November 03, 2003
November 3, 2003
LANSING – While addressing nearly 600 participants at a conference on regionalism in Grand Rapids today, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm outlined an action plan she is putting in place to address certain land use issues in Michigan.
The Governor’s action plan for land use addresses numerous recommendations of the Michigan Land Use Leadership Council report that was issued in August.
“Our interest in bolstering the state’s economy through new business growth must be balanced with our need to preserve the best of Michigan – our farmland, our beaches, our waterways, and our forests,” Granholm said. “Despite our state’s budget problems, it is important that we move the state forward on the land use issues we can agree on.”
The Governor outlined seven initiatives that she will pursue through executive orders and directives. They include:
• instructing state departments to first consider locating any new office buildings or facilities in urban areas;
• directing the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to look for “context-sensitive” solutions to all aspects of transportation design and implementation to ensure that roads, bridges, and other transportation entities fit well within their surroundings;
• recognizing and expanding “live where you work” programs;
• directing the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to begin an internal review process to evaluate programs it conducts for potential impacts on sprawl and directing MDOT to continue its “preserve first” transportation strategy;
• streamlining and simplifying the process for both state and local governments by transferring the authority for handling tax-reverted properties from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to the Department of Treasury;
• directing the DEQ to design a web-based one-stop information shop for grant and loan programs targeted at preservation efforts; and
• engaging community leaders, such as those in the audience today, to help the administration further refine and develop land use initiatives.
The Governor also said she will work with the Legislature to identify areas of common ground in the Michigan Land Use Leadership report to make statutory changes to Michigan laws to reflect smarter land use policies.
The legislative priorities that Granholm said she will pursue include legislation to allow communities to form joint planning committees, creating fast track authorities to speed up the process of moving tax-reverted properties into the hands of developers, expanding communities’ ability to deal with blighted properties, reforming the Land Division Act, and giving communities the tools to provide for compact development and increased density.
“We all share a great love of our state,” Granholm said. “We must collaborate on the state and local levels to make sure that the things about Michigan we all love are protected and preserved.”
