Can Small Towns Be Cool? Project Overvie · 1) What is your community doing to support entrepreneurs? 2) Would your community’s culture support a more entrepreneurial approach?

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Can Small Towns Be Cool?

Kentucky League of CitiesLexington, KY

Dave IvanMichigan State University

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Project Overview• Funding provided by MSU Land Policy Program;

• Site visits to more than 250 communities including Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Maryland, and Wisconsin.

• Personal interviews with city/village managers and/or staff, elected officials, community leaders, business leaders;

• Identified individual community best practices;2

Today’s Presentation Based onThree Levels of Analysis

• Asset mapping exercise that looks beyond individual best practices to overall success themes;

• Literature review of other community sustainability studies:– “Clues to rural community sustainability” by Luther/Wall– “Small town and rural economic development” by

Schaeffer/Loveridge, West Virginia University

• MI Cool Cities Survey– >13,000 individual online surveys completed– Four focus group sessions; 3

So How Do You LeadYour Community from

Hell to Paradise?

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Success Themes amongCool Communities

Strong Engagement between citizens, community organizations

and government

Power within the community is deliberately shared. Community government actively reaches out to citizens, and residents are engaged in setting the community’s agenda and future vision;

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Citizen EngagementSt. Joseph, MI

Neighborhood town hall gatherings; each attract 75-120 individuals;

Community calendar hand-delivered to residents;

“Critical to continually examine your connection to residents,” St. Joe City Mgr Frank Walsh

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Citizen Engagement

Newaygo, MichiganInitiated community listening sessions

“Once we started actually listening and acting on resident issues, they took city government seriously,”

- Rich Blachford, City Manager

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Citizen Engagement

Marshall In FocusCommunity visioning process involving hundreds of individuals through small group discussions throughout community.

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Citizen Engagement

Coopersville, MI

Signage at town entrances celebrates local non-profits, business community and schools.

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Citizen EngagementFrankenmuth, Fremont,

Stoughton, WICity Council, school board, and township officials meet quarterly;

Littleton, New HampshireSchools and city recommend joint budget for voter approval;

Bangor, MichiganVideo of citizen testimonials keep committees/council focused, particularly related to land use issues

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The 3rd Place FactorRay Oldenburg, “The Great,Good Place”

A place where a community/neighborhood meets to develop friendships, discuss issues and interact with others. It is an important way in which a community develops and retains its cohesion and builds a sense of identity.

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The 3rd Place Factor

Community Gathering Spot

• Local coffee shop

• Social Condenser

• Wireless Hotspot

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3rd Place Factor

Douglas, Michigan• Community Social

• Live Band

• Involves non-profit organizations

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3rd Place Factor

Fergus Falls, Minnesota• Community Play

• Involved 60% of town’s residents

• Continued discussion after play

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Citizen Engagement

Discussion

1) How is your community engaging its citizens?

2) Does your community have a 3rd place?

3) If so, how is your community utilizing its 3rd

place to enhance engagement?

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Success Themes Among Cool Communities

Community fosters an environment that supports entrepreneurship

Successful communities recognize that the local environment plays a key role in supporting entrepreneurship. Deliberate efforts are made to foster that environment through seamless delivery of services from business support organizations, providing adequate and versatile capital options, encouraging networking opportunities among entrepreneurs, and creating a “sense of place” within the community that attracts talent and diversity.

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Communities can make a difference in business success

Civic associationsNeighborhood

residents

SchoolsPreservation

groups

Public works agency

Chamber of commerceCity planning

agency

Tourism agency

Industrial development

agency

BanksBusinesses

Property owners

Arts organizations

SBDCs

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What have we learned about innovative practices in

entrepreneurship development?• Entrepreneur Focused• Seamless Collaboration• Addresses four key

factors important to entrepreneurs

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Best Practice Approaches

Finance & Regulations• Knowledge of financial

tools;• Willingness to utilize

tools:• Support for understanding

finance & regulations;• Regulations favorable for

start-ups, expansions, and transitions.

