Innovative Development Bus Tour

Conference attendees will have the unique opportunity to tour innovative developments in Genesee and Shiawassee Counties. The tour will take participants to infill developments and adaptive reuse projects in Flint, as well as to new urban agriculture, industrial projects and Placemaking efforts in the region. The tour will afford participants the opportunity to review best practices and meet the developers and local officials who “made it happen.” The tour is limited to 45 participants.The following are planned stops on the tour schedule:

Flint Area
The Land Bank Center was converted from a former department store, which had been abandoned for 24 years, into the Land Bank office and loft apartments.
The former Durant Hotel has been vacant since 1972 and is now being converted into rental housing and ground floor commercial space.

The former Berridge Hotel was purchased by the Land Bank with plans to convert the resident hotel into 24 market-rate and affordable housing units with ground floor commercial space.

The Stone Street Development is a work-in-progress partnership between the Land Bank and a non-profit partner to develop new housing units and renovate homes in the Carriage Town neighborhood.

Other projects that may be viewed in the Flint area will be Chevy in the Hole and the Flint Farmers’ Market. In the Shiawassee area, projects may include an urban industrial development and a renewable energy facility.

Michigan Enabling Acts (MEA) Workshop

In February 2008, the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, PA 110 of 2006, was amended by PA 12 of 2008. The corrective amendments change some of the public notice requirements and clarify many other provisions.

In March 2008, the Michigan Legislature replaced all three acts, the Township Planning Act, the County Planning Act and the Municipal Planning Act with a single statute called the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, PA 33 of 2008.

This workshop will cover the consolidation of the three planning enabling acts and review the corrective amendments to the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act.

Advanced Academy Conference

Transform Your Zoning Code
This session will review the organization, structure and layout of typical codes and highlight changes that can be made to achieve the goals of 1) better organization, 2) improved interaction on the internet, 3) improved searchability and 4) enhanced appearance.

Preparing for the New Economy
Talent, knowledge and creativity are the new currency, replacing plants, capital and physical business assets. This session will look at how communities can prepare and compete in the new global economy.

Placemaking
This session will explain the new planning mindset. Community leaders and residents work together to create an area that is distinctive, vibrant and attractive to attract talented entrepreneurs to the region.

Site Plan Review
This hands-on session will teach the fundamentals of reviewing site plans and provide helpful hints for implementing a smooth review process.

Farmers’ Markets: Boosting Economies of Place and Protecting Farms
Farmers’ markets are good for local economies, farmers, consumers and the environment. Learn how to get one started in your community and how farmers’ markets have become community cornerstones.

Implementing Low Impact Design: Saving $$ on a
Rainy Day
The practice of stormwater management is evolving to managing stormwater at the neighborhood, and site scales through natural means. Low Impact Development is an approach representing a new technique to stormwater management that is cost-effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Capital Improvement Planning
A Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is a long-range plan, usually four to six years, which identifies capital projects and equipment purchases, provides a planning schedule, and identifies options for financing the plan. Learn the new requirements and process under the new Michigan Planning Enabling Act.

Wind Energy Development: Policy & Siting Issues
Communities that plan for wind turbines and carefully develop regulations for their installation can avoid uncertainty and the public discord that sometimes comes along with new land use proposals. This session discusses the policy implications for local communities and the tools communities can use to plan for the renewable energy generation.