Page 161 - Michigan City, IN US Highway 421 Corridor Plan

5.4 Plan Administration

During the development of the US Highway 421 Corridor responsibilities of the City Council are to decide and establish initiatives, as well as planned updates and amendments. — Reviewing applications for consistency with the
Redevelopment Plan, representatives from government, priorities, set timeframes by which each action will be initiated Corridor Plan, as required by the City’s zoning and land
business, neighborhoods, civic groups, and others came and completed, and determine the budget to be made available C. Redevelopment Commission development regulations (UDO);
together to inform the planning process. These community for implementation efforts. In conjunction with the City Manager, The Michigan City Redevelopment Commission has several roles — In coordination with the City Council, negotiating the
leaders, and new ones to emerge over the horizon of this plan, City Council must also ensure effective coordination among the to play in advancing the successful implementation of the US specifics of interlocal agreements;
must maintain their commitment to the ongoing implementation various groups that are responsible for carrying out the Corridor Highway 421 Corridor Redevelopmnent Plan. Responsibilities
of the Plan’s policies—and to the periodic updating of the Plan to Plan’s recommendations. include but are not limited to the following (refer also to Section — Administering collaborative programs and ensuring open
adapt to changing conditions, unanticipated opportunities, and/ 5.4.3, Partnerships): channels of communication with various private, public,
or unforeseen events. The City Council will take the lead in the following general areas: and non-profit implementation partners;
— acting as “champion” of the Corridor Plan; — Providing briefings on plan implementation progress and
5.4.1 Education — adopting and amending the plan by City Ordinance, after — facilitating public-private partnerships in acquiring and activities to the Plan Commission and City Council no less
recommendation by the Plan Commission; aggregating land for redevelopment;
Although spatial plans such as a corridor plan are relatively — adopting new or amended land development regulations to than annually; and
general in nature, remaining at a “30,000 foot” level to a large implement the Plan; — facilitating the development of special plans and studies to — Maintaining an inventory of potential plan amendments, as
extent, they are still complex policy documents that account advance the strategies and recommendations of this Plan; suggested by City staff and others, for consideration during
for interrelationships among various policy choices. As such, — approving interlocal agreements that implement the Plan; — preparing development packages (including programs, annual and periodic plan review and update processes.
educating decision-makers and administrators about plan — establishing the overall action priorities and timeframes schedules and budgets) for the greenfield development
implementation is an important first step after plan adoption. by which each action item of the Plan will be initiated and and redevelopment area plans discussed within the 5.4.3 Partnerships
As the principal groups that will ultimitely be responsible for completed; Plan and soliciting developers to participate in their Non-profit and private entity partners can and will play an
implementing the plan, the Michigan City City Council, Plan development; important role in advancing the community’s initiatives
Commission, Redevelopment Commission and City department — considering and approving the funding commitments that identified in this planning process. It will be critical to identify
heads and staff should all be “on the same page” with regard will be required; — expending funds for landscape site work improvements potential partners early so they can be invited to participate in
to priorities, responsibilities and interpretations related to — offering final approval of projects and activities and the along US Highways 421 and 20, including landscaping, developing an implementation plan for the particular project,
implementation of the US Highway 421 Corridor Redevelopment associated costs during the budget process, keeping signage and gateway elements; take ownership in the process, and help bring the project to
Plan. in mind the need for consistency with the Plan and its — liaise with county, regional, state (INDOT, OCRA, NIRPC)
policies; and and federal agencies responsible for providing funding and reality through administrative or financial support. The goal of
Consequently, an education initiative should be undertaken technical assistance for the provision of transportation and these partnerships should be to create a long-term relationship
immediately after plan adoption, which should include: — providing policy direction to the Plan Commission, the utilities infrastructure improvements; that is invested in the community and has the community’s best
Redevelopment Commission, other appointed City boards interests in mind.
— a discussion of the individual roles and responsibilities and commissions, and City staff. — developing promotional material and marketing shovel-
of the City Council, Plan Commission, Redevelopment ready sites to businesses interested in moving to Michigan The potential partnership opportunities are vast and multi-
Commission (and other advisory bodies), and individual B. Plan Commission City. faceted with the potential to provide support from a variety of
staff members; The Plan Commission makes recommendations to City Council perspectives and on a variety of issues. The following are a
— a thorough overview of the entire Corridor Plan, with based on Corridor Plan principles. Periodically, the Commission D. City Staff sampling of agencies, organizations, industries, etc. that have
emphasis on the parts of the plan that relate to each should propose a docket of initiatives for City Council City staff manages day to-day implementation of the plan. the opportunity to play a role in the implementation process.
individual group; consideration. In addition to the following responsibilities, the In particular, the Planning and Redevelopment Inspection
Plan Commission should also host the education initiative Department is responsible for supporting the Plan Commission, A. Economic Development
— implementation tasking and priority setting, which should Economic development agencies within the City, LaPorte County,
lead to each group establishing a one-year and three-year previously described in Section 5.4.1, Education. Redevelopment Commission and City Council and generally and region will have a significant role in the implementation
implementation agenda; — Periodically obtain public input to keep the plan up to date, shepherding plan implementation. Specific staff responsibilities
using a variety of community outreach and citizen and include: of the Corridor Plan. The Economic Development Corporation
— facilitation of a mock meeting in which the use of the plan Michigan City (EDCMC) acts as a liaison between the City’s private
and its policies and recommendations is illustrated; stakeholder involvement methods; — Supporting and carrying out capital improvements planning sector industries and the City of Michigan City and is tasked with
— Ensure that recommendations forwarded to the City efforts; implementing key goals and associated tasks in the following
— an in-depth question and answer session, with support
from planning personnel, members of the Redevelopment Council are reflective of plan principles, policies, and action — Overseeing the drafting of new or amended zoning and areas:
Commission and City Council, and other key staff. recommendations. This relates particularly to decisions land development regulations, working with the appropriate — Workforce Development and Education;
involving development review and approval, zone change Boards and Commissions;
5.4.2 Role Definition requests, and ordinance amendments; — Conducting studies and developing additional plans — Business Retention and Expansion;
After holding one or more public hearings annually to discuss (including management of consultant efforts, as — Business Attraction and Development;
A. City Council new or evolving community issues and needs, and having necessary). — Integration with Community Development; and
As the community’s elected officials, the City Council will discussed with City staff any and all legal underpinnings, — Organizational Sustainability.
assume the lead role in implementation of this plan. The key make recommendations to the City Council regarding priority

5-42

5.0 Implementation Adopted: August 16, 2016