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St. Joseph County Extension
612 E. Main St
Centreville, Michigan
49032
United States

Email Address: msue.stjoseph@county.msu.edu
Phone: 269-467-5511
Fax: 269-467-5641
 
St. Joseph County Planner
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St. Joseph CAPB

2009 Farmland Preservation Program Application Cycle

 

The St. Joseph County Farmland Preservation Program annually accepts applications for farmland development rights to be considered for purchase by the County. The 2009 application cycle ends April 6.

 

Interested farmland owners can pick up an application at MSUE or download a copy from the County Farmland Preservation Program website at: www.stjosephcountymi.org/farmland.

 

The St. Joseph County Agricultural Preservation Board (CAPB) meets the second Thursday of the month when there is business at hand, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm at the MSU Extension office, 612 E. Main St., Centreville.

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Parcels in PA 116 Mapped

The St. Joseph County MSUE Land Policy Education Program and the County Agricultural Preservation Board recently completed the mapping of all parcels currently enrolled in PA 116 (the MI Dept. of Agriculture's Farmland Preservation Program). PA 116 provides landowners with an income tax credit in exchange for restricting development of the property temporarily (anywhere from 7-90 years). To view the countywide map click St. Joseph County PA 116 Map. You can also request a copy of a township-scale map by contacting MSUE at 269-467-5522.

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Community Development Programs Detach

County Profiles and Data.  Profiles of all 83 Michigan counties are available.

Community Assessment Teams. This is an intense two to four day workshop to answer specific community questions.

Board Development and Training.
Workshops and customized on-site training for non-profit governance.

Citizen Planner Certificate Program.
This is an evening course for people who serve on, or interact with, local planning commissions.

Small Town Design Initiative. A process to stimulate creative thinking about a community's physical environment.  

Home Based Business
A notebook and other educational materials are available to conduct programs for home based business.
Contact: Mark Thomas, Van Buren MSU Extension - (269) 655-8308

Labor Shortage Analysis
A research project to find available labor to enter the labor market is being conducted.
Contact: Colletta Moser - MSU Dept of Ag Econ. - (517) 353-3298

Rural Retailer Program
Materials, including bulletins and a computer program, are available to help small retailers analyze their financials and an their business for more profit.
Contact: Van Varner, Novi Ext. Center - (248) 347-0269

Business Retention and Expansion Program
The MSU Business Retention and Expansion Program involves the community in a program designed to keep businesses in the community and help them grow. Volunteers are trained to visit local businesses and conduct a survey. Follow-up teams of trained volunteers and professionals follow-up to solve local and state problems identified by the businesses.
Contact: Mark Thomas, Van Buren MSU Extension - (269) 655-8308

CAT - Community Assessment Team
The MSU CAT is an exercise where outside experts visit a community, city, or county to give expert advice to answer the questions raised by a local committee. The visit is a 2-4 day event involving numerous citizens. It is often the catalyst to get the community working to solve local problems.
Contact: Local County Extension Director

Basic Economic Scans for Counties and Communities
Specific local data and other detailed demographics and economic data is available from MSU Extension.
Contact: Local County Extension Director

General Workforce Development
This program focuses on improving the understanding of and the utilization of the existing and potential workforce.
Contact: Mark Thomas - Van Buren County - (269) 655-8308

Human Resource Management for Small Business
A Course taught by MSU HR Specialists in your community to help small businesses develop and manage their Human Resources.
Contact: Bill Carpenter, Iosco County - (989) 984-1057
Contact: Colletta Moser, MSU Dept. of Ag Econ. - (517) 353-3298

Fast Trac
FastTrac is a 9- 11 week intensive entrepreneurial training course directed at those who would like to start a business or improve their present business. FastTrac I students develop a feasibility plan, while FastTrac II students develop a "Business Plan".
Contact: Van Varner, Novi Ext. Center - (248) 347-0269

Going Solo
Going Solo is a complete package for guiding aspiring entrepreneurs into the world of business ownership. The materials have been developed for both young and adult entrepreneurial training programs. The flexible and adaptable design can be customized for virtually any setting.
Contact: Dave Ivan, Clinton County- (989) 224-5240

Nx Level
A ten session, 30-hour course that addresses those questions every entreprenuer needs to answer before starting or expanding a business venture. Participants develop a business plan during the course to test the feasibility of thier business concept and to act as the blueprint for their venture.
Contact: Dianne Novak, Hannah Tech Center- (517) 432-8754


For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory.

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Natural Resources Detach
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Water Quality Detach

For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory

Water Quality Area of Expertise Team - includes information on program, project, bulletins, links to databases on information on water quality work in Michigan.

Institute for Water Quality Research  - includes information on drinking water, wetlands, land use, etc

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Land Use Planning & Zoning Detach

Michigan State University Land Use Planning and Zoning Services
October 20, 2009

  

Regional Land Use/Policy Educators Contacts

Map of Regional Land Use Educators - color coded to text list below

 

All of the Upper Peninsula Dave Anderson
email: ander510@msu.edu
Phone: 906-341-3688
MSU Extension, Schoolcraft County
300 Walnut St. Rm. 218
Manistique, Michigan 49854-1485
Northwest and West Central Lower Peninsula (including Charlevoix and Montcalm) Kurt H. Schindler
email: schindl9@msu.edu
Schindler's Land Use Page
Phone 231-779-9480x2
MSU Extension, Wexford County
401 N. Lake Street –Suite 400
Cadillac, Michigan 49601
Charlevoix County

