Here to Help Series – Local Governments + Local Deals

Local Goverment and Local Deal poster depicting several human like shapes and a speaker in the middle.

by Victoria Comer

Webinar Part 2 Recap

ULI Michigan Here to Help Webinar Series

Local Governments + Local Deals – How the Development Process is Moving Forward From Crisis

Paneled by our municipal experts, Jennifer Rigterink, Michigan Municipal League; Kathleen Duffy, SmithGroup; Elizabeth Hude, City of Mason; and Katy Trudeau, City of Detroit. They provided keen insights on how municipalities are working with the ever-updating Executive Order (EO) policies, getting creative with application processes, and enriching communities by involving local artists to promote social distancing campaigns.

Gearing up for reopening! On Friday, May 22 half of our state of Michigan reopened its public facilities to 50% capacity from Traverse City through the Upper Peninsula. And while the Governor has regulated restrictions on how many people can be inside, the state cannot enforce restaurants to regulate outdoor only seating. However, to help accommodate community needs, the City of Mason has created a “Parking to Patio” initiative. The new initiative, as Elizabeth Hude described, can be completed by an easy fill-in-the-blank application on the City’s website. If approved, applicants are assigned to pre-approved locations based on local zoning ordinances. As we move forward, post-COVID, the future is looking a whole lot fresher.

From the Michigan Municipal League, Jennifer Rigterink reiterated how Municipalities will continue to host virtual meetings through June 30th due to EO 2020-75. The extended order will minimize face-to-face interactions and maintain healthy social distancing. It is currently being discussed how virtual municipality meetings will continue to be a part of our new normal and help to streamline the permitting process.

The BIG question, how do we streamline the permitting process? Katy Trudeau described how the City of Detroit is shifting from crisis and moving on with “Response to Recovery.” Part of streamlining the permit process are the legal components; Learning how to work within and restructure legalities to best accommodate our everchanging environment. Kathleen Duffy, from SmithGroup expressed the concerns in shifting from office to home office and the digital divide. Bringing to light socioeconomic differences, access to appropriate technologies, and familiarity with all online platforms. The best way forward is looking at all of the moving parts and gratefully our municipalities are working hand-in-hand to bring us the most up-to-date resources and creative initiatives.

For more details, watch the full recording of “Local Governments + Local Deals,” Click Here.

For the full slide deck, View Here.

Webinar Resources