Emmet County as that portion of
1 Abridged from the official Emmet County website, compiled by Harriet Kilborn, Emmet County Clerk, 1967-1980.

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.. of the line between towns 36 and 37 north, and west of the line between ranges 4 and 5 west. The
the State lying north
Act designated .it as the County of Tonedagana. Two years later another act changed the name to Emmet. Why an
area with such a long … Indian history was required to sacrifice its original name to some Irish patriot remains a
mystery. These unorganized northern counties were attached to the organized Mackinaw County for judicial purposes.
In 1847 a colony of Mormons under King James J. Strang settled on Beaver Island. Feuding, worse than the
Hatfields and McCoys, started immediately between them and [residents] in the Mackinaw and Charlevoix areas. The
Mormons had the short end of the stick for the Mackinaw group had charge of law and order. In 1852, King Strang,
by a brilliant political maneuver, managed to become a member of the House of Representatives of the State Legislature.
By January of 1853 he had ushered through Act No. 18 of the Sessions Laws of 1853 entitled, "An act to organize
the County of Emmet". The Act provided that the islands contiguous to the counties of Emmet and Charlevoix,
together with so much of range 4 west as was theretofore included in Cheboygan County should be annexed to Emmet
County and that the former County of Charlevoix should be a township of Emmet County. King Strang now had some
law and order of his own and a much larger area of control. There is plenty of evidence, but no official records, to show
that he made haste to properly organize the now greatly enlarged Emmet County and put the legal machinery in motion.
County business was certainly transacted at St. James on Beaver Island and Mormons were, naturally, the county
officials.”
A HISTORY OF THE LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY BANDS OF ODAWA INDIANS 2

The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians or Ottawa people have been in this
geographical area of Michigan long before the Europeans arrived here on Turtle Island, known as
Canada, North and South America. The Odawa were a migratory people, traveling from the Upper
Peninsula and the northern area tip of Michigan in the fall, to the southern part of Michigan, where
the climate was more hospitable during the winter months.
In the spring, the Odawa people returned to their homelands to collect maple syrup, fish and
plant crops. When they weren't tending their gardens or doing their day-to-day chores, they gathered
fruits, herbs, medicines, as well as any other food products they could dry and put away to be used
during the long winter months.
After the Europeans came and settled in what is known as Escanaba, NocBay, Mackinac, Cross
Village, Good Hart, Middle Village, Harbor Springs, Petoskey and the Bay Shore Area, the Odawa
ceased to migrate to the southern areas of the state. This was due to the new immigrants or early
settlers, who brought with them new food staples and work, which the tribal people took advantage
of. Permanent housing, schools and churches were then established and the Native people went to
work for the settlers or began their own businesses to make their living.
After the 1836 and 1855 Treaties were signed, the benefits the U.S. Government promised the
Tribes, did not materialize. The Ottawa's from this area began to organize to sue the US
Government to try and recover monies agreed upon from the government.
There were three (3) main groups who worked together to unite the Ottawa people politically, to
make the US Government aware of their treaty agreements. They were: the Michigan Indian Defense
Association of 1933, The Michigan Indian Foundation 1947 and the Northern Michigan Ottawa
Association in 1948. The Northern Michigan Ottawa Association was the "Parent" to all of the
Federally recognized tribes because they were an organization.
2 History and Timeline courtesy of: LTBB Archives/Records Department.

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The Little Traverse Bay Bands was originally known as the NMOA, Unit 1. Unit 1 began to file
for Ottawa fishing rights (1980's) in the Federal courts. The Federal Courts would not recognize
NMOA Unit 1, because they were an organization.
The tribe reorganized and took the name Little Traverse Bay Bands (Nov. 29, 1982). Again the
Federal Court would not allow the tribe their rights, this time because they were not a Federally
recognized tribe. The Little Traverse Bay Bands did not want to be Federally recognized under the
Bureau of Indian Affairs, instead, they went for Reaffirmation by the Federal Government because
of the treaties. On Sep. 21, 1994, President Clinton signed the bill that gave the Little Traverse Bay
Bands of Odawa Indians, Federal recognition through Reaffirmation.
Map

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.. T R A V E R S E B A Y B A N D S O F O D A W A I N D I A N S
LITTLE
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PLANNING DEPARTMENT
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MASTER LAND USE
PLAN
CHAPTER TWO
LTBB RESERVATION AND COUNTY PROFILE

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LT B B R E S E RVA T I O N A N D
COUNTY PROFILE
THE LTBB MASTER LAND USE PLAN

POPULATION AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS

The human population of an area, its distribution and makeup, are a major factor in the land use
decision-making. To study the population as it relates to the LTBB Master Land Use Plan, data for
those Minor Civil Divisions (MCD) that make up the LTBB Reservation area were compiled and
examined in various ways. This will give us a picture of the past, present, and future of the
population, both tribal and otherwise.
Evaluating the quality of life in a township or city is a vital and necessary responsibility of those
governmental agencies involved with the delivery of human services. Knowing where the population
is concentrated or perhaps more specifically, where the elderly population is concentrated helps
officials and staff to better understand the demographic makeup of their jurisdiction. Knowing where
and how many housing units are available or what the mean rent is for an area is also useful
information.

Age Distribution by MCD
The Table “LTBB Reservation – Age Distribution by MCD” (Table One) shows us the actual
number of persons in either 18 or 9 different age groups (called cohorts), for each Minor Civil
Division in the LTBB Reservation. The table with the larger number of groups is presented for
completeness; this analysis will focus on the summary table below it. An analysis of a community’s
population breakdown by age cohort is important when trying to forecast the infrastructure, housing,
and social services needs for the future.
As can be seen in the table, the distribution of population in the various age groups is fairly
constant over the entire area, with perhaps two exceptions. By a slight degree, the population is
generally older in the more urbanized areas, particularly in the City of Petoskey. Conversely, the
population is youngest in those areas that are growing the fastest, i.e. Bear Creek Township. Of
particular interest is the relatively large concentration of population in the 55+ age groups. This can
also be seen in Charlevoix County, particularly in the City of Charlevoix. With only 60% of the
population of Bear Creek Township, they nonetheless have a nearly equivalent number of persons
over the age of 75. The inverse of this can be seen in the faster growing areas by the larger
percentage and number of persons in the age groups under 19 years old.
The implications of these two patterns are primarily important in terms of the public
infrastructure, i.e. schools, police, fire, and medical care facilities. In other words, a bulge in the
population at younger ages will, over time, require greater expenditures in areas like schools and
recreational facilities. Likewise, an aging population will need to be dealt with by use of public
resources like police, fire, and ambulance services, and of course will put greater strains on availability
of medical care.
Of particular concern to any plan for the future is the age distribution of the population. Trends,
or exceptions to trends in this area are of paramount concern for the region as a whole when trying
to forecast the infrastructure, housing, and social services needs for the future. For our purposes, it

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. that will in part drive development in the area of the LTBB Reservation. In any
is these changes
case, the tribal member population living in this area is by definition a part of these trends in age
distribution. This is shown in Table _ . As can be seen in this table, and Figure _ that accompanies
it, there is not a great deal of variation in the age cohort distribution between MCD’s in the
Reservation area. As is typical,

Population Density/Distribution
The graph “LTBB Reservation – Population Density”(Graph One), and the matching Table Two
that precedes it, show us the density of population in persons per square mile, for each Minor Civil
Division in the LTBB Reservation area. In addition, the table then connects this information with
the number of housing units, and their density per square mile.
In the table, one pattern is immediately obvious, which is that the highest density populations
live in the incorporated cities of Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, and Petoskey. Likewise, areas with the
lowest total populations also have the lowest density. It is telling, though, that the municipality with
the second highest population in the area has a population density that is roughly one tenth that of
the City of Charlevoix. This holds true in the area of housing as well, particularly in Charlevoix,
where there is nearly one housing unit per person, but they are squeezed into only 2 square miles of
area.
Contrasting the clearly urban pattern of development in the City of Charlevoix and other similar
areas is the low density of Bear Creek Township. This pattern has important implications for the
future land use of rural areas, since the greater efficiencies of higher population and housing density
must be planned for and regulated in order to happen. The obvious trend is that newer growth tends
to take up more land than older growth did, with larger and larger lot sizes, and the higher cost of
public services that this brings with it.
As the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians begins to make a greater number of
development decisions relating to this growth, the positive and negative aspects of the current
growth pattern need to be kept in mind in order to both maximize the value of Tribal investment and
ensure the greatest life span for that investment. In other words, it may not make sense in some
cases to capitalize on a development pattern that will eventually collapse on itself due to inefficiency
and inability to maintain land values.
As can be seen in the table, and the graph that follows, the general pattern is that population
density is relatively high only in the Cities of Petoskey, Charlevoix, and Harbor Springs. Elsewhere,
in the townships, density is only a fraction as much. This is to be expected, given the rural land use
pattern of forests and farms. Of interest, though, is moderately high density in Bear Creek, Resort,
and West Traverse Townships. Not as densely developed as the cities, but four to six times as dense
as the “rural” areas in Emmet County. This, along with other evidence, gives us a clear indication of
the growth pressure on these three areas.

Educational Attainment as Percent of Population Age 18+
The graph labeled “LTBB Reservation – Education Attainment as Percent of Population Age
18+” (Graph Two) and the table found above it (Table Three) shows us both the actual numbers of
persons over the age of 18 at the time of the 2000 Census. It also shows what portion of them did
not graduate from High School with a diploma, possesses a High School diploma, has some college,
and attained a Bachelors Degree or more college education.

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As can be seen most clearly in the graph, for the reservation area as a whole, approximately 89%
of all persons older than 18 have a High School diploma or more education. The pattern within the
area municipalities is also interesting to observe. Those areas growing most quickly are likely to have
a higher percentage of residents that are better educated. Not necessarily the highest percentage of
all areas, but high nonetheless. Likewise, those areas most rural and sparsely populated, such Bliss
Township, are likely to have lower educational attainment overall, compared to the rest of the area.
Note that, in no case does the percentage of those with a Bachelors Degree or greater fall below
approximately 15%, a respectable figure.
This information has implications similar to the age distribution of the population. It is not
necessarily that those persons of higher or lower education require more or less in the way of
municipal services. Instead, it has been shown that the difference is much more in kind that in
degree. Again, this speaks to the ability of local, regional, and Tribal governmental officials to plan
for the right mix of services and level of service, in the right geographic location.

Persons per Household and Average Family Size
Two closely linked, yet different numbers, are Persons Per Household, and Average Family Size.
The next table and graph pair (Table 4 and Graph 3) depict each of these figures from 2000 Census
data, for the MCD’s in the LTBB Reservation area. The key difference between the two is that
Average Family Size is only computed using households that identify themselves as having a family
present. Persons Per Household uses all persons, and all households, to come up with a result.
In addition, as stated previously, the number of persons per household, and persons per family,
is another key indicator of economic direction and development capability. From the table, we can
see that, as a rule, there are more households than families, and thus the population in households is
greater. If we examine only families, as can be seen in the graph, we can see that there is
considerable variation in the number of persons per family. Although from the table one could
come away with the conclusion that the average is roughly 3 persons per family, the geographic
variability of this figure may be closely linked to the average age figure discussed earlier.
From a land use perspective, shrinking family size, and likewise shrinking household size, is an
extension of a decades-old trend. Fewer persons per household means more individual households
for a given population level, which means more land taken up in dwelling units. The increase in the
number of dwelling units, increasing size of dwelling units, and the generally large area taken up for
each unit in rural areas then results in a quadrupling of the land needed for residential development
in come cases.
Another factor contributing to this trend is the lower birth rate trend. As couples wait longer
and longer to marry, the teen birth rate is declining, and the numbers of children produced are all
going down. This mirrors the national and statewide trend as well.
From the perspective of Tribal development, these factors are important in several ways. First,
although in general Tribal household sized are still larger than average, the trends are difficult to
ignore. This will mean increased demand for things such as elder housing in the future, as well as
larger number of acres needed for single family housing. Secondly however, the ratio of households
to families may indicate something about the nature of the population in a given area, and taken with
other factors, is used to predict such things as the need for apartments versus single-family homes
for instance.

