TRAVERSE CITY -- Don Coe believes modern agriculture is changing, with more consumers wanting to buy local products directly from farmers.
It gives the latter an opportunity to expand their industry, said Coe, managing partner of Black Star Farms winery in Suttons Bay. But that can only happen if necessary infrastructure is in place.
That could mean more booth space at a downtown farmers market, making zoning laws more flexible or supporting the use of local products at events in city parks.
Growth is possible by "literally going back to a form of agriculture that existed 100 years ago when farms fed their neighbors first," Coe said. "We could continue to have agriculture be one of the prime industries in our area if we're aware of them."
Coe will present this idea Monday at "Traverse City Tomorrow," a forum intended to start a conversation about what future projects or services city government should consider priorities.
Six panelists represent a variety of industries and perspectives, including agriculture, arts and culture, education and health care.
Besides Coe, speakers are to include Derek Bailey, tribal chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians; filmmaker and Traverse City Film Festival founder Michael Moore; Ed Ness, president and chief executive officer of Munson Medical Center; Tim Nelson, president of Northwestern Michigan College; and Marsha Smith, executive director of Rotary Charities of Traverse City.
"We need to look at the big picture before we start identifying what our role is within that big picture," said City Manager R. Ben Bifoss, who brainstormed the forum idea with Traverse City commissioners.
Public suggestions are needed to find out what the community wants and needs to help the city guide future decisions, Bifoss said.
The concept differs from the regional Grand Vision process, Bifoss said, in that the city's effort focuses less on land use and more on how to work with other entities, such as Grand Traverse County, to achieve results.
Among his ideas is enhancing natural resources, including the city's bayfront property, to attract more people to live and work here, Bifoss said.
"How do we, the city specifically, the city government, help make that happen?" he said.
This forum is a way to start, Traverse City Mayor Chris Bzdok said.
By generating ideas of things that need work, commissioners can decide what needs to come first, Bzdok said. Some projects will take longer than others.
"How can we make the city better now?" he said. "How can we make the city better next summer and the fall after that and the winter after that?"
One idea is to use events such as the National Cherry Festival or Cherry Capital Winter WonderFest to promote local arts and culture, including native culture, said Bailey, the Grand Traverse Band tribal chairman.
The band has a strong regional economic presence in its multiple casinos and the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme Township. And the city has a strong interest in the arts, Bailey said.
He believes working together could draw more visitors to the area and, in turn, generate more dollars for the local economy.
"To build upon that is a key," he said. "We all have a part in it."
If you go
A community forum on Traverse City's future will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the City Opera House downtown.
Featured panelists at "Traverse City Tomorrow" include: Derek Bailey, tribal chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians; Don Coe, managing partner of Black Star Farms winery in Suttons Bay; filmmaker and Traverse City Film Festival founder Michael Moore; Ed Ness, president and chief executive officer of Munson Medical Center; Tim Nelson, president of Northwestern Michigan College; and Marsha Smith, executive director of Rotary Charities of Traverse City.
The event will feature time for questions and answers, and a reception will be held afterward.
Watch at home
The meeting will be shown live on public access channels 97 and 99 and streamed live online at www.upnorthmedia.org
