Placemaking

LPI Events 

LPI Announces Winter Legislative Forums on Placemaking

Michigan is at the forefront of a national movement called "Placemaking." Many leaders in our state recognize that having vibrant, economically successful places--with connectivity and access to jobs, amenities, recreation, entertainment opportunities and social networks--is critical to the economic well-being of our communities and households. Several efforts are underway to help local and regional leaders better understand the benefits and mechanics of Placemaking.

The MSU Land Policy Institute is sponsoring two legislative forums this winter on Placemaking. The purpose of the forums is to address critical issues facing Michigan and provide timely science-based research that is useful to policy makers in the State of Michigan government, and other engaged stakeholders.

The first forum is slated for Tuesday, January 22, 2013, and will focus on "Placemaking: What is it?" Hosted by Senator Mike Kowall, a panel discussion will explore the various aspects of Placemaking, including national and Midwest survey results on what people want, and Michigan's current Placemaking programs. Panelists include:

• Mark Wyckoff, LPI' s Senior Associate Director, and Director of the Planning & Zoning Center;  
   
• Mary Beth Graebert, LPI's Associate Director for Programs and Operations;  
   
• Jim Tischler, Director of Community Development, Michigan State Housing Development Authority; and  
   
• Arnold Weinfeld, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Michigan Municipal League.

The second forum will take place on Wednesday, February 6, and will focus on "Placemaking: Why and How?" Hosted by Representative Andy Schor, a panel discussion will share results from a Midwest assessment on the value of Placemaking, explore Michigan PlacePlans, and provide examples of local and regional placemaking in action. Panelists include:

• Benjamin Calnin, LPI's Informatics and Decision Support Coordinator; 
   
• Heather Van Poucker, Director of Information and Policy Research, Michigan Municipal League; 
   
• Sean Mann, Program Coordinator, Michigan Municipal League; and 
   
• Sean O'Neil, Planning Director, White Lake Township.

A question-and-answer period with the panelists will round out each luncheon forum. The events will be held from 11:45am-1:15pm at the Mackinac Room in the Anderson House Office Building near the Capitol in Lansing. They are free and open to the public. RSVPs are requested for a luncheon headcount. Please email Jessica McFarland at mcfarland@landpolicy.msu.edu or call 517.884.3957 and indicate which forum(s) you plan to attend.  

Learn more at Winter Legislative Forums. Look for more updated information on the forums in future editions of "Land Policy News."

Good Ink on LPI . . . 

• "Supporting Placemaking Leadership in Michigan" (December 21, 2012) Project for Public Spaces    

LPI Research: Mid-Michigan Program for Greater Sustainability   

MMPGS Community Reinvestment Fund Grant: Mid-MEAC Seeks Applications to Engage Traditionally Underserved Populations in Government Planning

The Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council (Mid-MEAC), on behalf of the Mid-Michigan Program for Greater Sustainability (MMPGS) Community Reinvestment Fund, is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations (and their partners, including municipalities and for-profit organizations) on ways in which to engage traditionally underserved and/or marginalized populations in planning at all levels of government. Applications are due by 5pm on Friday, January 25, 2013, and grants will range from $500 to approximately $5,000.

The lead applicant must be a nonprofit organization serving Clinton, Eaton or Ingham Counties (or some portion therein), have IRS 501 (c)(3) status, must hold a current Charitable Solicitation License from the State of Michigan, be registered by the local municipality as a nonprofit (if required by ordinance), not be in federal debt and not delinquent on federal reporting. The lead applicant may partner with municipalities, for-profit organizations, individuals, schools and other groups. 

The Community Reinvestment Fund is part of MMPGS, a regional initiative (including the MSU Land Policy Institute) designed to expand and improve the planning process for housing, transportation, green infrastructure, energy efficiency, environmental issues, economic development, education and more. The Fund was established to ensure that traditionally underserved and marginalized populations have the opportunity to get involved in the planning process at all levels of government. It is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of the HUD Sustainable Communities Program. The grant was made to the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, and this project (one of nine) is administered by the Mid-MEAC with oversight provided by a community board.

