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Leelanau County, Michigan Economic Growth |
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Open letter to the Leelanau County Economic Development Corporation
Thank you for your efforts in bringing Leelanau County into the 21st century. We need expanded high speed internet access, we need sufficient office space in appropriate areas, and we need to plan for the right type of growth...within the current footprints of our current villages.
Some of you may know me. In addition to my retail and publishing businesses, I have served as the Leland Michigan Chamber of Commerce president for the last four and one half years. I want to be clear: my writing here is not a result of a vote by our membership. While I know that my comments match the thoughts of many of our Leland people, this is NOT an “official” letter from the Leland Chamber. It is only a letter, from me.
It concerns me when I hear/read talk of “economic development”. While this is needed in the areas detailed above, it is of great concern to many that this may get out of hand. Few want “village sprawl”...we don’t want the unofficial boundaries of our current villages to expand (this includes Peck Road in Suttons Bay). Hardly anyone wants “strip malls”, “chain businesses”, increased billboards, 3-color Stop lights, or many other businesses which are located outside of the current village footprints. (But to be clear, this objection does NOT include home/farm based artists/pottery people, wine and cider, or farm/organic/tourist farm destinations/flower destinations, and other similar businesses.) Mainly, the people seem to want to keep the village boundaries where they are...with no “sprawl”, and no “chain” restaurants or “chain” retail stores (such a definition of “chain” does not include businesses who simply may also have a locally owned store in Traverse City and/or another location in Leelanau). As for increased housing, so long as it fits within the level which currently exists in Leelanau County...so as to keep a consistency both with the past, and with the other existing housing in the area, is both fine and welcomed.
The whole concept of “Economic Development” is scary to many. It is my hope that the over-riding principle of the Leelanau Economic Development Corporation is to develop only in appropriate geographical areas, and only with appropriate safe-guards so as to maintain our unique character, in Leelanau County. Village sprawl is the enemy. Unbridled development would be disastrous.
Copyright; Communication Arts, 2007, 2008
The Big Picture; established 1993
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