Benton Harbor General Development Plan

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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1989

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

I. BACKGROUND

A. Site and Situation.......................................9

B. A Brief History of Benton Harbor
by Harold Atwood........................................10

C. Economics...............................................15

D. Population..............................................16

E. Housing.................................................19

F. Current Land Use........................................22

II FOREGROUND

A. Goals and Objectives....................................25

B. Future Land Use and Development.........................27

C. Population Projections..................................40

D. Departmental and Agency Plans,Programs, and Strategies

1. Economic Development...........................41

2. Community Development..........................43

3. Parks and Recreation...........................44

4. Public Safety..................................46

a. Police

b. Fire and Inspections

US Department of Commerce
NOAA Coastal Services Center Library
2234 South Hobson Avenue
Charleston, SC 29405-2413

5. Public Works................................47

6. Utility Services............................48

a. Water Division

b. Wastewater Division

C. Customer Services Division

7. Engineering.................................50

8. City Assessor...............................52

9. Homestead Board.............................53

10. Harbor Commission...........................54

11. Public Housing..............................55

12. Ross Field Airport..........................56

13. Neighborhood Information and
Sharing Exchange............................58

14. Christian Outreach Rehab and Development....59

15. Chamber of Commerce.........................60

16. Community Economic Development Corporation..61

17. Southwestern Michigan Commission............62

E. Analysis arid Recommendations.................................63

MAPS, FIGURES, AND TABLES

MAP 1 Location............................................8

MAP 2 Residential Subdistricts...........................21

MAP 3 Current Land Use...................................23

MAP 4 Development Districts..............................31

MAP 5 Land Use Plan......................................32

MAP 6 Projects...........................................35

MAP 7 Parks..............................................45

FIGURE 1 Population Pyramid................................18

TABLE 1 Manufacturing.....................................15

TABLE 2 Population Change, 1890-1985......................16

TABLE 3 Population by Age Group...........................17

TABLE 4 Per Capita Income.................................17

TABLE 5 Year Round Housing................................19

TABLE 6 Housing and Population...........................20

TABLE 7 Trends...........................................40

TABLE 8 1989 CDBG Budget.................................43

TABLE 9 1989/90 street Improvements......................51

TABLE 10 1989 SEV........................................52

PREFACE

-1-his report, The Benton Harbor General Development Plan is the first in
a series of Planning documents being developed. It is not. meant to be
a I I inclusive and a panacea for Benton Harbor. Its purpose is to tie
informative and indicative. Plans are not "set in concrete". They
should be flexible and allowed to grow with the City. This plan should
be taken as a statement. of policy as to the direction of Benton
Hart.ior's development. and the needs of the community. As with most
plans, this plan needs annual review and ;--itmendmerit. It provides a good
starting point. for the planning of the redevelopment of the City.

Benton Harbor Bent-on Harbor
Planning Commission Planning Division

Michael Green, Aaron Anthony,
Chairman Director

William Wolf, Mable Campbell,
Mayor Administrative Assistant

Michael Govatos, Albert Meshkin,
City Commissioner Southwestern Michigan
Commission
James RUtter,
Superintendent. of Schools

Harvey Robinson

Selene Anderson

John Howard

Dr. Thomas Woodford

Jack V,*inney

I %

INTRODUCTION

This reports presents a ten year master plan for the city of Benton
Harbor. It replaces previous master plans adopted by the City.

This General Development Plan was written and adopted in conjunction
with the City's new General Development Ordinance. The concurrent
evolution of these two documents insure their compatibility and
accordance. Their titles express the community's desire for
development. This development plan describes the past, present, and
future Benton Harbor. The Development Ordinance is meant to dovetail
with this plan. It is the legal document for directing Benton Harbor's
growth. Note that it is not simply traditional zoning. It is a
combination of conventional and progressive techniques which together
are designed to encourage growth and development, while directing land
use. This positive perspective of emphasizing development is
fundamental of Benton Harbor's role as the "Port of Opportunities".

This plan paints a picture of Benton Harbor. As such, it is divided
into two sections, the background and the foreground. The background
includes the history, settingm, and current situation of the City. The
foreground comprises goal, objectives, programs, and plans for the
City. Where the foreground and the background coalesce you have the
object of the portrait, and the object of this plan, the Community of
Benton Harbor.

JVW NCj I

SITE AND SITUATION

Benton Harbor is located in Berrien County, Michigan. Berrien County
is an area of gently rolling land with good soils noted for its
agricultural productivity. The temperature moderating effects of Lake
Michigan help make this area a major fruit producer for the nation. Two
major rivers dissect Berrien County, the Paw Paw River and the St.
Joseph River. Benton Harbor is located at the confluence of these two
rivers.

The average elevation of Benton Harbor is approximately 600 feet above
sea level. The topography of the City ranges from Bluffs overlooking
the downtown area to pristine wetlands located in the northern
extremities of the City. Additional water resources include Ox Creek,
whick flows through Benton Harbor into the Paw Paw River, and frontage
along Lake Michigan, which is the location of Jean Klock Park.

Transprtation is and area where Benton Harbor has much wealth. In
additional to the two rivers and Lake Michigan which make it an active
port, the City is serviced by rail, air, and highway transportation.
Interstates I-94 and I-96 intersect to the south of Benton Harbor.
These interstate highways connect Benton Harbor with Chicago, Detroit,
Grand Rapids, Holland, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. Business Loop 94
runs through downtown Benton Harbor. Railroad lines, including a
switching yard, travel through the industrial area.

Ross Field Airport features three runways, including a 5,100 foot
runway capable of handling jet traffic, and a control tower. Benton
Harbor should certainly give notice of this diversity and availability
of transportation.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BENTON HARBOR

Eleazar Morton, a native of Masschusetts and Benton Harbor's first
settler, arrived at. St. Joseph in 1835. He purchased 160 acreS of land
east of the river and in 1836, moved his family into a log house on
high ground west Ox Creek, a Site located in the middle of present
day Main Street opposite the new Transportation Building.

Farmers who had settled farther east brought their produce to the
Harbor via Territorial Road. Upon reaching present-day Fifth street,
they followed a trail below the bluff south to Spink's Bridge and
crossed the river where an island made bridge construction easier and
less expensive. A trail along the west bank of the river led to the
harbor. The round trip from Morton's house to the harbor often took a
day. Thus, the Morton Place became a convenient rest stop for
travelers to and from St. Joseph. After one year, Morton enlarged his
house to provide for overnight guest and became a tavernkeeper.

Morton and his son Henry, set out a peach orchard and in, 1841, sold
their first crop to Captain Curis Boughton for one dollar per bushel.
Later, having expanded their holdings to 500 acres, they set out
orchards consisting of apple, peach, pear, plum, and apricot trees. In
1849 the Mortons moved into a new home which still stands at 501
Territorial. They continued to accomodate travelers in need of a
place to stay.

The Morton prosperity attracted the attention of others. In 1857
Messrs. Smith and Howell, representing a Cincinnati syndicate, rented
seventy acres of land from Henry C. Morton and set the entire tract to
peach trees. The "Cincinnati Orchard", producing 25,000 bushels of
peaches per year, became known all over the United States. In 1859
Sterne Brunson arrived and purchased suxty acres of land east of where
the City Hall now stands.

In 1858 Spink's Bridge was washed out by a flood. It ws now proposed
that a new bridge be built at the west end of present-day Main Street.
The project would be expensive because the length of the span and the
need for a three-quarter-mile long access road across the marsh. Henry
C. Morton and Charles Hull attended a meeting of St. Joseph businessmen
to ask for help and were met with a firm refusal. So, a subscription
drive among township residents was undertaken, and the road and the
bridge were built during the winter of 1858-1859.

The bridge episode caused Sterne Brunson to propose that residents
east of the river begin immediately to build a ship canal through the
marsh and establish a new town. At first, Brunson was subjected to
considerable riducule; but, in the spring of 1860, a canal committee
(Sterne Brunson, Charles Hull,and Henry C. Morton) entered into a
contract with Martin Green, a dredge owner from Chicago, to begin
construction. Again, a subscription drive was undertaken to pay for
the project. Many township residents hauled wook to fuel the steam
dredge. After two years, a mile-long canal was opened with the eastern
edge fo the turning basin at the townline dividing Benton and St.
Joseph townships.

As canal dredging began, J.E. Miller a civil engineer and associate of
Martin Green, Platted the dry land which lay below the bluffs. When
the plat was recorded in 1863, the village was named Brunson Harbor to
honor the man who was generally regarded as the "town father."

Brunson Harbor grew rapidly as lots were sold and wooden buildings
erected. In 1866 a petition for incorporation as a village was
granted, and an organizational meeting was held at the "Little White
School." The village name was changed to Benton Harbor and Samuel
McGuigan was elected its first president. The new village was
approximately one mile square with the southern boundary at Britain
Avenue. The eastern half of the village was situated in Benton
Townships and the western half in St. Joseph Township.

The canal made Benton Harbor a lake port. Its banks were soon lined
with saw mills and basket factories. In 1870 the Benton Harbor Fruit
Market was founded at the city whark, and farmers lined up on Sixth
Street to bargain with fruit brokers. Ships began loading over 3000,000
packages of fruit per year. In 1880 J.H. Graham, J.S. Morton, and two
others organized the Graham and Morton Transportation Company and began
operating a daily line of steamers to Chicago.