For a full description of the project and the grant application, visit MMPGS Community Reinvestment Fund. For more information, contact Julie Powers, Fund Administrator, at midmeac@gmail.com or call 517.292.3078 between 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday.

Related News and Announcements

• "Framing Detroit Future City: Let's Get Started" (January 15, 2013) Model D

• "Visions for Lawton Downtown include Greenery and Decorative Streetscape" (January 14, 2013) The Courier-Leader

• "12 Cities Leading the Way in Sustainability" (January 4, 2013) Moyers & Company

City after Abandonment Focus of Upcoming U-M CLOSUP Event

The University of Michigan's Center for Local, State and Urban Policy (CLOSUP); the Urban and Regional Planning Program; the Detroit School Series; the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning; and the Residential College, are hosting a discussion about the book "The City after Abandonment" beginning at 4pm on Monday, January 28, 2013, in Ann Arbor.

Many American cities, especially those in the Northeast and Midwest, have lost jobs and population for decades. Nevertheless, most city leaders pursue growth whether through tax incentives or stadiums and casinos, and most neighborhood activists envision redeveloped and rebuilt communities. But do alternatives exist? "The City after Abandonment" tackles that issue by addressing three questions: What do cities become after abandonment? What institutions and policies make a difference in what such cities become? What should these cities become? Panelists will discuss the book's findings and what these suggest about the future for better, though smaller, cities. Panelists include:

• Margaret Dewar, Professor, U-M Urban and Regional Planning; and
  
  >
• June Manning Thomas, Centennial Professor, U-M Urban and Regional Planning.

John Gallagher, Author and Writer, and Journalist with the Detroit Free Press will be the Commentator.

This event is free and open to the public. It will take place at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, in the Betty Ford Classroom in 1110 Weill Hall on the University of Michigan campus. A reception and book signing will follow the discussion. Copies of "The City after Abandonment" will be available for purchase at the event for $45 with cash or a check to the University of Michigan.

For more information, contact closup@umich.edu or call 734.647.4091. Learn more at U-M The City after Abandonment Event.

LPI Events 

Innovation Club for Entrepreneurs to Meet in February

On Wednesday, February 13, 2013, the Innovation Club for Entrepreneurs (ICE) is hosting their next meetup from 6pm-7:30pm, at The Avenue Cafe' in Lansing (on the Michigan Avenue bus route). The February meetup topic will focus on "Can I Start My Business with a One-Page Business Plan?" The discussion on idea generation will continue with guest entrepreneur, Deb Mason, Owner of bidfreez.com. She will share with us her experience working with the Michigan Small Business Technology Development Center to develop her business plan. The guest facilitator will be Laurie Lonsdorf, Senior Business Consultant from the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center. Join ICE for the conversation and bring your ideas and/or experiences to share on the topic.

The ICE meetup is open to all--those just starting to think about an idea, those who have taken some action on their idea, those who have started a business, and those who have been entrepreneurial for a long time, as well as those who have available resources to assist entrepreneurs at any stage. RSVPs are welcome and appreciated. Please sign up at ICE Meetup by clicking on the "count me in" button for the February meeting. Please send any questions about this month's meeting to ice@landpolicy.msu.edu.

At the January meeting, the discussion on idea generation continued with guest entrepreneurs, Malinda and Dave Barr, Co-Owners of Rayla House Beeswax Essentials. The topic of conversation was "Bootstrapping - How to Get Started for Virtually Nothing." The Barrs shared their experience of starting the now successful candle factory as an outcome of Dave's long-time desire to make candles. With a kitchen candle making kit in their small kitchen and some online research for the best type of wax, they started making beeswax candles. Malinda, using her marketing and promotion background, packaged, networked and marketed the candles for sale.

