Georgetown Township’s 2026 draft Master Plan calls for directing most new housing toward areas with existing infrastructure, allowing a wider range of housing types in selected locations, encouraging mixed-use redevelopment and protecting agricultural land in the northwest portion of the Township. The plan is still a draft and does not rezone property, approve developments or immediately change what may be built.
Readers can download the complete 2026 Georgetown Township draft Master Plan or review the Township’s official Master Plan announcement
What is the Georgetown Township Master Plan?
A master plan establishes a community’s long-term vision for land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, public facilities and development.
Once adopted, it becomes an important guide for decisions involving:
- Rezoning requests
- Planned unit developments
- Residential and commercial growth
- Public infrastructure investments
- Redevelopment priorities
- Agricultural and natural-land preservation
The Georgetown Township Board approved the draft for distribution in August 2026. Additional review and public processes must occur before its recommendations can be implemented.
The complete draft is available through the Georgetown Township website.
Is the Master Plan changing Georgetown Township zoning?
No. A master plan is not the same as a zoning ordinance.
The plan describes the Township’s preferred direction for future land use. Zoning ordinances establish the specific rules that currently apply to individual properties.
Adopting the Master Plan would not automatically:
- Rezone a residential property
- Approve an apartment development
- Allow duplexes in every neighborhood
- Change minimum lot sizes
- Approve redevelopment of the former Kmart property
- Extend water or sewer service
- Change the permitted use of a specific parcel
Those changes would require separate action by the Planning Commission, Township Board or other appropriate authority.
The plan does, however, provide the policy foundation officials may use when considering future zoning changes and development requests.
Georgetown Township expects continued housing demand
The draft documents a strong residential market with limited vacancy.
As of the 2020 Census, Georgetown Township had 19,878 housing units, with 96.4% occupied. Approximately 81.3% of occupied homes were owner-occupied, while 18.7% were renter-occupied.
The plan also reports that the median value of homes with a mortgage increased from $217,500 in 2019 to $312,100 in 2023. That is a 43.5% increase over four years.
Those numbers help explain two concerns appearing throughout the plan:
- Georgetown Township remains a desirable place to live.
- Rising costs and limited housing choices may make it harder for some people to remain in the community.
The plan projects that the population could reach approximately 66,753 by 2050 using the average of several forecasting methods. That is a planning estimate based on past trends, not a promise that the Township will reach that population.
New residential construction has slowed
The draft also identifies a noticeable decline in new residential permits.
Single-family permits fell to 80 in 2024 after reaching 196 in 2014. Condominium construction peaked at 119 permits in 2020 and 2021 before declining to 35 in 2024.
The plan identifies several possible reasons, including higher construction costs and a gradual reduction in available land.
This does not necessarily mean Georgetown Township has stopped growing. It indicates that producing additional housing may be becoming more difficult, expensive or geographically constrained.
The plan calls for more housing choices
One of the clearest real-estate themes is the need for a wider range of housing types.
The draft states that Georgetown Township needs housing that reflects different ages, income levels, household sizes and stages of life. Its implementation recommendations include exploring:
- Duplexes
- Triplexes
- Townhouses
- Other attached single-family housing
- Multifamily housing
- Assisted-living dwellings
- Smaller residential lots
- Reduced minimum-house requirements in appropriate locations
These recommendations would not permit every housing type in every neighborhood. The plan calls for housing to be placed in designated areas, complement surrounding development and reflect Township character.
That distinction matters. The proposal is not simply “build more housing.” It is to consider different housing choices in appropriate locations while evaluating infrastructure, neighborhood compatibility and market conditions.
An aging population will affect housing needs
The plan reports that 32.1% of Georgetown Township households include at least one person age 65 or older.
That does not mean every older homeowner is preparing to move. It does suggest that more households may eventually need:
- Lower-maintenance housing
- Single-level living
- Smaller homes
- Accessible features
- Housing near services
- Assisted-living options
- Homes that accommodate multiple generations
More housing variety could also help older homeowners remain within Georgetown Township if their current home no longer fits their needs.
When someone moves from a larger house into a smaller home, condominium or assisted-living setting, their former home may become available to another household. A community’s housing needs are connected across generations.
Mixed-use redevelopment could affect the Chicago Drive corridor
The draft identifies vacant and underused commercial properties as potential redevelopment opportunities.
The Chicago Drive corridor is singled out for additional planning. The document recommends exploring:
- Redevelopment or demolition of vacant buildings
- Two- and three-story development at selected locations
- Improved landscaping
- Better screening of parking areas
- Fewer and more clearly defined driveways
- A stronger visual identity
- Greater connections among businesses, housing and transportation
The former Kmart property is specifically mentioned as a location that should be considered in future corridor planning.
