Tag: Planning and zoning

Public Invited to Share Feedback on Mission Street Conceptual Designs

Mt. Pleasant, MI – Earlier this year, the City of Mt. Pleasant contracted with Progressive Companies to lead the development of an improvement plan for Mission Street. In collaboration with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and with funding from the State of Michigan Redevelopment Ready Communities program, the city convened a steering committee and distributed an online survey to capture public insight.

The Mission Street steering committee is composed of local business owners, representatives from Central Michigan University, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Disability Network of Mid-Michigan, the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce, the Mt. Pleasant Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and appointed and elected officials.

On September 26, 2024, Progressive Companies will present potential design concepts to the community based on information extracted from the online surveys and the steering committee. There are several opportunities for residents to prioritize potential Mission Street improvements and provide feedback. They are as follows:

Farmers’ Market – Island Park, 9 – 11 a.m.

o $5 tokens to be redeemed at the market will be given to the first 20 participants.

Central Michigan University – Bovee University Center, 12 – 2 p.m.

o Participants will be placed in a drawing for CMU Bookstore gift cards.

Open House – City Hall (320 W. Broadway Street), 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

o Individuals are welcome to attend at any time during these two hours.

o Participants will be placed in a drawing for gift cards from Mission Street businesses.

o Light refreshments will be provided.

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.