ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HONORED BY COMMISSION

BERRIEN SPRINGS – Two 2015 Berrien Springs area projects designed to spur economic development have been honored by the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission.
The planning commission honored Oronoko Township, the Village of Berrien Springs and several other entities with the 2016 Graham Woodhouse Intergovernmental Effort Award Tuesday morning at their meeting at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac. The SWMPC serves Berrien, Cass and Van Buren Counties.
The Graham Woodhouse Intergovernmental Effort Award is presented annually to projects that exemplify cooperation among governments, non-profit organizations and community partners. It was established in 1987 to honor former Dowagiac Mayor Graham Woodhouse.
Tuesday, it wasn’t just the water-sewer project completed in 2015 that was recognized. The commission also honored Oronoko Township and the Village of Berrien Springs for their work on the new M-139 Corridor Improvement Plan.
SWMPC Executive Director John Egelhaaf reported that both projects were nominated separately for the award and the commission decided to honor both together since both projects were undertaken at the same time to complement each other.
“The purpose of the award was to recognize and reward partners who execute complex, regional problem solving that breeds the efficient use of limited resources,” he said. “This kind of problem solving is often much more difficult than traditional but the rewards tend to be greater and more far-reaching.”
“The Corridor Improvement Plan is a single vision for growth along a corridor that crosses through two jurisdictions. The plan also includes a joint zoning overlay district with rules that apply uniformly … It was timed so that it would be in place prior to the completion of the new water and sewer upgrades.”
Egelhaaf noted that the water and sewer project became a reality “after a contentous history of attempts.” As people will remember, previous efforts to extend water and sewer lines into the township were met with opposition from residents including a 2001 recall of five township board members.
“The new project was based on three fundamental principles: only those who want the utilities should contribute; taxes would not be raised; and property owners would not be forced to connect,” he said.
Oronoko Township Supervisor Mike Hildebrand said that goal for both projects remains the same: to promote commercial growth as well as flexibility in development opportunities. While the growth hasn’t occurred yet, he said the promise is there for more businesses to come to the Berrien Springs area because of both projects.
He noted that the recent construction of the Honor Credit Union operations center north of the M-139/U.S. 31 interchange is an example of what could be done along the corridor.
While the credit union didn’t necessarily build there because of the infrastructure improvements, he thinks they did see the value of being centrally located in the county and being near the freeway interchange.
As for the corridor plan and the place-based zoning code it established, he said it’s been recently utilized by Mike Villwock for his new “Villwock’s Outdoor Living” business in the former Southwestern Medical Clinic building on M-139. “It worked very well for him and provides a nice opportunity for him and that property,” he said.
Village President Milt Richter has been Hildebrand’s partner in both the water-sewer project and the corridor plan. He said he’s glad to see their efforts recognized by the SWMPC.
“This is a prestigious award, it’s nice to be honored,” he said. “It recognizes the cooperation between the village and the township. We worked well together. This was a pretty big project and we were able to get it done.”
Other entities honored for their participation along with the township and village were U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, State Sen. John Proos, State Rep. Dave Pagel, Berrien County and Andrews University officials, the U.S.D.A. and the Berrien County Youth Fair.