Community Development

• Goal 1:
  Work with business and industry to retain existing jobs and to create new jobs within the City

  Objectives:

  • Complete a minimum of two retention visits each month.
  • Aggressively market the City of Hastings and business opportunities available.
  • Provide timely responses to all inquiries from potential businesses.
  • Work with the City Assessor to prepare tax incentives upon request and when appropriate.
  • Develop and sustain a good working relationship with State and Federal Agencies that provide incentives for, or that may affect, job growth through their programs.

Goal 2:
Work closely with the Downtown Development Authority

Objectives:

• Encourage and support a safe and navigable streetscape.
• Beautify the DDA district.
• Create a marketable image.
• Encourage sustainable and best land use development.
• Provide adequate parking.
• Analyze, develop, and implement programs for marketing and revitalizing the buildings, infrastructure and businesses in the downtown area, including completion and implementation of marketing/promotional studies, building façade improvement programs, and financial incentive programs.
• Continue to implement the comprehensive development plan for the downtown.
• Continue to develop a projected capital improvements plan to aid in prioritized project development.
• Continue to implement the marketing plan and fund associated initiatives.
• Fully support the Eastside Redevelopment Plan, continuing to assist in the adaptive reuse or redevelopment of underutilized property and sites located within or adjacent to the east end of Downtown.
• Seek additional streetscape, way finding and marketing grants to supplement local investments in projects, increasing capacity to develop larger or additional projects.

Goal 3:
Aggressively market the façade improvement grant and loan programs. Continue to research opportunities available for the downtown through initiatives at the State and Federal level

Objectives:

• Actively recruit new business opportunities and provide timely follow-up to all inquiries.
• Develop incentives that encourage the re-investment in the upper stories of commercial buildings in the Downtown.
• Develop partnerships with existing organizations that provide services and resources to small businesses and assist with the marketing and utilization of such services by our business owners.
• Continue to partner with other organizations (Arts Council and Chamber) to sponsor events designed to increase public awareness and the number of people who visit.

Goal 4:
Support the creation of small businesses and the development of industrial manufacturers

Objectives:

• Work closely with property owners to market their available land and buildings.
• Work in partnership with the surrounding townships to create opportunities for the creation of industrially zoned land adjacent or in close proximity to similar property within the City.
• Consider purchasing vacant industrial zoned land when available.
• Establish a presence on the web to market the available industrial zoned property within the City and to highlight our manufacturers’ and employers’ current success.

Goal 5:
Work on a countywide basis to encourage cooperation among local governmental jurisdictions to promote and foster economic development in Barry County, and to work closely with the Barry County Economic Development Alliance to promote general community development

Objectives:

• Serve as a Board Member for the Economic Development Alliance and participate in regularly scheduled monthly meetings with the Economic Alliance Director to coordinate activities.
• Attend retention visits as scheduled by the MEDC with the BCEDA as they occur in the City or within close proximity to the City in surrounding Townships.
• Coordinate and implement joint business retention visits within the City of Hastings between the City, BCEDA and Work First.
• Continue regional planning activities with Hastings, Rutland, and Carlton Townships and Barry County to ensure consideration of planned growth, sustainable land use, mutually beneficial and efficient infrastructure improvements and service provisions.
• Pursue joint planning and zoning regulations between the City of Hastings and Hastings, Rutland, and Carlton Townships and Barry County.
• Work jointly with Hastings, Rutland, and Carlton Townships and Barry County to consider the creation and implementation of a Corridor Improvement Authority that would serve adjacent Regional Shopping/General Districts.

Goal 6:
Support the Local Development Finance Authority and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to assist with development or redevelopment of industrial, commercial and other sites

Objectives:

• Create a short and long-term plan for the LDFA.
• Aggressively market the Industrial Park.
• Improve upon the optioning of Industrial Park Lots to ensure timely development of the property and to limit missed opportunity.
• Identify all potential brownfield sites in the City. Work with the BRA to prioritize the sites and create a detailed work plan to support the cleanup and reuse.
• Continue to seek funding at the federal level for brownfield assessment or cleanup.
• Utilize USEPA funds for assessments of brownfield sites in the Joint Planning Alliance area.
• Work to access funding available at the State level to expand public infrastructure in support of new business development.

Goal 7:
Finish the infrastructure for the Hastings Industrial Park, continue development of City-owned properties in the LDFA; acquire new properties for industrial development as funds become available

Objectives:

• Research the availability of additional property.
• Work with current businesses holding options on industrial park parcels.
• Pursue grants for infrastructure as needed.
• Redevelop and market excess City owned property.

Goal 8:
Work with the Chamber and other civic groups to promote the City of Hastings to continue to be one of the 100 best small towns in America

Objectives:

• Create farmers market committee and work toward establishing a year round market in a permanent structure.
• Partner with the Chamber of Commerce to enhance existing and implement new downtown events.
• Attend ribbon-cutting ceremonies when appropriate.
• Continue as an active member on community marketing committees.
• Explore other partnership opportunities.

Goal 9:
Promote parks and open space by developing the Riverwalk Project. Utilize local service clubs, scout groups, and other volunteers to assist in development of the Riverwalk and related improvement to the fullest extent possible

Objectives:

• Continue to pursue grant monies and collaborative partnerships that would provide for the expansion of the trail through the City and into the adjacent Townships, promoting the development of a regional trail to the Villages of Middleville and Nashville.
• Pursue other funding opportunities.
• Implement projects in the 2008/2014 parks and recreation plan.
• Design new events to include the parks.
• Promote and implement programs that will encourage the City of Hastings to develop into a Health Conscious and Active Community.
• Continue to implement infrastructure improvements supporting walkable community efforts.
• Develop and coordinate riverbank restoration and storm water management efforts on the Thornapple River with the Barry County Conservation District and State/Federal funding agencies.

Goal 10:
Evaluate the potential to adaptively reuse or market underutilized or vacant City owned buildings or properties

Objectives:

• Develop a RFP for the use/redevelopment of the old water plant building.
• Develop conceptual redevelopment plans and/or an RFP for the redevelopment of the former County property within the Court Street PUD.
• Solicit developers to consider redevelopment of vacant buildings and land owned by the City.
• Develop conceptual redevelopment plans and/or an RFP for the redevelopment of the former Moose property adjacent to Municipal Parking Lot #8 (FKA Ace Lot)

Goal 11:
Provide zoning code review and enforcement assistance to the Zoning Administrator and to staff when warranted to help in the promotion of a proactive approach to the development and enforcement of the City of Hastings Code of Ordinances as they relate to sound promotion of community and economic development

Objectives:

• Increase strategic code enforcement activities.
• Assist citizens and organizations located within the jurisdiction of the City of Hastings Code of Ordinances to inform them of the Code requirements and promote compliance.
• Provide support services to monitor compliance with code requirements and provide a mechanism for enforcement action when necessary.
• When warranted, monitor the success of the code enforcement program and report deficiencies within the program to the Zoning Administrator.

Goal 12:
Serve as staff liaison to the Planning Commission

Objectives:

• Help implement the work plan and action strategies of the 2007/2012 Comprehensive Community Plan for the City of Hastings. Assist plan review and future updates as required.
• Assist in the development and implementation of new zoning codes that will enhance the community and protect the safety and welfare of our citizens.
• Develop and distribute Commission packets on a timely basis.
• Provide input in the site plan review process.
• Develop and implement training for members.