City of Watervliet receives Certification as Redevelopment Ready Community

LANSING, Mich. - For its efforts in establishing a solid foundation to attract private investment and further build on municipal assets, the City of Watervliet has been awarded the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced today.

The MEDC has officially designated Watervliet as a Certified Redevelopment Ready Community in Michigan. Watervliet now joins a distinguished group of 97 Michigan communities from all regions of the state that have qualified as "thoroughly prepared" in their planning and zoning efforts. This designation aims to eliminate traditional barriers and foster opportunities for potential investment. For a complete list of Redevelopment Ready Communities, visit miplace.org.

"Place matters. Assisting Michigan communities in streamlining planning, zoning, and economic development practices helps to foster greater pride and reinvestment efforts that reverberate across our communities," said Michelle Parkkonen, Managing Director of Technical Assistance Programs at the MEDC. "I am proud of the work the City of Watervliet has accomplished to cultivate vibrant and attractive places, empowering residents to be the authors of redevelopment in their community and securing a brighter future for all."

As an RRC participant, the City of Watervliet received a comprehensive assessment that measured current community and economic development practices compared to RRC best practice standards. Communities leverage the RRC toolkit to integrate transparency, predictability, and efficiency into local economic development practices. Certification is a compelling indicator that a community has removed development barriers and streamlined processes to be more competitive and attractive for investment.

"The City of Watervliet is proud to receive its RRC certification from MEDC," said city manager Timothy Sutherland. "When I first looked at gaining the RRC certification, the multiple tasks to complete seemed overwhelming. I presented this to the city planning commission and chair Jim Tyler who worked on this vigorously, and with the professionalism, patience and guidance of Katie Rappe and her team at MEDC, we completed all required tasks to become eligible for full certification."

"RRC certification will open up multiple future development opportunities for the City of Watervliet and make the city more ready and attractive to potential developers. I would like to again thank MEDC the Watervliet planning commission and my team here at city hall for all their hard work and dedication to this process."

As a certified community, Watervliet will have access to new tools to implement its community development goals as well as ongoing support and technical assistance from the Redevelopment Ready Communities team. Annual check-ins and updates will help ensure the City continues implementing the best practices over time. Certification is active for five years before needing to be renewed.

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 Threads.