Some key elements for bootstrapping include:

• Follow your passion.
   
• Use what you have and/or be creative and take advantage of used equipment or repurposed equipment.
   
• Take advantage of the internet for free online research.
   
• Look to the people you already know to help you test and market your service or product (network and leverage your relationships).
   
• Find a mentor or like-minded people off whom you can bounce your ideas.

Check out the January ICE Meeting Summary for more information from this meeting. Summaries from past meetings and more information about the Club are available at Innovation Club for Entrepreneurs. Be sure to check out ICE on Twitter and Meetup. For questions about ICE, contact Dr. Barb Fails Raftshol at fails@landpolicy.msu.eduor call 517.749.1974; or Marsha Madle at madle@landpolicy.msu.eduor call 517.575.9234.

The purpose of the monthly club is to provide a forum for innovators and entrepreneurs in the Greater Lansing area to share ideas in a positive and supportive environment, strengthen networks for collaboration and find resources to bring ideas to life. The ICE is a collaborative effort of the Michigan State University Land Policy Institute and the MSU Entrepreneurship Network (msuENet).

• "The Happiest and Unhappiest Cities to Work in Right Now: No. 7 Grand Rapids, MI" (January 9, 2013) Forbes    

• "I-69 International Trade Corridor NDMC Launches New Website, Begins Marketing Campaign for 2013" (January 8, 2013) Mlive.com Mid-Michigan Business

Downtown Ann Arbor's New Entrepreneurs Focus of Upcoming Concentrate Speaker Events

For a downtown to remain vibrant and relevant there must, inevitably, be turn over. Old business models fade, new ones emerge. Ann Arbor's downtown is not immune. Along with seismic shifts in the state, national, and global economy there are local impacts. How a community accommodates the preferences and practices of the next generation is important.     

With that in mind, Concentrate has invited a group of ambitious young entrepreneurs to chat about why they've decided to set up shop in or near downtown Ann Arbor. They'll talk about both the challenges and opportunities of doing business here, what they'd like to see more (or less) of, and what they're hearing from their peers. There will be a discussion about where the community is headed next and the best way to get there. Guest speakers include:

• Lisa Waud from Pot and Box;
• Sava Lelcaj from Sava's Restaurant, Babo Market;
• Eric Farrell from The Bar at Braun Court; and
  Curtis Sullivan from Vault of Midnight (tent). 

The moderator will be John Petz.

This event is free and open to the public, and it will take place at 5pm on Thursday, January 31, 2013, at The Bar at Braun Court in Ann Arbor. Seating is limited so RSVPs are encouraged. Learn more at Concentrate Speaker Event.

Registration Now Open: Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism 2013

Join 1,000 travel industry and economic development partners from across the state April 14-16, 2013, for the Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism 2013. Tap into emerging trends and discover cutting edge strategies for responding to an evolving landscape. Expert Keynote speakers include:

• Josh Linkner, CEO and Managing Partner of Detroit Venture Partners and New York Times best-selling author of "Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity," named one of the top 10 business books of 2011.
    
• Peter Yesawich, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ypartnership, America's leading marketing, advertising and public relations agency serving travel, leisure, hospitality and entertainment clients.

Conference highlights include:

• Four session tracks, including the return of an economic development track, as well as tourism, digital marketing and lodging tracks.  

• An update on Travel Michigan's successful Pure Michigan campaign.  

• An award of $5,000 for a new tourism business startup through the inaugural Pure Michigan Jump Start initiative.

The Conference, hosted by Travel Michigan, Michigan State University and the Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association, will be held at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center in Detroit. Registration is available online. Early bird registration expires Friday, February 1, 2013. Learn more at Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism 2013.