Most village residents were living on flats in small homes, upstairs
apartments, or boarding houses. In 1885 a street railway with
horse-drawn cars began operating between Benton Harbor and St. Joseph.
The first electric lights were installed in 1889, but power was
available only from dusk to midnight. According to the 1890 Census,
Benton Harbor's population had reached 3,692.

Village property owners west of Colfax Avenue, located in St. Joseph
Township, were paying higher taxes than property owneres east of Colfax
who were paying taxes to Benton Township. Incorporation of Benton
hargbor as a city would remove the west residents from St. Joseph
Township with a consequent los of revenue to the township. Thus, the
issue was joined: Should the villages be incorporated as one city,
or should separate cities be created?

The choice of a new name from one City aroused much controversy. Many
Benton Harbor residents, fearful of losing their identity, campaigned
for incorporation as a separate city. Residents in St. Joseph also
opposed consolidation and changing the name of the village. In 1891
the state legislature decided to grant separate charters; and, amidst
great jubilation, Benton Harbor voters chose Fred A. Hobbs to be their
first mayor. The new City's boundaries were moved south to Empire
Avenue, east to Fair Avenue, and west to the river.

Huge numbers of tourists began coming to the area to excape the summer
heat and to relax on the sandy beaches or enjoy the inland rural scene.
In 1887 a mineral well was discovered in the northern part of the City
near the Paw Paw River; and the water, believed to have health-giving
properties, was piped to the premier Hotel and Bath House which stood
four-story Plank's Tavern was built in Saint Joseph near the harbor
entrance and, two years later, the Silver Beach amusement park was
opened. the tabor Farm Rewort began building summer cottages, and
Higman Park became a popular summer resort. In 1903 Benjamin and Mary
Purnell established the Israelite House of David on a large tract of
land at the eastern edge of the City. Their amusement park attracted
thousands of visitors.

In 1905 the Benton Harbor Development Company was organized to attract
industries to the City. Land grants and financial aid induced many
industries to locate here incluking: Baker-Vawter (1905), F.P. Rossback
(1905), Covel (1907), Benton Harbor Malleable Foundry (1908), Crary
Machine Works (1912), Saranac Machine (1913) and Superior Steel Castings
(1916).

By 1920 the city's population was more than 12,000 with an additional
6,000 living outside the City limits. The commission form of
government was adopted and , in 1921, a City Manager was employed.
During the navigation season, steamers running daily to Chicago and
Milwaukee were carrying over 2,000,000 packages of fruit. An annual
blossom festival was begun in 1924, after suggestion by Fred L.
Granger was enthusiastically promoted by the Rev. Joshua O. Randall of
the Methodist Peace Temple.

By 1925 then paved roads led out of the City in all directions. With
transportation more convenient, the fruit market was moved in 1930 to
a 34 acre site at Ninth and Market streets. Open From June to
November, with sales exceeding $8,000,000 per year, it became known as
"the largest cash to grower non-citrus fruit market in the world." The
historic ship canal was abandoned to allow for much needed parking
space.

By 1930 fifty-four industries were employing 4,000 men and 500 women to
manufacture more than 100 different items. Reflecting the prosperity
of these years, the City enjoyed a building boom: Sheffield Building
(1918), Liberty Theater (1922), Vincent Hotel (1925), Fidelity Building
(1927), YMCA Building (1927), Hotel Michigan (1928), Federal Building
(1930), Michigan Bell Telephone Company (1930), House of David Hotel
(1932), and the mInicipal Building (1937). Five new churches were
built south and east of the central buseness district.

According to the 1950 census, the population had reached 18,796 with
about 15,000 more outside the City limits. Benton Harbor was the
area's major retail center, drawing shoppers from a radius of thirty
miles. However, the automobile was inexorably making the central
business district obsolete. With the opening of Fairplain Plaza in
1958 the exodus of retail business began. to provide an alternative
location, a major reclamation project was undertaken to develop the
City's riverfront area. Riverview Drive was opened from Main Street to
Empire Avenue, and the Inter-City Bank, Sears Roebuck, K-mart, and
other retail stores relocated there.

An urban renewal program was approved by the voters in 1964. The City
Commission began demolition of 281 buildings and clearance of 121
acres to make way for new commercial development and light industry in
and near the central business district. The fruit market moved in 1967
to a site near the airport. Urban renewal demolished the black ghetto
on the flats west of the downtown business district forcing the
residents to find homes in other parts of the City.

Between 1970 and 1985 thousands of jobs were lost due to closing or
downsizing of local manufacturing plants. The City unemployment rate
consistently exceeded twenty-five percent. More than twenty percent of
families wereliving below the established poverty level. Absentee
landlords and low-income residents combined to produce deteriorating
neighborhoods. Retail activity downtown evaporated. The Liberty
Theater and the VIncent Hotel were closed in 1975. The Fidelity
Building, onetime business hub of the CIty, was closed in 1976.

The Orchards Mall, situated on Pipestone Road near 1-94, opened in
1979 and delivered a final blow to downtown retail business. J.C.
Penneys, which had opened on Main Street in 1925, moved to the mall in
1980. Cunninghams Drug Store, a successor to a centUry-long series of
drug stores in the Bell Block, closed in 1981 . The Farmers arid
Merchants National Bank, which had been located downtown since 1888,
moved to a new bUilding on Riverview Drive. Beginning in 1982 the
Michigan Department of Commerce ranked Benton Harbor as the state's
most distressed community.

In 1985 a Downtown Development Authority was formed to restore historic
buildings, demolish others, and improve the downtown infrastructure. A
fifty-nine acre North of Main IndUStrY Park has been assembled where,
in 1989, a bUSineSS-technology center was built as an "incubator" for
small businesses. In 1986 state officials designated Benton Harbor as
Michigan's first "enterprise zone." In 1988 Community Economic
Development. Corporation was formed and announced a $30,000,000 Twin
Cities redevelopment plan with major focus on Benton Harbor. The plan,
includes reopening the ship canal for marina development.,
infrastructure improvement., an industrial park system, and neighborhood
reconstruction.

September 1989 Harold A. Atwood

ECONOMICS

Throughout much of Benton Harbor's history it has been in a state of
economic transition. Until the 1960's this transition was in the form
of -growth. Since the early 1970's Benton Harbor has seen its growth
stop arid watched its decline begin. 'There are many possible reasons
for this reversal. National economic recession, auto industry slow
down, arid local political climate have all contributed to this setback.

Since its peak in the early 1970's Benton Harbor has had a net loss in
manUfacturing establishments and employees. While some gains may have
been made, they were not enough to offset the losses (Table 1).
Associated with the manufacturing losses are the similar, if not
greater, losses to the general business activity.

TABLE 1
GAIN/LOSS OF MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENT AND
EMPLOYEES, BENTON HARBOR, 1966 - 1986

# OF # OF # OF # OF NET # OF NET # OF
EMPLOYEES FIRMS EMPLOYEES FIRMS EMPLOYEES FIRMS
YEARS LOST CLOSED GAINED GAINED LOST CLOSED

1966-71 294 12 150 10 144 2

1971-76 1,860 29 323 11 1,537 18

1976-81 1,682 16 661 12 1,021 4

1981-86 532 15 102 48 430 7

1966-86 4,368 72 1,236 41 3,132 31

After: Benton Harbor Statistical Profile, MSU, 1987.

These economic losses have reduced Benton Harbor's tax base and
increased its unemployment rate. Benton Harbor had a 1988 average
unemployment rate of 22.3% and a 1985 per capita income of $5514. This
unemployment rate is three times the state average. The per capita
income is the lowest of any community in Michigan having more than 2000
people. Why Benton Harbor has not followed the State's comeback is
also complicated. The burden of an aging infrastructure and a large
dependent population have undoubtedly contributed to this slow
response.

It appears that Benton Harbor has stabilized its economic base and has
begun its own comeback. How the City plans to build momentum and
continue its economic growth is discussed in depth later in this plan.

POPULATION

The population Of Benton Harbor has been declining since the 1960's.
This trend has appeared to level off, the 1990 CenSLJS Will shed more
light on this. Table 2 compares the POPUlatiOn changes of Benton Harbor
with Berrien County, and the State of Michigan. over the last century.
Berrien County and the State have grown at similar rates during this
centUry. The Population changes in Benton Harbor do not reflect. this.
Benton Harbor experienced explosive Population growth during the first.
half Of the Century, having a higher percentage of population growth
than either the County or state.

