City of Laingsburg Receives Certification as Redevelopment Ready Community

March 29, 2019

LANSING, Mich. – For their efforts in establishing a solid foundation to attract private investment and further build on municipality assets, the city of Laingsburg 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 Monday, April 1 at the regularly scheduled 7:00 pm city council meeting. The meeting will take place at City Hall, located at 114 S Woodhull Rd. in Laingsburg.

Laingsburg joins 31 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

“Our mission at MEDC is to empower communities so they can proactively shape their future; a future built on a solid foundation of retaining and attracting business investment and talent,” said MEDC Senior Vice President Katharine Czarnecki. “Laingsburg’s commitment to continuous improvement and community-focused development will pay dividends for many years to come. We are especially excited to welcome Laingsburg as our first certified community in the East-Central Michigan region. With several new projects underway, they are a prime example of what is possible when a community invests in itself to prepare for the future.”

As an RRC participant, the city of Laingsburg received a comprehensive assessment that measured current community and economic development practices compared to RRC best practice standards. The program evaluates and certifies communities which integrate transparency, predictability and efficiency into 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 RRC program has helped us as a city as well as our community,” said Mayor Michael Culpepper. “The opportunities for growth and prosperity with our education and knowledge from the program are priceless.”

To reach certification, the city of Laingsburg undertook several notable projects: an update to its downtown investment plan, creation of an economic development strategy, several changes to its zoning ordinance, steps to streamline its development review process, and a new approach to training for elected officials and staff. “It was not an easy process, however, the RRC Team was always available to assist and encourage us to keep moving forward,” said City Clerk/Treasurer Paula Willoughby. “I could not be prouder of our community leaders throughout this process. They stepped up to the challenge and the rewards are rolling in. We currently have two developments in the works that I am not sure would have been possible without the RRC Process paving the way.”