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School District
Tabulations
The summary table “LTBB Reservation – School District Tabulations by District” (Table 6) and
the two graphs that accompany it (Graph 4, Graph 5) depict actual and computed data for the six
school districts that have either some or all of their area within the LTBB Reservation boundaries.
Actual data is for the 2002-2003 school year, as provided to www.greatschools.net and its affiliated
data programs. This data can also be seen on Map Two.
As can be seen from the table, the districts tabulated represent a variety of sizes and capabilities.
The largest district, Public Schools of Petoskey, has over 3000 students at 7 facilities, and covers 174
square miles, the second largest area of all those summarized here. This gives it an average of 433
students per facility, again the second highest of those listed.
Perhaps most valuably, we can see for each district the average number of students per facility,
and the area in square miles that each average facility must cover. Therefore, we note, for example,
that while Littlefield Public Schools has only one facility, that facility must service all 456 students,
highest in this listing, and cover 41 square miles.
This may give us an idea of the growth potential for each district as well. If, for example, there is
a small number of students per facility in the district but a large area is covered, that has perhaps
more potential for growth than a district that is small and built-out.
On the following page are tabulations of more traditional measures of a school districts
capability. For each of the six districts, we present the total number of staff in each of six categories,
and compute the number of students per staff member. This is then compared against the average
for the State of Michigan.
Rather than comment or point out data on individual school districts, we can perhaps indicate
that this data is subject to change on an annual basis, as staff are added or eliminated. As a snapshot
of existing conditions, however, this information has a great deal of value in several areas. Students
per teacher, or average class size, are important indicators of educational quality for most districts. In
addition, related to that, is the number of administrators. The relationship between number of
teachers, number of administrators, and the total enrollment may indicate something about the
allocation of budget dollars within the district.

Population Change Tabulation
The table “LTBB Reservation – Population Change Tabulation” (Table 7) and the graph that
accompanies it (Graph 6) illustrate important trends in population change among, and within, the
municipalities in the LTBB Reservation area. In it, we examine the total population for each MCD,
given in the 1970 Census, the 1980 Census, the 1990 Census, and the 2000 Census. Thus, we have
three decades of population change with which to develop trend information. This data is also
displayed via Maps 3 and 4.
As can be seen in the table, the vast majority of MCD’s have gained population in the 30-year
time span, but not all. Several have lost population either in the last decade, or indeed every decade
reviewed here. This distinction is important because, while the region as a whole is growing at a
relatively fast rate, the movement of population within the region, i.e. between municipalities, will
give us a better more precise idea of how to predict future growth. For example, both the City of

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Charlevoix and the City of Petoskey have lost population during this time frame, though Petoskey
did show a very slight gain in population between 1990 and 2000.
The graphic illustrates the other side of this picture more vividly. As can be seen in the graph,
several communities have seen population growth each decade from 1970 to 2000, and in
Pleasantview Township in particular the percentage of growth has increased steadily. Even among
communities that saw little or no growth during the 1980’s, as was common, population increases
rebounded significantly during the 1990’s.
These sorts of trend indicators are useful in making development decisions for several reasons.
First, and perhaps most obviously, they give us an idea of which areas are growing and which are not.
But just as importantly, it gives us a better data model upon which to base projections of future
population, by continuing those trend lines on a community by community basis. There are more
geographically specific ways to project population, but at this point the law of diminishing returns
sets in, and it is difficult to make population projections for periods of greater than 30 years at any
rate.
To get further insight into growth patterns, we will examine the total population and the change
in that population over time. Population change can be highly variable; however over long periods of
time patterns will emerge that can be used to predict future growth. As can be seen in the table, after
a period of low growth in the 1980’s, Bear Creek Township and other townships in the area have
enjoyed tremendous surges in population.
However, of similar concern is the pattern of dropping population in the City of Charlevoix.
This can be more clearly seen in the graph. Although the percentage of reduction is getting smaller
as the decades progress, the pattern is still obvious. It may be, however, that a turnaround is taking
place in that general area, as the 67% growth in population for Charlevoix Township attests to.
As stated in the 1997 Emmet County Master Plan, “The five townships which surround Little
Traverse Bay account for only about 1/3 of County land area, yet in the last 30 years they have
accounted for about 70% of the total County population growth.”

Racial Distribution
The table entitled “LTBB Reservation – Race of Population by MCD” (Table 8) depicts the
number of persons in each MCD as distributed by race according to the 2000 Census. The table is
virtually self-explanatory, as a not-very diverse picture emerges. In fact, the only sizable minority
population in most communities is the Native American population, in some areas approaching 5%
of the population, and nearing 10% in the City of Harbor Springs.
It may instead be more worthwhile to examine this data to specifically understand where Native
Americans live within the Reservation boundaries. As can be expected, sizable concentrations of
Tribal membership are located in the cities of Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and to a lesser extent, the
City of Charlevoix.
In Table 8 the distribution of race in the LTBB Reservation area is presented. A look at this
table shows clearly that racial diversity is not to be found in Northern Michigan. However, it is also
clear that the second largest racial group in nearly all MCD’s is “American Indian and Alaska
Native”. Of particular interest is the concentration of Native Americans in cities of Harbor Springs,
Petoskey, and to a lesser extent, Charlevoix. Outside of these, larger numbers can be found in Bear
Creek Township, Resort Township, and as is traditionally the case, Cross Village Township.

14

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..
. Projections
Population
Carrying this reasoning one step further, we must look into the future. Population projections
can be developed using many methods, however in rural areas such as Northern Michigan the
simplest techniques will most likely produce the most accurate results. In addition, the choice of
method (in this case a straight-line progression) reflects that used by the State of Michigan for most
purposes.
As can be seen from Table 9, both Charlevoix and Emmet Counties can reasonably expect to see
population increases near 10,000 persons over the next 25 to 30 years. Graph 7 illustrates the
problem with this simple approach. In effect, the ratio of population distribution between the
various units of government is permanently fixed, and so only total County population is accurately
projected. Changes in population amongst the MCD’s are not accurately portrayed.
Perhaps a better way to look at population distribution within a County is shown in Table 10.
This method takes a 30-year historical snapshot of population in a jurisdiction, and essentially
continues the trend that averages out, for that jurisdiction. Thus, it is more likely to show patterns of
change, i.e. population moving from one township to another. Graph 8 and Table 11 both display
the result.
HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS

Housing in the area covered by this plan varies enormously in availability, cost, and quality
throughout the Reservation area. The use of land for housing and shelter represents a significant
proportion of all land uses in most areas. Generally, changes in statistical information related to
housing and shelter mirror important changes in the character of an area. Therefore, the change in
the number of housing units, percentage of owner-occupied units, or increases in building permit
activity over time are all important factors that shape planning decisions.

Dwelling Unit Percent Change 1990 – 2000
Graph 9 is entitled “1855 LTBB Reservation Lands – Dwelling Unit % Change 1990-2000” and
depicts the growth or decline in the actual number of dwelling units, by area municipality, between
the 1990 Census and the 2000 Census. A dwelling unit can be a single-family house, a condominium
unit, an apartment, or any other structure that can be permanently lived in. The source of this graph
is shown as Table 12.
This graph gives us a clear indication of which areas are experiencing the most residential growth
pressure. Most importantly, however, when used in conjunction with other data on land use it gives
us a good way to predict where residential development opportunities might exist in the near future.
This can be seen further in Maps 7 through 10, which show the data evolving over time.

Housing Characteristics Tabulation
Related directly to the population demographics of an area are the characteristics of the housing
base. The use of land for housing and shelter is a significant portion of all land uses in most areas.
Generally, changes in statistical information related to housing and shelter mirror important changes
in the character of an area. Officials and citizens alike cite the need for adequate housing, and for
housing that matches the demographics of the area.

15

Table 13 is entitled “LTBB Reservation – Housing Characteristics Tabulation”, and depicts the
distribution of housing types among the municipalities in the Reservation area.
As we can see in the table, the vast majority of all housing in the area is one-family detached
housing, i.e. the typical single family home. Coming in second (in most areas), is the mobile home.
This is probably under counted, however, due to the fact that many “double-wide” mobile homes
essentially become one-family detached housing once permanently sited. In some areas, such as the
City of Petoskey and West Traverse Township, the number of single-family attached dwellings
(typically a condominium or townhouse) actually exceeds the number of mobile homes. In the City
of Petoskey this is perhaps due to the fact that it would be extremely difficult to site a traditional
mobile home in the City, and to some extent this is true of West Traverse Township as well, however
the average income level plays a role here also.
The distribution of housing types in an area plays a role both as a cause of, and a reaction to,
population growth or decline. Inadequate existing housing stock can be ameliorated somewhat over
time by the construction of new housing, but in general new housing is more expensive than existing.
Thus, the trend in older cities towards the conversion of larger single family homes into multiple
family dwellings, often apartments.
Most development is either guided by, or a reaction to, market forces. The current distribution
of housing stock is one aspect of the larger marketing picture that must be taken into account when
discussing any new development initiatives.

Dwelling Unit Growth/Change Tabulation
Again referring to the large table called “LTBB Reservation – Dwelling Unit Growth/Change
Tabulation” we present important data regarding the area housing stock and how it has changed over
time. It compares data from the 2000 Census with that of the 1990 Census for all municipalities
within the Reservation area.
The bottom third of the table presents a summary of the changes in housing stock between the
two Census years, with “N/V” being the computational result of zero data for that category in both
Census datasets. Also see Maps 9 and 10 for another view of this information.
This can illustrate trends for us such as the large increase in the number of Mobile Homes for
Charlevoix Township between 1990 and 2000. Bear in mind, though, that large increases such as this
one over a ten-year span may be just the result of a single new development. In the case of the 600%
increase in one-family attached dwelling units in Hayes Township, this is almost certainly true.
Key trends to look for, though, include moderate increases or decreases in any category,
particularly one with a large number of units to begin with. For example, a gradual decrease in the
number of single family homes with a corresponding increase in multiple family dwellings may
indicate a major shift in the demographics of an area, and should be examined in light of per capita
income and average family size as well.

Population vs. Housing Units
The graph labeled “LTBB Reservation – Population vs. Housing Units” (Graph 10) illustrates
for us the relationship between two important demographic indicators, total population and total
number of housing units, for each MCD in the Reservation area. This data is taken from the 2000
Census.