TABLE 2
POPULATION CHANGE, 1890 - 1985

BENTON % BERRIEN % STATE 0F %
HARBOR CHANGE COUNTY CHANGE MICHIGAN CHANGE

1985* 14,160 -3.7 163,600 -4.5 9,155,000 -1.2
1980 14,707 -10.8 171,276 4.5 9,262,078 4.4
1970 16,481 -13.9 163,940 9.4 8,875,083 13.5
1960 19,136 2.0 149,865 29.5 7,823,194 22.8
1950 18,769 12.6 115,702 29.8 6,371,766 21.2
1940 16,668 8.0 89,117 9.9 5,256,106 8.5
1930 15,434 26.2 81,066 29.4 4,842,325 32.0
1920 12,233 33.2 62,653 16.8 3,668,412 30.5
1910 9,185 40.0 53,622 9.1 2,810,173 16.1
1900 6,562 77.7 49,165 19.1 2,420,982 15.6
1890 3,692 41,285 2,093,890

*estimated Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census

The population growth of Benton Harbor came to at dramatic halt. after
1960. This was 10-20 years prior to slowdown for the County or State.
This combined with the local exodus of retail business and industries,
the dislocation of residents due to urban renewal programs, and the
nation-wide economic turmoil of the 1970's arid early 1980's begin to
explain the difficulties that Benton Harbor has experienced.

The 1980 population of Benton Harbor was 14,707. When this number is
broken down by the age groups (*Table 3) a picture begins to appear.
Figures 2.3 and 4 are population pyramids. *They graphically portray
the age, sex, and race of the City's residents in 1980. The under 20
age group, which is typically not considered part of the work force:,
represents 48.7% of the population. The 65 arid over age group (7.8%)
also is not considered part of the work force. Thus, the work force
(ages 20-64) consists of only 43.5% of the population. In April, 1989
Benton Harbor's unemployment rate was 20.4%. This was over three
times the State unemployment rate of 6.1%. After Subtracting the
unemployment rate from the work force You are left with approximately
one third the population supporting themselves and the remainder" of
the people.

TABLE 3
1980 BENTON HARBOR POPULATION
BY AGE GROUP

AGE GROUP OF PEOPLE %

Under 5 1785 12.2
5-9 1880 12.8
10-14 1831 12.4
15-19 1664 11.3
20-24 1251 8.5
25-34 1854 12.6
35-44 1197 8.1
45-54 1103 7.5
55-64 1002 6.8
65-74 716 4.9
75 and Over 424 2.9
TOTAL 14,707 100.0

SOURCE: 1980 U.S. CENSUS

The 1985 estimated per capita income it-, Denton Harbor was $5514. This
is approximately half' of the State per capita income (Table 4).This
is also the lowest of any place in Michigan with a population of 2000
or greater.

TABLE 4
PER CAPITA INCOME. IN DOLLARS

BENTON BERRIEN STATE OF
HARBOR COUNTY MICHIGAN

1979 3,766 6,723 7,688
1985* 5,514 9,365 10,902

*estimated Source: U. S. Bureau of the CenSUS

How the City will address these problems will be shown later in this
document. The purpose of this section was to help ViSUaliZe Benton
Harbor's Population and its problems.

I - . .. -- - @ I .. -.- -.. I - - @ ......
T 7 1 *7

FIGURE ONE

POPULATION PYRAMID

HOUSING

Benton Harbor has a variety of housing types. The majority of housing
units are one and two story frame or brick structures. There are also
a number of Queen Anne style homes. Benton Harbor has two large public
housing complexes, a private residential complex (River Terrace), and a
retirement complex (Harbor Towers).

Of much importance is the housing conditions. Portions of almost all
neighborhoods have some blight. In some neighborhoods the extent of the
deterioration is extreme. Table 5 below illustrates the housing
conditions in 1980. There were a total of 5178 housing units in Benton
Harbor. Of this, only 43.5% are owner occupied. the remainder are
rental properties in
overcrowded conditions. This is defined as having an average of more
than one person per room in the housing unit. As we go into the 1990's
we must look seriously at these problems and rectify them.

TABLE 5
YEAR ROUND HOUSING
BENTON HARBOR, 1980

OWNER RENTER VACANT TOTAL

# OF HOUSING UNITS 2,254 2,343 581 5,178

% OF HOUSING UNITS 43.5 43.5 11.2 100.0

MEDIAN # OF ROOMS 5.7 4.3 - 4.9

PEOPLE OVERCROWDED 1,693 1,579 - 3,272

SOURCE : 1980 U.S. CENSUS

Table 6 shows housing and population characteristics . by residential
subdistrict (map 2), as defined in the future land use section. Notice
that only the Southside subdistrict has a high proportion of owner to
renter occupied housing units. This area is also the least blighted of
the sub-districts. This table also shows that approximately 58% of the
POPUlatiOn under age 20 lives in the SOUthSide and Catalpa/Clay
SUb-districts.

TABLE 6
BENTON HARBOR HOUSING AND POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS,
BY RESIDENTIAL SUBDISTRICT, 1980

NORTH SOUTH BELLVIEW CATALPA SOUTH OTHER
SIDE FAIR /BRUNSON /CLAY SIDE AREAS

TOTAL
RESIDENTs 1623 2541 2007 3808 4321 376

RESIDENTS
< age 10 393 544 543 1022 1021 68

RESIDENTS
age 10-19 381 561 466 1087 911 29

OWNER OCCUPIED
HOUSING UNITS 247 334 143 522 980 20

RENTER OCCUPIED
HOUSING UNITS 285 439 530 502 388 193

HOUSING UNIT
RATI0
OWNER:RENTER 46:54 43:57 21:79 51:49 72:28 9:91

PERSONS
PER HOUSEHOLD 3.05 3.28 2.98 3.72 3.16 1.62

PERSONS PER
FAMILY 3.68 4.04 4.00 4.20 3.70 3.07

SOURCE: 1980 U. S. BUREAU OF CENSUS

-- ------- - -------- @ I
i 1 20

M A P IM Ci
F@ESIDENTIAL SUBDISTRICTS

CURRENT LAND USE

The Study of current land use in Benton Harbor will assist in
understanding the present development. and guide future planning
decisions. Primarily, the land use inventory graphically portrays the
man-made features of the community.

The existing land use map (map 3) was Compiled from a field survey
conducted in March and April of 1989 and from aerial photography. The
City's land uses shown on the map are classified into seven major
categories-;. They are:

1. Industrial - including manufacturing,
trucking, warehousing, and storage;

2. Retail/Commercial - includes shopping,
eating and drinking; establishments, and
other businesses which sell or rent. a
tangible product.;

3. Office - encompasses doctors, lawyers,
insurance, real estate, and other
bUsineSS which offer art an intangible
service;

4. Residential -- comprises single and two
family, multi-family apartments, and
public hOuSing;

5. Public/Semi-Public - inClUdes
government. buildings, non-profit.
agencies, schools, chUrches, and the
airport.;

6. Parks - takes in Parks, cemeteries,
beaches, preserves and boat landings;

7. Undeveloped - 'This includes land which
does not currently have an apparent. use.
The land may be prime land awaiting
development, such as near Market Street,
or land which is not readily developable,
usually because of topographic reasons.

The land use inventory shows a developed community with a definite
pattern as to location and type of land uses. What it does not show are
the nUmerOus Vacant Or Under utilized buildings and lots. These
building and lots should be looked UPOn as assets which will allow
Benton Harbor freedom to grow.

i 22

MAP THREE
C-A-IFdRIENT LAND USE

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.Il-
i .C. It

FORECiRCIIAID

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

A fundamental component of this development. plan are its goals. Goals
are general long-term aims toward which community resources should be
directed in order to improve the City and its quality of life. Goals
may range from very idealistic to more practical in nature. Goals may
frequently be without an end. They may continually strive to improve
an aspect of the community.

Objectives are similar to goals, but more specific. Objectives begin
to focus in on what needs to be done to achieve the goals.

The goals that. have been developed for Benton Harbor are basic,
realistic goals which reflect the needs of the community.

BENTON HARBOR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

GOAL 1: To encourage economic growth in the community.

OBJECTIVE 1: EncOUrage waterfront development and
promote tOUrism.
OBJECTIVE 2: EnCOrage new businesses arid assist.
established businesses.
OBJECTIVE 3: Coordinate with area agencies.

GOAL 2: To provide and maintain a safe and adeqUate
infraStrUCtUre and transportation system for
the community, now arid in the future.

OBJECTIVE 1: Undergo infrastructure improvements.

OBJECTIVE 2: Encourage harbor activity.

OBJECTIVE 3: Encourage airport improvements.

GOAL 3: To provide a clean, healthy, safe arid
attractive environment. for our citizens and
guests.

OBJECTIVE 1: Acquire additional funding and
staffing for projects, programs, and
maintenance.

OBJECTIVE 2: Promote new residential construction
and improvements to existing housing.

OBJECTIVE 3: Improve maintenance of public and
private property.

The numbering of these goals and objectives is not meant to imply a
hierarchy between them. The goals are equally important, as are the
objectives, to provide a "whole" community.

In order to achieve our goals, we must first-, achieve our objectives.
This iqs done through implementation of a more detailed instrument. it
can called by several names. Programs, targets, policies, and
strategies are a few of these names. For our purposes we will use the
term strategy.

The upcoming pages detail the strategies which are being used by
government and non-government agencies in order to achieve our
objectives, and thus our goals. This is followed by an analysis which
will show areas in which there are deficiencies.

FUTURE LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT

The City undertook a major land use project. in 1989. This project.
consisted of a land use survey, a new zoning ordinance, and a new
master plan. This project was funded jointly by the City of Benton
Harbor and by a Coastal Zone Management Grant that was administered by
the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Staffing for this
endeavor was provided by the City arid by the Southwestern Michigan
Commission.

