Sustainability

Vicksburg couple makes largest ever donation of Michigan agricultural property for conservation

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April 29, 2010

The large-tract housing developers encroaching on agricultural property outside Vicksburg won't be allowed to build on 906 acres owned by Robert and Regina Richardson. Property that has been in the family for seven generations will be preserved as farmland through a donation to the State of Michigan. To date, it is the largest donation of prime farmland development rights to the state.The donation, made through the state's permanent conservation easement program, keeps property from being used for residential development.The program allows the development rights for the property to go to the State of Michigan. In return, farmers get local and federal tax breaks. The land can be written off as a charitable donation to lower federal taxes. And local taxes go down because they are based on the property being used as farmland. Taxes are higher on land that can be developed as subdivisions or for other residential uses.To develop the property for residential use would require going to court to overturn the easement, says Elizabeth Juris, of the Michigan Department of Agriculture.The Richardson's farm is about 2.5 miles outside the Village of Vicksburg, where people are buying up 40 acre pieces of property and putting a house in the middle of it, Juris says. The state program is designed to head off such practices.The Richardson's 906 acres is 80 percent farmland used for wheat, soybeans and corn planted in rotation. The remaining 20 percent is wooded property along the Portage River and Portage Creek. The State of Michigan will publicly thank the Richardsons for their donation in a special ceremony April 30 at the farm, 16611 S. 24th St. Vicksburg.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Elizabeth Juris, Michigan Department of Agriculture

Latest in Sustainability

Business mushrooms for man with roots in Paw Paw

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In The News

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April 22, 2010

A former Paw Paw resident has found his niche as an entrepreneur in a sustainable agriculture business, reports the Courier-Leader.Alex Velez graduated from University of California at Berkeley in May of 2009. Right away, he and his business partner, Nikhil Arora, founded a 100 percent sustainable urban mushroom farm called BTTR (Back to the Roots, pronounced better). Excerpt:"It's not work when you're loving what you're doing," said Velez, who puts in more than 100 hours working seven days per week.BTTR grows gourmet oyster mushrooms on recycled coffee grounds, an idea that percolated for Velez and Arora in an ethics class at UC Berkeley.During the lecture, they learned mushrooms grow well in hard woods and that the main component of hard woods is cellulose. Similarly, coffee has a lot of cellulose."We started brainstorming," said Velez.According to Velez, getting the business under way took about six months of research. After successfully growing their first mushroom, they didn't waste any time."We went to Whole Foods with our mushroom in a little Ace Hardware bucket," he said.The story goes on to say the natural and organic food giant quickly recognized BTTR's potential. Three weeks later Velez and Arora received an e-mail from the Whole Foods President for Northern California Floral and Produce Department. January marked BTTR's first major delivery of oyster mushrooms to Whole Foods Northern California stores — totaling 30 stores in all. The story also reports BTTR has sold 7,500 pounds of mushrooms to date. Now Whole Foods is purchasing 500 pounds per week.To find out about the celebrity chefs who are using the oyster mushrooms in their cooking read the rest of the story.Source: Courier-Leader

St. Joseph unleashes canine sculptures on the community

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Development News

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April 22, 2010

Sculptures of cows, frogs, cars, peacocks, tigers, bears and an array of other animals and objects have been painted by artists over the years in pursuit of public art that doubles as an economic development tool. Now St. Joseph is joining in the movement with its Hot Diggity Dogs Unleashed Art In St. Joseph display May 21 to Oct. 1. The idea is to dress up the city and have fun while drawing visitors to the beach and nearby businesses. Some 34 painted pooches by local artists will be posed about the city. Writer: Kim North Shine Source: Susan Solon, Communications and Marketing, City of St. Joseph