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Community & Networks• Peer-to-peer network;• Knowledge clusters

fostered/interlearning;• Supports risk taking;• Welcomes diversity and

newcomers to community;

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Training/Support Systems• Focus on entrepreneurs;• Support/encourage spin-offs;• Youth mentorship available;• Education system supports

entrepreneurship; • Community helps expand

geographical area of market;

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Quality of Place• Natural assets managed

for enjoyment of entire community;

• Vibrant downtown with lively pedestrian activity;

• Diverse cultural opportunities;

• Places in community where people can informally gather;

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Success Themes of Cool Small Communities

Community Acts As Entrepreneur

Beyond providing a support network for their entrepreneurs, thriving communities are willing to take their own risks, often taking entrepreneurial actions to improve their community. Setbacks and unexpected consequences often only strengthen their resolve.

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Community ActsAs Entrepreneur

Jonesville• Village negotiated rental rate for

new business, assisted with market data research, suppliers, and lending arrangements;

• Now developing retail incubator;

Ord, NE• Developed wealth transfer plan to

strategically fund community economic development initiatives;

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Community ActsAs Entrepreneur

Fairfield, IA• Recognizes & celebrates

entrepreneurs;• Extensive mentoring

program;• Local Angel/Venture

Capital Funds;• Past 20 years: 3,000 jobs

created, personal income tripled;

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Community-based entrepreneurshipDiscussion

1) What is your community doing to support entrepreneurs?

2) Would your community’s culture support a more entrepreneurial approach?

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Creating Cool Communities

--BREAK--

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Success Themes Among Cool Small Communities

Regional approach tofuture opportunities

Successful communities know they must take a more realistic approach in considering their community from a regional context relative to future opportunities. Deliberate efforts are made to coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions.

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Regional Approach to Future Opportunities

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin• Residents know they have a

“distinctive community” • Work with Geneva Lake

Environmental Council, City and four surrounding municipalities on overall land use plan for lake areaManistee, MichiganMonthly “Planners Luncheon” among city, county, tribal representatives and township zoning officials

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Regional view of community

Landmark Town Initiative• Cooperative venture between

4 historic Bucks County communities

• Utilizing Main Street Approach

• Identifying unifying themes• Regional economic

development approach

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Columbus, Indiana• Regional initiative to advance

individuals by at least one level in their education, training, job placement, and income.

• Working with 34 High School counselors on regional cluster opportunities.

• Regional Advanced Manufacturing Center for Excellence to serve 10 county network;

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Successful Themes Among Cool Small Communities

Willingness to adapt for new opportunities

Beyond joint planning efforts with neighboring jurisdictions, there is a willingness among successful communities to adapt as needed to capitalize on changing trends and new opportunities.

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Suttons Bay, MichiganUtilized Landscape Architecture Students from a local university to develop visual form-based zoning ordinance to ensure compliance with village look;

Willingness to Adapt Zoning Regulations for New Opportunities

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Cedarburg, WisconsinDistinctive Community and flourishing downtown with numerous antique shops;

Willingness to adaptfor new opportunities

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Cedarburg, Wisconsin• Planning Director read article

on negative impact of internet & Ebay on antiquing and how one Kentucky community responded;

• Conducted site visit to KY to learn more;

Willingness to adapt fornew opportunities

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Cedarburg, WisconsinOrganized local artists & antique shop owners to begin discussion on potential artist live-work centers and the zoning changes that would be necessary to accommodate them;

Proposed overlay plan to maximize potential;

Lesson: Proactive approach

Willingnes to adaptfor new opportunities

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Success Themes AmongCool Communities

Actively Pursues Cultural Economic Development

Opportunities

An organized and active approach to the relatively new phenomena of “cultural economic development” has emerged in successful communities. Communities recognize their cultural amenities and the arts community has organized to capitalize on them.