August 31, 2012-Revised January 17, 2013

By: Tim Mrozowski, Construction Management Professor, MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction 

The Plesso scolastico Loc. Romarzollo, Arco school project is a new elementary school recently constructed and occupied in the City of Arco located in the Trentino Province in Northern Italy. On August 29, 2012, the project was awarded LEED® Platinum under the LEED for Schools Standards 2.0 by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED Platinum is the highest level of achievement in the LEED Rating System, and the Arco School is the first school project to achieve this rating in Italy and outside of the US.

Faculty and students from the MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction (SPDC), worked since 2007 under an MSU consulting contract with the Commune Di Arco to provide LEED AP coordination and technical services to the project. The SPDC was directly responsible for LEED AP services, LEED compliance, coordination, management and oversight of all aspects of LEED and LEED documentation for the project. The overall project team included more than 20 Italian contractors, architects, engineers, agencies and university faculty along with seven MSU graduate and undergraduate students who worked on the project. . .

Concurrent with the Arco School project, under a second consulting contract with the Agenzia per lo Sviluppo, a Trentino business and development agency and business incubator, SPDC faculty and students worked to promote LEED in Italy, consulted in forming the Green Building Council of Italy (GBC Italia), conducted educational sessions and acted as a liaison with USGBC and GBC Italia. As a result of efforts by many Italian professionals aided by SPDC, there is now an active GBC Italia with substantial membership, a separate set of Italian LEED standards which are approved and being piloted on projects by USGBC and GBC Italia, scientific committees and educational programs. . .

The projects grew out of a study abroad program first developed by faculty of the MSU Interior Design program and of the MSU Construction Management Program, both part of SPDC, who teamed to form a study abroad program in Northern Italy for their respective students. The program was hosted and supported by engineering faculty from the University of Trento (UTN) in Northern Italy. The study abroad program ran in Italy from 2003 through 2010. Contacts for the proposals to Commune di Arco and Agenzia per lo Sviluppo grew out field visits conducted during the Study Abroad program.

Concurrent with conducting the study abroad program, MSU Construction Management faculty were funded for two MSU Internal projects, one of which was funded by MSU Engineering and Architectural Services (EAS) and the Office of the Vice President for Finance and Operations, to evaluate the MSU Construction Standards against the LEED standards. . . The second project was a study of the application of LEED site standards for to northern climates, which was funded by the MSU Land Policy Institute (LPI), and also completed in 2006. Both of these projects laid a foundation and provided a track record for the funded proposals in Italy.

In total, the projects funded travel for 14 trips to Italy for project coordination meetings from 2007-2012, as well as graduate assistantships and student hourly wages and support for seven students. The project was used as a case study by 22 Construction Management and Interior Design students during the 2010 CM/IDES study abroad program and led to the creation of a new course in SPDC, PDC 491: Integrated, Sustainable, Built-Environment Projects, taught once in Italy and which is in now in its fourth offering at the MSU campus. Other impacts are that one Italian engineering student came to MSU and earned his Master's degree in Construction Management, three visiting scholars spent one semester each in SPDC, and numerous Italian construction industry professionals have visited MSU to observe construction methods, or travel to LEED projects or USGBC's annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. . .

For more information on these projects, contact Tim Mrozowski at mrozowsk@egr.msu.edu or call 517.353.0781. Read the complete story at SPDC Faculty and Students Help Adopt LEED Standards in Italy.

Michigan Comprehensive Trails Plan Out for Public Reviews

Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance has been working with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and various other trail entities to put together a comprehensive state trails plan that will help to guide development of Michigan's trail system into the future. This trails plan is different from other trail plans that have been done in the past, such as the "Connecting Michigan Statewide Trail Vision and Action Plan" and "Michigan Trails at the Crossroads," because it encompasses all trail types: snowmobiling, ORV, equestrian and the non-motorized trails (hiking, bicycling, mountain biking,  water, cross-country skiing).

