Keego Harbor Adopts Master Plan, Turning Vision into Action

Developed through extensive public engagement, the plan reflects the community’s desire to preserve Keego Harbor’s identity as a tight knit community in the Heart of the Lakes while creating new opportunities for residents, businesses, and future generations. The plan emphasizes thoughtful redevelopment, expanded housing choices, improved walkability, people-focused public spaces, and strategic reinvestment in the City’s commercial corridors.

Mayor Joel Ross and Mayor Pro Tem Cristina Elsen welcomed the plan’s adoption as an important milestone for the community.

“This plan reflects years of community conversation about what residents want Keego Harbor to become. It provides a clear direction for future investment while safeguarding the character and sense of community that make Keego Harbor special,” said Mayor Ross.

Mayor Pro Tem Elsen added, “This Master Plan positions our city to pursue strategic reinvestment opportunities and community partnerships that strengthen our neighborhoods, expand housing opportunities, support local businesses, and enhance our quality of life.”

Among the plan’s most transformative opportunities is the continued evolution of the Cass Lake Road corridor. Building upon previous planning efforts, the City envisions a more walkable, pedestrian-friendly district featuring attractive streetscapes, gathering spaces, thriving local businesses, expanded housing opportunities, and stronger connections between neighborhoods, parks, and community amenities.

Recognizing the need to attract and retain residents at every stage of life, the plan supports a broader range of housing options, including new owner-occupied housing units, and mixed-use development that combines residential and commercial uses in a walkable environment. These investments will help strengthen local businesses, attract new families with more diverse housing choices, and reinforce the City’s long-term tax base.

The Master Plan identifies several strategic redevelopment opportunities, including underutilized and long-vacant properties that can be re-positioned to support new housing, commercial activity, and public gathering spaces. Thoughtful redevelopment of these key sites will attract private investment while enhancing the character, vibrancy, and economic vitality of the community.

The adoption of the Master Plan marks the beginning—not the end—of the City’s work.

Interim City Manager Joseph Gacioch emphasized that the community is now entering the implementation phase.

“Communities often spend years discussing what they want their future to look like. Keego Harbor has done that work. The next chapter is implementation—aligning our zoning, infrastructure investments, redevelopment efforts, and public spaces around a shared vision for the future.”
Over the coming years, the City will focus on modernizing its zoning ordinance, developing corridor design standards for building, landscaping, and streetscape improvements, preparing for the planned 2028 reconstruction of Cass Lake Road, pursuing redevelopment initiatives, and seeking grant and partnership opportunities that help bring the community’s vision to life.

Together, these efforts will help ensure that Keego Harbor remains a vibrant lakeside community while positioning the City to compete for new investment, new housing opportunities, and continued economic vitality in the decades ahead.

Learn more about the City of Keego Harbor at https://www.keegoharbor.org/