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Michigan 2006
February 16, 2005
I hear rumblings around Ann Arbor and from a couple friends in Grand Rapids that Granholm is amazing. That’ll she’ll win big in 2006 b/c she can speak so well and knows what she’s doing.
Speaking from a political and campaign standpoint, I clearly think she’s facing an uphill battle. Michigan is tied with Alaska for the highest unemployment in the country. That in itself will be THE deciding factor in the next election. Her Cool Cities initiative has disappeared from the news lately (thankfully). Her focus on “Fix It First” has alienated many West Michigan voters (not me, by the way, nor many farmers). While her current approval ratings are above 50%, I don’t think that will last long come campaign time. When people start hearing the “jobs lost” mantra, she’ll take a nose-dive.
I know it’s somewhat early to be thinking about it, but it’s upon us. Republicans are making themselves known as candidates: State Senator Valde Garcia, also a US Army vet and State Rep. Jack Hoogendyk have declared. Dick DeVos has been mentioned as another male contendor, and Terry Lynn Land, current Secretary of State, and Candice Miller, former Secretary of State have both been mentioned as possible candidates.
Personally, I love her “Fix it First” program, and I hope the US 31 bypass is permanently sidetracked. But, I think the Cool Cities program is a joke (doesn’t declaring something cool automatically make it not cool?).
And I recently heard that she introduced much more bureaucracy to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, essentially reducing its effectiveness in retaining and/or attracting business (this came from the head of a local economic development group). The MEDC is now much slower because of increased staffing and paperwork. NOT what we need when trying to attract jobs. Supposedly, there are a couple make-or-break job events in the works right now. If they fail, Governor Granholm will as well.
In this day and age, winning an election is highly tied to the economy, and, if Michigan continues the way it is… well, she’s screwed.
Posted by paul at 10:28 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
Sustainable Grand Rapids
The State of the City address… Does this type of speech mean much?
A month ago Mayor George Heartwell gave his second State of the City of Grand Rapids address. Normally, I wouldn’t pay much attention to such a speech, but this speech caught my attention (as well as the attention of others). Why? Because of it’s topic:
“Sustainability is the theme of today’s State of the City address.�
Sustainability, in the mayor’s mind, involves social needs, economics and the environment. I’m going to give a brief look at some of the Mayor’s phrases and comments that really caught my attention, and, since I’m often involved in environmental issues here at school, most my observations will involve the environment, but not all. (Keep in mind these statements are taken exactly from the Mayor’s address.)
I challenged the City and the public schools to work together as never before on joint operational matters. There are many examples of how this challenge has been met, let me give you a few:
1. The City Environmental Services Department has worked with the schools on design features for new and remodeled school buildings to incorporate best practices for environmental protection. The City Equal Opportunity Department is working closely with the schools’ construction team and contractors to help ensure equal access by minority and women-owned sub-contractors. Our Department of Public Works is working with the schools to design new infrastructure solutions at school sites.
2. The City Economic Development Department has worked with the Schools and a private developer to facilitate the sale and redevelopment of West Middle School as a 120 unit condominium.
3. And we have approved a plan to embark on stormwater/environmental education in the GRPS in partnership with WMEAC.We must leave them with a sustainable world; one that provides opportunities for: economic prosperity, quality of life, enjoyment of the beauty and bounty of the natural world, and a government that works.
We do not warrant praise as a community if some prosper while others are left behind.
We will look at all our operating areas and apply the triple bottom-line test against them: are they economically sustainable, do they cause no harm to the environment, and are they fair and equitable in their treatment of all citizens. We will benchmark ourselves against other cities and school districts in the nation that are doing similar work. We will train our staffs in the principles and practices of sustainability. We will hold our policies up to the spotlight of sustainability and we will test our initiatives against the measuring stick of sustainability by addressing performance indicators.
The Mayor quotes Wendell Berry: “In a viable neighborhood, neighbors ask themselves what they can do or provide for one another, and they find answers that they and their place can afford. This, and nothing else, is the practice of neighborhood…�
The City of Grand Rapids is the single largest electric power user in the Consumers Energy system. We consume 125 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually at a cost of almost $7.0 million. Now listen to this: our power usage alone – based on Consumers Energy Environmental Characteristics Report – results in over 291,000,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, over 1 million pounds of sulfur dioxide and over 400,000 pounds of nitrogen oxide being released as pollutants into the air. The air we breathe. Surely we must begin conscientiously reducing this pollution.
This morning I announce an initiative aimed at reducing the City’s dependency on non-renewable resource power by 20% by 2008. We will begin the process of weaning ourselves from dependency on air-polluting power sources that use irreplaceable fuels. We will become more sustainable in our use of power.