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..
..
..
Although. fortunately there are no areas where the number of housing units exceeds the total
population, there are in fact several areas where the total population greatly surpasses the number of
housing units. In general, this correlates well with the family size data discussed earlier, but a large
disparity between the two can also be taken as a sign of increasing urbanization. This appears to be
the case in areas such as Bear Creek Township, for example.
ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS

Annual Payroll by Sector – Emmet County
Table 14, “Annual Payroll by Sector – Emmet County”, and Graph 11 that accompanies it, use
Census Economic Sectors to describe the payroll impact of different types of businesses in Emmet
County. This data is from 1997, the most recent year available.
As can be seen clearly in the graph, the largest payroll sectors are Health Care, Retail Trade, and
Manufacturing. This is followed closely by Hospitality, which is no doubt growing in recent years.
Note that this information presents total payroll per sector, not necessarily persons employed.
Therefore, a sector such as wholesale trade may employ a fairly large number of persons, but if they
are paid less than is typical for another sector, the total payroll number will be smaller.
The great reliance on the Health Care sector is typical of both older population bases, and an
economy based in part on seasonality. This, in turn, implies an increasing reliance on aspects of the
economy such as Hospitality and Tourism.
More than is perhaps commonly thought, it appears that Emmet County is somewhat dependant
on the Manufacturing sector, with a fairly large percentage of the whole economy being based there.
Although not shown here, this appears to be distributed relatively evenly from a geographic
standpoint, while still being predominately found in the more urbanized and heavily developed areas
nearest to Petoskey and Bear Creek Township.
Many areas of the economy are inter-dependent, and linked in ways that are not immediately
obvious. In addition, economics is a science, but certainly one of the less exact ones. Small-scale
economies are relatively more sensitive to sudden, large impacts, such as a plant closing, or even the
opening of a large gaming operation.

LTBB Reservation – Poverty Rate
The graph entitled “LTBB Reservation – Poverty Rate (Census 2000)” (Graph 12) and Table 15
above it illustrate for us the diverse pattern of household income that is present in the municipalities
that make up the area covered by the Tribe’s Reservation. Income data reported in the Census is
based on the last whole year of income; therefore the table depicts household income and per capita
income from 1999.
As can be seen in the graph, poverty rates are generally higher in those areas of larger population.
Strikingly, though, the poverty rate in the City of Petoskey is between 2 and 3 times the rate of other
large municipalities in the Reservation area. Conversely, and nearly as surprising, is the relatively low
rate of poverty in the rural areas of Emmet County, even quite inland areas. Although this is the
pattern is larger urban areas, that is to say, suburbs have lower poverty than inner cities, and we are
by no means dealing with a typical urban area within the LTBB Reservation. It is difficult to say

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precisely why this is the case, although it may have to do with the high incomes associated with
lakeshore living, and the seasonality of the economy.
In an absolute sense, this means that a higher percentage of the population of the entirety of
Emmet and Charlevoix Counties is likely to be in poverty, a fact that has important repercussions for
development and growth. If in fact we have an economy that is becoming more divergent instead of
less, i.e. greater wealth in some areas balanced by greater poverty in persistent geographic locations,
that will tend to be a damper on growth at some point. Therefore, the type and location of
economic development initiated by either the Tribe or other municipalities becomes key to
determining whether this trend continues.

Per Capita Income Tabulations
Closely related to household income and poverty is Per Capita Income, or PCI. In Table 16,
entitled “LTBB Reservation – Per Capita Income Tabulations (1989-1999)”, we see the change in
PCI between the 1990 Census (1989 income figures), and the 2000 Census (1999 income figures).
The result, as a percentage change, is shown in Graph 13, below the table.
As is probably becoming clear by now, each graph and table presents a slightly different aspect
of the demographic environment that the LTBB Reservation coexists in. Sometimes the results are
consistent with established perceptions, and sometimes larger and more varied information must be
looked at before the picture becomes clear. In this case, it is interesting to note the large gains in PCI
over much of the area, not necessarily just those areas experiencing rapid growth. Also interesting is
that areas with lower PCI growth are not necessarily those areas with higher poverty to begin with.
In fact, a lower rate of PCI growth might just indicate that incomes were higher than average to
begin with, and, due to stagnant population growth or movement, a greater PCI is not possible until
more change in population takes place, as can be seen more clearly in Maps 11, 12, and 13.
However, in this case, the answer more likely is somewhere else. Note from the table that, while
the poverty rate of Bliss and Center Townships are fairly low, even in the 2000 Census they had the
lowest PCI in the area. This can generally be explained by a correspondingly low household size
(persons per household), something explored previously.

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L I T T. L E T R A V E R S B A Y B A N D S O F O D A W A I N D I A N S
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PLANNING DEPARTMENT
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MASTER LAND USE
PLAN
CHAPTER THREE
PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE LTBB
RESERVATION

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PHYSICAL FEAT URES OF THE
LT B B R E S E RVA T I O N
THE LTBB MASTER LAND USE PLAN

L A N D U S E C H A N G E , 1 9 7 8 TO 1 9 9 8

Graph 14 is entitled “LTBB Reservation – Land Use % Change (1978-1998)” and shows us
which of the land use/cover types have gained or lost the most area, as a percentage of their original
area. The data is presented in 13 broad areas or groupings of land use/cover classifications. This
data is taken from MIRIS, the basis of which is discussed earlier.
As is evident from the graph, of the 13 major classifications, only 3 have lost area, and only 2 in
any significant sense. What this means, of course, is that the other 10 categories of land use have
seen major gains, and all of those gains have come at the expense of agricultural and forested land, by
and large. To be more specific, in the 20 years between 1978 and 1998, over 40 percent of the land
classed as agricultural is now devoted to some other use. For orchard land, the change has been even
more extreme. Over 92 percent of land classified as orchard in 1978 was classified as something else
by 1998.
The implications of this loss of agricultural land, and its conversion into residential, commercial,
and industrial development, are profound. Already there is a significant shift in public opinion
towards protection of “open space” and those lands generally perceived as undeveloped. In the
future, non-tribal development in this area could be greatly constrained, and will at the very least, be
a good deal more regulated than it is today.
This, in turn, has ramifications for tribal development, if the nature of our development depends
on existing development or anticipated patterns of development. Studying existing patterns of land
use and land use change, and attempting to predict where non-tribal development will be greatly
restricted in the future is half the battle in placing the tribe in the right position to maximize
development potential of its land.

Culturally Significant Areas
The ‘Culturally Significant Areas’ map (Map 14) represents portions of Emmet and Charlevoix
counties that contain the LTBB reservation boundary.
The intent of this map is to gather those areas deemed ‘culturally significant’ to the Little
Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, which can mean “anything that is vital to the continuity of
our cultural beliefs and practices, past and present.” (Wes Andrews 10/04) The next step is to then
spatially map their geographic locations.
To begin this process, LTBB has formed a work group comprised of the LTBB Tribal
Administrator, Cultural Preservation Director, Cultural Preservation Coordinator and the GIS
Director. This group is charged with developing those policies and procedures necessary to maintain
a high degree of confidentiality in regards to data gathering, data access and application, and to
ultimately present these conditions to LTBB tribal council for approval.

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..
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.. mapping these cultural resources, it becomes possible to compare and prioritize
By spatially
.
these locations in relation to other factors, such as areas of high development or environmental
concern. Also, by identifying and acquiring these locations, they can hopefully be preserved for
future LTBB generations.

Development Patterns
The ‘Historical Development Patterns’ map (Map 15) represents concentrated development for
Emmet and portions of Charlevoix counties for the years of 1978 and 1998. The LTBB reservation
boundary falls within this geographic extent.
Historical Development Patterns for 1978 and 1998 were created by selecting all developed
lands* from the 1978 and 1998 MIRIS land use layers, then establishing a 330' buffer around all these
lands. Areas in which these buffers overlap were deemed to be a ‘highly developed’ region, and then
digitized to create ‘regions of high development’ on the ‘Historical Development Patterns’ map.
By overlaying the 1978 and 1998 regions, those areas within Emmet and Charlevoix counties
which exhibit areas of high development become easily identifiable. Not surprisingly, these areas
primarily exist around inland lakes, established urban centers (Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Charlevoix
and Bay Harbor) and along the shore of Lake Michigan (Little Traverse Bay north along the shoreline
to Cross Village Township).
Developmental trends within the LTBB reservation and surrounding areas can have a major
impact on many aspects of tribal operation. For example, culturally significant areas located on the
shore of Lake Michigan or any surrounding inland lakes could be given a higher priority for
acquisition than those areas located outside of a highly developed region.
Developed lands include the following MIRIS land use classifications: Residential, Commercial,
Extractive, Institutional, Industrial, Transportation, Communications, Utilities, Outdoor Cultural,
Outdoor Recreation, and Public Assembly.

MIRIS Land Use
The “1998 Land Use” map (Map 16) represents land uses for Emmet and portions of Charlevoix
counties for the year of 1998. The LTBB reservation boundary falls within this geographic extent.
MIRIS, or Michigan Resource Inventory System, land use is usually created by on-screen
digitizing (drawing lines around) individual land uses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or
Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) programs referencing current aerial imagery collected by airplane.
The end result of this operation is a series of adjacent polygons, each of which is assigned an
individual land use code according to the MIRIS land use classification system*.
The original MIRIS land use classification system was developed by the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources in 1978, and was based upon land use data collected from county or regional
planning commissions, and then formatted into a CAD/GIS compatible state-wide coverage using
the Michigan Georef coordinate system.
Current land use data is a very important tool for many tribal departments. For example, by
comparing land use from different time frames, it becomes possible to determine where, how much,
when development has occurred, and on what type land use. Another way to look at this statement

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would be to say “over the last 10 years, 5000 acres of agricultural land has been lost to residential
development, with 2500 acres of lost agricultural land coming from Bear Creek Township alone.” As
you can see, current land use forms a key component for many types of analyses.
TO P O G R A P H Y A N D S U R FA C E F E A T U R E S

Topography
The topography of an area is usually the result of both the underlying geologic makeup and
forces on the surface that effect that geology. In northwest Michigan, two topographic features
stand out as being clearly iconic. The topography of the LTBB Odawa Reservation is shown on Map
17.

Septic Suitability
The pie chart labeled “Septic Suitability” (Graph 15) shows us, for the entire LTBB Reservation
area, the distribution of land areas with limitations for septic-based wastewater treatment. It is based
in large part on soils analysis, with each soil type being rated for a variety of factors and capabilities.
This data is taken in part from the engineering table that describes “Limitations of soils for
residential and industrial development and related non-farm uses.” This table is also used as the basis
for Map 18, “Soil Septic Suitability.”
Soils with slight limitations for septic systems will have an appropriate rate of percolation for
drain fields, and have the accompanying proper particle size for filtration of the waste stream. Given
the lack of municipal wastewater treatment in most of the rural areas within the Reservation, areas
with slight limitations for septic systems are more attractive for development, all things being equal.
As can be seen by the graph, there are 83,131 acres of such soils within the Reservation boundaries.
This represents approximately one-third of the entire area available for development.
However, those areas with severe or moderate limitations for septic systems constitute over half
of the area. Severe limitations for septic might include poor percolation rates caused by excessive
clay in the soil, or rocky-barren soils with poor filtration ability. The rating of severe indicates that
“the soil is poorly suited to the use specified and that intensive engineering practices are needed to
overcome the limitations.”

Hydric Soils
The “Hydric Soils” graph (Graph 16) refers to the presence or absence of water in a soils
makeup. Excessive water bound to particles in the soil causes inability to drain, support foundations,
and a host of other limitations. As can be seen by the graph, the vast majority of all soils found in
the Reservation area are Non-Hydric in nature.