Development of the state trails plan, required under Public Act 45 of 2009, was one of the first charges given to the Michigan Snowmobile and Trails Advisory Council (MSTAC), which was also formed under that law. The draft plan has just been released for public review until January 25, 2013, and is expected to be finalized by MSTAC in March, 2013. The plan incorporates key recommendations for all trails, as well as priorities for each of the trail systems by type.

For more information and links to the plan and a short survey to guide public comments, see the related DNR Press Release.

Conscientious Eating and Food Sales Focus of Capital Gains Speaker Series

When you sit down to eat a meal, how often do you think about where your food comes from or what impact this process has on your community, environment, your health and beyond? As more and more people make the effort to eat conscientiously in the Capital region, the food on our plates starts to have an impact on our local economy. Is this the future of food sales, and what does a self-sustaining, affordable, conscientious food community begin to look like? 

This is exactly what Capital Gains will be discussing as a community this month. Attendees will hear from passionate farmers, restaurateurs and pioneers of the conscientious eating and food sales movement at this month's Speaker Series event at 6:30pm on Thursday, January 31, 2013, at The Creole Gallery 

• Nina Santucci from Red Haven;
• Jared Talega from Flood Plain Farms;
• Ben Ackerman from Fork in the Road; and
• Kaitlin Skwir from WIC.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is available online. Learn more at Capital Gains Speaker Series.

"Land Policy News" is an e-Newsletter published bi-monthly by the Land Policy Institute at Michigan State University. This e-Newsletter is intended to be an informational tool. Information in the newsletter not directly about the Land Policy Institute does not necessarily reflect the Institute's views, but is, instead, included because of its relationship to the Institute's mission and work.

If you would like to provide feedback on any of its content, or send content for inclusion, please email Heidi Charron at charron@landpolicy.msu.edu. Submissions of presentations, publications, event announcements, job postings and news regarding activities related to land use and prosperity can be sent at any time.

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The MSU Land Policy Institute is affiliated with the School of Planning, Design and Construction. The Institute is supported by Michigan State University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and MSU Extension programs.

Calendar of Events

LPI events are highlighted in red.

LPI Legislative Forum Event: Placemaking - What is it?

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Mackinac Room, Anderson House Office Building, Lansing, MI

"The City after Abandonment" Discussion

Monday, January 28, 2013

Betty Ford Classroom, 1110 Weill Hall, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, U-M campus, Ann Arbor, MI

Capital Gains Speaker Series: Conscientious Eating and Food Sales

Thursday, January 31, 2013

The Creole Gallery, Old Town, Lansing, MI

Concentrate Speaker Event: Downtown Ann Arbor's New Entrepreneurs

Thursday, January 31, 2013

The Bar at Braun Court in Ann Arbor  

LPI Legislative Forum Event: Placemaking - Why and How?

Tuesday, February 6, 2013

Mackinac Room, Anderson House Office Building, Lansing, MI

New Partners for Smart Growth Conference

Thursday, February 7- Saturday, February 9, 2013

Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, MO

LPI's Entrepreneurial Communities Program Event: ICE Meetup on Can I Start My Business with a One-Page Business Plan?

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The Avenue Café, Lansing, MI

Michigan Certified Natural Shoreline Professional Training - Brighton

Tuesday, February 19-Thursday, February 21, 2013

Kensington Metropark, Milford, MI

LPI Event: 2013 Zoning Administrator Certificate Program - Three-Days-in-a-Row Training

Monday, February 18-Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Quality Inn, St. Ignace, MI
 
LPI Event: 2013 Zoning Administrator Certificate Program - Four Days of Training

Tuesdays: February 26, March 5, 12 and 19, 2013

Conference Center, Oakland County Executive Office Building, Waterford, MI

Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism 2013  

Sunday, April 14 - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI

Michigan Certified Natural Shoreline Professional Training - Paw Paw Exam/Field Demo

Michigan Certified Natural Shoreline Professional Training - Brighton Exam/Field Demo

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Location TBA, Paw Paw, MI 

For a complete list of events with details, go to LPI Events Calendar.