The land use survey was discussed in a previous section of this
document. The new zoning ordinance was needed, as the old ordinance was
antiquated in structure, incomplete, and Was UndUly restrictive of
development. Development. is the key word. The desire for development
is the reason behind namini the new document 'The General Development.
Ordinance. This name reflects the City's position of encouraging
growth, rather than simply directing land use. THis desire is again
exhibited in this document, the General Development Plan.

By minimizing the number of districts and their spatial dissemination
we hope to achieve a manageable arid efficient development pattern. Map
#4 shows the new Development Districts of the City. The City has been
divided into the following five development districts:

1. Residential Development (RD) - As the name implies, this
area will house the majority of Benton Harbor's POPUlation.
The desire is to distribute the POpUlation fairly uniformly
and thus avoid high densities.

For Planning purposes, this district has been divided into
the following five sub-districts:

a. The portion of the Residential District
which is north of Main Street arid east of Paw Paw
Avenue will be known as the North Side subdistrict.
'The North Side sub-district is an area primarily of
single family residences. Some of the oldest homes
in the City are in this area. The Morton House
Museum is located in this SUb-district. *This area
is intended to be moderate density.

b. The South Fair subdistrict is located
south of Main Street and east of Ox Creek. This
area is also intended to tie of medium density. It.
has a variety of single, two, and multi-family
structures. In addition, two Public housing
projects are located in this subdistrict.

C. The subdistrict west of Ox Creel,, arid north of
Britain Ave is the Bellview/Brunson subdistrict.
This is an area 6f much decay arid in need of
rehabilitation. It is currently a high density
area, having many multi-family structures.

d. Jhe Catalpa/Clay subdistrict is also a blighted
area in need of redevelopment. This sub-district
is bounded by Britain to the north, Empire to
south, and Ox Creel, to the east. It is primarily
made up of older single family homes diffused with
many two and multi-family structures. This area
has a high population density.

e. The South Side subdistrict is the largest of
the SUbdistricts. It encompasses the residential
area to the west of Ox Creek and south of Empire
Avenue. This is an area with a great range of
housing quality. Some of the best maintained homes
in the City may be found in this subdistrict. An
effort should be made to preserve the viable
portions of this area and also promote the much
needed rehabilitation of the blighted portions.

When this district. was divided into SUbdistricts many
factors were examined. Existing housing, topography, NISE
neighborhood borders, census tracts, and streets were taken
into account in order to create logical divisions within the
district. These divisions will facilitate future planning in
the residential district.

Local business alSO Plays a substantial role within thiS
district. This important element of the City is addressed in
the Development Ordinance through the use of the Local
Business Floating Zone. Use of this zone will allow
reasonable and proper commercial activity within a primarily
residential area.

2. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT (CD)

The CD, Commercial Development, District is intended to be a
moderate to high intensity of use are. This area is in
need of economic redevelopment and is capable of supporting
the greater intensity of use. It is to be an area primarily
of office, service, and retail use. Apartment type
residential uses, found in mult-use projects, are another
desired facet of this district. Some light industrial use
will be allowed for gradual transition of land uses, rather
than an abrupt change.

The focus of this area will be towards daytime activity. In
doing this it will serve as a nightime buffer separating the
residential from the more intensive uses within the
industrial and waterfront areas. This daytime activity will
largely be in the form of office space. Service and retail
business, especially those which have an office type market,
are desirable within this district.

3. WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT (WD)

The WD, Waterfront Development, District is intended to be a
high intensity of use area. It will serve as the "community
focal point". It differs from the Commercial Development
District in proximity to water, and thus, the type of
business to be found there. This district will encourage
marinas, tourism related business and retail operations.
Through use of the Special Development Floating Zone it will
also allow high density residential uses in mixed-use,
multi-use, and planned unit developments.

This area has a high development capability and can support
the highest intensity of development. By this, we mean that
it has high property values due to the proximity of the
water, large vacant areas to the north which await
development, and an in-place infrastructure to the south.

This area is intended to have a mix of uses. This is done to
encourage activity in the district virtually 24 hours a day.
In addition, by not simply focusing on tourism, it will
ensure activity throughout the year. Shopping centers, small
retail shops, passive and active recreation, offices, high
rise apartments, and service business are all desired here.

4. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT (ID)

This district is intended to accommodate industrial land uses
which may or may not be compatible with less intensive land
uses. Accordingly, the standards for this district are
designed to accommodate intensive industrial uses which may
have a high degree of nuisance potential. Light industries
which have less negative impact are included in this district
to moderate the effect of the more intensive industries.

The creation of this district recognizes not only
nuisance-type but also infrastructure and operational
incompatibilities between its permitted uses and those of
other district. The location requirments of industry makes
this area of the City the proper place for such a district.
The majority of this district is serviced by rail, major
roads, and the relatively proximity of the airport.

5. DUNE AND WETLAND PRESERVATION (DWP)

This District is intended to acknowledge the importance of
protecting wetland and dune ecosystems, and to manage and
restrict development on such land.

In the history of development, wetlands were generally
regarded as land which needed to be filled, and dunes as fill
material. We have since become aware that these areas are of
great importance to the ecological balance. This district was
designed to encourage the preservation of our wetland and
dune areas, and to use them for educational and low
impact recreational purposes.

:31-1
1 i

IIAP F'CIIJR
f.:-'.f.G*f'F.,,IC:'T'G

------------ -

MAP Fl VE
LAND UGE PLAN

Several future land use projects are currently scheduled for the near
future. The following briefly describes these projects.

1. North of Main Industrial Park

This project was begun in the early 1980's and until
recently has progressed very slowly. The City has now
completed land acquisition and has had its first
groundbreaking ceremony in the Industrial Park in October,
1989.

2. Community Center Facility

This project entail the renovation of the Naval Army
Building which was constructed in 1924. The Armory is a City
landmark which will be rehabilitated and used to house the
City's non-profit organizations. This will assist
communication between organizations and improve their
efficiency.

The utility services department will occupy the lower level
of this structure. This department is in need of room for
its equipment and will benefit from the structure's central
location. The building will also serve as a hall for public
meetings.

3. Corrections Facility

This will be a new minimum security structure to be built by
a private developer and leased to the State of Michigan. This
will benefit the City by keeping the property on the tax
roll.

4. Jean Klock Park Improvements

Jean Klock Park is a 76 acre City owned park on Lake
Michigan. This beautiful park has suffered from neglect and
is underutilized. Improvements at the park will increase
recreation opportunities for residents and act as a tourism
attraction.

5. Ship Canal Reopening

The Ship Canal was constructed and used in the late 1800's
thru the early 1900's for shipping by barges. As Benton
Harbor grew and, great lakes shipping declined, the canal was
filled in to make room for development. The current project,
which is one of the CEDC's cornerstones, will excavate the
canal to a larger than original size to be used for marina
and other water related businesses.

6. Social Services

This project will be to construct a new building to house the
Department of Social Services offices in Benton Harbor. It
will be built by a private developer and leased to the State
of Michigan.

7. Bellview/Brunson Neighborhood Redevelopment

This project is also a cornerstone project of the CEDC. It
involves the rehabilitation of a blighted neighborhood which
is primarily rental property.

MAP SIX
LAND USE PROJECTS

As you can see, Benton Harvor has many projects scheduled and is moving
forward in its redevelopment. This being the case, it is not necessary
at this time for this plan to extensively incrase the number of
future projects. To do so would only deter the completion of existing
projects.

This plan will, though, suggest two additional projects which should be
examined and discussed in detail as to their future potential.

1. Recycling Facility

In previous years recycling has been impractical and
expensive. This perspective has changed in recent years
through the opening of new markets for recycled material,
rising landfill costs, and by greater public awareness of the
need to recycle our limited resources. The City could
operate a recycling facility or enter into a public/private
partnership. Currently the City spends approximately
$300,000 annually for refuse disposal. A recycling center,
properly operated, would create many low skill jobs, improve
the appearance of the area, and generate revenue.

2. City Jail

The idea of a jail usually is perceived to be a lulu (locally
unwanted land use). This may be true, but it is a necessary
component of a functioning muncipal area.

Currently, the City uses the Berrien County Jail to hold
inmates. The Berrien County Jail is suffering from
overcrowding and, on several occasions, has been forced to
release inmates prematurely. This does not assist public
safety and does demean the functionality and moral of the
uniformed officers. A City jail would alleviate this
problem and also generate revenue by housing inmates from
other jurisdictions. Another point to consider would be the
number of jobs this would create.

A potential site for this jail could be in the cold storage
building on 12th street. This structure is extremely sturdy
and could be renovated into a detention facility which would
have little visibility.

Both of these potential projects are merely suggestions. If
the City were to seriously consider either project it would
be necessary to first study their feasibility in depth.

Streets and parking is another area of land use which has been
addressed. The streets have been categorized into five classes. These
classes are hierarchical in nature, Class V streets having the highest
use capabilities, and Class I having the lowest use capabilities. The
following describes each class and lists the streets included in each
class.

A. CLASS V STREETS

Class V streets are major arterties. They have speed limits between
35-55 mph. They may or may not allow on-street parking.