Drainage Potential
The graph labeled “Drainage Potential” (Graph 17) refers to a more specific type of “drainage”
that that discussed above. A soil can have severe limitations for septic systems, and still be “well”
drained, as can be seen by the graph. Over 138,000 acres of the Reservation area are classified as
“well” drained, far in excess of the area rated acceptable for septic systems. This is perhaps more
clearly represented by Map 19.

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.. poorly drained soils will tend to hold water at the surface or bound up in the upper
Conversely,
.
layers of the soil.
Erosion Potential
Erosion potential, or “K” Factor, describes a soils tendency to erode, or the ease with which
particles can be carried away by wind and water. Graph 18 and its companion Map 20 are entitled
“Erosion Potential” and tell us that approximately half of the land area in the Reservation has
moderate erosion potential, with roughly 56,000 acres having high erosion potential.

Infiltration Rate
Another component of Septic Suitability, Infiltration Rate describes the ability of water to pass
through, or infiltrate, a particular soil. The graph labeled as Graph 19 shows us that well over half of
the area in the Reservation has a high infiltration rate. In general, the sandy soils prevalent in this
area have a high infiltration rate. While this can be useful for septic systems where the underlying
geology can protect the aquifer, it can also be a hazard in areas where the aquifer is not protected. As
can be seen in Map 21, the overwhelming characteristic of the soils in the area is a high infiltration
rate, with its concurrent danger to area groundwater supplies.

Wetlands Map
The map entitled “Wetlands” ( Map 22) shows the locations of various types of wetlands found
on the LTBB Reservation. Wetlands can be broken down in specific types based upon their unique
characteristics. Examples from each type of wetland can be found on the LTBB Reservation;
however the Forested-Deciduous and the Forested-Coniferous type wetlands occupy the most area.
Overall approximately 15% (32,557 acres) of the LTBB Reservation is covered by wetlands.
Wetlands are fragile communities that offer a range of environmental and natural resource
benefits. Wetland systems act as natural filters and are capable of mitigating some forms of pollution,
wetlands also help reduce and minimize flood potential, help to reduce stream velocities, maintain
natural stream paths and flow and reduce erosion. Wetlands are also tremendously diverse areas.
Many of the Reservation’s wetlands are found along or near creeks, streams, lakes or other water
bodies. Their unique mixture of water and resources allow many types of species (including
endangered and threatened) to flourish. Wetlands are often also very important to number of fish,
reptiles, amphibians and migratory bird species for laying eggs and rearing their young.
The wetlands of the LTBB Reservation, often due to their geographic location, also provide the
Reservation’s wildlife with natural ecological corridors or “wild links” to and between larger
undeveloped sections of the Reservation. These corridors allow the wildlife to move across the
Reservation allowing then to access different habitats as may be seasonally required. These “wild
links” help to lessen the negative impacts of habitat fragmentation.

Surface Water Resources
This map, (Map 23) although provided mostly for reference, does show the large and diverse
number of water bodies found in the Emmet/Charlevoix area, and it can be easily inferred how that
might affect the character and economy of this area. According to the 1997 Emmet County/City of
Petoskey Comprehensive Plan, “Spectacular views, clean unpolluted surface waters, and the

23

tranquility of the lakes are all part of the natural ambiance of Emmet County. These resources also
contribute to a viable recreational economy.”

Watershed Boundaries
Map 24 displays boundaries for major watersheds located within and adjacent to The LTBB
treaty delineated reservation area. A watershed is the area of land that catches rain and snow and
drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater. Watersheds are inherently defined
by topography as water always follows the path of least resistance. As a result, all activities within a
watershed affect the quality of water as it percolates through and runs across developed landscapes.
The reservation area is divided by two large watersheds: Lake Michigan to the West and Lake Huron
to the East.

Domestic Well Water Depth
This map of domestic well water depths (Map 25) illustrates the dependence of the surrounding
area on groundwater quality. Every citizen of this region is dependent on ground water for their
drinking water source. The quality and quantity of these resources are important to the Tribe and
surrounding community members for more then just our household uses. These vast aquifers are the
driving force of the areas environmental and economic health. Thousands of people travel to this
area each year for the beauty of our lakes and Rivers and the prolific wildlife that abounds due to
groundwater’s influence on surface bodies of water.
Without adequate ground water the health of our lakes, rivers and wetlands would be
dramatically affected. Many of the LTBB Tribal members depend on fishing, hunting, and gathering
for cultural and subsistence motives. This way of life is depended on groundwater quality. The
tourist that visit the Tribal businesses and developments that located in this area come indirectly
because of groundwater’s affect on our surface water. The biggest threats to this resource is failing
septic systems, and leaking underground storage tanks. Protecting this resource is important for the
long term health of Tribal members.

Prime Farmlands
The ‘Prime Farmlands’ map (Map 26) represents prime agricultural lands within Emmet and
Charlevoix counties. The LTBB reservation boundary falls within this geographic context.
Prime farmland is defined by the USDA as “land that has the best combination of physical and
chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops. Prime farmland
has the soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to economically produce sustained
high yields of crops when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods.”
(Watershed Resource Papers, Lang worthy, Strader & LeBlanc & Associates, Inc.)
Preserving farmland is becoming increasingly difficult. The irony of this issue is that many nonfarming residents want to preserve existing farmlands, while farmers themselves may also want to
preserves their farms, but at the same time want to retain their right to sell.
From an environmental perspective, agricultural lands can offer floodplain protection, areas of
groundwater recharge and wildlife habitat. From a development perspective, agricultural lands can
offer a low to flat developable surface, large parcel sizes and a willing seller. Indeed, some farmers
have begun to view their land holdings as a land retirement accounts.

24

..
..
..
.. to note that some areas on the ‘Prime Farmlands’ map identified as prime
It is important
.
farmland have already been converted to an alternate form of land use.
Land Cover
The ‘USGS 1992 Land Cover’ or Map 27 represents land cover for Emmet and portions of
Charlevoix counties for the year of 1992. The LTBB reservation boundary falls within this
geographic extent.
Land cover is often mistaken for the MIRIS (Michigan Resource Inventory System) land use
classification system. A MIRIS land use is composed of a series of polygons (vector format), each of
which is assigned a land use code according to the MIRIS land use classification system*.
While similar, land cover is actually created from multi-spectral satellite imagery, and stored in
multiple layers in a raster (image) format. Individual land uses reflect different wavelengths of color
along the electromagnetic spectrum. By assigning different colors to each layer, it then becomes
possible to differentiate varying land cover classifications.
Analysis of land cover data can yield many different types of information which can be useful to
tribal operations. Examples of this data would be vegetation type and density, or areas of high and
low residential density, or wetland locations. This type of information is important from a tribal
perspective as it can aid in developing a more complete natural resources management plan. For
example, by comparing land use coverage’s from different time frames, a tribal forester could
evaluate changing forest densities and more accurately plan a timber harvest. Also, a tribal planner
could compare residential densities of a neighboring subdivision in relation to a planned tribal
housing development.
ZONING

State Equalized Value Patterns
The map labeled “State Equalized Value Patterns” (Map 28) depicts, for all of Emmet and part
of Charlevoix County, the approximate State Equalized Value or SEV for each parcel of land. SEV
is one end product of the assessment and equalization process that each county goes through in
order to distribute property tax assessments more fairly. The SEV system assumes that the end value
should be roughly one-half the market value of a piece of property at any given time.
As can be seen from the map, the highest value parcels fall into two general categories. First,
large inland parcels that might typically be associated with a seasonal land use, i.e. ski resorts or golf
courses, or in some cases certain types of agricultural enterprises. Second, and perhaps most
obviously, the large number of small but highly valued parcels along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
The effect of having so much SEV concentrated in so little geographic area is hard to analyze
unless we take into account the reason for the concentration. Essentially, people want to live along
the lakeshore, and since no more lakeshore is being created any time soon, the resultant rise in
demand over supply causes the price to rise and remain high.
On the other hand, this does leave quite a bit of the county at the lower end of the SEV
spectrum. Bear in mind, though, that a large portion of the land classed as having low or no SEV

25

actually is county, state, or federally owned. This is somewhat hard to differentiate, since there is so
much land area on the map classed this way. Regardless, this does provide for substantial economic
opportunity provided other minimum requirements for development are met, such as infrastructure.

LTBB Uniform Zoning Classification System
This section describes the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Geographic Information
Systems Department methodology for the compilation of a digital county-wide zoning layer for
Emmet County.
Emmet County handles zoning classification for the county as a whole for all but the following
jurisdictions: West Traverse Township, Little Traverse Township, Pleasantview Township, Resort
Township, Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Mackinaw City, and the villages of Pellston and Alanson.
LTBB GIS acquired a digital zoning layer from Emmet County Mapping and GIS for those
jurisdictions that use county services for zoning purposes. This data is in the MI State Plane
Coordinate system, NAD83, with units in feet. In addition, Resort Township has given LTBB a
copy of their digital zoning layer, in shapefile format. The referenced coordinate system is the same
as the Emmet County data, MI State Plane, NAD83, units in feet.
The remainder of the jurisdictions were not in a digital format but were digitized individually in
the ArcView environment, referencing hard copy zoning maps and zoning ordinance. Once
complete, all digitized zoning layers were merged together to form a complete coverage for Emmet
County. A separate column was created in the resultant zoning coverage database table, which
contained an assigned LTBB zoning classification. This enables LTBB to represent all zoning as one
contiguous layer. This was accomplished by adding a field in the Emmet County parcel database
table, and keying in an LTBB zoning classification. Additionally, each municipality’s original zoning
code classification is in the resultant database table for cross-reference. The result is graphically
presented as Map 29.

Transportation System
An important part of the physical features encountered in any landscape is the network of roads,
bridges, and paths that carry automobile and other traffic. This can be clearly seen in Map 30 for the
LTBB Odawa Reservation area.
The transportation system is often defined as the physical and operational infrastructure which
accomplishes the movement of people and goods from place to place. As a practical matter, the total
transportation system is broken into a number of subsystems known as modes (including, but not
limited to: highway, transit, rail, air, pedestrian, waterborne, and pipeline) and involving different
types of vehicles and routes.
The total transportation system in our world is a complex one, not only due to its size, but also
because of the mix of public and private ownership of various parts of the system. Highway
transportation, for example, involves a combination of public ownership and maintenance of the
roads and highways, and private ownership of the vehicles operated on those roads and highways.
It has been stated that proper transportation planning clarifies the need for a better
understanding of the interrelationship between transportation facilities and land use controls.
Transportation facilities are very expensive to build and maintain, yet all too often they have become
prematurely inadequate because of a failure to appreciate the relationship that exists between land use
and transportation facilities, to plan accordingly, and to institute the necessary design of land use

26

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controls. This. problem involves not only the safety and convenience of public transportation
.
investments, but the welfare of land owners abutting transportation facilities and of the traveling
public in general.
These interrelationships are mutual. Land use, and thus land use controls such as zoning and
future land use plans, affect transportation service and transportation service influences land use.
Various land use characteristics have very marked effects on transportation facilities in any area.
These include: type of development, intensity, location, design and location of access to the use, and
site design. These and other factors help to determine the nature of traffic generated in the areas,
which is a principal determinant of the adequacy of the surrounding transportation facilities. These
facilities, especially highways, in turn have a substantial impact on surrounding development and land
use.
This mutual interdependence has often resulted in a transportation-land use cycle. Overtaxed
facilities, such as dirt or unpaved roads (or non-existent ones) prompt the construction of new and
improved facilities. This leads to better access, which prompts more intensive use of the surrounding
land (taking the form of higher density residential development, or new commercial development).
This more intensive use, which has all too often been unexpected or inadequately controlled in the
past, generates more traffic. Often, this added traffic causes the premature obsolescence of the new
facility. Consequently, the success of the new transportation facility in creating new access has often
elicited its own obsolescence.
The problem of balanced transportation facility development and protection could be
approached by attempting to control major traffic generators and overall traffic generation from a
larger area by controlling the type, intensity, and location of land uses. The prime motive is the
control of traffic levels and traffic load characteristics for such areas, so as to be compatible with the
characteristics of the transportation system in the area. This, and the reduction in local expenditure
that comes with it, is one of the prime motivators for proper planning and zoning.
In our area, this can be seen in both Map 15 “Historical Development Patterns”, and Maps 31
and 32, “Daily Traffic Volumes 2004”and “Historic Traffic Volumes”.

27

L I T T L E T R AV E R S E B AY B A N D S O F O DAWA I N D I A N S
PLANNING DEPARTMENT

MASTER LAND USE
PLAN
CHAPTER FOUR
DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABILITY MODEL

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DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABILITY
MODEL
THE LTBB MASTER LAND USE PLAN

THE NEED FOR A PREDICTIVE DEVELOPMENT MODEL

In order to properly evaluate proposed locations for tribal development, the nature and extent of
other development activity in the LTBB Reservation area must first be understood. While it is
relatively easy to examine current land use and developmental patterns, and research will reveal both
past patterns and the direction of change that led to the current pattern, by themselves these will not
assist in the prediction of future likelihood of development. Further, there exist certain sections of
the Reservation area in which any development at all would conflict with the stated goals and
objectives of the Tribe, e.g. environmental preservation, open space protection and so forth.
Several reasons exist why a “parcel-specific” land use plan for areas not currently controlled by
the Tribe cannot be developed at this time. It is not always known in advance when the opportunity
to purchase a particular parcel of land will present itself. Nor can it always be known when the tribe
will have a requirement for land. Third, market forces often dictate either the location of an
available parcel, or the economic need for one. Lastly, specific requirements for a parcel often relate
to the particulars of a proposed development. Therefore, it is not possible to indicate on a map
those specific areas of the LTBB Reservation lands that will be pursued, and in what time frame.
Therefore, it became necessary to construct a method, or mechanism, to both predict future
development, and evaluate its impact on tribal objectives. This became the root motivation for the
creation of a model, using the Tribe’s Geographic Information System, that would weigh the
appropriate criteria and present a graphical result in an interactive fashion if need be.
In this manner Tribal Council and other elected or appointed decision-makers for the Tribe can
interactively and quickly determine the development related impact of a proposed acquisition. This,
together with analysis from staff, can assist in determining both the initial desirability of a site, as well
as it’s relative worth to the Tribe. Over time, the data used can be updated, and the assumptions
modified to reflect changing priorities or better understandings of various relationships.
For example, it is possible to add a new highway or arterial roadway link to the transportation
network dataset (i.e. traffic volume vs. relative capacity) and then calculate its potential impact on
land use. When adding socio-economic data (e.g. demographic changes, income, employment), the
model is able to generate spatial scenario simulations on a wider regional scale that can be interpreted
by staff on a parcel-by-parcel basis.

29

THE MODEL

This need for a predictive mechanism for land acquisition decisions was discussed at some length
by the staff team when developing this document. It was decided early on that a causal attractantrepellant type of model would most easily be integrated into the unique variety of land uses and
landforms in this part of Michigan3, although the prevailing methodologies would need to be greatly
streamlined and simplified.
Therefore, a base list of factors and characteristics was drawn up, assigned to either increase the
potential for development at a particular site, or increase the limitations on development (from the
Tribe’s presumed point of view, of course). A rating system was then applied, whereby the factors
that rank high in development potential or limitations were given up to 10 points, and a reduction in
either influence then reduces the score all the way down to 1 point for very slight potential or
limitation.
While clearly the model is not sophisticated enough for more thoroughly developed urban areas,
in rural areas such as northwest lower Michigan there are a relatively smaller set of variables that
promote the likelihood of development. Conversely, the overall sense or desire for acknowledgment
of the environmental limitations on development is relatively constant across populations in this area.
For an example of a more detailed model, the graphic below shows us a land use vs. crop yield
model recently developed for agricultural evaluation in The Netherlands. As can be seen, the level of
detailed data, amount of data input, and sequence of analysis is much greater.
Graphic: “Regional Analysis of Maize-Based Land Use Systems for Early Warning Applications”,
Doctoral thesis (2002) ISBN 90-5808-584-8 Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Technical Methodology
3 Verburg, P. H., G. H. J. de Koning, et al. (1999). “A spatial explicit allocation procedure for modeling the pattern of land

use change based upon actual land use.” Ecological Modeling 116(1): 45-61.

30

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For completeness’s sake, the following is the technical process by which the Geographic
Information Systems Department actually constructed the model. The initial listing of data layers
and ranking criteria used follow this. The end result can be found in Appendix C of this document.
1. Septic suitability, etc.
a.

Download SSURGO soils data from the State of Michigan CGI for Emmet County and
extract to \\prime570\GIS_data\data\Shapefiles\Soils\Emmet\

b. Use CHXsoils.shp acquired from Charlevoix County GIS through use of an
intergovernmental data sharing agreement and extract to
\\prime570\GIS_data\data\Shapefiles\Soils\Charlevoix\
c.

Add fields named 'potential' and 'limit' to attribute tables for Emmet and Charlevoix
SSURGO soils shapefiles as a short integer, 0 precision.

d. Using the MUNAME soil series field, 'select by attributes' based on septic limitations
referenced in Emmet and Charlevoix Soil Survey compiled in May, 1974 by the United
States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service as severe, moderate, slight or
variable.
e.

Use field calculator to enter appropriate values: Selection set (severe, moderate, slight,
variable) = x (ranking value for severe, moderate, slight, variable)

f.

Dissolve features in Emmet and Charlevoix soils shapefiles based on 'potential' development
field using Geoprocessing Wizard

g. Dissolve features in Emmet and Charlevoix soils shapefiles based on development 'limit'
field using Geoprocessing Wizard
h. Merge Emmet and Charlevoix septic 'potential' shapefiles using Geoprocessing Wizard
i.

Merge Emmet and Charlevoix septic 'limit' shapefiles using Geoprocessing Wizard

j.

Clip septic development potential to model extents Geoprocessing Wizard, save to
C:\\extents\seppot.shp

k. Clip septic developmental limitations to model extents using Geoprocessing Wizard, save to
C:\\extents\seplimt.shp
2. Transportation Infrastructure, etc.
a.

Download Emmet County roads framework version 4 from the State of Michigan
CGI and extract to \\prime570\GIS_data\data\Shapefiles\Emmet\TIGER_95\

b. Download Charlevoix County roads framework version 4 from the State of
Michigan CGI and extract to
\\prime570\GIS_data\data\Shapefiles\Charlevoix\TIGER_95\

31

c.

Merrge Emmet and Charlevoix Roads using Geoprocessing Wizard
.shp.

d. Create a 33' buffer around .shp using the Geoprocessing Wizard
.shp
e.

Add fields named 'potential' and 'limit' to attribute table of
.shp as a short integer, 0 precision.

f.

Using 'select by attributes' based on the FCC (Framework Classification Code) rank
according to the following classifications:
A11 - A13 = Interstates
A21 - A23 = State Highway
A31 = Principal Arterial
A32 - A36 = Minor Arterial, Collectors
A41 - A49 = Local Roads
A51 - A73 = Seasonal/Unclassified Roads

g. Clip .shp to model extents using Geoprocessing Wizard
.sh
h. Union .shp with model extents and save to
C:\\extents\road.shp
3. Traffic Volumes (Steps a-c completed by a consultant)
a.

Pull arterial road classifications (FCC code A31) from Emmet and Charlevoix roads
framework version 3 from the State of Michigan CGI website and save as
Emmet_Traffic_SPC_polyline.shp and Charlevoix_Traffic_SPC_polyline.shp.

b. Obtain ADT (average daily traffic counts) from Emmet and Charlevoix County Road
Commission's for arterial road classifications
c.

Add field ADT in in Emmet_Traffic_SPC_polyline.shp and
Charlevoix_Traffic_SPC_polyline.shp an d enter ADT data, save as emmet_adt.shp and
Charlevoix_adt.shp.

d. Buffer emmet_adt.shp and Charlevoix_adt.shp 33', save as emmADTbuffer.shp and
charADTbuffer.shp.
e.

Clip emmADTbuffer.shp and charADTbuffer.shp with model_extents.shp using the
geoprocessing wizard

f.

Merge emmADTbuffer.shp with charADTbuffer.shp using the geoprocesing wizard, save as
merge_adt.shp

g. Clip merge_adt.shp using mode_extents.shp as overlay with the geoprocessing wizard, save
as merge_adt_clip.shp
h. union merge_adt_clip.shp with model_extents.shp then save as adt.shp to
C:\\extents\adt.shp.

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4. Local Zoning Ordinances.
a.

Use complete_emmet_zoning.shp, ltbb_chandler_zoning.shp, ltbb_melrose_zoning.shp,
ltbb_bay_zoning.shp, HAYzoning.shp, EVAzoning.shp, ltbb_char_zoning.shp and
MARzoning.shp, merge using the LTB_Zon field with the gepprocessing wizard, save as
zon_merge.shp.

b. Clip zone_merge.shp with the model_extent.shp using the geoprocessing wizard, save as
zoning.shp.
c.

Add fields 'potential' and 'limit' to the attribute table of zoning.shp

d. Select by attributes those LTBB zoning classifications fitting the ranking system
e.