This does not mean a project has been approved for that site. It means the Township sees the corridor as an area where redevelopment could occur and wants more detailed planning before decisions are made.
For homeowners, successful redevelopment could bring new businesses, housing choices and a more active corridor. It could also affect traffic, nearby land use and infrastructure demands. Those details would need to be evaluated through future proposals and public review.
Water and sewer capacity are central to future growth
The Master Plan repeatedly connects development decisions to public infrastructure.
It recommends directing growth toward areas already served by water, sewer and transportation networks. It also says infrastructure should be properly maintained and capacity issues addressed before residential development increases.
The Township recognizes that extending utilities can make additional development possible. It can also increase costs and place additional demands on the system.
The plan therefore recommends:
- Maintaining and upgrading existing systems
- Concentrating growth where infrastructure already exists
- Addressing areas with inconsistent connections
- Considering capacity increases in selected locations
- Avoiding utility extensions that could unintentionally encourage premature development of agricultural land
- Requiring properties to connect to public water and sewer where service is available, consistent with Township ordinances
This is one of the most important real-estate implications in the plan. Future growth will depend not only on whether land is available, but also on whether the supporting infrastructure can handle the development.
The northwest portion is intended to remain agricultural
The draft identifies the northwest quadrant as an area where farmland, open space, natural features and the agricultural character should be preserved.
The plan acknowledges development pressure coming from nearby communities and growth associated with Grand Valley State University. It nevertheless recommends directing urban-density housing and commercial development into designated growth areas elsewhere.
Proposed priorities include:
- Preserving large, contiguous blocks of farmland
- Discouraging fragmentation through incremental residential development
- Supporting farm-related businesses
- Protecting scenic views and open space
- Coordinating preservation efforts with neighboring communities and Ottawa County
- Avoiding utility decisions that encourage premature urbanization
Property owners should understand that the Master Plan does not eliminate existing property rights. It does signal that rezoning requests involving agricultural land may be evaluated against a stated preservation goal.
Transportation and walkability could influence neighborhood desirability
Residents repeatedly raised concerns about traffic, road conditions, sidewalks and safe crossings during the planning process.
The plan recommends:
- Connecting neighborhoods with schools and parks
- Improving pedestrian safety along major corridors
- Studying high-risk intersections
- Expanding trails and nonmotorized connections
- Reducing speeding
- Coordinating improvements along Chicago Drive, Baldwin Street, Cottonwood Drive, Bauer Road and 28th Avenue
These improvements would affect more than recreation. Transportation access and safe neighborhood connections influence how easily residents can reach schools, businesses, parks and services.
The plan also recognizes that people who cannot drive need better options, particularly as the population ages.
What should Georgetown Township homeowners do now?
Most homeowners do not need to take immediate action simply because the draft has been released.
It is worth reviewing the plan when:
- You own undeveloped land.
- You live near a proposed redevelopment area.
- You are considering purchasing land for a specific use.
- You are concerned about future housing or commercial development near your neighborhood.
- You are interested in water, sewer, transportation or farmland policies.
- You want to participate in future planning or zoning discussions.
Anyone purchasing land should review both the Future Land Use Map and the current zoning ordinance. A future land-use designation does not guarantee that a particular project will be approved, and current zoning may differ from the plan’s longer-term vision.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Has the Georgetown Township Master Plan been adopted?
No. The Township Board approved the draft for distribution in August 2026. The document still must complete the applicable review and adoption process.
Q: Does the plan allow duplexes throughout Jenison?
No. The plan recommends studying whether duplexes and other housing types should be allowed in appropriate residential districts. Any change would require zoning review and formal action.
Q: Is the former Kmart property being redeveloped?
The plan identifies the former Kmart area as a location for further study and possible redevelopment. It does not approve a specific project.
Q: Will more apartments be built in Georgetown Township?
The plan supports additional housing variety, including multifamily housing in appropriate locations. It does not approve a particular apartment development or designate every residential area for higher-density housing.
Q: Could the Master Plan affect my property value?
A master plan can influence future development patterns, public investments and zoning decisions, all of which may affect individual properties over time. It cannot reliably predict whether a specific home’s value will increase or decrease.
Q: Where can I see the Future Land Use Map?
The map appears in Chapter 7 of the draft Master Plan. The complete document can be downloaded from the Township’s official announcement.
Stay informed without assuming every proposal is final
The Georgetown Township Master Plan provides an important look at how local leaders are thinking about housing, redevelopment, infrastructure, transportation and farmland preservation.
It is a vision and policy guide, not a list of projects that have already been approved.
If you are trying to understand how a proposed land-use change or housing decision could affect your own plans, I am happy to help you identify the right questions and the appropriate Township resources without assuming an outcome before the public process is complete.