Golf course starts $80 million project that could transform SW Michigan

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Development News

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April 22, 2010

The start of the second season at the Golf Club at Harbor Shores on April 23 is just one of several signs of progress and accomplishments at the long-awaited Harbor Shores Resort Community along Lake Michigan.In July, depending on weather, the final eight holes will open, completing the Jack Nicklaus-designed course. Currently, 10 holes, which opened to the public last year, are playable. Tee times became available as of April 23.On Aug. 10, Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and some of his other still-to-be-announced, famed pro golfer buddies come to town for the official opening and celebration of the course, says Ron Eng, director of marketing for Evergreen Development, the master developer of the project.The golf course is the centerpiece of a Harbor Shores, a 538-acre planned community that straddles Benton Harbor, St. Joseph and Benton Township. Harbor Shores is a mix of residential, retail and resort developments on waterways, golf courses and in town, Eng says.The target market are tourists and second-home buyers from Detroit, Chicago and Indiana, Eng says."We are looking to outside residents to come in and invest in our community," he says.About $80 million has been spent over the last five years on the project, Eng says. Construction has begun or is starting next week on model homes, spec homes and custom homes. The community is divided into four districts: the River District, the Harbor District, the Fairway District and the Shores District.Cottages along the river, houses along the golf course, and townhomes and condos, all within walking distance of Lake Michigan, will make up the residential component. There also will be retail developments and a resort hotel, spa and restaurant, Eng says.All of it will mean new jobs and more investment.Already the golf club has 50 seasonal employees and many of the builders and their employees are local residents. "We're really trying to influence the economy and create a tourism and hospitality economy," Eng says. "This will result in all kinds of direct and indirect jobs," from hotel housekeepers, restaurant managers and workers to golf pros, massage therapists, builders and electricians.Evergreen Development was retained by Harbor Shores Community Redevelopment Inc., a nonprofit charged with economically remaking the region by capitalizing on the waters and outdoors and the people who seek them out to live, work and play. Once the nonprofit begins to turn a profit, funds will go back into the community, maintaining roads, supporting schools, improving public spaces and more.For more information, check out the Golf Club at Harbor Shores website.Writer: Kim North ShineSource: Ron Eng, Director of Marketing, Evergreen Development

Think of them as highways for bikes

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In The News

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April 15, 2010

Plans are under way to put more miles of bikeways along Lake Michigan's shoreline, reports the Allegan County News.Already, the paths are in place to take bikers from South Haven to Saugatuck. With the bike routes proposed, bikers, hikers, runners and rollerbladers will be able to trek from Saugatuck city limits more than 37 miles northward on paved trails -- and plans are under way for a southern option.Excerpt:A Saugatuck-South Haven Bike Trail Committee is studying right-of-ways, routes and funding for a 23-mile trail from where the current path ends to downtown South Haven, Southwest Michigan Planning Commission program assistant Suzann Flowers said."This, in turn, is part of an AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) long-range plan for a nationwide set of corridors to be developed as U.S. bike routes," Flowers added."One of these is U.S. Bicycle Route 35, a 50-mile band which would follow the shore of Lake Michigan from New Buffalo to the Mackinac Bridge, then north to Sault Ste. Marie," she said.The story goes on to say the Van Buren County portion of the path, consisting of one mile in the City of South Haven and 2.36 miles in South Haven Township, would involve a 4-foot-wide bike lane extension of the existing Blue Star Highway, costing $15,000 to $20,000 per mile to construct.Blue Star's extra-wide Allegan County right-of-ways make possible a 10-foot path separate from the roadway, costing $150,000 to $300,000 per mile depending on the need to acquire land, price of asphalt, tree removal, engineering and more factors.Funding sources still are being worked out, but federal transportaion dollars through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program and Michigan Department of Transportation are among those being pursued.For more on the proposals, read the rest of the story.Source: Allegan County News

Kalamazoo County takes step that could lead to arena funding

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April 8, 2010

A resolution to declare Kalamazoo County a recovery zone so it can take advantage of $46 million in low cost bonds — which could be used to help build an $81 million downtown event center — has been approved by the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, reports the Kalamazoo Gazette. The low cost bonds are available through the federal stimulus program and $27.65 million can go to private borrowers in the form of tax-exempt financing. The county can use another $18.43 million to build public infrastructure, like roads or water and sewage systems. In the story, County Board Vice Chairwoman Deb Buchholtz says few local projects would qualify for the bonds. Excerpt: "Whatever project is funded with those bonds has to have the financial backing to pay off the bonds," said Buchholtz, R-Cooper Township. County officials are looking to use the facility bonds toward the $81 million arena proposal in downtown Kalamazoo, if the project moves forward. The county board is considering whether to ask voters in August to approve a new tax on food and drinks in bars and restaurants, as well as an increase in the hotel tax, to pay off the construction debt. Buchholtz said the $27.65 million was a "sizable amount," but that Kalamazoo County was still working to access the unused bonding allocation that had been granted to other counties in the state. For more on other funding the county is seeking, read the rest of the story. Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

Benton Harbor, MSHDA team up on Downtowns of Promise

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Development News

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April 8, 2010

Benton Harbor is one of seven communities taking part in the Downtowns of Promise program. The program will create a strategy for revitalizing the city's traditional downtown. Goals will be set and progress monitored as part of the program. "The goal of the Downtowns of Promise program is to ensure these Michigan communities have attractive downtown or traditional commercial neighborhood districts to live, raise a family and to start and grow a business," Keith Molin, executive director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), says."In order for the state's overall economy to succeed, its traditional downtowns and neighborhoods must gain population, generate business and attract private investment."The Downtowns of Promise program was created by the state as a way to assist with downtown housing development, build strong neighborhoods and help shape cities into places where people want to spend their working hours and free time. MSHDA's programs focus primarily on four areas: providing affordable rental housing, supporting home ownership, ending homelessness and creating vibrant cities and neighborhoods overall.The six other Downtowns of Promise are: Detroit, Flint, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Muskegon Heights and Saginaw.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Keith Molin, executive director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority

Kalamazoo in 10 years … What do you want to see?

