Historical Background
Late in 1990, a proposal to create Michigan’s first public information technology to provide interactive digital maps, pictures, graphics, and text relevant to community planning and development was accepted by the W.K. Kellogg and C.S. Mott Foundations and the Rotary Charities of Traverse City. Over a period of two years, Dave Frey and Joe VanderMeulen worked with the Northwest Michigan Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council (now known as Conservation Resource Alliance) to develop an information system that would inform local land use decisions and foster greater civic engagement in community planning. The resulting touch-screen kiosks were placed in Elmwood, Acme, and Elk Rapids Townships, receiving rave reviews. Follow-up evaluation efforts clearly indicated that these systems had a significant impact on local decision makers and the overall community planning processes.
Why Was LIAA Created?
From these experiences, subsequent research, and requests for similar projects from all parts of the state, we concluded that many citizens, civic groups, and local units of government needed specialized assistance. If citizens and public officials were to work together in creating more sustainable communities through informed planning and resource management, they needed better and more comprehensive information, greater and more effective access to information, improved intergovernmental cooperation, and educational assistance. We saw no organization, however, dedicated to working on these problems.
For a full year, we sought the advice and recommendations of a large number of experts in the field of land use planning and community development. We also investigated a number of options for addressing the needs identified. With a great deal of encouragement and support, we decided to form a new and unique nonprofit corporation. Joined by an excellent voluntary Board of Directors we filed incorporation papers with the State of Michigan in July 1993. As stated in Article II of the incorporation papers:
"The purpose of the Land Information Access Association is to provide technical, scientific, educational, and informational services to individual citizens, local interest groups, local governments, and other nonprofit corporations for land use planning, resource management, emergency management planning, and environmental protection."