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Petoskey, MichiganCrooked Tree Arts Assn. developed community cultural plan to coordinate activities throughout region;

St. Joseph, MichiganBox Factory Arts Incubator is successfully establishing local artists within a small community and has exceeded budget projections;

Active Cultural Economic Development Approach

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Active Cultural EconomicDevelopment Approach

Fergus Falls, Minnesota

• Partnered with ArtSpace to create live-work centers in vacant hotel downtown;

• Art Gallery with performance area;

• Creatives meet regularly to discuss community projects;

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Active Cultural EconomicDevelopment Approach

Bellow Falls, Vermont

• Used state housing rehab dollars to renovate building into artist live-work facility;

• Used momentum to integrate other cultural projects within community;

• Community celebrates its cultural assets;

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Cultural Efforts Are Not Overly Contrived

While successful communities are actively pursuing cultural economic development activities, their efforts are genuine, often organically-driven by creative individuals within the community.

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Authentic Cultural Activities

Winona Lake, Indiana• 2004 Indiana Community

Achievement Award Winner;• Local entrepreneur invested $20

million to create “Artist Colony”

• Major improvements in overall community aesthetics plus addition of live-work artist center;

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Winona Lake, Indiana• Home of conservative Christian

college;• Town had reputation as “dry

community”• Artist entrepreneurs were

frustrated and looking to move businesses;

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Authentic Cultural ActivitiesThree Oaks, Michigan

• Group of creative individuals within community began meeting in 1996;

• Re-opened downtown movie theatre to show classic films .

• Theatre includes an artsgallery in lobby. Attendance: 400-1,000/week

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• Two guys purchased old Featherbone Factory and converted to Acorn Theatre for live performances;

• Another couple converted old bowling alley into upscale eclectic furniture store;

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• Creative individuals work hard to be a part of the fabric of the community;

• Developed special costumes for annual community Christmas parade;

• Village has no professional manager and community has not received state arts funding;

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Authentic Cultural ActivitiesColquitt Georgia

• Poor region of state with history of story-telling –tales of life, family, and community.

• Connected with drama students in New York City to capture stories which evolved into a play.

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Authentic Cultural ActivitiesColquitt Georgia

• Plays started at elementary school and then moved to historic cotton hall;

• Cotton Hall facility renovated to include Museum of Southern Cultures in the lower level –events include storytelling circles;

• Community has become a regional destination;

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“Do what you canwith what you have,

where you are.”Theodore Roosevelt

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Cool City Core Values• Arts/culture• Diversity• Different lifestyles• Gathering places• 4-seasons• Music scene• Walkable streets• Historic architectural

character

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Keys to Success• Creative Class leads or is

heavily involved in community decision-making;

• Community is welcoming to diversity;

• Critical mass increases likelihood of success;

• Partnership between business community and artists;

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Cultural Economic Development

Discussion

1) What are some of the cultural assets within your community?

2) How is your community capitalizing on those assets?

3) Is your community welcoming to diversity? If so, how do you demonstrate it?

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Cultural Efforts Reach Out to Community Youth

Although schools have traditionally played the strongest role in this arena, the community’s cultural players are deliberately reaching out to connect with the youth of the community.

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Cultural Efforts Reach Out To Community Youth

New York Mills, Minnesota• Small primarily agricultural

community; Home of Lund Boats• John Davis establishes Cultural

Center;• Studio to work on cultural projects• Cultural Center establishes visiting

artist program with outreach requirement;

• Lund executives and school officials praise impact of center;

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Three Oaks• Acorn Theatre has series of

children activities and school book reads;

Williamston• “Dive-In” big screen movie at

community pool;

Dowagiac• Dogwood Fine Arts Festival• World-renowned artists and

performers offer free clinics to community youth;

Cultural Efforts Reach Out To Community Youth

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Success Themes ofCool Communities

Deliberate Effort to Engage Youth

Successful communities realize that the first step in reversing the brain-drain in small communities is to create a positive childhood memory that may serve as a consideration in future location decisions.