I want us to leverage our involvement to secure other municipal partners and thus have a larger impact on the West Michigan environment.
Because we have architects and builders who are environmentally responsible, the metropolitan Grand Rapids area is home to 11% of all LEED certified buildings in the nation. We are not only recognized as design leaders but our innovative architects and builders have found ways to make LEED buildings economically viable.
As part of our environmental sustainability initiative I will ask the City Commission to adopt an ordinance requiring that all future municipal buildings be built to LEED certifiable standards. Further, I will ask the Commission to explore the development of a LEED building code ordinance for non-municipal buildings that would incentivize the construction of environmentally friendly buildings.
Posted by paul at 07:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Disagreeing with the Professor
Well now. Another morning of UP 610. Another waste of my time. I thought about sleeping in today, but I decided I should go.
I will say I was impressed by Murph’s little presentation. Dude, go get a planning PhD!
Have any of my reader’s ever thought of a getting advanced degrees? Even you Master’s candidates out there. When I started here, I had a JD in the back of my mind… then I switched to thinking about a dual-degree in SNRE, and then Engineering or Construction Management… but, alas, I have chosen one degree for now.
I’ve thought about a PhD, but I feel it’s much too early in my life. I don’t know what I’d focus upon, and I need that focus before I decide to spend numerous years researching and teaching. But I love it. If I stick with planning in the future - let’s be honest, I’ve got so many things I’d like to do one never knows what’ll happen - I’d at least like to be an adjunct professor at Calvin. I’d love to teach the Intro to Urban and Regional Planning class, or another class in the new urban studies minor. Hmmm… so much life left to live I suppose.
Posted by paul at 09:21 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
River Avenue Fun
February 13, 2005
A short blip in the Holland Sentinel today caughy my attention. The brief statement declares that Holland Township and the Ottawa County Road Commission are going to go forward with trying to widen River north of the bridge.
Contrast that with the news that the City of Holland and MDOT are going to tighten River (from four to three lanes) from 9th to 27th. If you ever wanted to see transportation planning and engineering mindsets clash, no look no further than our beuatiful City and Township.
Of course I agree with the City’s plan, and I am extremely hesitant to support the Township’s plan.
Posted by paul at 10:46 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Follow the Money
February 11, 2005
Yesterday my economic development planning class hosted Mr. Keith Schneider of the Michigan Land Use Institute (a Think-Tank up north). He was there to tell us about a new report from MLUI called Follow the Money. The report basically says that Michigan is continually funding sprawl, which is bad, etc. He was an interesting speaker, and spoke well to us planners, but, had a Republican representative from Oakland or Ottawa counties been in the room, they would have had a fit.
I’ve been trained to put on my critical thinking cap when I listen to extremely value-laden speaches, and this was no exception. Even though I agreed with most of his talk, I was put off by many of the statements made. I’m sure he talks differently to more “hostile” groups, but I don’t think he should be so quick to assume that everyone in a planning classroom is completely on his side. (Although it was a class session, we did have notable guests - Joe Grengs, Robert Fishman, Doug Kelbaugh, Bob Marans, and they were all eating it up.)
What he did convince me was that I love Michigan. I love West Michigan. And that’s why I came to U of M to study planning. I want to make a difference in Holland. I want it to be vital, to be cool, to be everything it can be.
But I need people to help me. Mr. Schneider made the correct assertion that it’s almost always grassroots Republicans who push the best Smart Growth measures (it’s all about the economy), but the elected officials (in our case, Republicans), do not follow that cause. We need to change that. We also need to promote a paradigm shift. People need to realize they don’t need massive homes and yards, that they can be just as happy in downtown Holland as they are in Port Sheldon or Laketown Townships.
Vote Ryckbost in 2006! What seat? Ummm… don’t know yet :)
Posted by paul at 08:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
West Michigan Growth Statistics
February 10, 2005
My dad forwarded an interesting report to me today. It’s called “West Michigan Growth Statistics,” and was prepared by The Right Place, Inc., an economic development group. It’s an amazing report about how competitive West Michigan really is. Click HERE to get the pdf (it’s on my U of M webspace b/c I couldn’t find it on their website).
A few highlights from the report that I’m quite happy with, even amazed by:
“We’re No. 2 in giving! Residents in the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland area are the second most generous in the nation, according to a new study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy ranking charitable giving in major metropolitan areas. West Michigan residents gave nearly 10 percent of household income to religious and nonprofit causes.
“Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland MSA ranks No. 3 in the World Knowledge Competitiveness Index. Published by Robert Huggins Associates, the 2004 Index of 129 world regions is a benchmark of the knowledge capacity, capability, and sustainability of a region.”
As a part of that specific report, here are a few more categories of interest:
”# 3 World Knowledge Competitive Index
# 3 Regional Ratio of Knowledge Intensity
# 1 Research and Development Expenditure by Business Per Capita
# 1 Private Equity Investment Per Capita”
Interesting, eh?
Posted by paul at 09:18 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Website Curiousity
February 08, 2005
As much as I like having increased traffic on my website, I’m convinced that most of it is comment spam related. I need a good way to increase my normal traffic. I really want Hollanders to read this and comment. I want this site to become a forum for locals to talk about planning issues (moderated by me, of course).
A few interesting notes though:
So far this month, all of the searches that have resulted in people hitting my page have dealt with the Baker Lofts developement by Scott Bosgraaf. I would think that shows the new lofts have a good potential for being a prime location to live.
In other months, the top search string leading to my site has been “Ethan Van Drunen” or other variations of his name. Ethan, you are so celebrity, you don’t even know it. (And my only reference to him is actually on my link page - until this post.)
Other interesting searches hitting my site refer to my posts about Al Meshkin, Fillmore Township and other of my friends (Adam Mims and Aaron Schaap have also shown up on my lists). Website trackers are fun, and it’s interesting to see how people stumble upon my site. Now, if only those random people would comment. :)
Posted by paul at 09:19 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Local Township Report
February 05, 2005
Not much to report out of Holland lately. The Baker Lofts development is close to passing its final few hurdles in government. I hope he starts marketing them soon, so I can take a look at them.
Ethan, you make a good point about Laketown developing much differently than Holland or Park Townships. However, one thing you don’t really see is the actual reason for Laketown (and Fillmore) Township’s lack of greenfield development - a lack of water and sewer mains. The City of Holland refuses to grant more water from their system to either township, unless the city gets to annex some land. This, in effect, is a forced urban growth boundary on the south side of Holland. This is great for those of us on the south side, but, it also won’t stop growth if Laketown or Fillmore ever get their own water system (and Fillmore is designing one right now).
So, in reality, if we don’t do something now to change the goals of the Township Boards and Supervisors, we’re going to see Fillmore Township and some of Laketown Township start to look much more like Park Township.
Holland Township is an issue unto itself. I don’t know what to say about it anymore… what can be done now?
A few other townships to take note of: Zeeland Township is growing at a very fast rate, so it’s one of the new townships to watch. Port Sheldon Township has seen more growth lately as well, but mostly massive, large lot homes east of the power plant. Finally, Olive Township has seen alot of growth coming from Zeeland and Holland Township. But, they seem to be the most level-headed when it comes to expecting future development and focusing the growth, i.e., Smart Growth. They intend to develop Borculo as a more traditional downtown, focusing almost all new growth in the Township into that area. It’s an exciting idea, and hopefully it comes true.
You are right though Ethan. We need to find candidates to back in the various townships that support smart growth strategies. This isn’t easy. The township system in Michigan is rife with old-timers and people set in their ways. Furthermore, since Michigan allows easy voter recall, many township boards are extremely worried about upsetting citizens and being voted out of office, so they make their decisions based on keeping their own hides intact. Also, Michigan township voters have the right to call for a public vote on certain planning issues, so boards often just do things so that the public won’t fight.
The biggest issue we need to fight is the mentality of most citizens in the Holland area. Many, many people wouldn’t understand why they shouldn’t be driving their big SUVs around town. It’s their right! It will be touch to convince people that focusing growth and doing Smart Growth is not a negative thing. Planning is not a way of stopping economic development. We need to educate our fellow citizens. That must be first and foremost if we are to change the way the Holland area develops in the future.
Posted by paul at 10:52 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Smart Growth in Holland
February 01, 2005
This will be a working post - as I look for more information I’ll post it here.
Ethan, I do not know if there is a specific group in Holland promoting Smart Growth. I do know that the West Michigan Strategic Alliance is very in tune with smart growth ideals, but they are working across the region, not just in Holland. WMSA is a non profit group of local leaders who got together to tell people that sprawl is a bad thing. It’s really quite impressive.
Holland City is actually quite progressive, it’s the townships that we need to reform. The City of Holland’s planners are members of the Congress for New Urbanism (see my previous post), along with a couple local professionals.
That said, I’m willing to get some things done… anyone else with us?
(I’m going to do some more digging and see what information I can find about local efforts.)
Posted by paul at 09:01 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack