For its efforts in establishing a more streamlined development process and overall community development vision, the Village of Peck will be awarded the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) Essentials designation by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation at their meeting on Wednesday, September 17.
Redevelopment Ready Communities is a voluntary initiative which empowers communities to shape their future as they strive to become RRC Certified by building a foundation of planning, zoning, and economic development best practices and integrating them into their everyday functions. The initiative was launched statewide in 2013. RRC promotes communities to be development ready and competitive in today’s economy by actively engaging stakeholders and proactively planning, making them more attractive for projects that create places where people want to live, work, and invest.
After engaging communities and other partners for feedback, MEDC evolved the RRC toolkit to introduce two designations: “Essentials” and “Certified.” This allows communities to choose the path that best suits their needs, considering their capacity, goals, and local factors. Achieving the RRC Essentials designation formally acknowledges that a community has a clear vision for the future and the essential practices to realize that vision.
To date, the MEDC has formally recognized 81 Michigan communities at the Certified level and 31 at the Essentials level. These communities have qualified as “thoroughly prepared” when it comes to planning and zoning, to remove traditional barriers and promote opportunities for prospective investors.