The following are Class V Streets:

West Main Street
East Main Street
M-63
Red Arrow Highway

B. CLASS IV STREETS

Class IV Streets are minor arteries. They have speed limits ranging
from 25-45 mph. They may or may not allow on-street parking.

The following are Class IV Streets:

Britain
Colfax
Empire
Fair
Highland
North Shore
Paw Paw
Pipestone
Territorial
Wall

CLASS III STREETS

Class III Streets are primarily used for commercial and industrial
purposes. They have speed limits between 25-35 mph. They may or may
not allow on-street parking.

The following are Class III Streets:

Airport Rd. Grand Riford
Boughton Gray River
Bond Hinkley Riverview
Cass Jean Blvd. Second
Circle Klock Road Sixth
Crystal Market Tenth
Eighth Michigan Third
Eleventh Miller Water
Fifth Ninth Waukonda
Fourth Oak
Frank Park

CLASS II STREETS

Class II Streets are primarily residential streets. This class has the
greatest number of streets. They have speed limits of 20-25 mph.
They may or may not allow on-street parking.

Agard Division Lavette Pasadena
Alma East Vineyard Lincoln Pavone
Apple Edgecumbe McAllister Pearl
Baird Edwards McCord Pleasant
Bishop Forest McGuigan Plummer Ct.
Bellview Foster Madison Riverside
Benton Garfield Maple Robbins
Broadway Green Marion Ross
Bronson Harrison May Salem
Bow Hastings Milton Schultz
Buena Vista Heck Ct. Mineral Searles
Buss High Monroe Seeley
Catalpa Hull Morton Stevens
Cedar Hurd Nate Wells Summit
Cherry Jefferson Niles Superior
Church Jennings North Winans Thresher
Clay John Nowlen Union
Colby Kirby Oden Valley
College Kline Ogden Vineyard
Columbus Lake Ohio Washington
Cross LaSalle Packard Wauceda
Parker Weld
Winans

E. CLASS I STREETS

Class I Streets are primarily residential streets. They differ from
Class II Streets in that they have a more narrow caryway, and thus,
lower speed limits. They have a speed limit of 10-15 mph. They do
not allow on-street parking.

The following are Class I Streets:

All Alleys

Hanna Court Jefferson Court
Maiden Lane North Stevens
Pitkin Sherman Court
Smith Court Thayer Court
Warwick Whitcomb Court

POPULATION PROJECTIONS

Population projection is a method of estimating the growth or reduction
of the future population. They are a basic component of planning which
will help guide the allocation of land and other resources.

Table 7 illustrates the expected population changes of Benton Harbor
through the year 2010. These projections were developed by the
Southwestern Michigan Commission (SWMC). They differ somewhat from the
population projections which were produced by the Michigan Department
of Management and Budget. The SWMC projections are being used because
it is felt that a local agency should have a better "feel" for local
issues than a State agency.

TABLE 7
BENTON HARBOR POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS,
1970 - 2010

CENSUS CENSUS CENSUS PROJ PROJ PROJ
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

# OF PEOPLE 19,136 16,481 14,707 13,475 13,000 11,101

% CHANGE -13.9 -10.8 -8.4 -3.5 -4.6

SOURCE: SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN FACT BOOK, SWMC, 1988

As the table shows, Benton Harbor lost population from 1960 to 1980.
This trend is expected to continue through the year 2010. It should be
noted that these projections were developed in the early 1980's, before
the beginning of the turnaround the City is now experiencing. The
projected population losses may be overly negative. In fact, Benton
Harbor may actually experience an upswing in total population. The
upcoming 1990 census will shed more light on this. In either case
though, it is doubtful that Benton Harbor will rebound to near it's
1960 population peak within the near future. This shows that the City
has more than adequate area for growth in both residential and
commercial areas.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of Department of Economic Development is to assist in the
revitalization of commercial land within Benton Harbor. This
revitalization includes infrastructure improvements and creating
employment opportunities for residents. This is being done through a
variety of ongoing programs:

Enterprise Zone - The City of Benton Harbor is the State of Michigan's
first Enterprise Zone. This is a experimental project being conducted
by the State to encourage development. It is administered jointly by
the State and the City.

The Enterprise zone designation grants tax abatements to qualifying new
and established businesses. These include:

a. 60% real property tax abatement,

b. 60% personal property tax abatement,

c. 100% sales tax abatement on equipment purchased,

d. 100% use tax abatement,

e. 100% single business tax abatement.

In addition to the State Enterprise Zone the City has also applied for
Federal Enterprise Zone Designation.

REVOLVING LOAN FUND

The revolving loan fund makes low interest loans available to businesses
which will create new jobs in the service and retail areas. It is
intended, but not limited to, service and retail businesses. The
Berrien County Economic Development Corporation has a similar fund
available for manufacturing businesses.

A business may apply for a loan of up to $10,000 for each new job which
will be created. This loan will be charged interest at, or below,
prime rate.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

The City of Benton Harbor owns many parcels of vacant or developed land
within the City. The Economic Development Department is currently
creating a data base and exploring marketing methods to assist in
placing many of these properties back into private sector. The
department sets minimum prices for the land and establishes agreements
with the new land owners for uses of the land.

PLANNING AND ZONING

Within Economic Development is the Division of Planning and Zoning.
This division handles the day-to-day zoning requests and acts as staff
to the Planning Commission.

A major project has recently been the City's new Zoning Ordinance and
new master plan, which you are now reading. Their titles being the
Development Ordinance and the General Development Plan express the
forward thinking perspective which has been adopted by the City.

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND TAX INCREMENT FINANCING AUTHORITITES (DDA/TIFA)

These are actually two separate programs, but will be discussed as one
due to their similarity. These authorities assist in the refurbishing
of the infrastructure of the City within their respective district.
This is funded by reserving a portion of new tax dollars created within
the DDA/TIFA districts and earmarking this money for use within those
districts.

The DDA focuses on redevelopment of commercial land within the City.
TIFA has a major project in working towards the development of the
North of Main Industrial Park.

COORDINATION

As shown previously, coordination with state and local agencies
important to reduce redundancy within programs and thus maximize
benefits received. The City of Benton Harbor's Economic Development
department continues to synchronize and participate with many other
groups, such as:

a. Berrien County Economic Development Corp,

b. Community Economic Development Corp,

c. Southwestern Michigan Commission,

d. Southwestern Michigan Growth Alliance,

e. Various local, state, and federal
agencies.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The Department of Community Development is primarily concerned with
residential programs within the City. There are currently there (3)
major programs being administered:

1. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)- This grant
which comes through the Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) allocates money for development projects.

Table 8
1989 Benton Harbor CDBG Budget

Housing Rehabilitation $150,000
Demolition 100,000
Street Improvements 172,200
Administration 86,800

TOTAL $509,000

2. Rental Rehabilitiation Program- This program provides
conditional loans to landlords and investors for the
rehabilitation of residential rental property. The loan can
be used for up to 50% of the rehabilitation cost, up to
$8500. Approval for these loans is done internally in the
City Hall.

3. Farmers Home Administration (FHA) Title 1 Loans - These
loans are designed for rehabilitation of owner occupied
homes. The money is administered by the Michigan State
Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) through their Community
Home Improvement Program (CHIP) and their Neighborhood
Improvement Program (NIP). A homeowner may apply for up to
a $15,000 loan at a interest rate of no more than 9%. The
state gives final approval of these loans, though the first
step is to apply to the City.

In addition to these programs the Community Development Department is
currently involved in acquiring land for the North of Mian Industrial
Park Project and in obtaining a grant from the State of Michigan
Recreation Bond Program.

PARKS AND RECREATION

The Department of Parks and Recreation is responsible fo rht eground
maintenance of City owned property, the operation of the Charles Gray
Recreation Center, and the administration of the Michigan Youth Corps
Program within the City.

The maintenance of City owned property includes parks, City owned
buildings, and vacant lots and houses which are owned by the City. Map
#7 is a map of the parks in Benton Harbor. Plans are currently being
made to establish an "Adopt-A-Park" program. This program, which was
initiatied by the Benton Harbor Kiwanis, will enlist local service
groups to provide and maintain equipment in the City Parks. The City
would retain responsibility for maintaining park grounds. NISE, the
neighborhood organization, has also been very helpful in staffing and
funding the summer recreation program.

In addition to the summers program, the City offers a fall and winter
recreational program. This is a total community program which includes
swimming, handicapped swimming, gymnastics, karate, basketball,
cheerleading, football, youth dances, and other programs and events.

The Charles Gray Recreational Center is a multi-purpose facility. Built
in 1978, it features an olympic-size swimming pool, exercise room,
meeting rooms, and all-purpose room, four tennis courts, video games,
and administrative offices. This facility is also used by the boy and
girl scouts, the school system, and local organizations.

The future operation of the recreation center is in limbo. Talks are
being held on the possible transition for responsibility of the center
from the City to the school district. This change would provide better
funding for the recreation center.

1 44.
I

lyl A P 7 PAM:".C;
MAP 7 PARP".'Ei

PUBLIC SAFETY

POLICE

The Benton Harbor Police Department consists of 23 people, which
includes the Chief of Police, 13 are uniformed officers, 2 detectives,
1 court officer, and 6 civilian employees. A public safety grant was
obtained in 1989 which permitted the hiring of three new officers.
Prior to this the department was at an all time low for number of
staff.

