Traverse Bay EDC Advisory Council - Traverse Bay EDC E-News

Message from the Chairman

DevelopMentor Program^TM takes Wing.

Our region is faced with the challenge of balancing economic prosperity with maintaining the character and quality of life that brings us here. Last month, the Coastal States Organization (governor-appointed representatives from 35 coastal states and surrounding territories and commonwealths) published the results of a multi-year research project. The number one priority identified for coastal areas was land use and development. The Traverse Bay EDC is at the leading edge of providing ways to incorporate best management practices in development. In partnership with the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments and New Designs for Growth, the Traverse Bay EDC is addressing the concerns of new and existing businesses in our region.

As the EDC moves forward to proactively attract and retain jobs for northwestern Michigan, one key component is the New Designs for Growth Guidebook and its private-side application, the DevelopMentor Program^TM. With financial support from Rotary Charities and the Kellogg Foundation’s People and Land, the Guidebook has become a statewide resource for communities interested in smart growth principles.

An outgrowth of the Guidebook is the DevelopMentor Program^TM, which is a practical implementation of the principles in the Guidebook. Housed at the Traverse Bay EDC, DevelopMentor provides developers with a free service that includes a confidential review of site plans by a committee of trained professionals. Experts in architecture, engineering, site planning, realty, finance and law volunteer their time to strengthen site designs by incorporating smart growth into the plans. The result is a development plan that aligns with smart growth principles, making a stronger case for planning commission approval.

DevelopMentor is an important step in creating a conduit for sustainable development in the region. It also provides a model for how governmental entities and private business can work together toward shared goals. We look forward to continuing this work, sharing outcomes with other communities, and building a stronger economic forecast for our region.

Dan Wolf

Chairman

Traverse Bay EDC

Traverse Bay EDC receives grant from Oleson Foundation

The Traverse Bay EDC has received a grant $15,000 from the Oleson Foundation to produce a guide to the permitting and zoning process in Grand Traverse County, including all the various political subsets within the County.

The Chamber and the Traverse Bay EDC have held numerous meetings with developers, contractors, public officials, and non-profits to try to distill the issues that most hamper local development efforts. The Chamber and EDC have also undertaken a massive initiative to update its New Designs for Growth development guidebook and development review process in an effort to meld development needs with good land use principles. In each case, we found one of the impediments to good development process, and one of the major cost areas for developers, is the inconsistency between the various political jurisdictions regarding their zoning ordinances and their permit processes and fees.

Producing a guide for development that lays all of the information out from the different local, state, and federal jurisdictions, and then marries that information with New Designs for Growth Guidebook principles, will address one of the most significant economic development and land use issues facing our region at this time.

Three Area Manufacturers Expand Operations

Plascon, Inc., AlcoTec Wire and Grand Traverse Machine are expanding their operations in the City of Traverse City. The Traverse Bay EDC assisted all three companies with their expansion plans and received approval from the city of Traverse City for requested tax abatements. The property tax savings on these net new investments will now allow each of these three companies to invest more in their operations, add more jobs and remain more competitive in their respective markets.

Plascon, Inc. is adding 15,000 square feet of manufacturing space to its existing building and will create 10 new jobs and retain 5 existing jobs as a result of its $1.4 million expansion. Grand Traverse Machine is adding 8,000 square feet to its existing facility and will create 6 new jobs and retain 52 jobs as a result of its $528,000 investment. AlcoTec Wire Corporation is investing $595,000 in new machinery & equipment at its facility in the Airport Industrial Park. AlcoTec plans to retain 20 jobs and add 4 new jobs.

September Advisory Council Meeting to Focus on Michigan Business Tax

The Traverse Bay EDC's September Advisory Council meeting will feature a presentation on the State's new Michigan Business Tax. Mark Morante, Vice President of Development Finance for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation will discuss the details of the new MBT and its implications to companies doing business in Michigan.

Where: The Life Saving Station in Elberta Historic Waterfront Park

When: 4:30 p.m., Thursday, September 20, 2007

Space for this event is limited to 50 people, and there is no cost to attend.

Click here to register on-line or contact Cristin Popelier at (231) 995-7101.

Benzie County Update

The western end of Benzie County (in the City of Frankfort) may soon see the development of much-needed affordable housing. Historically, affordable housing initiatives have met with significant community resistance.