Tag: Economic Development

City of Mt. Pleasant’s 2022 Annual Report

Economic development, infrastructure upgrades, neighborhood beautification, enhanced public safety services and outreach, recreational offerings and more are highlighted in the City of Mt. Pleasant’s 2022 Annual Report. To view the detailed report, visit: https://issuu.com/mtpleasantmi/docs/annual_report_2022_2

City of Mt. Pleasant Recognized for Supporting Business in their Community

The City of Mt. Pleasant has been recognized for its success and effort in contributing to Michigan’s entrepreneurial growth and economic development in the annual eCities study conducted by researchers at iLabs, University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Center for Innovation Research. Mt. Pleasant was honored as a four-star community along with 90 other communities across the state. This is the sixth time the City has been recognized by UM-Dearborn.

According to City Manager Aaron Desentz, “This eCities recognition is tangible evidence that the City of Mt. Pleasant continues to focus on all forms of economic development, including growth in the entrepreneurial arena. It is an honor for our city to be recognized in this way.”

The eCities study analyzed publicly available data from 277 communities from 54 counties in Michigan. Researchers focused on the five-year changes in property values, community assets, and tax rates, which can demonstrate the growth, investments and cost of doing business within the community. For example, over the five-year period of 2016-2020, these communities increased their capital assets by an average of 2.9 percent per year by investments such as park facilities, emergency vehicles, water, and sewage infrastructure projects, while property tax rates increased by less than 3 percent on average per year.

Although accounting for less than 20 percent of the State’s cities and townships, the 277 communities analyzed are home to 71 percent of Michigan’s population and 86 percent of the state’s commercial property. “Each year, the eCities project aims to highlight the successes and continued commitment of cities and townships to grow business and support entrepreneurship within their communities,” said Kari Kowalski, iLabs project manager.

Summary of Minutes of the Virtual Mt. Pleasant City Commission Meeting – 9/27/2021

Summary of Minutes of the electronically conducted regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, September 27, 2021, at 7:00 p.m.

Mayor Joseph read a proclamation recognizing October 10, 2021 as Bowlers Hall of Fame Day.

Public Safety Director Paul Lauria introduced and swore in Mt. Pleasant Police Officer Brandon Crawford.

Received petitions and communications.

Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

1) Minutes of the electronically conducted regular meeting of the City Commission held September 13, 2021 with corrections to recess of closed session and comment of Commissioner Tolas.

2) Minutes of the closed session of the City Commission held September 13, 2021.

3) Bid of Greenscene Landscaping of Mt. Pleasant, MI for Downtown Sidewalk Snow Removal 2021-2022 snow season.

4) Authorized the Mayor and Clerk to sign the contract with Consumers Energy for the Water Treatment Plant rate change as presented.

5) Accepted ownership of three properties designated on the quit claim deed from the Economic Development Corporation as presented.

6) Authorized the Mayor to sign the three-year contract extension for third party administration (TPA) with Trustmark.

7) Approved Resolution Extending Conditional Approval of a recreational marihuana microbusiness for Rio’s Happy Tree, LLC.

8) Warrants and Payrolls.

Held a public hearing and approved the Industrial Pretreatment Program (PPI) including Ordinance 1074, an Ordinance to amend Chapter 51: SEWERS of the Mt. Pleasant Code of Ordinances.

Approved Resolution to set fees related to the Industrial Pretreatment Program (PPI).

Approved amended Capital Project Special Assessment Policy.

Approved resolutions #3 and #4 for Special Assessment District #1-21 regarding pedestrian lighting and set a public hearing for October 11, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. on same.

Commissioners each identified their top 5 priorities for Fall 2021 Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe 2% funding requests from City Departments.

Authorized the Mayor and Clerk to sign the purchase agreement with Pat Jarman for land in Industrial Park South.

Held a work session discussion on report from Ad Hoc Committee regarding local businesses.

Adjourned the meeting at 9:03 p.m.

UM-Dearborn’s iLabs’ recognizes City of Mt. Pleasant for supporting business in their community

The City of Mt. Pleasant has been recognized for its successes and efforts in contributing to Michigan’s entrepreneurial growth and economic development in the annual eCities study conducted by researchers at iLabs, University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Center for Innovation Research. Mt. Pleasant was honored as a four-star community along with 94 other communities across the state. This is the fifth time the City has been recognized by UM-Dearborn.