FIRE AND INSPECTIONS

The Benton Harbor Fire Department consists of the Cheif, 15
firefighters and an administrative assistant. This department averages
50 calls a month, of which approximately 35 are actual fires.

A changeover began in April, 1989, that placed inspections within this
department. This change will create better enforcement and awareness
of inspection codes within the community. Business registration,
business inspections, and trash complaints are now handled directly by
the staff of the Fire Department. Rental property registration and
inspections, Department of Social Services inspections, and residential
inspections are carried out by the Residential Division. This division
is now administered by the fire chief. The City has been divided
geographically into sections, and personnel have been assigned to each
section for conducting closer inspections of property.

Within the first three months of this system over 300 junk cars have
been towed away. The City has received good cooperation from residents
in regard to doing better maintenance to their properties. A major
problem exist in finding funding for the demolition of many of the City
owned structures which have been condemned.

PUBLIC WORKS

The Department of Public Works is staffed by a director and seven (7)
perosnnel. The duties of this department include the maintenance of
streets, (sweeping, patching, and snow removal), signs, stormsewers,
sidewalks, alleys, and trees. Department equipment includes five (5)
dump trucks, one (1) hot-patch machine, and two (2) street sweepers.

Upcoming projects which involve this department include new stormsewers
and resurfacing of approximately five (5) miles of City streets and the
replacement of many stop signs which are outdated due to size.

UTILITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

1-he Utility Services Depart.ment. is divided into three (3) divisions
which are administered arid overseer, by the Director and his Office
Manager.

WATER DIVISION

'The Water Division is responsible for the treating and providing of a
safe arid pot-able water supply to Berit-on Harbor arid also portions of
Benton, St. Joseph:. and Hagar 'Townships. This division iS Currently
staffed by six, (6) people. TVie plartried hiring of additional people
will bring this t0tal UP to 10 persons.

The infrastructure which provides water is extensive. It includes over
112 miles of pipe, over" 1,000 fire hydrants, three (3) storage
facilities, and the water treatment plant. This system is rated at.
heing able to provide twelve (12) million gallop-is per day (MGD). Plans
in the near- future will upgrade this capacity to 16 M13D. Tot& I
production for 1987 was 2,404 billion gallons. 'This aMOUrit. of water
would fill 120,000 20,000 gallon railroad tank cars, enough to reaci-i
from Benton Harlbor to Tampa, Florida.

The department is currently trying to complete a two (2) million dollar
bond issue to finance a number of high priority items. 'This includes:

1. Completion of a meter ci-iarisieout program
started in 1987.

2. Rehabilitation of t-he Britain Avenue
elevated storage tank.

3. Replacement of electrical switchgear in
water plarit.

4. Replacement of chemical feed system in
water plant.

5. Installation of a new 6 million gallon
per day low service pump to raise firm
capacity from 8 MGD to 12 MERD.

6. Replacing and upgradirig plat-it metering
and iriStrUmentat ion.

7. Replacement of valves and instrumentation
ori all filters in water plat-it.

A 1985 plan recommended $18 million in capitol improvements to the
distribution and treatment system. Of this, $ 1.4 million in short-term
improvements were recommended, but have yet to be done. This is
necessary as over- 1/3 of the system is over- 75 years old. 'The bond
issue would allow this necessary :short-term work to be completed.

WASTEWATER DIVISION

This division is staffed by seven (7) people in addition to the ten
(10) in the water division. The wastewater system consists of
approximately 45 miles of sanitary sewer and 5 lift stations. This
infrastructure transports the wastewater to the wastewater treatement
plant located on Industrial Island in St. Joseph. This plant is
operated jointly by the Cities of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor.

A recent TV inspection of approximately 10% of the system revealed it
to be in good condition. The 1985 plan also recommended $7.3 million
in capitol improvemnets to the wastewater infrastructure. Approximately
1/3 of this system is also over 75 years old.

CUSTOMER SERVICES DIVISION

The Customer Services Division of Utility Services handles day-to-day
requests, complaints, and collection of joint water/sewer bills. A
staff of four full time employees handle this division. City of Benton
Harbor residential customers are billed quarterly at a flat rate. This
will change to a bill for use method after the installation of the new
water meters, which is part of the $2 million bond issue.

Additional new projects include a revision and updating of the computer
system. The system currently only has the ability to generate bills.
The new system will make it possible for the service representatives to
access customer files. Each representatives will have a dedicated
terminal. This will reduce the time necessary to access files and make
the system more efficient. In addition, the paper file system is being
updated to be consistent the computer files. This system is necessary
as a back-up to the computer system.

Beginning in November, 1988, this division began an aggressive new
water/sewer bill collection system. From November, 1988 to August,
1989 this division collected $1.4 million in overdue and due
water/sewer bills. The Utility Services Department is operating with a
balanced budget.

ENGINEERING

The City Engineering Department consists of a staff of one, the City
Engineer. His duties include the monitoring, planning, and scheduling
of the replacement of the City's infrastructure. Two major projects
are scheduled to begin in 1989.

The first project is actually many smaller projects. It comprises the
reconstruction of approximately 5 miles of City streets. This
reconstruction ranges from resurfacing to watermain, storm sewers,
sanitary sewers, and street foundations. Table 8 lists the planned
streets improvements for 1989/90.

The second major project entails the rehavilitation of Jean Klock
Park. This park has approximately one mile of Lake Michigan frontage.
It has tremendous recreation and tourism potential, but minimal
utilization. Details of this rehabilitation can be found in the Jean
Klock Park Master Plan, which will be an addendum to this plan.

51.1

TABLE 9
1989/91) PLANNED STREET IMPROVEMENTS,
CITY OF BENTON HARBOR

Street Name Location Length

H i g h I'YIcCord to Seeley 475'
K,line Colfax to McAllister 600;
Thresher M-139 to Seeley 500'
Buss M-139 to Seeley 500'
Pearl May to Weld 1,270'
Superior Division to Empire 1,200'
Monroe Empire to Niles 1,700'
Catalpa Colfax to Pavone 900,
Hurd Cross to Emery 360'
Clay Colfax to McAllister 600,
Weld Superior to Ogden 320
@Fiearles Mar-ion to Colfax 1,320'
Parker Marion to Colfax 1,320-
Vineyard M-139 to McCord 500'
Harrison McAllister to Broadway 63751
Whitcomb Cedar to east end 265'
Pipestone @ Empire 100,
Pipestorie @ Washington 1:5 0 1
Br i ta i n @ Ox Creek Bridge 50'
T e r r i to r i a I @ Ox Creek Bridge 175'
F i f t1--i Main to Water 900,
11 a r k. e t @ E i,:-31--)th 100,
McCord Britain to McG-4uician 6601
Highland @ Ox Creek Bridge 100,
McA i i i ste r Cross to May 63!5'
North Eighth Sout-ki of Klock Road 550'
Wall Pipestone to Colfax 600,
Britain Colfax to Riverview 2300'
Riverview Main to Empire - 4250'
Empire Riverview/Woodward 1200'
Water Main to Northshore 1200'

ASSESSOR'S OFFICE

The City of Benton Harbor Assessor's Office is responsible for
maintaining tax records for real and personal property. This office
has a staff of two people, The Assessor arid the Deputy Assessor.

Current projects for 1989 include a complete reappraisal of Wards 1 and
3, and establishing a computer link with the Berrien County Mass
Appraisals Systems. This system will Calculate appraisals and output
tax cards. This will provide a quicker and easier method of updating
tax, records while providing additional and more accurate information.
Existing computer hardware which is linked to the Berrien County Tax
Record System will be used.

The table below illustrates the 1988 and 1989 Standard Equalized
Valuation (SEV) for Benton Harbor.

TABLE 10
1988 and 1989 SEV, BENTON HARBOR

Property 1988 1989 %Change

Commercial $11,995,800 $12,135,057 +1.16
Industrial 6,764,500 6,276,400 -7.22
Residential 16,225,019 17,586,400 +7.74
Personal 19,258,600 21,276,580 +9.48

Total $54,243,919 $57,274,437 +5.59

HOMESTEAD BOARD

The Homestead Board is an appointed City Committee given the duty of
placing City owned housing back into private ownership. The Board
sells the houses to qualified applicants for the nominal cost of one
dollar ($1).

In order to qualify, an applicant must submit to a credit check by a
local bank and complete an application form prescribed by the Board.
Included in this form is an inquiry on how the applicant will finance
the rehabilitation of the home. A typical home will require from $3000
to $30,000 to rehabilitate. If an applicant is approved, he must
agree to repair the house to City code within nine months and live
there for a period of at least five years.

The Homestead Board coordinates with both NISE and CORD to determine
target areas of the City and avoid a duplication of services. The
Homestead program was begun in February, 1989. It is similar to a
Homestead Board which was operated by HUD in the late 1970's.

HARBOR COMMISSION

The St. Joseph River Harbor Commission is an advisory board of
representatives from Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, and Berrien County.
Each of the three appoint two commissioners and an alternate.

