Taubman College Norton Presents Shoreline Development Research to City of St. Joseph
Richard Norton, Professor and Chair of the Urban and Regional Planning department, recently presented a year-long research project on shoreline development and dangerous storm forecasting at a public St. Joseph City Hall meeting. Norton’s presentation cautioned the current zoning along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and offered preventative measures to protect against flooding and storm damage. Norton suggested adopting zoning and other policies that keep St. Joseph residents out of harm’s way.
According to his studies, these forecasted storms have the potential to cause damage anywhere from $3 million to $92 million. As many of the shoreline homes are high-end, Norton argued that storm damage will significantly hurt the city’s property tax base. Proposing building boundaries as well as restoring wetlands, he suggested, would significantly reduce the risk of flood damage.
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