Similar Traits Are Shared by Growing Towns
Gathering Places' Are Especially Important
By Amy Polk

Dave Ivan, a community and economic development specialist with Michigan State University Extension, concluded a study of successful small town activities with the research paper and program, "Can Small Towns Be Cool." He has presented the program around the country, and he highlights some of the traits shared by towns that are vibrant, growing, and positioned to attract future businesses and residents.

Information about 225 towns in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Maryland, Kansas, and Vermont was collected through site visits and interviews, and Mr. Ivan is still collecting information from progressive towns.

He described traits of those towns to an audience of 110 people Tuesday, January 9, in St. Ignace, where he recommended community leaders try some progressive activities, think "out of the box," and adapt some of the following ideas to suit their communities.

Preserve Historic Character;

Develop Authentic Culture

One of the ways communities can create a unique identity is to preserve those buildings that give character to the town. Some communities have done so by registering buildings with the National Register of Historic Places. Historic designation often qualifies towns with historic districts or individual buildings for tax credits. State and federal money is available for historic renovation projects. Mr. Ivan described several communities that have restored agricultural features like mills and a grain elevator to preserve heritage.

Michigan college students also ranked "historic architectural character" high among the elements they are seeking when considering where they want to live.

Mr. Ivan said young and creative people are also seeking artistic and creative communities. Places with major performing arts centers, lively fine arts festivals, good music, and programs that celebrate or highlight local culture are attractive. Dowagiac holds an annual fine arts festival and brings world renowned artists and musicians into town.

Cultural economic development is a newer trend that Mr. Ivan said has real potential to create jobs and attract residents. Some of the communities polled recognize what they have to offer as a cultural experience, and have organized the local artists to successfully market their towns.

Engage Citizens in Planning,

Community Improvement

Power within the community is deliberately shared in successful places, Mr. Ivan said, and community government actively reaches out to citizens. Residents help set the community's agenda and steer its vision. Tools like community-wide calendars, government newsletters, and open communication help keep people informed and involved. Newaygo has community listening sessions. Coopersville has "Coopersville Salutes," a program that celebrates local people by posting the business person of the year, art teacher of the year, and other notable residents on a sign at the entrance to the town. Mr. Ivan said residents say the program has raised esteem and instilled a sense of community pride in the town. Bangor has video testimonials from citizens expressing their land use concerns. The videos are used to remind planning commissioners of what is important to the residents there.

Create a Gathering Place

Mr. Ivan described the concept of a "third place," where members of a community or neighborhood meet to develop friendships, discuss issues, and interact outside of home (first place) and work (second place). When surveyed, young adults especially say these places are important to them. Coldwater has a coffee house, where a group of women meet every Wednesday.

Douglas holds a community social every year, with a live band and food, where nonprofit organizations can showcase their projects and spread information. Fergus Falls, Minnesota, holds community discussions after plays.

When polled about local gathering places, residents said people use the Post Office on Mackinac Island, and Fort de Buade and St. Ignace restaurants to spread information. DeTour Village has a local restaurant host coffee hours for men and women, and anywhere from four to 30 people will attend. Clark Township has recently revived monthly luncheons where residents and organization leaders can meet to discuss local projects and exchange ideas.

Take a Realistic Approach

to Land Use Opportunities

Local government and planners should get ahead of future development before it happens by anticipating community needs. Saugatuck, Douglas, and Saugatuck Township all collaborated on a tri-community master plan to address development around one body of water, Mr. Ivan said. Middleville evaluated its areas of high growth and expanding school districts, and started plotting where infrastructure and services should be expanded to. The planning director in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, gives an annual report to the school district about local planning issues and their impact on the schools. Hastings accepted the fact that it will have to bring researchers from outside into the community to help plan for growth. Mackinaw City planners and residents found a way to bring the Mackinaw Crossings project to fruition because they thought it was important to the city and its economy. Suttons Bay adopted a zoning ordinance with pictures to make planning efforts easier for residents and government.

Mr. Ivan also highlighted some communities that have changed their zoning laws to allow some creative land use opportunities. Elk Rapids amended zoning to allow business owners to live upstairs from their downtown businesses. Nine owners now live above their stores on one block. Easton, Maryland, changed its zoning to allow outdoor dining, and five new restaurants opened in one year as a result. South Haven ditched larger lot sizes adopted in the 1970s and reverted back to the smaller lots of the 1950s, but added architectural guidelines.

Develop and Enhance Natural

Amenities and Outdoor Assets

Mr. Ivan said young adults surveyed for the Michigan Cool Cities project are increasingly attracted to places with outstanding natural features, well developed trail systems, parks, beaches, and community interest in preserving environmental features. Mr. Ivan pointed to Rogers City's trail that connects seven city parks and Allegan's boardwalk connecting the waterfront to downtown and the parks as examples of progressive development. The City of Marquette is working to become a "walkable winter city," where people can live, eat, shop, and be entertained all in downtown Marquette. To that end, much of the housing development has taken place around the downtown, and the city has developed an enclosed commons area on its former railroad corridor. The commons can be used all year, however, it was especially designed with winter in mind. An outdoor ice rink is being added.

Young adults like communities that are close to public outdoor recreation places such as beaches, trails, and forests, Mr. Ivan said, and such communities have an advantage when looking to attract residents who want those features. Cool Cities project coordinators recommend that towns with natural assets, parks, trails, and even sidewalks promote those features as reasons to live there. People are looking for "walkable" communities, where they can walk to many businesses and destinations.

Secure Investment

by Entrepreneurs, Former

Residents, or Do It Yourself

Significant investment by donors and business owners can stimulate change in communities, Mr. Ivan said, and their investment often inspires charitable donations from other private and public investors. Private investments in stores, like at Mackinaw Crossings in Mackinaw City, he said, have transformed some small towns into shopping destinations.

He noted that a $10 million investment in downtown Marquette by a Northern Michigan University graduate helped spark some of the most recent downtown revitalization projects there. The city government has, however, spent millions to buy 55 acres of railroad property, including a yard along the waterfront, where a park, trail, and community amenities are being developed.

"If places don't have entrepreneurial investments, than they must do it themselves," Mr. Ivan said. "In the long run, these communities realize that no one's going to save them."

Jonesville has developed a retail store incubator for new businesses. Gladstone created a telecommunications authority to bring wireless Internet to the city. Tecumseh secured a liquor license and recruited a chef to establish the fine dining restaurant residents said they wanted in a survey. Napanee, Indiana, learned that it was losing many of its senior citizens to neighboring cities with senior housing. The city bought a historic building and redeveloped it as a 54-unit senior housing center.

"They kept one of their greatest assets in town, rather than losing them to other communities," Mr. Ivan said.

The City of Leslie spent $13,000 in Downtown Development Authority money on a 30-second commercial to court families seeking to relocate in the Lansing area. The city has tracked eight new families that moved to the area because of the commercial, which also helped create a sense of community pride, Mr. Ivan said.

"That is a community that has drawn a line in the sand, and said we're going to do whatever we can do to get people in our community," he added. "Communities that are thriving are working at it, and they don't give up."