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CITY OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
DIVISION SUMMARY occasionally speaks to school groups and
have youth "mentor" with us throughout the
COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT year. These are good opportunities to help
youth know more about the City and our
Division Description professions.
The Community and Economic Development
Division oversees: economic development Promote Economic Stability, Diverse
(including grant writing), land use planning & Economic Growth and Redevelopment.
zoning, federal Community Development Block The division is a catalyst for projects and
Grant/HOME funds, city property sales, the programs within the business and non-profit
environmental code program, GIS mapping, community that lead to increased
and other projects as assigned. The division employment opportunities, increased
provides a variety of traditional planning business activity, and overall improved
services to citizens, human service groups, and quality of life and prosperity for the City and
businesses. In addition, the staff provides its residents. Examples include the
support functions to 10 of the City's authorities, development of the SmartZone site (a
boards, committees, commissions, and former brownfield), development of the
councils, as well as direct services and internal Seaway Industrial Park, the Renaissance
support services necessary for the operation of Zone program and administration of various
the City. programs such as Industrial Facility Tax
(IFT) abatements, Obsolete Property
Divisional Relationship to City Rehabilitation Districts, and the City's
revolving loan fund.
Commission Goals
Sustain the Natural, Cultural and
Take Leadership Responsibility for Recreational Resources of the
Improving Race Relations and Diversity. Community.
The Community & Economic Development The division assists in this area through
Division directly supports this goal by master planning and zoning as well as
through participation in the Institute for protection through projects financed by the
Healing Racism. The majority of our staff Community Development Block Grant
have been through the Institute, and the (CDBG), which require environmental
Director of the Division is a facilitator for the review. Landscaping and site plan
Institute. In addition, the Community and standards adopted as parts of the zoning
Neighborhood Services Department has ordinance have fostered attractive and
been diligently working with minority functional city design. The city's
contractors as they start their own environmental code program monitors
businesses. We also try to achieve diversity property maintenance and helps maintain
among the employees within the neighborhood standards.
departments.
Foster Strong Ties Among Governments
Foster Opportunities for City Youth. and Community Agencies.
The division works with youth on various The division continues involvement in
planning efforts. Also, both the Planning intergovernmental cooperation through
Department and the Community & participation with other jurisdictions
Neighborhood Services Department have a including building officials, computer/GIS
Julia Hackley Intern in the summer. Staff (Geographic Information Systems)
cooperation, and the Environmental
Coordinating Council. In addition, the CITY OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
department assisted in coordinating grant
applications with the County and worked on 2004 Budget Highlights
a Renaissance Zone project with the County
of Muskegon, Dalton Township and the City Planning & Economic Development
of Muskegon. Department: The position of Business
Development Specialist will be eliminated.
Develop and Maintain City Infrastructure It is anticipated that some of the economic
and Facilities. development duties that were part of that
The division assists with infrastructure and position, will be added to the position of
facilities through grant requests and Deputy Director in order to preserve the
distribution of CDBG funds. Grants have economic development functions which are
been requested for Western Avenue so crucial to the City. The Deputy Director
streetscapes and will be requested for seldom handles zoning issues (as originally
Muskegon and Webster. In addition, the anticipated), as these are now part of the
Enterprise Community Micro-Loan has been Zoning Administrators position.
converted to funds to purchase lighting for
Western Avenue, which will be installed in The 2004 budget contemplates continuation
2003. Through CDBG, funds are distributed of services as close to possible to current
for parks and street maintenance. levels, although it is realized that some
services will be decreased, due to the
Maintain and Enhance the elimination of the BDS position. With
Neighborhoods of the City. several important projects, such s
The division is actively involved with the SmartZone, Cross Lake Ferry, Renaissance
neighborhood groups, including hosting Zone developments, Seaway Industrial Park
monthly meetings with neighborhood marketing, Blight Fight and general
presidents, and administering the lakefront/downtown development and
neighborhood grant program and CDGB planning (all priority goals for the City
and HOME programs. Also, the division will Commission), it is necessary to maintain our
continue to diligently administer the levels to the extend possible. Partial
Environmental Services Program through funding for a grant match is included in this
ordinance enforcement and the distribution budget for design plans for the Muskegon-
of educational materials. Property Webster Corridor. The 2004 budget
monitoring programs like the Alert Service includes continued funds for repair and
have resulted in a more timely clean-up of maintenance of the Port City Industrial Park
properties. In 2003, the Alert Service was signs. Funding is also anticipated for
offered at no cost to participants, in an effort maintenance of the Urry Arch (following the
to have more people participate. Later this recommendations of a recent study the City
year, the video surveillance equipment will commissioned, using grant funds).
be installed. It will have the capacity to
monitor several chronic public dumping Environmental Services: Strong educational
sites. Active enforcement of these areas is efforts will continue in the program to
expected in 2003-04. It is our vision that the reduce the need for contractor clean-ups.