According to City Manager Nancy Ridley, “We are pleased the City of Mt. Pleasant is receiving this recognition for the fifth time. Economic development is only successful when both public and private sector leaders work together and realize the importance of consistent and quality growth to our community. This designation is an indicator of that dedication and commitment.”

The 2020 eCities study analyzed publicly available data from 277 communities from 54 counties in Michigan. Researchers focused on the five-year changes in property values, community assets, and tax rates, which can demonstrate the growth, investments and cost of doing business within the community. For example, over the five-year period of 2015-2019, these communities increased their capital assets by an average of 2.4 percent per year by investments such as library equipment, building, water, and sewage improvements, and street renovations, while property tax rates increased by less than 1 percent on average per year.

Although accounting for less than 20 percent of the State’s cities and townships, the 277 communities analyzed are home to 70 percent of Michigan’s population and 87 percent of the state’s commercial property. “Each year, the eCities project aims to highlight the successes and continued commitment of cities and townships to grow business and support entrepreneurship within their communities,” said Kari Kowalski, iLabs project manager.

Mt. PLeasANt 2050 – City of Mt. Pleasant begins work on a new Master Plan

Mt. Pleasant, MI – The City of Mt. Pleasant is preparing a new Master Plan, a document which will chart the direction of the City’s development for the next 30 years.

Master plans are critical policy documents. They are the primary way for the community to answer the following questions:

  • What do we want our community to look like in 2050?
  • How do we get there?
  • How can we ensure our community is resilient by avoiding or mitigating risks or threats that we may face?

The new City Master Plan will also include an updated Parks and Recreation Master Plan as well as a subarea plan focused on Mission Street and Pickard Avenue (east of Mission). The plan will specifically address land use, transportation, housing, downtown, economic development, and public safety.

Public Input Needed
Public input is imperative during this planning process and will determine the community’s vision as well as help set specific goals, objectives and policies. The public is invited to participate in a series of events scheduled from April 8-11, 2019.  All events will be held at City Hall, 320 W. Broadway Street, unless otherwise noted.

April 8
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.  Kick-Off Event

April 9
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.  Open Charrette Studio Hours
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Downtown Pub Crawl (Starting at the Bird Bar & Grill, 223 S. Main Street.)

April 10
1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Open Charrette Studio Hours
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Charrette Open House & Work-In-Progress Presentation

April 11
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Open Charrette Studio Hours
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Charrette Final Presentation Event

Online Survey 

Your input is vital to our Master Plan development process. Please take a few minutes to share your ideas and complete the online surveys, which are available until April 28, 2019. Visit: https://www.mtpleasant2050.com/surveys

City of Mt. Pleasant Master Planning History
Major projects and policy changes often result from a master planning process. For instance, the 1965 Master Plan led to the extension of Mosher Street; the development of “Town Center”; and the creation of a new 1971 zoning ordinance. The 1987 Master Plan led to significant investments in park accessibility for individuals with disabilities; facility investments to improve the quality of drinking water; and extensions of Bellows and Preston Streets.

The City adopted its first Master Plan in 1946 with subsequent plans being adopted in 1965, 1987 and 2006. The City’s current Master Plan was an update adopted in 2014. Click here to view our past and current Master Plans. All Michigan cities are required to adopt master plans in accordance with Public Act 33 of 2008.

For more details regarding the Master Plan development process visit www.mtpleasant2050.com.

City of Mt. Pleasant receives certification as Redevelopment Ready Community

Designation facilitates private investment, improves economic development opportunities

For their efforts in establishing a solid foundation to attract private investment and further build on municipality assets, the city of Mt. Pleasant has been awarded the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced.

The MEDC will formally present the award on Monday, March 11. A reception will be held at the Middle Michigan Development Corporation from 4:30 – 5:30. Attendees will hear remarks from city, state and legislative attendees. MEDC representatives will also be on hand at the 7:00 p.m. City Commission meeting for a brief presentation and formal awarding of certification.

Mt. Pleasant joins 30 other Michigan communities which have qualified as “thoroughly prepared” when it comes to planning and zoning to remove traditional barriers and promote opportunities for prospective investors.

