Village Districts
The Village Districts are intended to preserve, protect, and enhance the unique character of Cascade Village. It allows a wide range of uses and encourages vertical mixed-use development, where homes, offices, or shops share a building, while setting standards for building massing, form, and architectural features and how they relate to the public realm. Rather than relying only on traditional use and dimensional standards, the Village Zone Districts regulate Building Types and Building Envelopes across four sub-districts: Village Core (V-VC), Village Fringe (V-VF), Thornapple Center (V-TC), and Old 28th Street (V-O28). Lots are small and buildings sit close to the street, especially in the Village Core, which allows up to 100% lot coverage and very shallow front setbacks. This creates a compact, walkable setting with a consistent street presence.
Village Core
The V-VC Village District is intended to establish high standards of development in Cascade’s historic village, centered on the corner of Cascade Road and Thornapple River Drive. The district ensures that new construction will implement specific design features that promote fine grained village form and create livability and walkability. The Cascade Village Core area is envisioned to be the Township’s walkable, bikeable, and welcoming traditional Village area. Traditional colonial/cottage style architecture is envisioned, with high quality building and site design elements. Higher density buildings may be appropriate in this area, with minimal setbacks, rear or side parking, and other traditional site design features.
Old 28th Street
The V-O28 Village District is intended to become a mixed use area with a shifted focus on residential components. Those who reside within this area will have primary walkable and bikeable access to the Village Core at Thornapple River Drive and Cascade Road. This area is intended to have more residential development, with some commercial businesses adjacent. This area should also be walkable and provide pedestrian and bike access (as applicable) to the Village Core and further “up the hill” to the Kent District Library and Friendship Park.
Thornapple Center
Thornapple Center was built as a conventional auto oriented shopping center, but it is primed for redevelopment. Current conditions of this area include a vast, underutilized parking area and several successful commercial businesses. Thornapple Center is not connected by sidewalk or bike infrastructure and does not offer many cross-connections between parking lots to adjacent areas within the Village Core to the south. However, the current layout of the Thornapple Center site sets the stage for grid-like structure, fully connected by a pedestrian network and usable public space for gathering, shopping, dining, and other recreational activities. The future vision for this area includes a walkable and bikeable village center with residential land uses and commercial land uses intermingled.
Village Fringe
The V-VF Village District is intended to encourage high development standards but provide more flexibility than in the Village Core. The Village Fringe includes the portions of 28th Street and surrounding roadways at the top of the hill, surrounding the Cascade Library and Friendship Park.