City of Novi receives certification as Redevelopment Ready Community
Monday, January 6, 2020
Designation facilitates private investment, improves economic development opportunities
LANSING, Mich. – For their efforts in establishing a solid foundation to attract private investment and further build on municipality assets, the city of Novi has been awarded the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced today.
The MEDC will formally present the award on Tuesday, January 7 at a regular meeting of City Council.
As the 35th Certified Redevelopment Ready Community, Novi joins 34 other Michigan communities that have qualified as “thoroughly prepared” when it comes to planning and zoning to remove traditional barriers and promote opportunities for prospective investors.
Other certified RRC communities include:
- Allegan
- Alpena
- Battle Creek
- Bessemer
- Boyne City
- Dearborn
- Eastpointe
- Escanaba
- Ferndale
- Grand Haven
- Grand Rapids
- Grayling
- Howell
- Hudsonville
- Jackson
- Kalamazoo
- Lansing
- Lathrup Village
- Manistee
- Marshall
- Meridian Charter Township
- Middleville
- Mount Pleasant
- Muskegon
- Oak Park
- Petoskey
- Pinckney
- Roseville
- Southfield
- Traverse City
- Ypsilanti
- Laingsburg
- Saginaw
- Hillsdale
“Our mission at the MEDC is to continue to support Michigan’s strong economic momentum and empower communities to proactively shape their future,” said MEDC Director of Technical Assistance Programs Michelle Parkkonen. “Novi has long been committed to ongoing advancement and is well-positioned to continue to attract development. We look forward to further strengthening our relationship with the city and its economic development partners.”
As an RRC participant, the city of Novi received a comprehensive assessment that measured current community and economic development practices compared to RRC Best Practice standards. The program evaluates and certifies communities that integrate transparency, predictability and efficiency into their economic development practices. Certification status is a compelling indicator that a community has removed development barriers and streamlined processes to be more competitive and attractive to investors.
“The City of Novi is a dynamic community on many fronts, from being a magnet to businesses from around the globe to being a sought after, welcoming, diverse neighborhood that more than 60,000 residents call home,” said Mayor Bob Gatt. “I’m proud of the work accomplished by our RRC team and see this certification as an asset we will use to continue our momentum and the interest in our community as a great place for investment and an exciting place for families to continue to grow.”
To reach certification, the city of Novi undertook several notable projects, including updating the zoning ordinance in 2015, adopting a new Master Plan in 2016, and creating a Corridor Improvement Authority and Tax Increment Financing Plan in 2018. Novi has also updated their Site Plan and Development Manual and website to include flowcharts with estimated timelines for Site Plan and Special Land Use approvals. Additionally, the city’s Boards and Commissions Application was updated to include desired skillsets for potential applicants. Novi has increased the transparency surrounding in-progress development projects, allowing residents to see status updates on the city website or app. The city’s efforts have produced high quality documents and processes that will continue to generate value.
About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.
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