With records selected, use the field calculator to populate the attribute table with appropriate
rankings

5. Proximity to Surface Water
a.

Download Emmet County roads framework version 4 from the State of Michigan CGI and
extract to \\prime570\GIS_data\data\Shapefiles\Emmet\TIGER_95\

b. Download Charlevoix County roads framework version 4 from the State of Michigan CGI
and extract to \\prime570\GIS_data\data\Shapefiles\Charlevoix\TIGER_95\
c.

reproject Emmet and Charlevoix lakes and rivers to spnad83

d. merge Emmet and Charlevoi rivers using the geoprocessing wizard
e.

merge Emmet and Charlevoix lake using the geoprocessing wizard

f.

merge rivers and lakes using the geopreocessing wizard

g. buffer surfacewater.shp ¾ mile in 660' zones.
h. clip resultant layer using the model_extent.shp
i.

save as surfacewater.shp in C:\\extents

6. Current Land Use
a.

use 98lu.shp

b. add fields 'potential' and 'limit'
c.

clip 98lu.shp using model_extents.shp using geprocessing wizard

d. select by attributes using the CODE field according to the following:

33

Conservation = 19 - Open Land and Other, 4 - Forest Land, 6 - Wetlands
Open Space = 2 - Agricultural Land, 3 - Grass and Shrub Lands, 7 - Barren Lands
Single Farm Residential = 113 - Single Family, 1132 - Duplex
Multi-Family Residential = 112 - Multi-Family, 115 - Manufactured Home Park,
Industrial, Commercial, Institutional, Office Space = 12 - Commercial, Services, 13 - Industrial,
14 - Transportation, Communication, Utilities, 17 - Extractive

Ranking System for Model
Base Map
Population-block group
Per Capita Income
Educational Attainment
School District
Aquifer Vulnerability
Septic Suitability
Transport Infrastructure-FCC Network
Traffic Count
Zoning
Proximity to Surface Water
MIRIS 1998 Land Use-update 2004
Culturally Significant Areas (update)
Proximity to Developed Lands
Wetlands
Prime Farmland

Output Map
P,L
P
P
P
P,L
P,L
P
P
P,L
P,L
P,L
L
P
L
P,L

Scale (1-10) 1=best, 10=worst
Septic Suitability
Potential(P)
1
5
8
5

Category
Severe
Moderate
Slight
Variable

Population Block-Group- Not yet implemented
Educational Attainment
Potential(P)
2
4
6
8

Category
No H.S. Diploma
H.S. Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or higher

School District (Students per Teacher)

34

Limitations(L)
10
5
2
5

..
..
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.
Potential(P)
9
7
6
5
4

Category
15.9-16.4
16.5-17.0
17.1-17.5
17.6-18.0
18.1-18.5

Transportation Infrastructure
Potential(P)
10
7
5
4
2
1

Category
Interstates
State Highways
Arterial Roads
County Roads
Local Roads
Seasonal Roads

Limitations(L)
1
2
4
5
7
10

Potential(P)
2
4
6
8
10

Category
0-2500
2501-5000
5001-7500
7501-10,000
>10,000

Limitations(L)
10
8
6
4
2

Potential(P)
1
3
5
7
9

Category
Conservation
Agriculture/Open Space
Low Density Residential
High Density Residential
Commercial/Industrial

Limitations(L)
10
7
5
3
1

Category
<.25
.26-.50
.51-.75
.76-1.00
1.01-1.25
1.26-1.50

Limitations(L)
1
2
4
5
8
10

Category

Limitations(L)

Traffic Count

Zoning

Proximity to Surface Water
Potential(P)
10
8
6
5
4
2
MIRIS Land Use
Potential(P)

35

1
Conservation
3
Open Space
5
Single Fam Residential
7
Multi-Fam Residential
9
Industrial/Com./Inst./Off.
** Conservation= Forest, Wetland, Public
Open Space= Agriculture, Grass/Shrub
Multi-Fam Residential includes Manufactured Housing
Proximity to Developed Land
Potential(P)
10
8
6
5
4
2

Category
<.25
.26-.50
.51-.75
.76-1.00
1.01-1.25
1.26-1.50

Culturally Significant Areas- Limitations score a 10 at all times
Wetlands- Limitations score a 10 at all times
Prime Farmland - Not yet implemented

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10
8
5
3
1

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Draft Model Results Presentation

37

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39

M O D E L R E S U LT S

Development Limitations
As can be seen by the draft illustrations above and by the final maps later on in the Appendix,
the model validates fairly well against current development patterns. Although adjustments may need
to be made later on as experience with the model builds, the initial set of parameters and weighting
values seems to result in a mapped dataset that will reflect the Tribe’s concerns and values regarding
development protections.
In particular, we can see that development limitations are high in the area around Wilderness
State Park, Pleasantview Swamp, the area immediately south of Wycamp Lake, and the shore of Lake
Michigan in general. This reflects well various concerns regarding development in or near wetlands,
and the delicate nature of the dunes and slopes near the Great Lakes. In addition, development
limitations are lower in areas close to currently developed sections of the Reservation, such as the
City of Petoskey and the industrial areas nearer to the City of Harbor Springs. This tends to affirm
that the model is reflecting the economy of developing where infrastructure is already present and
similar types of development have already occurred.

Development Potential
Similarly, we can see that development potential also seems to mirror either common
perceptions of development suitability, or known patterns of land use in the LTBB Reservation area.
For instance, while the Lake Michigan shoreline ranks high in the area of Development Limitations
as discussed above, it also ranks highly for Development Potential. This is largely due to the scenic
nature of the area, the current existence of highly valued real estate along the shore, and the higher
educational attainment of the existing population there.
In addition, the area of highly likely development near the middle of the Reservation area
corresponds closely with the existing, and highly valuable, development of ski resorts and golf
courses in the general vicinity. Finally, development nearest the south end of the City of Petoskey
seems likely as well, most probably due to the availability of transportation, concentration of similar
land uses, and recent changes in zoning patterns.
In general, these validating scenarios can be said to do nothing more than reflect commonly held
perceptions of area residents, “common sense” if you will. But, because the model is repeatable,
flexible, and can be entirely directed and dictated by the goals and objectives of the LTBB, it is more
useful in a wider range of circumstances than mere “common sense”. Indeed, even if an opinion poll
were taken of the greater population in the Reservation area regarding areas most likely to be
developed and those most in need of environmental protection, the results would reflect the
priorities of that population, at that moment in time. This is to say nothing of the impracticality and
cost of repeating the experiment due to changes in development patterns and local concerns.
Bear in mind that these maps define areas of development suitability based upon land capability
and infrastructure capacity as described above. These maps are not a replacement for more detailed
planning or zoning. The development capabilities maps depict at a regional scale those areas
considered to be most and least suitable for development and are intended as a supplement and a
tool for site-specific planning and evaluation activities.

40

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.. T R A V E R S E B A Y B A N D S O F O D A W A I N D I A N S
LITTLE
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PLANNING DEPARTMENT
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MASTER LAND USE
PLAN
CHAPTER FIVE
LTBB MEMBERSHIP INPUT AND NEEDS
ASSESSMENT

41

G OV E R N M E N T P RO G R A M DA TA – F I NA N C I A L S T R A T E G I C P L A N S

In 2001 and 2002, as the LTBB Tribal Government was completing a multi-year project of
department-level and overall Tribal Strategic Plan development, implementation steps for many of
those plans revolved around the relationships between program needs and the financial ability to
meet those needs. Therefore, as a final step in the initial Strategic Plan project, each program
developed Financial Strategic Plans, highlighting both staffing and capital improvement needs.
While the plans served their own purposes, these capital improvement need lists were then
utilized by the staff team assembling this document to create a core list of tribal needs related to land
acquisition and building construction. The raw data from these surveys was re-categorized and
related with individual surveys submitted by each department for the purposes of this plan. These
additional surveys dealt only with land acquisition, however.
The result of this effort became a “prompting list”, as described later in this chapter, that was
used at the initial public meetings to generate participant reaction and further input.

C I T I Z E N I N P U T F RO M P U B L I C M E E T I N G S

For several years the Planning Department of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
has been involved in gathering Tribal Member input for planning and development activities. These
have included two public hearings early in the development of the Wah-Wahs-Noo-De-ke housing
site, and numerous visits to concentrations of tribal population around the state in preparation for
the LTBB Strategic Plan project.
In most, but not all of these instances, the Planning Department elected to utilize a form of
Nominal Group Technique or NGT to promote and manage group input. This method is a
structured process that identifies and ranks the major problems or issues that need addressing. For
this method to be a success, a minimum group size is advantageous, but this requirement has not
always been met.
In the context of the LTBB Master Land Use Plan, the public participation issues can be
narrowed to three open areas of concern. They are, in no specific order,
For what purposes should the tribe obtain land?;
Of all the functions the Government needs to perform for tribal members, where would land be
ranked?; and
Given a fixed annual amount of money for land acquisition, how much would you devote in
actual dollars?
It is from these basic questions that the public participation strategy was generated.

42

LTBB MASTER LAND USE PLAN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION STRATEGY OPTIONS

1) Traditional Survey. In this method, a survey instrument (paper survey) is delivered via mail
to each household, or perhaps to each tribal member. The surveys that are returned
constitute the information sample, and results are tabulated from that sample. Question
formulation, neutrality of verbiage, and sample size versus total population are just some of
the variables inherent in this method.
2) Public "Comment Box". This method is more suited to longer time-frames and specific
issues than those being dealt with here. Improvements in customer service or processrelated issues can benefit more from this technique. One benefit of this approach is that
ideas are more freely generated and submitted, using the relative privacy of the comment
box.
3) Focus Group. Focus groups are a powerful means to evaluate services or test new ideas.
Basically, focus groups are interviews, but of 6-10 people at the same time in the same
group. As with any method based on asking users what they want -- instead of measuring or
observing how they actually use services -- focus groups can produce inaccurate data because
users may think they want one thing when they need another.
5) Nominal Group Technique. Essentially a combination of the best features of the Comment
Box and Focus Group, this approach is a group technique, but only nominally so. People
are assembled into a group, but they both generate and submit ideas individually and in
private. Those ideas are anonymzed and evaluated in public, by groups that ascend in size
and specificity.
During the months of April and May of 2004, a team of LTBB staff visited 4 sites around
the State of Michigan to gather Tribal member input. Meetings were held in Grand Rapids, East
Lansing, Harris (Escanaba/Hannahville area), and Harbor Springs. The staff team consisted of:
Bryan Gillett, Planning Director
Alan Proctor, Geographic Information Systems Director
Doug Craven, Natural Resources Director
Rachel Schwarz, Environmental Services Director.
Al Colby Jr., Tribal Administrator

Purpose of Public Forum
The statewide meetings were seen as a method of obtaining Tribal member input for the
Master Land Use Plan; a method of educating participants on the process and purposes of the
Master Land Use Plan; and a method of informing membership about the contents of the Master
Land Use Plan all in one event, at a well known location near or in a population center for Tribal
members.

43

Process for gathering Membership input
The team spent an evening with the Tribal members that chose to attend, utilizing a
prepared presentation that highlighted selected data as later presented in this Plan. The
presentation explained the reasoning behind both a Master Land Use Plan and a Land
Acquisition Policy; and connected that with the method chosen to obtain public input. This
presentation made up the first half of the meeting.
During the second half of the meeting, participants, gathered at round tables in groups of 4
to 8 persons, were given an opportunity to react to and expand upon input obtained previously.
A “prompting list” was reviewed first, presented in categories. They were Recreation,
Commercial, Government Development, Industrial, Conservation/Management, Community
and Culturally Significant Sites, Housing, and Other Land Issues. This list, as explained above,
was a compilation of various areas of proposed capital improvement or facility construction.
Next was an extended opportunity for participant input on the list, through individual and
group idea generation. Members were encouraged to either speak up directly or raise their hand
to announce whatever ideas came to mind as the list was read. Utilizing group interaction,
facilitator prompting, and through the answering of any other questions attendees asked of staff,
a great deal of input was gathered that covered a wide variety of subject matter.
At the conclusion of this phase of the evening’s event, the newly complete list was reorganized, reprinted, and copied for each participant. Attendees were then given a lined yellow
sheet of paper and a pencil in preparation for the next phase.
Participants were then asked to prioritize the newly developed and displayed list by ranking
the top ten items on their sheet or taking notes and then, individually and without discussion,
marking the top ten items on the copy of the list provided to them. Key to this task was the
concept that the number one is ranked as the highest priority; ten is the lowest priority of the
ones they have chosen. All other items on the list achieve zero priority for that participant.

The Public Input Process as presented to Tribal Council
Four Community Meetings. These meetings, the specific content of which is
outlined in the material above, formed the foundation of the Public Input Process.
The public meetings would take place over a period of two months, and conclude
before the LTBB Annual Meeting takes place in May. Several staff would attend
each, and the emphasis would be on tribal members setting priorities for land
acquisition.
Draft Review Public Meetings. These meetings, to be sometime held after the LTBB
Annual Meeting, would allow members to review the draft document in a setting that
allows for maximum interaction between staff and membership. These meetings
would be held before the draft document was received by Tribal Council, and before
final publication.

44

S TA T E - W I D E P U B L I C M E E T I N G R E S U LT S

The resulting lists from each meeting were then combined and tabulated. The first step in the
tabulation process was to eliminate from the list items that, while suggested at a meeting, received no
votes at any meeting. The end product of this process was a list that contained only items that had
been voted on and ranked by participants.
Next, a calculation was done on each individual item to ascertain it’s relative strength of support
among the various attendees at all of the meetings. Therefore, the result of this calculation indicated
not only how many times an item was voted on, but what rank it received and how often it received
that rank. For example, if at the conclusion of all meetings a particular idea had received a “1” vote,
only once, it would be awarded a total score of 1. If it had received a score of “2”, perhaps twice, it
would be given a score of .5, twice (once each for every time it got that score), and its resulting total
score would also be 1.
A total of 425 total votes were cast at all meetings, on 120 individual items. Of these 120 items,
all but 16 received at least one vote during one meeting or more. A total of 71 items were given a
final score of 1.00 or higher, indicating that they were either scored a “1” at least once, or were
scored a lesser priority a cumulative number of times to equal 1.00 or more. The complete result of
this calculation process is presented in Appendix D.
Finally, and also presented in Appendix D, is a table and graph of the top ranking ideas. These
are somewhat arbitrarily ended at Number 20, in the interest of space saving. Graphically, however,
it is clear that the Victories 2 project commanded a great deal of interest and preference among the
meeting attendees. It received a weighted score over twice as high as the next item, at 16.744 points.
If any pattern can be gleaned from these results, it is that, in general, the areas of health care and
economic development in one form or another were responsible for the majority of interest. This is
not to say that other areas were not represented, just that these two areas received the largest share of
total weighted points.
What this means in terms of priority setting and preferences in land acquisition is not completely
clear, but rather will have to be ascertained over time. This will happen only as Tribal Council and
the new Executive branch of government seek to interpret these results and turn them into actions
that benefit the Tribal membership. Depending on resources available at any given time, this may or
may not result in land acquisition or property development. It may also result in re-alignment or
redevelopment of land currently owned or held in trust relative to the Tribe.

45

Appendices
A. Proposed Land Acquisition and Land Development Policies
B. Tables and Graphs
C. Maps
D. Survey Data

46

Appendix A.
Proposed Land Development and Land Acquisition Policies

General Land Development Policies
1. Decisions about land use and development on the LTBB Reservation will
be based on area resource characteristics implemented through sitespecific plans.
2. LTBB prefers development in areas supported by underutilized
infrastructure including land and buildings; transportation facilities; water,
sewer and drainage facilities; etc. (For example, redevelopment of an
existing site for an industrial use is preferred land use to conversion of
farmland for industrial use.)
3. New developments will in most cases be clustered near similar
developments in the most appropriate places on the Reservation and will
be consistent with local plans where possible.
4. New uses on trust land should be located to improve the appearance of
existing and expanded uses where practical.
5. Cluster new uses near similar ones or replace existing uses rather than
develop isolated, unrelated sites that promote sprawl and reduce open
space in the Reservation. New land uses should be located in areas that
are compatible with adjacent land uses. For instance, intense uses should
be located in existing areas of intense use, rather than in undeveloped
areas. This policy recognizes that some land uses, such as marinas, are
exceptions and will not normally be clustered.
6. Where practical, comply with federal, state, and local requirements to
avoid floodplain and wetland development.
7. Where practical, comply with federal, state, and local requirements to
protect endangered, threatened, and rare species (including state-listed
species) and their habitats.
8. Support the regional transportation planning process, including the
intermodal transportation goals identified in Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act, especially the use of mass transportation
and bicycle/pedestrian trail linkages.
9. Minimize the cumulative impacts on natural, cultural, and economic
resources that result from many individual land development projects
being implemented over time. Techniques will be developed to measure
cumulative impacts and respond to significant undesirable effects.

47

10. Rehabilitate and adaptively reuse historic structures where practical.
11. Work to increase and restore wildlife habitat and biological diversity in
development projects.
12. Establish an enabling environment for sustainable development to occur,
by creating a clear and coherent institutional, financial, and legislative
framework; with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and authority for
land development and planning at all levels.

Land Acquisition Implementation Policies and Procedures
1. Put into place an overall administrative structure for the vetting,
cataloging, analysis, and review of proposed land purchases and
acquisitions.
2. Acquire land for the use of the Tribe that is in the best interests of the
Tribe, and that follows the guidelines and ideals for land development laid
out in this document.
3. Follow, and adapt if necessary, this procedure when considering the
purchase or acquisition of land for the Tribe.
i. Interested party, either buyer, staff that proposes (i.e. Tribal
Department) or seller submits standard package of information to
Tribal Administration; Code number established.
ii. Property package is catalogued and released to staff for
administrative vetting; this results in the…
iii. Preliminary Report from Planning/Environmental Services/GIS
Departments.
iv. Report is reviewed administratively, and parcel is authorized for
Model Analysis and Recommendation.
v. The Land Development Model Analysis and Recommendation
Report is forwarded to Tribal Council for review.
vi. Tribal Council utilizes a Development Matrix consisting of:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Development Model Report (Potential/Limitations)
Citizen Input from LTBB Master Land Use Plan
Budget Distribution or Funding Availability
Past Land Acquisition Practices and Land Base Restoration
Plan Inventory

48

vii. If the parcel is found to fit into the goals and objectives of the
Matrix, an offer is authorized.
viii. If the offer is accepted, the Legal Due Diligence process is
initiated, consisting of:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Detailed survey of the parcel
Site visit by appropriate and authorized personnel
Phase One environmental report
Building inspection if required.

ix. If the Due Diligence process is successfully completed, the parcel
is scheduled for closing.

49

Appendix B.
Tables and Graphs

50

LTBB Reservation - Age Distribution by MCD
MCD
Emmet County
Bear Creek Twp
Bliss Twp
Center Twp
Cross Village Twp
Friendship Twp
Harbor Springs City
Little Traverse Twp
Petoskey City
Pleasantview Twp
Readmond Twp
Resort Twp
West Traverse Twp
Charlevoix County
Bay Twp
Charlevoix City
Charlevoix Twp
Hayes Twp

Total under 5 5 to 9 10 to 14 15 to 19 20 to 24 25 to 29 30 to 34 35 to 39 40 to 44 45 to 49 50 to 54 55 to 59 60 to 64 65 to 69 70 to 74 75 to 79 80 to 84 85 +
5121
598
534
274
823
1619
2415
6247
857
506
2472
1479

370
30
39
5
52
70
146
350
44
37
140
64

408
57
51
15
66
98
213
353
55
22
176
83

427
48
52
9
58
112
145
392
53
45
235
117

322
44
28
28
33
61
143
566
56
27
217
123

270
28
15
19
44
45
80
348
55
14
89
26

320
48
38
9
63
84
94
362
76
28
112
41

283
48
24
4
60
79
174
349
94
35
124
51

333
35
27
20
53
118
204
502
89
43
195
98

453
65
47
21
62
93
204
543
92
48
267
109

436
36
55
28
83
146
193
518
57
47
244
175

451
20
39
22
68
119
197
300
48
44
155
141

215
51
21
18
44
97
153
264
27
24
79
74

191
32
28
33
47
105
127
210
35
27
159
130

162
12
15
16
26
93
127
195
24
18
88
96

158
14
26
13
37
82
109
268
28
15
98
73

115
16
11
5
12
64
33
249
15
22
45
30

111
11
6
7
9
71
56
199
7
8
13
32

96
3
12
2
6
82
17
279
2
2
36
16

1060
2986
1688
1883

52
203
122
82

73
172
125
130

77
158
129
158

78
174
123
99

29
207
62
65

20
151
56
85

44
199
99
112

66
260
130
161

133
141
147
163

103
208
114
158

59
220
142
169

80
175
82
150

74
147
92
101

60
142
59
76

63
113
69
80

20
139
47
58

20
87
47
26

9
90
43
10

15 to 19 20 to 24 25 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 74 75 to 84

85 +

Source: 2000 US Census

LTBB Reservation - Age Distribution by MCD
MCD
Emmet County
Bear Creek Twp
Bliss Twp
Center Twp
Cross Village Twp
Friendship Twp
Harbor Springs City
Little Traverse Twp
Petoskey City
Pleasantview Twp
Readmond Twp
Resort Twp
West Traverse Twp
Charlevoix County
Bay Twp
Charlevoix City
Charlevoix Twp
Hayes Twp

Total

under 5

5 to 14

5121
598
534
274
823
1619
2415
6247
857
506
2472
1479

370
30
39
5
52
70
146
350
44
37
140
64

835
105
103
24
124
210
358
745
108
67
411
200

322
44
28
28
33
61
143
566
56
27
217
123

270
28
15
19
44
45
80
348
55
14
89
26

1389
196
136
54
238
374
676
1756
351
154
698
299

887
56
94
50
151
265
390
818
105
91
399
316

726
109
90
80
154
377
516
937
114
84
424
373

226
27
17
12
21
135
89
448
22
30
58
62

96
3
12
2
6
82
17
279
2
2
36
16

1060
2986
1688
1883

52
203
122
82

150
330
254
288

78
174
123
99

29
207
62
65

263
751
432
521

162
428
256
327

277
577
302
407

40
226
94
84

9
90
43
10

Source: 2000 US Census
Table 1

51

LTBB Reservation - Population Density / Distribution Tabulation by MCD
Area in square miles
Geographic area
Population Housing units Total area Water area Land area
Geographic area
Charlevoix County
Charlevoix County
Bay Twp
Bay Twp
1,068
787
18.85
3.32
15.53
Charlevoix City
Charlevoix City
2,994
2,096
2.15
0.1
2.04
Charlevoix Twp
Charlevoix Twp
1,697
942
12.12
6.13
5.99
Hayes Twp
Hayes Twp
1,893
1,030
43.24
13.14
30.1
Emmet County
Emmet County
Bear Creek Twp
Bear Creek Twp
5,269
2,969
45.77
6.17
39.6
Bliss Twp
Bliss Twp
572
325
46.24
2.31
43.94
Center Twp
Center Twp
499
301
35.29
0.93
34.36
Cross Village Twp
Cross Village Twp
294
280
10.23
0.21
10.02
Friendship Twp
Friendship Twp
844
457
31.4
0.01
31.39
Harbor Springs City
Harbor Springs City
1,567
1,086
1.3
0
1.3
Little Traverse Twp
Little Traverse Twp
2,426
1,555
20.38
2.37
18.02
Petoskey City
Petoskey City
6,080
3,342
5.23
0.21
5.02
Pleasantview Twp
Pleasantview Twp
943
754
35.7
0.01
35.68
Readmond Twp
Readmond Twp
493
411
30.99
0
30.99
Resort Twp
Resort Twp
2,479
1,215
21.54
2.43
19.11
West Traverse Twp
West Traverse Twp
1,448
1,093
13.36
0.03
13.34
Source: 2000 US Census

Density per square
mile of land area
Population

Housing
units

68.8
50.7
1,465.80 1,026.20
283.3
157.3
62.9
34.2
133
13
14.5
29.3
26.9
1,208.90
134.7
1,210.90
26.4
15.9
129.7
108.6

75
7.4
8.8
27.9
14.6
837.8
86.3
665.6
21.1
13.3
63.6
82

Table 2
LTBB Reservation - Population Density
1600

1400

1000

800

600

400

200

ix
C
ity
ha
rle
vo
ix
Tw
p
H
ay
es
Tw
Be
ar
p
C
re
ek
Tw
p
Bl
is
s
Tw
p
C
en
te
C
rT
ro
w
ss
p
Vi
lla
ge
Tw
Fr
p
ie
nd
sh
H
ip
ar
Tw
bo
p
rS
pr
in
Li
gs
ttl
C
e
ity
Tr
av
er
se
Tw
Pe
p
to
sk
ey
Pl
ea
C
ity
sa
nt
vi
ew
Tw
R
ea
p
dm
on
d
Tw
p
R
es
or
W
tT
es
tT
w
p
ra
ve
rs
e
Tw
p
C

C

ha
rle
vo

Tw
p

0

Ba
y

Population per Square Mile

1200

Graph 1

52

LTBB Reservation - Education Attainment for All Persons 18 Years of Age +
Area Name

18+ Population

No HS Diploma

Graduated HS

Some College,
Including Associates
Degree

Bachelors Degree
and Higher

Charlevoix County
Bay Twp

793

85

238

241

229

Charlevoix City

2338

278

847

734

479

Charlevoix Twp

1233

141

343

366

383

Hayes Twp

1451

128

493

536

294

5815

632

1921

1877

1385

Bear Creek Twp

3677

383

1072

1128

1094

Bliss Twp

432

56

193

116

67

Center Twp

367

66

138

106

57

Cross Village Twp

232

45

63

65

59

Friendship Twp

614

49

220

167

178

Harbor Springs City

1292

160

305

407

420

Little Traverse Twp

1823

175

467

705

476

Petoskey City

4838

644

1221

1628

1345

County Total
Emmet County

Pleasantview Twp

672

72

282

184

134

Readmond Twp

382

32

115

112

123

Resort Twp

1784

180

533

616

455

West Traverse Twp

1124

72

200

381

471

17237

1934

4809

5615

4879

County Total
Source: State of Michigan

Table 3

LTBB Reservation - Education Attainment as Percent of
Population Age 18+

No HS Diploma
11%

Bachelors Degree and
Higher
24%
Graduated HS
33%

Some College, Including
Associates Degree
32%

Graph 2

53

LTBB Reservation - Household and Family Size Tabulation by MCD
Households
Emmet County
Bear Creek Twp
Bliss Twp
Center Twp
Cross Village Twp
Friendship Twp
Harbor Springs City
Little Traverse Twp
Petoskey City
Pleasantview Twp
Readmond Twp
Resort Twp
West Traverse Twp
Charlevoix County
Bay Twp
Charlevoix City
Charlevoix Twp
Hayes Twp
Source: 2000 US Census

Population in
Households

Population in
Families

Families

Average Family
Size

2,001
234
192
132
333
683
978
2,700
313
198
894
629

5,141
571
489
290
842
1,461
2,416
5,772
809
493
2,479
1,446

1,417
167
137
87
240
384
707
1,448
224
149
722
448

4,346
490
418
232
718
1,106
2,046
4,179
682
425
2,232
1,239

3.07
2.93
3.05
2.67
2.99
2.88
2.89
2.89
3.04
2.85
3.09
2.77

429
1,375
662
767

1,068
2,940
1,652
1,893

327
812
462
578

935
2,239
1,375
1,627

2.86
2.76
2.98
2.81

Table 4

LTBB Reservation - Average Persons per Family by MCD
3.10

3.00

2.90

2.80

2.70

2.60

2.50

p

ye
sT
wp
Ha

Tw

arl
ev
oix

Ci t
y
Ch

arl
ev
oix

Ch

Ba
yT
wp

wp
Fr i
en
ds
hip
Tw
Ha
p
rbo
rS
pri
ng
sC
Lit
ity
tle
Tra
ve
rse
Tw
p
Pe
tos
ke
yC
Ple
ity
as
an
tvi
ew
Tw
p
Re
ad
mo
nd
Tw
p
Re
so
rt T
We
wp
st
Tra
ve
rse
Tw
p

Cr

os
s

Vil
lag
eT

nte
rT
wp
Ce

ss
Tw
p
Bli

Be
ar
C

ree
k

Tw

p

2.40

Graph 3

54

LTBB Reservation - Household and Family Size Tabulation by MCD
Households
Emmet County
Bear Creek Twp
Bliss Twp
Center Twp
Cross Village Twp
Friendship Twp
Harbor Springs City
Little Traverse Twp
Petoskey City
Pleasantview Twp
Readmond Twp
Resort Twp
West Traverse Twp
Charlevoix County
Bay Twp
Charlevoix City
Charlevoix Twp
Hayes Twp
Source: 2000 US Census

Population in
Households

Population in
Families

Families

Average Family
Size

2,001
234
192
132
333
683
978
2,700
313
198
894
629

5,141
571
489
290
842
1,461
2,416
5,772
809
493
2,479
1,446

1,417
167
137
87
240
384
707
1,448
224
149
722
448

4,346
490
418
232
718
1,106
2,046
4,179
682
425
2,232
1,239

3.07
2.93
3.05
2.67
2.99
2.88
2.89
2.89
3.04
2.85
3.09
2.77

429
1,375
662
767

1,068
2,940
1,652
1,893

327
812
462
578

935
2,239
1,375
1,627

2.86
2.76
2.98
2.81

Table 5

55

LTBB Reservation - School District Tabulations by District
District
Charlevoix Public Schools
Public Schools of Petoskey
Harbor Springs School District
Pellston Public Schools
Littlefield Public Schools
Boyne City Public Schools
Area Total

# Students
1406
3029
1099
763
456
1308
8061

Area (square
miles)
96
174
104
245
41
98
758

Students /
Square Mile
14.6
17.4
10.6
3.1
11.1
13.3
10.6

# Schools
4
7
4
3
1
6
25

Students /
School
351.5
432.7
274.8
254.3
456.0
218.0
322.4

Area (square
miles) / School
24.0
24.9
26.0
81.7
41.0
16.3
30.3

Source: www.greatschools.net
Table 6

School District Area (Sq. mi.)

Students per District
250

245

3500

3029

3000

200
174

2500
150

2000
104

1500

100

98

96

1406
1308
1099

1000
50

763

41

456

500

0

0
Charlevoix Public
Schools

Public Schools of
Petoskey

Graph 4

Harbor Springs
School District

Pellston Public
Schools

Littlefield Public
Schools

Boyne City Public
Schools

Charlevoix Public
Schools

Public Schools of
Petoskey

Graph 5

56

Harbor Springs
School District

Pellston Public
Schools

Littlefield Public
Schools

Boyne City Public
Schools

Charlevoix Public Schools

Public Schools Of Petoskey

Harbor Springs School District

Grades

KG-12

Grades

KG-12

Grades

PK-12

Number of students

1406

Number of students

3029

Number of students

1099

Number of schools

4

Number of schools

7

Number of schools

4

Total Number

Students per
Staff Member

Total Number

Students per
Staff Member

Total Number

Students per
Staff Member

Teachers

87

16.2

18

Teachers

164

18.5

18

Teachers

65.2

16.9

18

Instructional Aides

10.5

133.9

98.4

Instructional Aides

30.5

99.3

98.4

Instructional Aides

12.3

89.3

98.4

Guidance Counselors

4

351.5

601.3

Guidance Counselors

5

605.8

601.3

Guidance Counselors

2.8

392.5

601.3

Librarians/Media Specialists

3

468.7

1347.2

Librarians/Media Specialists

3

1009.7

1347.2

Librarians/Media Specialists

2

549.5

1347.2

District-level Administrators
School-level Administrators

2
4

703
351.5

1404
337.1

District-level Administrators
School-level Administrators

2
12

1514.5
252.4

1404
337.1

District-level Administrators
School-level Administrators

2
4

549.5
274.8

1404
337.1

State Average

Pellston Public Schools
Grades

Littlefield Public Schools

KG-12

Number of students

763

Number of schools

3

State Average

Grades

456

Number of schools

Total Number

Students per
Staff Member

State Average

Teachers

48

15.9

18

Instructional Aides

8.2

93

Guidance Counselors

2

Librarians/Media Specialists
District-level Administrators
School-level Administrators

Boyne City Public Schools

KG-12

Number of students

State Average

1
Total Number

Students per
Staff Member

State Average

Teachers

27.8

16.4

18

98.4

Instructional Aides

6.5

70.2

381.5

601.3

Guidance Counselors

0.2

0.9

847.8

1347.2

Librarians/Media Specialists

1
2

763
381.5

1404
337.1

District-level Administrators
School-level Administrators

Grades

KG-12

Number of students

1308

Number of schools

6
Total Number

Students per
Staff Member

State Average

Teachers

73.2

17.9

18

98.4

Instructional Aides

39

33.5

98.4

2280

601.3

Guidance Counselors

1

1308

601.3

1

456

1347.2

Librarians/Media Specialists

1

1308

1347.2

1
2

456
228

1404
337.1

District-level Administrators
School-level Administrators

2
4.8

654
272.5

1404
337.1

Source: www.greatschools.com

Table 6 a

57

LTBB Reservation - Population Density / Distribution Tabulation by MCD
Area in square miles
Geographic area
Charlevoix County
Bay Twp
Charlevoix City
Charlevoix Twp
Hayes Twp
Emmet County
Bear Creek Twp
Bliss Twp
Center Twp
Cross Village Twp
Friendship Twp
Harbor Springs City
Little Traverse Twp
Petoskey City
Pleasantview Twp
Readmond Twp
Resort Twp
West Traverse Twp
Source: 2000 US Census

Population

Housing units

Total area

Water area

1,068
2,994
1,697
1,893

787
2,096
942
1,030

18.85
2.15
12.12
43.24

3.32
0.1
6.13
13.14

5,269
572
499
294
844
1,567
2,426
6,080
943
493
2,479
1,448

2,969
325
301
280
457
1,086
1,555
3,342
754
411
1,215
1,093

45.77
46.24
35.29
10.23
31.4
1.3
20.38
5.23
35.7
30.99
21.54
13.36

6.17
2.31
0.93
0.21
0.01
0
2.37
0.21
0.01
0
2.43
0.03

Land area

Geographic
area County
Charlevoix
Bay Twp
15.53
Charlevoix City
2.04
Charlevoix Twp
5.99
Hayes Twp
30.1
Emmet County
Bear Creek Twp
39.6
Bliss Twp
43.94
Center Twp
34.36
Cross Village Twp
10.02
Friendship Twp
31.3
9 1.3
Harbor Springs City
Little Traverse Twp
18.02
Petoskey City
5.02
Pleasantview Twp
35.68
Readmond Twp
30.99
Resort Twp
19.11
West Traverse Twp
13.34

Density per square
mile of land area
Housing
Population
units
68.8
1,465.80
283.3
62.9

50.7
1,026.20
157.3
34.2

133
13
14.5
29.3
26.9
1,208.90
134.7
1,210.90
26.4
15.9
129.7
108.6

75
7.
4.
8
8
27.9
14.6
837.8
86.3
665.6
21.1
13.3
63.6
82

Table 7
LTBB Reservation - Population Density
1600

1400

1000

800

600

400

200

Ba
y

Tw
ha
p
r le
vo

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Alittle_traverse%3Aa9e98c3d3c3bb63b. Public record. Not legal advice.