Designation signals communities have identified redevelopment goals, created a vision for the future

Designation signals communities have identified redevelopment goals, created a vision for the future

LANSING, Mich. – For its efforts in establishing a more streamlined development process and overall community development vision, the City of Munising achieved the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) Essentials designation under the RRC 2.0 framework, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced today.

Redevelopment Ready Communities is a voluntary initiative which empowers communities to shape their future as they strive to achieve an RRC designation by building a foundation of planning, zoning, and economic development best practices and integrating them into their everyday functions and was launched statewide in 2013. RRC promotes communities to be development ready and competitive in today’s economy by actively engaging stakeholders and proactively planning, making them more attractive for projects that create places where people want to live, work, and invest.

Based on feedback from communities and other stakeholders, MEDC evolved the RRC toolkit in February 2021 to include two different designations: “Essentials” and “Certified.” Communities can now determine which path is most appropriate for their needs based on capacity, community goals, and other local factors. Reaching the RRC Essentials designation is a formal recognition that a community has a vision for the future and the fundamental practices in place to get there.

“We applaud the City of Munising for achieving Essentials status,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Economic Development Incentives and Services Michele Wildman. “Munising has identified its desired direction for the future and has a plan to achieve its goals for the community. We look forward to building upon our relationship with the city and supporting its continued economic development efforts.”

 

To achieve the Essentials designation, Munising worked to incorporate key documents and practices to provide a predictable development experience and meet local planning and zoning responsibilities under Michigan law. This includes adopting an updated master plan with a strong focus on implementation, creating the city’s first six-year capital improvements plan, and adopting a revised zoning ordinance that allows for a diversity of housing types to support future growth. The city’s efforts have produced high-quality documents and processes that will continue to generate value.

“The City is extremely pleased to have earned our designation as an RRC Essentials Community. The toolkit has allowed to City to incorporate new processes into our planning and zoning functions that are useful as well as practical. The RRC designation is another example of the City’s dedication to improving our service to the community and we are proud of the work the Planning Commission, City Commission, and City Staff have put in to achieve this goal,” said City Manager Devin Olson.

"Receiving this RRC designation is wonderful for Munising's downtown. It has been a lot of work for the City and all of us that have been involved throughout the process. We certainly appreciate all the assistance MEDC has given us along the way in order for us to get to this point. This designation opens up more opportunities for us in the future and we look forward to working with MEDC with future RRC programming and funding opportunities," said Katherine A. Reynolds, Executive Director of the Munising Downtown Development Authority.

To date, the MEDC has formally recognized 66 Michigan communities in all corners of the state at the Certified level and 16 at the Essentials level. These communities have qualified as “thoroughly prepared” when it comes to planning and zoning, to remove traditional barriers and promote opportunities for prospective investors. See the entire list of Redevelopment Ready Communities.

 

 

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.