The Harbor Commission is primarily a "watchdog" board which monitors
activities that are important to the Harbor. They communicate with
the Army Corp of Engineers and other federal agencies. They lobby for
continue dredging of the harbor and for legislation which would be in
the best interest of the communities. Currently, they are assisting the
Corp, to locate a permanent site for disposal of the dredged materials.
Another aspect of the Commission is that they review all marina
proposal and give recommendations on such.

An attempt was made at one time to change the Harbor Commission into a
Port Authority. This would have taken State approval, but it was
denied. Thsi possibility still exists of transforming into a Harbor
Authority. This would have less power than a Port Authority, but would
be able to own property, charge fees, and attempt bonding proposals.

The Army Corp of Engineers has completed a reconnaissance study on the
potential for deepening the harbor. Deepening of the harbor is
important to retain and expand commercial shipping in the harbor. The
ships which are being used on the Great Lakes are getting larger and
need the deeper harbor. The next step in this effort would be to
commission a feasibility study. This study would be funded by federal
funds combined with a local match.

PUBLIC HOUSING

Benton Harbor Public Housing is financed through the United States
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is administered
through a director as five memeber board. There are currently two
on-going programs. The Public Housing Program which maintains 358
units, of which 345 are occupied, and the Section 8 program which has
68 units. These units have subsidized rent which is based on income.
Renters receive a subsidy for the portion of the rent which exceeds
30% of the household's income.

Public Housing administers three apartment complexes: East Washington
Apartments, Buss Avenue Apartments, and Harbor Towers, a retirement
complex. In addition, Public Housing also administers a Scattered Site
Housing Program. These are single family, three to four bedroom homes
which are dispersed throughout the City. This program began in 1983
and currently has 61 homes completed with another 25 under
construction. To be eligible for this program a family must
demonstrate their ability to maintain a home, as well as income
requirements.

ROSS FIELD AIRPORT

The Twin Cities Airport is jointly owned and operated by the Cities of
St. Joseph and Benton Harbor and Benton and St. Joseph Townships.
These governmental units provide basic funds for airport operations. In
recent years Berrien County also contributed to the operating costs on
a volunteer basis. In 1988 additional revenues from local governments
in the Twin Cities area were solicited to meet operating costs to keep
the facility open after the County withdrew and then reduced the level
of their contribution.

Funds available for month to month operations are still not adequate to
meet basic operating costs at the current level of contribution. The
Airport Board itself has no taxing authority and must rely on the
contributions of the member units of the board to make up any
differences in airport generated revenues and actual operating costs.

The airport is located along Territorial Road, northeast of the City of
Benton Harbor. The airport has a primary 5,100 foot paved runway, a
3,661 foot paved crosswind runway, and a 2,507 paved crosswind runway.
In 1980 an instrument landing system was installed on the primary
runway for precision landing.

Ross Field also has an air traffic control tower which was
decommissioned in 1982 following F.A.A. cutbacks in providing air
traffic controllers for smaller airports.

The Twin Cities airport is an all weather airport offering scheduled
air passenger and general aviation services. Additional services
including aircraft hangar rental and car rentals are also available.
The fixed base operator, AVSAT, Inc. provides air taxi, aircraft,
rental, sales, flight instruction, aircraft repair, and aviation fuel
sales, Several major businesses have aircraft based at the airport;
including Whirlpool Corporation, All-Phase Electric, and Weldun
International.

In addition, many area firms use the airport for air charters, air
freight, and scheduled air passenger service to support their sales,
management and production activities. Major firms include: Alreco
Metals, Auto Specialties, Airborne Express, Emery Air, Federal
Express, Gast Manufacturing, Leco, Med-A-Vac, Medic X, Michigan Fruit
Canners, Michigan State Police, Air National Guard, Army Guard, and PDQ
Corporation. Thus, a wide range of business, banking, social and
medical needs are served by the airport.

Air passenger service has fluctuated greatly with the level of service
offered by the air carriers. Air passenger numbers began showing a
noticable decline when the airlines then serving the airport began
cutting back on flights into the area. The reduction in service
options forced regular users of the airport to use the South Bend
Regional Airport to make connecting flights into the Chicago hub area.
With declining passenger numbers and resulting revenue losses, the
airlines initiated further cutbacks.

Since the assumption of service by Iowa Air in September of 1987,
passenger numbers have been steadily increasing. While the totals
show a decline for the year 1988 this trend began to reverse itself in
the fourth quarter of the year.

This reflects the commitment by Iowa Air to improve service and
connections, and efforts by the Airport Board and the Twin Cities
Chamber of Commerce to promote the use of the airport whenever
practical by local businesses. Several major Twin Cities corporations
have made formal commitments to use the airlines for business purposes.

NEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATION AND SHARING EXCHANGE

The Neighborhood Information and Sharing Echange (NISE) was formed in
1986. NISE is a neighborhood association which seeks to improve the
cultural and physical aspects of Benton Harbor. NISE has developed an
ambitious program of action for 1989-90. The following goals and
objectives illustrate this program of action:

Goal 1, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: To improve the quality of life
in Benton Harbor.

Objective 1: Improve and Increase Housing Stock

Objective 2: Develop Small Businesses in Benton
Harbor

Objective 3: Banking Issues

Objective 4: Crime Prevention

Objective 5: Increase Youth Support Programs

GOAL 2, COMMUNITY RELATIONS: To development responsibility
for community through citizen
involvement.

Objective 1: Continue Operation of the NISE
referral Center

Objective 2: Publish Monthly Newsletter

Objective 3: Hold Monthly Public Programs

Objective 4: Coordinate Neighborhood Councils

Objective 5: Development of Local Leadership

Objective 6: Serve as Advocates for Local Residents

Objective 7: Increase Racial Understanding in
the Broad Community

Objective 8: Sponsor Programs for Youth

GOAL 3, ORGANIZATION AFFAIRS: To Build an Accountable
Community Organization.

Objective 1: Planning and Development

Objective 2: Broaden Membership

Objective 3: Create a Sound Financial Base

Objective 4: Hold Annual Meetings

Objective 5: Publish an Annual Report

CHRISTIAN OUTREACH REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The mission of the Christian Outreach Rehab and Development (CORD) is
help provide high quality, affordable housing for persons of low and
moderate income in Benton Harbor through housing reconstruction and a
lease-to-purchase approach to ownership. CORD acquires deteriorating
housing stock in Benton Harbor and reconstructs new homes that are
energy efficient and designed to meet the need of area residents.

CORD carefully screens low and moderate income residents and places
qualified applicants into these homes on a two year, lease-to purchase
program. During this period, the applicant takes eight courses in home
ownership, while CORD saves a portion of their monthly lease payments
for an eventual downpayment on the home. At the of the lease period,
CORD works with the applicant to secure a low interest mortgage on the
house for the cost of reconstruction. CORD then reinvests that money
into another lease-to-purchase project.

The CORD project is intended to help those qualified applicants who
earn between $14,000 to $22,000 a year and would make good homeowners,
but cannot afford a downpayment.

Cord began as an outreach project of the First Presbyterian Church of
Benton Harbor in January, 1988. CORD became incorporated as a Michigan
Non-Profit Housing Corporation in December of 1988, while remaining
affiliated with the church. CORD's first project home is expected to
be completed in the fall of 1989. CORD is also actively pursuing a
grant of up to %50,000 from the Michigan State Housing Development
Authority.

TWIN CITIES AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The purpose of the Twin Cities Area Chamber of Commerce is to improve
the overall business climate for their members through sponsorship of
programs which stimulates economic growth, promote civic development,
and enhance political action. The officers and directors of the
Chamber have pledged to "work closely with the Community Economic
Development Corporation (CEDC) to implement the Harland Bartholomew
Master Plan and other Economic Development Projects." The Chamber was
instrumental in forming the CEDC.

Many of the Chamber's activities, though not aimed exclusively at
Benton Harbor, are beneficial to the City. The Chamber continually
lobbies for pro-business legislation in both Lansing and Washington.
They lobbied extensively for enterprise zone designation for Benton
Harbor and will continue to lobby for improved State benefits and
federal designation.

They also work closely with the Department of Commerce and are seeking
a solution to repair the CSX Bridge which crosses the Paw Paw River.
The repair of this bridge would open up land along the river and Ox
Creek to waterfront development.

The Chamber formed a special committee to assist the Twin Cities
Airport and plans to support essential air service funding and to seek
other means of financing the airport. This committee also overseas
funds made available through the Department of Transportation to market
the Airport. They have established an Honor Role of Employers working
together to build the Twin Cities Area Air Transportation System and
work closely with the airport manager and Board of Directors.

The Chamber has a Consumer Protection Program which benefits business
owners and residents of the area. They also answer hundred of inquires
annually for economic information, research materials, tourist
information, and statistical data.

COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

In 1988 the Twin Cities Business Community organized the Community
Economic Development Corporation, with the stated goal"... to develop
and implement economic growth in our area, with a focus on Benton
Harbor."

In order to guide their efforts, the firm of Harland Bartholomew and
Associates, Inc. was commissioned to complete a General Development
Plan for the area. The final document outlines an ambitious plan of
action, focusing on physical development projects. An initial
five-year strategy emphasized four "cornerstones" projects. Each of
these cornerstones is of particular interest to Benton Harbor.