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In The News

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April 8, 2010

During the next two months the public will be invited to share opinions about the city officials' plan for developing Kalamazoo over the next 10 years, reports the Kalamazoo Gazette. The story goes on to say there are a number of ways the public can let the City of Kalamazoo know what it thinks of the plan. Comments can be phoned to (269) 337-8044. E-mail can be sent to cpd@kalamazoocity.org. Comments can be posted on the Plan Kalamazoo Facebook and Twitter sites.Excerpt:City Planner Keith Hernandez said the draft is being delivered to surrounding governmental units to assure Kalamazoo's plan complements future uses forecast for adjacent areas in Portage and neighboring townships.In addition, Hernandez said copies will be available for public review at Kalamazoo Public Library locations, Kalamazoo City Hall and the city's Department of Community Planning and Development office.The draft document also is expected to be posted on the city's Web site.Known as "Plan Kalamazoo," consultants sponsored a series of public meetings over the past year asking residents and business owners for their thoughts on how land can be best used to support Kalamazoo's neighborhoods, its commercial and industrial areas, green spaces and transportation needs. To find out more about the process for adopting the plan, read the entire story.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

Questions about leasing land for wind energy? Get answers here

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

Property owners looking to learn more about leasing their land to wind energy development companies can attend informational sessions being offered April 5 in South Haven and Benton Harbor and April 6 in Dowagiac.Dennis Stein, a farm management educator from the Michigan State University Extension, will address landowner inquiries, which have been on the rise recently as talk of wind energy development picks up. He will discuss basic contract details, confidentiality issues, contract duration and compensation clauses. He also will talk about assignment clauses, property taxes, liability issues and other restrictions on land use.Property owners will learn about contract termination as well. It's all part of guidelines designed to help landowners consider important issues when negotiating a contract, Stein says.The topics may help property owners as they consider whether to enter into a contract with a wind energy provider.The sessions are offered in:-- South Haven, 2-4 p.m. April 5, at Lake Michigan College, 125 Veterans Blvd, (269) 657-8213.-- Benton Harbor, 6-8 p.m. April 5, at the Berrien County MSU Extension Office, 1737 Hillandale Road, Benton Harbor, (269) 944-4126.-- Dowagiac, April 6, 11: 30 a.m., at Wayne Township Hall, 53950 Glenwood Road, (269) 445-4438.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Dennis Stein

Community comes together for cleanup at River’s Edge in Kalamazoo

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

"Close to everything, far from ordinary," is the way the City of Kalamazoo sees the River's Edge project. River's Edge is bordered by Paterson Street, Riverview Avenue, East Michigan Avenue and Walbridge Street. The area encompassing 24 acres, is divided into 16 parcels that vary in size from a 10th of an acre to nearly 7.5 acres. Its development could go in a number of different directions depending upon what the market dictates.It is envisioned to be the hub of a number trailways that link business to the outdoors and capitalize on the natural asset of the river. The Kalamazoo River, now partially obscured by overgrown trees and bushes, will emerge from hiding soon, opening up a whole new part of town for the bikers, walkers, shoppers to enjoy.A number of groups will get to work in May to clean up the site and provide better access to the river. Sunshine Rotary, the Northside Business Association and the Adventure Club are among those who will be part of the cleanup. Within the next six weeks plans also should be finalized for improved traffic flow and appearance of the intersection of Gull Road and Harrison Street. Tthe public will be asked for input on the proposed intersection changes.The city of Kalamazoo began to work on a riverfront redevelopment in 1999. As brownfield redevelopment projects such as the MacKenzies Bakery, 527 Harrison, have succeeded, funding for the riverfront development has increased.The city was able to obtain a $2.8-million Clean Michigan Initiative Waterfront Redevelopment Grant in 2000. It allowed the city to get busy buying property, demolishing buildings and doing other clean-up work necessary to make the land attractive to buyers. In addition, River's Edge has attracted $20 million in public and private money, and the city has invested $7 million in matching funds. Some of the dollars have gone to adding infrastructure like the Jack Coombs Trailway there.The next project to go into the neighborhood will be the 6,000-square-foot People's Food Co-op at 507 Harrison Street. Co-op general manager Chris Dilley has told members one of the positive aspects of the site the co-op is moving to is that it is along the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail, connecting Kal-Haven and Parchment and Battle Creek and Portage. "We are excited about this connection and look forward to helping to better connect this area of downtown to the core" of the city, he says.In recent years, the area has attracted the Smartshop Metal Arts Center, One Way Products, a manufacter of industrial process and cleaning chemicals and West Tech Design Inc., a design and engineering firm.Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Martha Aills, special projects coordinator, City of Kalamazoo Community Planning and Development division