Master Plan - City of Niles, Michigan

Transcription

C ITY
OF
N ILES , M ICHIGAN
A C OMMUNITY
M ASTER P LAN
MARCH, 2004
Prepared by:
W
I
L
L
I
A
M
S
&
W
O
R
K
S
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The process to prepare this Plan has involved numerous
community residents as well as public officials. The following
individuals have provided key input and their contributions are
gratefully acknowledged:
Timothy Batton
Ric Huff
Robert Burch
James Kupfer
Howard Bailey
David Lawrence
Ellwin Coulston
James Lehmkuhl
Neil Coulston
Jim Moody
Lisa Croteau
Rocky Schuster
James Dayton
Mike Stanton
Patricia Eycleshymer
John Stewart
Thomas Fron
Ronald Stuglik
Juan Ganum
Roger Tracey
Casper Grathwohl
Terry Eull
Charles Harris
Marie Weimer
Ruth Harte
Bruce Williams
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SECTION I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................1
CHAPTER 1.
SUMMARY ..........................................................................1
SECTION II. COMMUNITY PROFILE................................................................6
CHAPTER 2.
NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES AND THE
ENVIRONMENT....................................................................7
CHAPTER 3.
POPULATION.....................................................................21
CHAPTER 4.
HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS ....................................27
CHAPTER 5.
EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT .............35
CHAPTER 6.
LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS ....................41
CHAPTER 7.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES .........................47
CHAPTER 8.
PUBLIC UTILITIES ..............................................................54
CHAPTER 9.
TRANSPORTATION ............................................................58
CHAPTER 10.
GUIDING ISSUES ...............................................................65
SECTION III. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN .....................................................68
CHAPTER 11
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.................................................69
CHAPTER 12.
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN ................................................77
CHAPTER 13.
ACTION PLAN ...................................................................86
BIBLIOGRAPHY
........................................................................................91
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1.
HISTORIC POPULATION GROWTH ....................................21
FIGURE 2.
COMPARATIVE RATES OF POPULATION GROWTH ..........22
FIGURE 3.
POPULATION PROJECTIONS .............................................22
FIGURE 4.
BERRIEN COUNTY AGE PROJECTIONS ...........................24
FIGURE 5.
STUDENT ENROLLMENT ...................................................25
FIGURE 6.
NILES’ EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT 1990 & 2000..........26
FIGURE 7.
2000 HOUSING OCCUPANCY ..........................................27
FIGURE 8.
2000 HOUSING TENURE ..................................................27
FIGURE 9.
RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS .........................................28
FIGURE 10. NEW HOMES CONSTRUCTED, 1997 – 2002..................29
FIGURE 11. 2000 HOUSING VALUES, OWNER-OCCUPIED UNITS......30
FIGURE 12. 2000 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOMES .............................37
LIST OF M APS
MAP 1. HISTORIC RESOURCES MAP.....................................................9
MAP 2. SOILS MAP ..............................................................................13
MAP 3. WATER FEATURES..................................................................18
MAP 4. MIRIS LAND COVER ...............................................................44
MAP 5. EXISTING LAND USE................................................................45
MAP 6. COMMUNITY FACILITIES MAP .................................................50
MAP 7. FUTURE LAND USE MAP ........................................................85
INTRODUCTION
SECTION I: INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1. SUMMARY
This Master Plan represents the culmination of nearly eighteen
months of work by numerous local residents and local officials. It
reflects the community’s deep concern for the historic character
and small town charm in Niles. The effort that went into this plan
illustrates a strong commitment to retain and strengthen local
quality of life. The Plan outlines the preferred future for the
community and a comprehensive plan to realize it. The Plan is
appropriately general, recognizing that planning for the future is a
delicate blend of art and science and that sufficient flexibility will be
needed to respond to the challenges of the future.
This Plan was developed in response to a desire in the community
to rebuild and strengthen existing assets. The earlier master plan
was nearly fifty years old and no longer acted as a relevant guide to
planning in Niles. The Plan is based on recognition on the part of
the Planning Commission to view the potential of the City in the
context of long term planning.
The City of Niles is located in southwestern Michigan just six miles
north of the Indiana border. To some extent, Niles can be
considered part of the South Bend metropolitan area.
The fundamental purpose of the Master Plan is to enable the City’s
Planning Commission to establish a future direction for the City’s
physical development.
