Novi recognized for its greenways and conservation
Source: metromode, 10/29/2009
The word sustainability isn't regularly
used with a sprawlburg suburb like Novi, but the municipality recently
won the first Oak Land Award at the 2009 Oakland County Green
Infrastructure Celebration.
The awards recognize communities
that contribute and demonstrate successful efforts toward the planning,
promotion, design, development, and support of green infrastructure in
Oakland County. Novi won for its interconnected network of open spaces,
natural areas, and waterways.
"They really have a whole host
of natural resources that nicely blend the natural environment with
development," says Jim Keglovitz, a senior planner for Oakland County
Planning and Economic Development Services.
Novi employs a
number of conservation initiatives, including a wildlife habitat plan,
a linear greenway system, and wetland protection plan, among others.
For information about the county's Green Infrastructure Vision, click here.
Source: Jim Keglovitz, a senior planner for Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services
Writer: Jon Zemke
Oakland County workshop focuses on green downtowns
Source: metromode, 8/13/2009
The last of three workshops aimed at the revitalization of downtowns in Oakland County is set to go down on Friday, August 14.
The
"Lead Your Downtown from Brown to Green" workshop will focus on
tackling sustainability issues, such as historic preservation and
eco-friendly development.
"As the title says, we're trying to
take downtowns from brown to green by letting them (local stakeholders)
know what they can do in this economy," says Bob Donahue, executive
director of Main Street Oakland County.
A
number of topics, including how to make best use of brownfield sites,
effective historic preservation, and how to incorporate green-building
practices, such as LEED standards, will be covered. Other subjects will
include tapping into farmers markets, the cost-effectiveness of LED
lights, and how best to employ urban forestry.
Main Street
Oakland County is encouraging local architects, planners,
preservationists, developers, city officials, and community activists
to attend. The cost is $75 per person. The workshop will be held
between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the Oakland County Executive Office
Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph,
in Waterford.
Source: Bob Donahue, executive director of Main Street Oakland County
Writer: Jon Zemke
Oakland County pushes for land bank to deal with foreclosures
Source: metromode, 7/30/2009
Oakland County is beginning to publish
its stock of foreclosed buildings electronically to prepare them for
auction. However, at least one Oakland County official would like to
see this process changed -- with a land bank.
Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner
sees a number of things wrong with the auction process. It's why he is
pushing for Oakland County to form a land bank, as many other Michigan
communities have done, to handle its problem properties.
"There are some perils with the auction approach," Meisner says.
For
instance, speculators are scooping up large batches of these homes and,
at best, turning them into rentals. More than people like to admit end
up falling further into blight and becoming eyesores, weakening what
were once otherwise strong neighborhoods. Meisner says this sort of
speculation is the junk food of the real estate market, supplying
short-term profits at the expense of long-term investment.
"We're rolling up our sleeves and trying to get families in those houses," Meisner says.
He
adds that a land bank gives local officials the power to package
parcels and sell them to a developer or even ensure that individual
buildings end up in the hands of local residents. Right now he is
trying to build up awareness about the idea, and hopes to begin a
legislative push for one later this year.
Source: Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner
Writer: Jon Zemke
Oakland County to hold workshop on zoning flexibility
Source: metromode, 6/4/2009
Oakland County officials want local
governments to become more flexible in their zoning rules and master
plans, and now they're ready to teach them how to do it.
The
county wants municipalities to be ready to welcome and facilitate
growth from new economy firms; hence, it will hold a Technology
Planning Toolkit workshop on Monday, June 8.
"We hope they can
use this as a basis when they update their own planning documents,"
says Bret Rasegan, planning supervisor for Oakland County.
It introduced this program
as a way of making local governments friendlier to knowledge-based
firms. By streamlining the old bureaucracy, the hope is to make these
cities more attractive for new economy start-ups and their new jobs.
For instance, buildings zoned for one purpose can be diversified to
include a number of uses.
"It's very important, especially with how quickly the market is changing," Rasegan says.
The
free workshop will be held at the Oakland County Executive Office
Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph
in Waterford. For information, call (248) 452-2166 or send an email to browningj@oakgov.com.
Source: Brett Rasegan, planning supervisor for Oakland County
Writer: Jon Zemke
ITC Holdings takes big bite out of emissions
Source: metromode, 4/30/2009
Lots of companies like to announce
sustainability-based programs, emphasizing their grand ambitions. The
follow-up announcements aren't as common. This story is about the
latter kind of announcement.
Novi-based ITC Holdings
has dramatically reduced its emissions of sulfur hexafluoride (a
greenhouse gas) three years after starting a program to contain the
problem. The gas was escaping from old transmission equipment at an
average of 13,275 pounds per year in 2005. That number stands at 1,836
pounds as of 2008.
ITC Holdings, which runs electrical grids,
has been chasing similar efficiencies in its infrastructure for years.
It is investing about $10 billion in upgrading the electric grid in the
Midwest, a move that will make the grid more efficient and sustainable.
The
firm is also expanding the grid to wind farms in places like the Upper
Peninsula so that they can provide renewable energy to places like
Minneapolis or Detroit. The Green Power Express project will eventually transport 12,000 megawatts of renewable energy to city centers.
Source: ITC Holdings
Writer: Jon Zemke
ITC creates alt energy infrastructure with Green Power Express
Source: metromode, 2/19/2009
Solar panels and wind turbines are the sexy part of alternative energy. What's not as attractive is creating the infrastructure to transport all that alternative energy to population centers out in the middle of nowhere.
Novi-based ITC Holdings is creating that infrastructure and investing between $10 billion and $12 billion to make it happen. ITC owns much of the electric grid not only in Michigan but in the Midwest.
The firm plans to expand the grid to, say, wind farms in the Upper Peninsula so that they link up with places like Minneapolis or Detroit. This Green Power Express will eventually transport 12,000 megawatts of renewable energy to city centers.
ITC is also working to upgrade the rapidly aging grid. Such upgrades are expected to help make the system more efficient, conserving lots of energy that is currently lost in transport.
Source: ITC Holdings
Writer: Jon Zemke
Toyota supplier to expand Novi tech center
Source: Detroit Free Press, 4/10/2007
Toyota Boshoku America will expand its Novi-based technical center operations, announced the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.