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Deliberate Effort InEngaging Youth

Jonesville• Asked older residents why they

stayed in Jonesville; top response was childhood memories;

• Surveyed 3rd graders: What do you want in your community?Top response: rock wall

• Community built rock wall;• Re-surveyed students in 7th

grade; community received high marks!

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Simple Idea For Your Community

• Provide disposable cameras to school children and ask to take pictures of what they like and dislike in their community;

• Present pictures at future city commission meeting;

Deliberate Effort InEngaging Youth

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Youth Engagement

Discussion

1) What are you doing to engage the youth in your community?

2) How are youth provided an authentic voice in community affairs?

3) Would the youth of your community consider your town as cool?

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Success Themes ofCool Communities

Attention to Natural Amenities

Thriving communities recognize the natural amenities that exist within their community and they are focused on capitalizing on these natural features for the enjoyment of their citizens

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The Outdoor FactorThe outdoor factor, as discussed in the “Rise of the Creative Class” is a grouping of individual sports and the simple experience of being outdoors.

The outdoor factor includes adventure sports, natural scenic vistas, trails & parks, beaches & waterfront, and an overall commitment among the community for environmental preservation.

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Allegan• Extensive boardwalk system

that ties waterfront to downtown and park system;

Canal Winchester, Ohio• Plans to re-open buried water

canal and redevelop downtown around new water feature

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Lanesboro, Minnesota• Development of trail system

served as catalyst for others to organize;

• Arts community developed arts gallery to showcase local artists; Developed artist-in-residence program;

• Performing Arts Center constructing new facility;

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Success Themes of Cool Small Communities

Dedicated Effort To Preserving Heritage

Successful communities take pride in their heritage, often showcasing their history through festivals and events which allows residents to celebrate their community and its heritage.

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Niles

• Great “Uncover” to remove aluminum covers over historic downtown facades; $825K project;

Dedicated Effort ToPreserving Heritage

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Dedicated Effort to Preserving Heritage

Can You Tell What This BuildingIs Being Used As?

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Success Themes of Cool Communities

Conviction That In the Long RunYou Have To Do It Yourself

Although outside help is sought when appropriate, successful communities believe that their destiny is in their own hands. They are not waiting for some outsider to save them, nor do they believe that they can sit and wait for things to get better. Making a community a good place to live is a proactive assignment, and these communities (and their leaders) know that.

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Tecumseh• Community survey revealed the

need for a fine dining establishment

• Worked with neighboring community to secure a liquor license;

• Recruited chef that fit community tastes;

• Result: Evans Street Station– 2001 Best New Restaurant in

MI (AAA)

Conviction that youhave to do it yourself

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Leslie, MI• Use DDA dollars to fund

advertising campaign;

• Created a “sense of pride” within community;

• New residents are relocating to communities; school enrollment is holding steady;


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Argonia Kansas• Community built

grocery/convenience store after previous store closed;

• Community is pursuing a housing development with houses offered at cost to new families;

• Closing costs paid if new family has children;


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St. Joseph, Illinois

“We’re always looking for projects we can’t afford,”

Mayor BJ HacklerVillage of St. Joseph


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Overall Observations

• Thriving communities work at it!• Thriving communities don’t give up!• Success Breeds Success!• Thriving communities continually learn!• Thriving communities always have an eye

to the future!

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• Thriving communities listen to their community!

Overall Observations

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Can Small Towns Be Cool?

You Decide

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Can Your Town Be Cool?

YOU BETCHA!

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Thank You

Questions?

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Contact Info:Dave IvanMichigan State Univ ExtensionMichigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI 48823Phone: 517-432-7602Email: [email protected]

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Documents

Can Small Towns Be Cool? Project Overvie · 1) What is your community doing to support entrepreneurs? 2) Would your community’s culture support a more entrepreneurial approach?