Leelanau Business Roundtable Quarterly Meeting October, 2022
Leelanau Business Roundtable - Quarterly Meeting
Thursday, October 13, 2022 at 9am via Zoom
PRESENTERS:
Zach Hillyer, Leelanau County Housing Ready Director
Zach was selected for this new position and started in mid-September. He has more than a decade of experience in the non-profit and government sectors. He has worked in multiple capacities during his career, including as the Director of Enforcement at the Toledo Fair Housing Center and the Manage of Compliance and Performance Excellence at Lucas Metropolitan Housing.
As the Housing Ready Director, he plans to work with communities to expand housing opportunities in Leelanau. Several potential strategies will be explored including planning/zoning changes, deed restrictions. The Housing Action Committee already has a Housing Ready Checklist that has been used in other locations throughout northern Michigan experiencing the same workforce housing challenges.
Zach has spent his first few weeks getting acclimated with the position and being introduced to key people in the community.
Look for more updates. In the meantime, Zach can be reached at zach@housingnorth.org.
Bill Whitler, Sleeping Bear Gateways Council
The Sleeping Bear Gateways Council evolved in 2018 from the Citizens Council for the Sleeping Bear Dunes area which was formed in the 1970’s in response to the creation of the National Lakeshore. In the beginning, the Council played an active role in issues involving park boundaries, access, and private property rights. Since 2018, the Council redefined its mission (and its name) to emphasize long range planning and collaboration among the park and nearby communities – including conservation of the natural resources and serve regarding issues surrounding increased visitation including workforce housing.
Currently, the key issues the SBGC is addressing is:
• Workforce housing
• Possible addition of a Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Center in Benzie County. There is a collaboration meeting being held at the Glen Arbor Town Hall on Monday, October 17th.
Workforce Housing
• Housing Exchange
o SBGC first explored what housing currently existed that could be used for seasonal workforce housing. A housing exchange was developed.
o Last year there were 8 hosts that provided an extra bedroom, apartment and the like for seasonal workers.
o The program is driven through the employers.
• Work Camping
o SBGC is in the process of surveying 12 RV campsites in the area to determine if they have workforce camping available.
o The national park and SBGC are exploring the option of redeploying surplus national park land that could be used for workforce housing. This effort is not currently part of the national park’s strategic plan.
Scott Tucker and the Empire Township are working with other agencies to determine what could possibly go on a 40-acre site off M72.
Larry Mawby, Peninsula Housing Community Land Trust
• The Community Land Trust is in the process of purchasing its first home located in Suttons Bay Township at the edge of the Village. The existing home is a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom that needs some updates. There is an additional structure on this property which the land trust would hope to have the property re-zoned to convert it into a 1 bedroom apartment to be leased or sell.
• The land trust would retain the land and sell the home to a qualified buyer at an “affordable rate” – which typically equates to a 25% discount of the appraised value. The prospective homeowners enter into a long-term renewable lease instead of a traditional sale (typically 99 years). The appreciation of the home and land are shared between the land trust and the homeowner when the homeowner “sells”.
• The land trust would be looking for community involvement to perform the necessary updates
• The land trust will continue to look for viable properties to buy in the Empire, Maple City, Cedar and Lake Leelanau areas
Roundtable Discussion
1. Scott Tucker, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
a. Visitation -20% YTD; similar to 2014-15 when visitation was 1.4-1.5 million for the year. That is roughly 1,000 visitors per day.
i. Several thoughts on why visitation is down: gas prices? Recession? Some think that many travelers went on “big” trips because COVID mandates were released for the first time in two years.
b. SBDNL was able to house all of their seasonal workforce. They need approximately 100 beds.
i. Other parks in tourist destinations are experiencing the same staffing and workforce housing issues as we are.
ii. Legislation is being drafted to allow unused park land for concessioners, or non- park opportunities.
c. The SBDNL is undergoing normal winterizing steps.
2. Dylan Malama, Northwest Michigan Works!
a. Dylan is the new Business Services Representative for Leelanau. He just began his position in the middle of September and is getting familiar with his roll and looks forward to meeting with the business community in the future.
i. Michigan Works! is currently working on Going Pro Funding and Apprenticeship Teams.
ii. Dylan can be contacted at Dylan.malama@networksnorthwest.org
3. Brayton Farr, Leelanau Chamber President
a. Annual Meeting for the Leelanau Chamber is Wednesday, October 19th at the Leland Lodge.
b. Other Chambers are planning their annual meetings now, including Suttons Bay and Northport
c. All Chambers seem to be looking for more board members.
4. Amy Peterson, The Front Porch
a. Fall Artisan Wine Walk is taking place in Suttons Bay on Friday, October 21st from 5-8pm.
b. Suttons Bay Chamber Annual Meeting will be held at 2K Cidery on Wednesday, October 26th
c. Suttons Bay is in the process of finalizing holiday plans for the Village
5. General – encourage job fairs for seasonal associates for winter and in the spring to be held at the schools and include multiple employers.
The next quarterly meeting will be held on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 9am via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83652716214?pwd=N2x6NDlHTW1LZmpSYmw5N1I2OXpFQT09
Meeting ID: 836 5271 6214
If you are receiving these meeting notes, you are already included in our monthly newsletter. Please encourage others to participate by sharing this link to the quarterly meeting or emailing hello@leelanau4business.com.
Thank you.