MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission asked members of nearby communities and professionals from across the country to put their heads together on ways to improve the Michigan and Grand River Avenue corridor with a charrette.

"A charrette really is an intensive workshop," said LeRoy Harvey, the Recycling and Energy Coordinator for Meridian Township. "It brings together all aspects of a community, people from all walks of life, to kind of look at the future of the region and brainstorm together about what they would want to see."

Open houses and design sessions were held in Lansing and Okemos from Oct. 22-30.

"Remember they are talking longer term this isn't gonna be something that we wake up Monday morning and its all there its going to be 10, 20, 30, 40 years down the road," said Rick Brown, Associate Planner with Meridian Township.

A major discussion item was the CATA bus rapid transit system and where the endpoint should be.

“Discussion of what spaces would be for that terminus end station,” said Brown. “The Best Buy site, the mall site or the Meijer site.”

The planning committee has not made any final decisions, they are just hoping for feedback from the community. It also discussed ways to increase density in areas so that there would be businesses on the main floor and housing above

“How do we develop and include things like the environment, economy and social well-being as we grow and evolve as a community and as a region?” said Harvey.

Harvey also said it is important that places are created where people just want to be.

“Places that are interesting, attractive, fun, full of cultural amenities, and places where you want to hang out,” said Harvey. “Places that are accessible and convenient and rich in the arts.”