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BUCHANAN — Buchanan City Commissioners tackled a number of topics at their meeting Monday, ranging from a market analysis of the city’s retail potential to grant applications for two city parks. Commissioners also called on people to apply for the soon to be restored Downtown Development Authority.

      Monday’s meeting began with a proclamation for Women’s History Month honoring the city’s women business owners. Mayor Mark Weedon noted there are 410 businesses in Berrien County owned by women and seven percent of them – around 30 or so – are in Buchanan. 

“It’s unbelievable the number of women business owners in the county and in the city,” he said.

The next item on the agenda was a presentation by Cornerstone Alliance Vice-President Andrew Haan. Haan gave details of the market analysis and real estate development strategy Cornerstone conducted in Buchanan last summer.

      He said Buchanan was one of four communities in the county that Cornerstone worked with after getting a state rural readiness grant. The other three communities were St. Joseph Township and the cities of Niles and Watervliet.

      Haan told commissioners that the market analysis of Buchanan showed that there is an annual capacity of over $300 million in demand for retail and services, with only $99 million supplied each year. He said that means that there is a potential for more retail and service oriented businesses in a variety of areas.

      While the local economy won’t capture all of that $200 million in “leakage”, he said it’s realistic to think that 20 percent of that demand could be captured. That would amount to around $43 million worth of new businesses.

      Other findings from the market analysis included that visitors come to Buchanan mostly during the daytime hours, that the 18-29 age group is the biggest age group that comes downtown and $50,000 to $75,000 is the typical income range of those coming.

      Haan said that the market analysis produced a number of recommendations. Those include repurposing the “Vision for Buchanan” statement to have a developer focus, establishing new redevelopment and place management tools, create additional National Historic Register districts, add more downtown housing and developing a vacant house ordinance.

      He noted that there are a number of ways that the city can incentivize development, through such tools as the use of brownfield development authorities and housing tax increment financing as well as bringing back the Downtown Development Authority.

      City Manager Tony McGhee told commissioners that the full report prepared by the Cornerstone Alliance will be posted on the city’s website for people to peruse.

      As for the last item Haan mentioned, having an active DDA, commissioners had a further discussion about bringing back the DDA later in the meeting. Although no formal vote was taken, commissioners all spoke in favor of re-establishing the DDA that was disbanded in 2020.

      “I’m ecstatic,” Commissioner Dan Vigansky said during the discussion. He has been pushing fellow commissioners and city staff to bring back the DDA for several months.

      “I’m just over the moon, I want this to go forward,” he added. “People were so misled in the past. I want anybody who applies to move on from that past history.”

      Weedon agreed. “This is an opportunity to move forward,” he said. “Today’s meeting is a prime example of what we can do. We can see that others have an interest in Buchanan. This is another opportunity to re-establish what had been dismantled.”

      Weedon urged residents and business owners interested in serving on the new DDA to fill out an application. Once a group of people are selected to serve, the next steps will be to write new bylaws and a new DDA ordinance.

      City Clerk Kalla Langston-Weiss said the DDA application form will be on the city website as well as available at City Hall. The DDA board is required to have some members who are downtown business owners and can also have other members from other parts of the city and surrounding area.

      Monday’s city commission meeting featured action on other items as well. The city is applying for two grants for recreational projects in advance of April 1 deadlines.

      The bigger of the two projects is for a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant to pay for the next phase in Riverfront Park improvements for a fishing platform and restrooms. The city is asking for up to $400,000 and will match it with $150,000 in local funds.

      The city is also applying for a Recreation Passport grant to pay for new playground equipment and other improvements to Kathryn Park. The city is asking for $150,000 and will match it with $150,000 in local funds.

      Commissioners approved a new rental housing ordinance, set registration/inspection fees and a moratorium on short term rentals. The purpose of the new rental housing ordinance is to promote public safety and information about the ordinance, fees and moratorium will be disseminated in the community, McGhee said.

      The fees for long term rentals is $35 per unit per year, while the fee for short term rentals is $125 per unit per year. The long term rental fees go into effect July 1, while the short term rental fees will go into effect 15 days from Monday. Short term rentals currently operating will be grandfathered in.