These cornerstones are:

1) Industrial Park Development: The Twin Cities Area, and
Benton Harbor in particular, is hampered inits growth by a
lack of readily available industrial land. The CEDC has
committed to the development industrial park space, including
the City's North of Main Industrial Park. A second park is
contemplated just to the north of the Ross Field Airport.
While not in the City limits, the proposed park adjoins the
City at the airport and will have a major effect on the
development plans in that area.

2) Waterfront Recreation: The HBA Study identified the area's
ample water resources as a prime source of initial
redevelopment in the community. Specific areas in the City
include the re-opening of the Benton Harbor Ship Canal,
creation of a new marina in the South Pond area behind the
Benton Harbor High School and increased activity along the
Riverview Drive.

3) Infrastructure Improvements: The HBA Study recognized
that for any community to successfully support growth a sound
and adequate systems of roads, sewer and water must be in
place. The CEDC will assist local governments in
infrastructure projects that support cornerstones activities.

4) Bellview Neighborhood Housing: Renewed housing,
particularly owner-occupied housing, is a major goal of the
CEDC. The HBA Study targeted the Bellview neighborhood for
assistance. This community was chosen for a variety of
reasons. First, its proximity to downtown and the waterfront
allow all the projects to work together in support of one
another. Second, the City contemplates both rehabilitation
and new construction. Various portions of the Bellview area
lend themselves to each of these concepts with minimal
dislocation. The Bellview area is bordered by Market,
Pipestone, Colfax and Britain.

SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COMMISSION

The Southwestern Michigan Commission (SWMC) is a regional planning
agency. It is one of 14 regional planning agencies in the State of
Michigan. This diverse group works in the areas of economic
development, grant writing and administration, criminal justice,
substance abuse prevention, natural resources, transportation and land
use.

Current and recent projects in the Benton Habor Area include:

1. SWMC assisted the City in the successfully writing an
Economic Development Development Administration grant
application which help fund the construction of the Business
Incubator. SWMC also wrote a Michigan Department of Commerce
grant which acquired $47,000 for marketing and operation of
the Incubator. SWMC is currently administering this grant.

2. The commission acted as project manager for a Housing and
Neighborhood Revitalization Project that targeted the
Bellview area. This study was completed in June, 1989.

3. Beginning in September, 1989 the City entered into a
contract with SWMC to provide grant research, writing, and
other technical services for projects within the City. This
contract is being funded jointly by the City and the CEDC.

4. Staff from SWMC have been active in the formation of the
LOFT (Learning Opportunities for Teens). The LOFT is an
alternative youth center for for inner city youth people.
This program was initiated by NISE and is patterned after the
DOOR in New York City. SWMC has provided assistance in staff
development, organization, grant writing, and other types of
technical assistance.

5. Benton Harbor's master plan and zoning ordinace were
revised in 1989. This plan is one of the products of that
endeavor. SWMC and the City provided staffing for this
project. It was funded jointly by the City and a Coastal
Zone Management Grant.

ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The purpose of this section is to determine how well Benton Harbor is
meeting its goals and objectives. In order to examine how well the
goals and objective are being met, they have been matched to the
various strategies being used. The following reviews the goals,
objectives, and strategies.

GOAL 1: Encourage Economic Growth in the Community.

Objective 1: Encourage waterfront development and
promote tourism.

Strategy: A. Jean Klock Park Master Plan and
Improvements
B. CSX Bridge Repair Efforts
C. Ship Canal Reopening
D. Development Ordinance
and Plan

Objective 2: Encourage new businesses and assist
established businesses.

Strategy: A. State Enterprise Zone
B. Revolving Loan Fund
C. DDA/TIFA
D. Business Incubator
E. Task Force On Small Business
F. North of Main Industrial Park

Objective 3: Coordinate with area agencies.

Strategy: A. Economic Development
Coordination
B. NISE Newsletter
C. Chamber of Commerce Information
Assistance
D. Community Building

GOAL 2: To provide and maintain a safe and adequate
infrastructure and transportation system for the community,
now and in the future.

Objective 1. Undergo Infrastructure Improvements.

Strategy: A. DDA/TIFA
B. CDBG Streets Improvements
C. Street and Sign Improvements
D. Infrastructure Bond Proposal

Objective 2. Encourage Harbor Activity.

Strategy: A. Lobbying Efforts by Harbor
Commission
B. Creation of Harbor Authority
C. Harbor Deepening Reconnaissance
and Feasibility Studies

Objective 3. Encourage Airport Improvements.

Strategy: A. Special Committee
B. Airport Board

GOAL 3: To Provide a clean, healthy, safe, and attractive
environment for our citizens and guests.

Objective 1. Acquire additional funding and staffing
for projects, programs, and maintenance.

Strategy: A. DDA/TIFA
B. Infrastructure Bond Proposal
C. Improved Water/Sewer Bill
Collection
D. Tax Appraisal System
E. Grant Writing and Research
F. Millage Levy for Police Force

Objective 2. Promote new residential construction and
improvements to existing housing.

Strategy: A. CDBG Housing Rehabilitation
B. Rental Housing Rehabilitation
C. FHA Title 1 Loans
D. Improved Inspection Enforcement
E. Public Housing Scattered Site
Program
F. Homestead Program
G. Loan Acquistion Assistance
H. CORD Lease to Purchase Program
I. Bellview Neighborhood
Rehabilitation
J. NISE Housing Rehabilitation

Objective 3. Improve maintenance of public and private
property.

Strategy: A. Property Management
B. CDBG Demolition
C. Adopt-A-Park
D. Michigan Youth Corps
E. Improved Inspection Enforcement

As this synopsis shows, there are strategies being applied to meet all
of Benton Harbor's goals. Though the Progress that Benton Harbor has
made in recently is very commendable, there still exists areas of
weakness.

Communication is improving at City Hall, but is still lacking. 'The
City Manager should consider a mandatory monthly meeting of department
heads. In turn, each department head should have a regularly scheduled
monthly meeting for staff. -the idea of yet another meeting will noL
please everyonep but it is an important tool for improving
communication. Related to communication are departmental duties and
Job descriptions. A handbook needs to be developed which states the
"mission" of each department and each of its staff. The development of
this handbook would expose areas that need attention and areas of
redundancy. This handbook could be a Product of the monthly meetings.

'The City Commission needs to install a greater sense of confidence in
their chief administrator and his staff. They set policy for the City
and they should expect the City Manager to administrate that policy.
This is not to say they should ignore the daily activities in City
Hall. On the contrary, they should strive to become aware of the
various activities in City Hall. They should also pursue and attend
relevant trainings which are available from time to time. The City
Commission should become more active with the local non-profit agencies
working in the area. 'These agencies need to know their activities are
welcomed with open arms.

Staffing and equipment at City Hall is currently at a hiinimurfl. The
City needs to continue agressively pursuing funding sources'to increase
staffing and equipment. Efficiency of current methods also needs to be
examined. Two departments of the City need to take priority. Public
Safety and Public Works are of utmost importance. If the City cannot
eminate a feeling of safety and provide an attractive and functioning
environment, it will not be able to live down the negative perception
which still exists about Benton Harbor. If a problem is perceived,
then a problem exists.

It is difficult to find a resident of the area which is not impressed
with Benton Harbor's revitalization. But a major problem still exists
and needs to be remedied if Benton Harbor is to continue to grow and
prosper.

During a Planning Commission committee meeting a discussion began as to
the progress the City has made in recent years. The following
capsulizes that discussion.

The cur-rent policies of the Department of Social Services (DSS) must be
adjusted. A large percentage of the population of Benton Harbor
currently accepts some form of public assistance. A Person or family
which receives public assistance finds it extremely difficult to break
out of the "welfare cycle." Current policies of the DSS have the
effect of penalizing a Person who wishes to work. A single parent
needs the security of a Medicaid card and the help of food stamps if
they are to bring their family's standard of living above the poverty
level. Programs and policies need to motivate the youth of the
community and foster the "work ethic." The elderly have a right to a
comfortable retirement. All of these facets can be blended together in
a pilot program for Benton Harbor.

Two major components of this pilot. program are as follows:

1. The DSS must allow a family to earn a reasonable income
without fear of any reduction in assistance. This would cost
the DSS very little in the short run and amount to great
savings in the future. This policy should apply only to
residents of Benton Harbor now receiving assistance. To do
otherwise would encourage in migration of the poor and defeat
the goals of -this program.

2. A program must be established to provide income to the
youth of Benton Harbor. They should receive compensation for
staying in school and carrying a good grade point average.
They should Piave opportunities for employment before and
after school. Day care, maintenance of public property,
maintenance of homes of the elderly, and neighborhood
clean-ups are all potential work programs. The difficulty
with establishing this program is financial. The City is
unable to fund Such a large program alone. Funding will
have to come from many sources. Departments and agencies
discussed earlier in this paper could be charged with the
task of finding funding sources.

'The Benton Harbor Planning Commission has, by adopting this plan,
recognized these needs. They will take charge by initiating a
committee made of its members, City Commision members, and
represeriative of local and State agencies. This committee will develop
plans for this program. 'This program is in the initial idea stage. The
committee must develop its goals, objectives, and program of action..
'They will lobby DSS for changes in its policies. This committee will
agressively pursue assistance from local, State, federal, arid private
agencies in establishing the youth program.

OAA COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY

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