Village of Cassopolis receives certification as Redevelopment Ready Community

Designation facilitates private investment, improves economic development opportunities.

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

The MEDC formally recognizes the village of Cassopolis as a Certified Redevelopment Ready Community. Cassopolis joins 44 other Michigan communities in all corners of the state that have qualified as “thoroughly prepared” when it comes to planning and zoning to remove traditional barriers and promote opportunities for prospective investors. Visit here to see the entire list of Redevelopment Ready Communities.

“Our team at the village of Cassopolis have put in a lot of work and made consistent steps towards becoming RRC Certified and it is very gratifying to see the fruition of their efforts,” said Cassopolis Village Council President David Johnson. “Becoming RRC Certified positions the village to help our current residents but also positions us for future growth in our community.”

As an RRC participant, the village of Cassopolis received a comprehensive assessment that measured current community and economic development practices compared to RRC Best Practice standards. The program evaluates and certifies communities that integrate transparency, predictability and efficiency into their 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.

“Our mission at MEDC is to support Michigan’s strong economic momentum and empower communities to establish a strong planning, zoning and economic development foundation,” said MEDC Senior Vice President Michele Wildman. “Cassopolis is well-positioned to implement their vision for the future and further improve the quality of life for residents. We look forward to continue building upon our relationship with the village and supporting local economic development efforts.”

To reach certification, the village of Cassopolis undertook several notable projects, including adopting a comprehensive master plan in 2019, developing an economic development plan in 2018, and establishing a community-wide marketing strategy named ‘Imagine Cass.’ Cassopolis has also worked to improve upon numerous policies and processes such as establishing an online guide to development and developing flowcharts that clarify the steps in each of the village’s development review processes. The village’s efforts have produced high-quality documents and processes that will continue to generate value.

“As the village of Cassopolis worked through the RRC process, we were really able to see the value in this program. It forced us to look at how we do business and how we present information to the community, and those wishing to be a part of our community,” said Cassopolis Village Manager Emilie Sarratore. “We are now in a great position and ready anytime a developer or investor calls about ‘how we do things’ in the village. We are able to provide clear and concise answers and directions to their questions. The level of professionalism we are able to bring is encouraging to both community partners and future investors, and we are already seeing the results from our efforts to become a certified community.”

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.