Other certified RRC communities include:

  • Allegan
  • Alpena
  • Battle Creek
  • Bessemer
  • Boyne City
  • Dearborn
  • Eastpointe
  • Escanaba
  • Ferndale
  • Grand Haven
  • Grand Rapids
  • Grayling
  • Howell
  • Hudsonville
  • Jackson
  • Kalamazoo
  • Lansing
  • Lathrup Village
  • Manistee
  • Marshall
  • Meridian Charter Township
  • Middleville
  • Muskegon
  • Oak Park
  • Petoskey
  • Pinckney
  • Roseville
  • Southfield
  • Traverse City
  • Ypsilanti

“Our mission at MEDC is to empower communities so they can proactively shape their future; a future built on a solid foundation of retaining and attracting business investment and talent,” said MEDC Senior Vice President Katharine Czarnecki. “Mt. Pleasant’s commitment to continuous improvement and community-focused development will pay dividends for many years to come. We look forward to further strengthening our relationship with the city and its other economic development partners.”

As an RRC participant, the city of Mt. Pleasant received a comprehensive assessment that measured current community and economic development practices compared to RRC best practice standards. The program evaluates and certifies communities which integrate transparency, predictability and efficiency into economic development practices. Certification status is a compelling indicator that a community has removed development barriers and streamlined processes to be more competitive and attractive to investors.

“The city of Mt. Pleasant prides itself on being a welcoming community,” said Mayor Will Joseph. “To be the first community in Region 5 to receive this designation, highlighting efficiency and transparency, is truly an honor and speaks volumes to the commitment of our city staff and Commissioners.”

To reach certification, the city of Mt. Pleasant undertook several notable projects: a new city-wide, character-based zoning ordinance; an update to the city’s economic development strategy; improvements to the development review process and production of a new brand and marketing strategy to guide the efforts of the city and its partners.

“We have developed and implemented new initiatives in the planning and economic development arena to keep our city attractive to not only current and prospective businesses, but residents as well,” said City Manager Nancy Ridley. “We are happy that the effort, innovative thinking and dedication of our team has been acknowledged, enabling our community to achieve this honored designation.”

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

 

UM-Dearborn’s iLabs’ eCities research recognizes City of Mt. Pleasant for supporting business in their community

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – The City of Mt. Pleasant has been recognized for its successes and efforts in contributing to Michigan’s entrepreneurial growth and economic development in the annual eCities study conducted by researchers at iLabs, University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Center for Innovation Research. Mt. Pleasant was honored as a four-star community along with 180 other communities across the state.

Michelle Sponseller, Downtown Development Director shared, “Mt. Pleasant receiving this honor is evidence that our community continually strives to make comprehensive improvements in all facets. Every decision we make is geared towards growing our local economy.  The increased level of investment to our commercial corridors is a reminder of this commitment by both our public and private leaders, alike.”

The eCities study analyzed publicly available data from 277 communities from 54 counties in Michigan. Researchers focused on the five-year changes in property values, community assets, and tax rates, which can demonstrate the growth, investments and cost of doing business within the community. For example, over the five-year period of 2013-2017, these communities increased their capital assets by an average of 2 percent per year by investments such as street and building improvements, technology, and emergency vehicles and equipment.

“While accounting for only about 15 percent of the cities and townships in Michigan, the 277 communities analyzed are home to 70 percent of the population and 85 percent of the state’s commercial property,” said Tim Davis, director, iLabs. “By analyzing these high-performing communities, our goal is to showcase what cities and townships are doing to spur growth and how we can continue to support their efforts in developing business and encouraging entrepreneurs.”

Mt. Pleasant will be acknowledged Thursday, Nov. 29, during the Executive Speaker Series panel discussion, which will discuss Michigan’s economic growth, including key areas such as capital, infrastructure, industry, and the ecosystem. The panel, moderated by Dr. Brian Patrick Green, Czarnecki Collegiate Professor, UM-Dearborn College of Business, will feature William Adams, Senior International Economist, PNC Financial Services Group; Maureen Miller Brosnan, Executive Director, Michigan Venture Capital Association; Kristina Kolbas, SVP Enterprise Services, Quicken Loans; and Jeff Marston, V.P. of Business Services, Comcast Business, Heartland Region. The event, hosted by WWJ Newsradio 950’s Murray Feldman of the Feldman Report, is free, but registration is required.