Dean Solomon
email: solomon@msu.edu
Planners Moments

Phone: 231-582-6232
MSU Extension, Charlevoix County
319B North Lake Street
Boyne City, Michigan 49712-1101
 Montcalm County Don Smucker
email: smuckerd@msu.edu
Phone: 989-831-7500
MSU Extension, Montcalm County
211 W. Main Street, PO Box 308
Stanton, Michigan
48888-0308
 Northeast and East Central Lower Peninsula Mary Ann Heidemann
email: heidema9@msu.edu
Phone: 989-354-9870
MSU Extension, Alpena County
603 South 11th Avenue
Alpena, Michigan 49707-2645
 Newaygo County Ryan Coffey
email: coffeyry@msu.edu
Newaygo County Land Use
Phone: 231-924-9677
MSU Extension, Newaygo County
817 South Stewart Avenue
Fremont, Michigan 49412-7663
 Kent County (and a small amount of time in other area counties such as Allegan and Ionia) Kendra Wills
email: willsk@msu.edu
Phone: 616-336-3265
MSU Extension, Kent County
775 Ball Ave. NE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
 St. Joseph County (and a small amount of time in SW Lower Peninsula) Brad Neumann
email: neuman36@msu.edu
St. Joseph County Land Use page
Phone: 269-467-5511
MSU Extension, St. Joseph County
612 E. Main St
Centreville, Michigan 49032
 Hillsdale and Lenawee Counties (and a small amount of time in Clinton, Shiawassee, Eaton, Ingham, and Jackson) Jasneet Sharma
email: sharmaj@msu.edu
Sharma's Land Use Page
Phone: 517-264-5300
MSU Extension, Lenawee County
1040 South Winter St. Suite 2020
Adrian, Michigan 49221-3867
 Southeast Lower Peninsula Glenn Pape
email: papeglen@msu.edu
The Weary Planner blog
Phone: 810-667-0341
MSU Extension, Lapeer County
287 W. Nepessing St, Suite 1
Lapeer, Michigan 48446-2104

 

 

 

 

  • List of all full members of the MSU Land Use Team click here.
  • For a brochure on the Regional Land Use/Policy Educators click here.
  • For a list of education programs and services click here.
  • If you do not see education programming desired here, contact your local County Extension Director.  It is very possible we can create a new program which meets your specific needs.

     

    Land Use Team Co- chairs:

    • Kurt H. Schindler, Regional Land Use Educator,| MSU Extension, Wexford County; 401 N. Lake Street, Cadillac, Michigan 49601 | (231)779-9480 |schindl9@msu.edu | fax(231)779-9105 | Map to office
    • Wayne Beyea, J.D., AICP, Associate Director, Citizen Planner | Land Policy Institute, 1405 South Harrison Road, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 | (517)432-8800 | beyea@msu.edu | fax (517)432-8769

     


    Other Land Use Services and Links

    MSU Land Use Team Land Policy Institute MSU Remote Sensing & Geographic Information Science
      Citizen Planner Institute for Water Research at MSU
    School of Planning, Design & Construction Planning and Zoning Center at MSU Michigan Natural Features Inventory
    Department of Geography (college of Social Science) Wind Power web site  

     


    Doing research on the Internet?  

    Anyone can put anything on the Internet.  It may or may not be true, it might not be credible. 
    Want to know how to research material on the web with a critical eye?

    Then visit these web sites: 
    Evaluating Web Pages --University of California Library. 
    Web page evaluation checklist form.  
    Evaluating Information Found on the Internet -- The Sheridan Libraries of The John Hopkins University 
    For annotated descriptions of many other good guides to evaluating web pages, search the subject
    "Evaluating Quality on the Net" in the Librarians' Index to the Internet <http://www.lii.org>

    MSU Land Use Team:

    Co- chairs:

    • Kurt H. Schindler, Regional Land Use Educator,| MSU Extension, Wexford County; 401 N. Lake Street, Cadillac, Michigan 49601 | (231)779-9480 |schindl9@msu.edu | fax(231)779-9105 | Map to office
    • Wayne Beyea, J.D., AICP, Associate Director, Citizen Planner | Land Policy Institute, 1405 South Harrison Road, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823 | (517)432-8800 | beyea@msu.edu | fax (517)432-8769
    • List of full members

     

     

     

     

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    Tourism Development Programs Detach

    For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory.

    Tourism Area of Expertise Team

    Tourism Matters Newsletter

    Tourism Projects,  services and programs

    Tourism Profiles of Each County in Michigan
    Key travel and tourism inventory data and trends for each county in Michigan. The data presented in the profiles are most current available. Most recent issue - June 2001.

    Independently Owned Lodging Properties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and in Northern Lower Peninsula
    A summary of the survey  (file readable in Adobe Acrobat Reader; file size - 117KB)

    Tourism Assistance Program in west-central Michigan
    The general goal of the TAP program is to build the capacity of communities to deliver sustainable tourism marketing programs. Our strategy is to concentrate our resources to provide in-depth educational programming, inventory of the tourism resources, visitor, local resident and business surveys over a two-three year period in a selected community. The TAP project is tailored to the needs of the communities requesting assistance.

    Tourism Educational Materials
    A comprehensive inventory of Extension resource materials related to tourism education. Currently the database contains over 250 Extension resource materials including bulletins, research reports, videos, and training programs. Nearly 100 documents are on-line in full text.

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    MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.