The Senate Commerce and Tourism committee heard testimony for the first time this afternoon on their portion of the Transit-Oriented Development package that is being discussed in both chambers of the state legislature. Senate Bills 1233 - 1238 cover a number of economic development tools, including brownfield redevelopment authorities and corridor improvement authorities, expanding eligible projects to include those related to transit. Andy Schor and I testified in support of these bills, highlighting the optional nature of the legislation and explaining how these bills tie in with other efforts that the League is promoting to help revitalize communities. Initiatives like the Center for 21st Century Communities, light and commuter rail projects, Complete Streets and non-motorized planning all have connections to the idea of transit-oriented development. These bills received a generally positive reception from those that testified and are expected back up within the next few weeks for a vote. Check back for further updates on developments related to this package.
Chris Hackbarth is the transportation policy advisor for the Michigan Municipal League. Chris can be reached at 517-908-0303, or by email at chackbarth@mml.org.
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