role of the Environmental Inspector with the New enforcement avenues for clean-up
public will continue to be redefined as we efforts are being pursued (e.g., the use of
move from a mode of pure enforcement to surveillance equipment). The electronic
that of facilitation and education. Alert Service is offered at no cost, which is
improving clean-up times. We are
continuing to work with other departments
on Blight Fight, coordinating and focusing
efforts in target areas, and striving to reduce
clean-up costs. Thus far, we have seen
some successful results. In addition, the
department, in conjunction with the Planning CITY OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
Department, has undertaken a program to
sell unbuildable lots in targeted areas for Zone/Edison Landing property and the
$1.00. The program is getting underway in redevelopment of the former Brunswick
2003, but is expected to be more Building. Continued work on these projects, as
aggressively marketed in 2004. This will well as others, such as Cross Lake Ferry, the
entail staff time in order to contact owners Shaw Walker building, the former downtown
adjacent to vacant City lots and market mall, and the Tahado House will be a priority for
these lots to them. The hope is that several 2004.
lots will be put back on the tax rolls, and
there will no longer be a need to spend City Implementation of Downtown and Master Land
funds to maintain the lots. If the program is Use Plans. The Plan continues to be used in
successful in the target area, it can be making decisions in zoning cases, as well as
expanded city-wide. ordinance amendments. The Imagine
Muskegon initiative took place in 2003 (focusing
Community and Neighborhood Services: on downtown development), and
Several successful programs have been implementation of aspects of the Plan are
implemented and completed through this expected to occur in 2004.
department in 2003. Three new infill homes
were built in the Jackson Hill (2) and Marsh Continue to Improve the Environmental Code
(1) Neighborhoods. Also, a rehabilitation of Program. Use program resources to engage in
a tax-reverted house was completed in the more neighborhood development activities and
McLaughlin neighborhood, and sold to a to foster responsibility for neighborhood health
young family. The Infill program and tax- in the community.
reverted rehabilitation project are part of the
CNS department's blight fight initiatives. In Continue Improvements in the CDBG and
addition, by increasing home ownership in HOME Programs. The program's efficiency
the City, the tax base is ultimately continues to improve. The Infill Program
increased. The department was also continues to expand and the number of houses
responsible for the disbursement of receiving assistance has increased. The
$337,000 of Community Development Block department was able to assist in acquiring
Grant funds to outside agencies and other former HUD houses that had sat vacant for
City departments for public improvement years. These homes will either be rehabbed, or
projects and public services. demolished and new infill housing constructed.
2004 Major Department Goals Continue the City Marketing Campaign. Recent
marketing of Muskegon has focused on local
Monitor Enterprise Community Program. The media. Through the Downtown Arts &
Enterprise Community (EC) Program continues Entertainment Group and MainStreet (of which
to be monitored. The Family Center has the the City of Muskegon is a part), positive media
contract for Job Training. The micro-loan attention has increased.
program had been amended to allow for the
purchase of streetlights on Western Avenue, Continue the Jackson Hill and other housing
which will occur in 2003. At that point, the infill strategies. Two new homes were built in
majority of EC funds will have been expended. the Jackson Hill Neighborhood and one in
Marsh Field Neighborhood, through the HOME
Continue Emphasis on the Downtown and Infill Program. It is anticipated that this program
Lakefront Development. Several projects have will continue. In addition, general interest in
been started or completed in the last year, with City owned property has increased in the
the assistance of the City of Muskegon. These Jackson Hill, as this has been a focus area for
include the development of the Smart the City.
Continue Industrial Development in the
Hackley/Seaway Industrial Park. The priority CITY OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
area for land acquisition has been in the
Seaway Industrial Park area. The Park has progressing well. The Amazon Building
been designated as a Local Development redevelopment has been completed. The
Finance Authority and a Renaissance Zone. former Brunswick Building is being redeveloped
Marketing of the properties will be a priority in for a nightclub and restaurant and the former
2004. Tahado House has been purchased, with
intentions to put a new restaurant on the site.
Implement Smartzone Program. Coordinate
efforts with City departments and outside Target Incentive Programs. The City has
entities (e.g., GVSU, Lakefront LLC) to develop several incentive programs available that have
the Smartzone project. In 2003, this included been targeted and marketed, including the
interior infrastructure, construction of the Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District
Michigan Alternative & Renewable Energy designation. These are primarily targeted to
Center (MEC), the construction of the Western Avenue and Third Street.
seawall/boardwalk and administration of the
LDFA. Much of this activity will continue into
2004. Grant coordination, including providing
incentives for private owners within the
development, will also be significant. Marketing
of Edison Landing will be done in conjunction
with GVSU, Muskegon Area First, The
Muskegon Chamber of Commerce and the
Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Coordinate the Renaissance Zones. Several
new Renaissance Zones were designated in
2003. Staff is coordinating development within
those zones, as well as administering the
program through the State. One of the major
projects to be undertaken in late 2003 and 2004
is the redevelopment of the Shaw Walker
building.
Expand the Capacity of the Downtown
Business Association. The Downtown Arts &
Entertainment Group has joined with the
Neighborhood Investment Corporation to
become a MainStreet Project area (for both
Western Avenue and Third Street). In 2003,
full-time staff was hired for this endeavor. This
is an example of the community working
together as the City, County, Community
Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, private
and non-profit entities are funding the effort and
participating on the board. It is anticipated that
the City will be awarded the Partner Program,
through MEDC, which will enable the
partnership to do additional developments
along Western Avenue.
Implement Western Avenue Improvement Plan.
Developments along Western Avenue are