Placemaking

LPI Events 

Register Today: The Whys and Hows of Placemaking to be Explored at February 6 LPI Legislative Forum

On Wednesday, February 6, 2013, the MSU Land Policy Institute is sponsoring a legislative forum on "Placemaking: Why and How?" This is the second forum in a two-part series on placemaking. The first forum was held on January 22, 2013, and focused on "Placemaking: What is It?" 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, will share some initial findings from a recent study conducted by LPI to analyze the economic impact of placemaking elements, like walkability, mixed use and green space.

• Luke Forrest, Program Coordinator at the Michigan Municipal League, will talk about a joint effort between MML, MSU and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to work with several communities across Michigan on developing PlacePlans, which include strategic visioning for placemaking activities.

• Sean Mann, Program Coordinator at the Michigan Municipal League, will speak about the PlaceMarket, an online marketplace of real life solutions for pressing city problems that can be addressed through place-based strategies. 

• Sean O'Neil, Planning Director, White Lake Township, will present on his experience in White Lake developing a master plan that supports and targets placemaking activities in the downtown area.

A question-and-answer period with the panelists will round out the February luncheon forum. The event will be held from 11:30am-1:15pm (please make note of the new start time) at the Mackinac Room in the Anderson House Office Building near the Capitol in Lansing. The forum is 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 if you plan to attend.  

Learn more at Placemaking: What is It? 

January Forum Summary

On Tuesday, January 22, 2013, LPI held a legislative forum on "Placemaking: What is it?" at the Anderson House Office Building in Lansing. Hosted by Senator Mike Kowall, the forum explored various aspects of placemaking, including national and Midwest survey results on what people want, and Michigan's current placemaking programs. Panelists shared information and research on the benefits of placemaking and the economic and community developments that coincide. Panelists included:    

• Mary Beth Graebert, LPI's Associate Director for Programs and Operations, talked about the shifting needs of populations in urban settings in her presentation on "What People Want: Analysis from National Placemaking and Midwest Cities Surveys."  "Placemaking," she said, "is not 'one size fits all,' but rather should be a customized fit for each community."    

• Arnold Weinfeld, MML's Director of Strategic Initiatives, shared an overview of the Sense of Place Council and how this public-private group has impacted placemaking efforts in Michigan.  In hopes of creating a new and brighter state, Weinfeld said, "The MML aims to create the places where young people will want to stay, instead of leaving the state." He pointed out that city planners, architects and business owners must come together to create neighborhoods that will attract the young, creative and skilled.

• Jim Tischler, Director of Community Development at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, provided an overview of the MIPlace Initiative, a statewide placemaking initiative. During his presentation, he emphasized the importance of arts and culture, green space and transportation in thriving communities, saying that "downtown and neighborhoods are the foundations of great places.

The following presentations and related publications from this event are available for download: 

• "What People Want: Analysis from National Placemaking and Midwest Cities Surveys;" 

• "Michigan's Sense of Place Council;"

• "The MIPlace Initiative;"   

• Public Opinion of the New Economy, Placemaking and Economic Development Strategies for Michigan: A 2012 Survey of Residents and Local Government Officials; and

• Building Prosperous Places in Michigan: Understanding the Values of, Perceptions of and Barriers to Placemaking - Full Report.

Learn more at Placemaking: What is It? 

The purpose of the forum 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.

Last Chance for Early Registration: Space Available for the Spring 2013 Zoning Administrator Certificate Program

The Land Policy Institute's Planning & Zoning Center at MSU is offering the Zoning Administrator Certificate Program in two locations (St. Ignace and Oakland County) in February and March 2013. Space is available at both locations and early registration ends on Friday, February 8, 2013, so be sure to reserve your space today!

The certificate-based training is recommended for all new and current Zoning Administrators (ZA), along with private consultants and county planners who consult with their local ZAs. The training schedule is as follows:

Three-Days-in-a-Row Training: St. Ignace   Monday, February 18-Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Quality Inn, St. Ignace, MI

Four Days of Training: Oakland County

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

Oakland County Executive Office Bldg., Waterford, MI

The rigorous training (24 hours of instruction) requires a substantial time commitment, which includes completion of eight modules leading to a certificate for those who pass an exam associated with each module. The program also provides techniques for doing zoning administration in ways that reduce legal risks to the Zoning Administrator and their community. Module topics include:

1. Job Description, Responsibilities and Basic Ethics;
2. Legal Issues;
3. Reviewing Applications: Common Procedures and Use of Forms;
4. Reviewing Plot Plans and Site Plans;
5. Inspections and Violations;
6. Preparing Files, Reports and Record Keeping;
7. Interactions with other Professionals and Agencies, and Departmental Duties; and
8. Customer Service and Counter Behavior.

Here is some feedback from past program participants.

• "This should be a state mandated program."
   
• "I had high expectations for this course.Happy to say you FAR exceeded my expectations."
   
• "I was presented with many practical ideas that I should be able to implement immediately."
   
