Northport and Leelanau Township have been discussing how to add more affordable housing, attainable housing, or workforce housing. Buster Dame Recreational Field, a township-owned park with a baseball field and other recreation uses, was discussed as one possible site because it is public land in a residential area. Some residents strongly oppose using it for housing and want the park protected. Local officials have also discussed other public parcels, including 7th Street, High Street, and West Street, as well as tools like nonprofit partnerships, tax incentives, and a public-land inventory. No final decision in this poll is assumed. The question is how officials should balance housing need, park protection, cost, legal limits, and public trust. Public land can sometimes make housing easier to build, but parks and recreation spaces are also long-term public assets. A good local process may need to weigh urgency, fairness, site costs, legal restrictions, and neighborhood fit.
Which path should Northport-area officials prioritize for affordable housing while also protecting public recreation space?