02/07/2024

Planning Champion Award

Dennis Stachewicz

Community Development Director, City of Marquette

Dennis saw the City of Marquette's potential and worked with the planning commission to coordinate Marquette’s 2002 landmark master plan that envisioned Marquette as A premier livable, walkable, winter city. Few would disagree that 20 years later this vision has been achieved.  Throughout his tenure with the city, Dennis can see and understand various community issues and perspectives and can frame ideas in ways that bring people together with effective results. In short, Dennis uses his interpersonal skills to build social capital and mobilize human and financial resources. He has done this effectively time and time again across a diverse set of contributors within local government, state government departments, and private development sectors. Under his leadership, the city planning department has doubled in size, hiring another professional planner and separate dedicated zoning official. Jim Tischler, FAICP of Michigan's Land Bank Authority, wrote, "Dennis’ work has garnered statewide attention and been useful as tangible demonstration, not only for Marquette, but as example for the present-day project work across the entire Upper Peninsula." Congratulations to Community Development Director Stachewicz!  MAP thanks him for his planning leadership in Michigan.  

Watch the award program video here.