• "Knowledgeable instructors, excellent material!"
   
• "Gave me a great idea of how to do my job, and how to keep myself and my community out of trouble. Definitely recommend this for all ZAs."
   
• "The most experienced, open, honest, and knowledgeable instructors."
   
• "You can learn about the pitfalls to avoid legal issues."
   
• "Very targeted to what zoning administrators do--not esoteric information."

Registration for the training is available. To be eligible for a certificate upon completion of this program, participants will need to successfully pass a multiple choice examination and have also completed MSU Extension's Michigan Citizen Planner program, either classroom-based or online, or be AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) certified and have demonstrated experience with zoning administration. See the prerequisites section of the registration brochure for complete details.

Future Training Opportunity   For those unable to attend the dates offered this Spring, the series will be offered again in Spring 2014. Please let us know if you are interested in the 2014 program, so you can be added to the contact list.

To register and learn more, visit Spring 2013 Zoning Administrator Certificate Program.

LPI's Dr. John Warbach Joins Placemaking in Michigan Panel Discussion at Smart Growth Conference in Kansas City

The Local Government Commission will be hosting the 12th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Kansas City, MO. The conference will take place at the Kansas City Convention Center, February 7-9, 2013. This multi-disciplinary event will highlight cutting-edge smart-growth issues and will feature the latest research, implementation tools and strategies, successful case studies, new partners, new projects, and new policies.

On Saturday February 9, 2013, Dr. John Warbach, LPI's Associate Director of Faculty Research Development, will participate in a panel discussion at the afternoon session on "Placemaking in Michigan: Starting the Economic Development Engine." This session will focus on how Michigan needs help restarting its economic engine, and how the strategy agreed upon by public, private and nonprofit organizations is a big statewide push into placemaking. Recent research into attitudes toward placemaking by both the general public and local decision makers will be reviewed, as well as the actions taken by public, private and nonprofit sectors to get the engine started and results to date.

Dr. Warbach will share preliminary results from LPI's Rebuilding Prosperous Places Initiative, including responses from a national placemaking survey, a Midwest survey about neighborhood and home features, and a hedonic analysis of the relationship between placemaking elements and home prices in 11 Midwest cities, including six cities in Michigan.

Other panelists include:

• Jamie Schriner-Hooper, Executive Director of the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan; and   

• James Tischler, Director of Community Development at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

This session will be moderated by Gil White, real estate agent and public sector consultant.

Registration is available online. Learn more at New Partners for Smart Growth Conference. 

Good Ink on LPI and the Mid-Michigan Program for Greater Sustainability  . . . 

• "No More 'What if?' on Michigan Ave." (January 30, 2013) Capital Gains 

Related News and Announcements

• "Downtown Housing and the Affordability Gap" (January 23, 2013) Concentrate

• "City of Mt. Pleasant Hosts Placemaking Training with Michigan Municipal League" (January 17, 2013) The Morning Sun

LPI Events 

ICE to Meet Wednesday, January 9, 2013: Can I Start My Business with a One-Page Business Plan?

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.

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). 

• "Traverse City's Growth Draws Attention" (January 29, 2013) Bridge Michigan

• "MEDC Announces Pure Michigan Venture Development Fund Investments" (January 28, 2013) CBS Detroit 

• "Economic Impact of Michigan's URC Rises to $15.5 Billion" (January 23, 2013) University Research Corridor 

• "2013: State of the Industry" (January 11, 2013) American Public Transportation Association's Passenger Transport News 

• "Block Size, Not Just Density, Key to Cutting Auto Travel" (January 10, 2013) Better! Cities & Towns

Economic Recovery, Environmental Reality Focus of MEC/MEO Event

The Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) and the Michigan Energy Options (MEO) are excited to co-host an evening of information conversation and refreshments with a focus on big-picture economics in a resource-constrained world from 4:30pm-6:30pm on Monday, February 4, 2013. The event will focus on "Economic Recovery, Environment Reality: Ideas on Resilience and Resource Limits." Jim MacInnes, President and CEO of LEED-Certified Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa, will discuss his recent experience at the national Biophysical Economics (BPE) conference in Vermont. He will be joined by MEC Energy Program Director David Gard who will report back on the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO) conference in Austin, TX. 

The event is free but space is limited, so RSVPs are encouraged to reserve a spot. The conversation will take place at the MEO's Demonstration Center in East Lansing. This event is a warm-up for the day-long "Re-imagining Our Economic System" CCED (MSU Center for Community and Economic Development) Institute on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, and MSU Worldview Lecture by Jeremy Rifkin on Monday, March 25, 2013. Learn more at Economic Recovery, Environmental Reality Event.

"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.

Economic Recovery, Environment Reality: Ideas on Resilience and Resource Limits

Monday, February 4, 2013

Demonstration Center, Michigan Energy Options, East Lansing, MI.

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

Re-Imagining our Economic System: A Michigan Perspective

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

MSU Union, East Lansing, MI

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.