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VILLAGE OF BEAR LAKE, MICHIGAN Downtown Development On January 8, 2003, the Village of Bear Lake sponsored a "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunites and Threats" strategic planning workshop. Facilitated by Joe Borgstrom of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Village invited those interested in redeveloping Downtown Bear Lake to participate in the first step of the Strategic Plan. This gathering of Downtown Bear Lake business owners, Village of Bear Lake Trustees, representatives of Manistee County and Manistee Chamber officials as well as interested private citizens met for 2 hours to identify what are the strongest assetts for redevelopment and what are the biggest issues which could hamper progress.

The MEDC Building Downtowns 2003 program is designed to help redevelopment of downtowns via a Block Grant that stems from HUD ( US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development funding). The primary funding priority is to repair and replace infrastructure.

Though not a guarentee of funding - the grants are highly competititve - this process whereby a community creates an inventory of assetts adds points to any proposal, as does the existence of a Downtown Development Authority. (The Village discussed this issue in more detail later that evening at its regular Council Meeting.)

Attendees were asked to make a list under each category and then award points relating to which issue they considered most important.

Strengths
#1: Lake - 51
#2: Year round recreational opportunties - 33
#3: School system - 17
Natural beauty - 16
US31 North/South access - 13
People/ quality of community spirit - 8
Municipal water supply - 6
Full service life care needs (i.e doctor, dentist, daycare, school, assisted living) - 5
Multiple types of lodging - 5
Lakeside parks, Public accesses and RV park - 3
Broadband internet access - 3
Library -2
Responsive local government -1
Some core viable businesses
Golf culture
Restaurants
Fire dept.
EMS
Grocery store
Natural gas
Close to Lake Michigan access
Proximity to other amenities
Proximity to other Downtowns
Proximity to regional airport
Garbage disposal. - municipal services
Opportunity to redevelop lake frontage

Weaknesses
#1: Downtown appearance - 55
#2: Vacant property - 17
#3: No sewer - 14
No zoning - 11
Lack of parking - 11
Status quo mentality - 8
No jobs - 8
Low amount of disposable income - 5
No local police - 1
Diminshing local government income 1
No places for young people - 1
Lack of development in Downtown
Lack of basic retail services
Poor fishing
Lack of tourism
Disparity of income
Speed of traffic
Storm run off into lake
Narrow sidewalks downtown

Opportunities
#1: Sewer system - 32
#2: Community willingness to improve - 29
#3: Redevelop focus on lake - 18
Having a “Main Street” - 16
Market natural beauty - 10
Community center - 8
Finding ways to retain our people - 8
Architectural theme - identity - 4
Jobs for youth - 4
Get teenagers involved - 1
Job training - vocational - 1
Cyber cafe
Community web site - on line marketing
Bridge generation gap
Low interest loans
MEDC money - $20k per job

Threats
#1: Complacency/ lack of vision - 35
#2: Competing tourism/ attractions - 18
#3a: Competing retail - tied with burnout - 14
#3b: Burnout - 14
Aging poulation base - 12
Lack of local support for local business - 10
Pollution - 10
Ego - 9
Rising cost of living - 7
Continued / increased / deterioration - 6
Territorialiasm - 4
Lack of factual information dissemination
Loss of Revenue Sharing

Where do we go from here?

Pursue - a) affordable sewer/ storm water system
b) grants
c) Brownfield Redevelopment/ remediation funds
d) a Downtown Development Authority.
e) continue to market Hopkins Park as a source of revenue for the Village and as a draw for Downtown.
f) work to overcome the fear of progress and plan for a sustainable community
g) project a realistic timeframe for realizing a sewer system.
h) look for sources of private funding/ low interest loans to redevelop or beautify Downtown buildings.
i) maintain the view of the Lake
j) create public parking/ roadside parking, encouraging people to stop rather than drive through.

The MEDC urban development grant currently funds public infrastructure - i.e. lighting, streetscape, sidewalks, appearance.

It requires a 2:1 match of private/ grant funds with a 10% cash match from the local unit of government, and must create new low to middle income full time jobs or their part time equivalent.

For example for each new full time job created the Village of Bear Lake could apply for $20,000 to go toward infrastructure costs related to the servicing of private redevelopment, with the private business committing $40,000 in redevelopment funds.

There is a minimum preferred application of $100,000 - i.e 5 full time or 10 part time jobs to be created over a 2-3 year period.

Having a DDA already in place would add weight to the application.

Having conducted a S.W.O.T. meeting such as this was adds weight.

Time Line:

A Notice of Intent was due January 31, 2003
In March the MEDC issues an invitation to submit full application to those communities who make the first cut. There then follows a review of the impact the grant would make on the community and an assessment of the communities prospects of success.

No work can start until June 1 when the funds are released as costs are incurrred.

As none was received by the submission deadline, it was deemed there were insufficient resources to submit a competitive grant at this time.

The Village will continue to explore funding opportunities such as the New Market Tax Credit, described by the National Trust National Main Street Project as "The largest federal program to hit older commercial districts since urban renewal is about to be launched. It's called the New Markets Tax Credit program, and it offers investors (like local banks) a 39 percent tax credit over seven years for loans and equity investments in businesses that serve low- and moderate-income residents.

This special download of our Main Street News article on the Credit will help you find out how the program works, if your community is eligible, and how you might participate."

The planning process will continue in the event this program is still available to us in FY 2003/4.