Once prepared, officially adopted and
maintained, this Plan will serve as an advisory guide for the
physical conservation of certain areas and for the development of
other areas.
Because of constant change in our social and economic structure
and activities, the Plan must be maintained through periodic review
and revision so that it reflects contemporary trends while
maintaining long range goals. The Plan will be effective to the
degree that it:
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INTRODUCTION
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Reflects the needs and desires of the citizens of Niles;
Realistically interprets and reflects the conditions, trends
and the dynamic economic and social pressures that are
brought about by change; and
Inspires consensus and cooperation among the various
public agencies, developers, and the citizens of the City
toward achieving common goals.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MASTER PLAN
When the Planning Commission began the plan preparation
process it had several objectives. First, it was important to clearly
define the priorities of the City with regard to community character
and land use. Secondly, the City sought to develop a plan that is
tailored to local conditions and yet coordinated with the planning
activities of the larger area. Thirdly, the planning process was seen
as an opportunity to build and strengthen a community consensus
about the future land use patterns in the City. Finally, the Planning
Commission sought realistic and effective mechanisms to achieve
the plan’s objectives.
This Community Master Plan accomplishes all these objectives.
More specifically, this Plan will serve the City in the following ways:
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1.
It provides a comprehensive means of integrating proposals
that look years ahead to meet future needs regarding
general and major aspects of physical conservation and
development throughout the City.
2.
It serves as the official, advisory policy statement for
encouraging orderly and efficient use of the land for
residences, businesses and industry and for coordinating
these uses of land with each other, with streets and
highways, and with other necessary public facilities and
services.
3.
It creates a logical basis for zoning, subdivision design,
public improvement plans, and for facilitating and guiding
the work of the Planning Commission and the City Council
as well as other public and private endeavors dealing with
the physical conservation and development of the City.
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INTRODUCTION
4.
It provides a means for private organizations and individuals
to determine how they may relate their building and
development projects and policies to official City planning
policies.
5.
It offers a means of relating the plans of the City of Niles to
the plans of other communities in the Southwest Michigan
region.
PLAN M ETHODOLOGY
The planning process involved four inter-related phases:
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Data Analysis – A Current Assessment.
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Goals and Objectives – Creating a Policy Foundation.
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Plan Preparation – Analyzing the Issues and Defining
the Preferred Future, and
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Implementation Strategies – Getting There from Here
The first phase of the effort involved the formation of a citizen input
structure (Advisory Group) and a summary review and analysis of
available data gathered from local and regional sources. The
Advisory Group was appointed by the Mayor and City Council. It
included residents, business owners, public officials from the City
and school district, as well as the members of the Planning
Commission and the City Council. The Advisory Group was
formed as an ad hoc entity to guide the planning process and to
serve as a sounding board for the consultant throughout the
process. During the first phase, demographic, economic and land
use data was gathered to support the Plan. The purpose of this
effort was to develop a comprehensive impression of the patterns
of growth and the challenges that will impact the City. This phase
culminated in the preparation of the Current Assessment Report.
That report served as a technical resource for the Advisory Group
and the consultant and it also represents the essential Community
Profile which constitutes Section II (Chapters 2 through 9) of this
Plan.
The objective of the second phase was to establish a policy basis
for the City’s planning and land use regulations. A futuring
workshop was held on November 23, 2002 to gather public input
through a small group process. Using the output of the futuring
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MASTER PLAN
INTRODUCTION
workshop, the Advisory Group began the process of defining goals
and objectives for the future of the City of Niles. These are
presented in Chapter 10 of this Plan.
The third phase involved drawing together the input from the
previous two and preparing a revised Future Land Use Plan, which
is reflected in Section III of this Plan. The future land use
designations and map (Chapter 11) were developed in a series of
interactive meetings of the Advisory Group and City staff.
The final phase of the process involved the development of specific
implementation strategies to carry out the plan. These are
reflected in general terms in Chapter 12. At the conclusion of the
fourth phase, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on
the entire plan.
T HE ORGANIZATION OF THE PLAN
This Plan is organized into three sections, each consisting of one
or more chapters. Section I includes this introductory chapter
which outlines the purpose of the plan, the process for its
development, and acknowledgements to those involved. Section II
is the Community Profile, which presents an overview description
of the City of Niles from the perspective of:
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Chapter 2.
Natural and Cultural Features and the
Environment
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Chapter 3.
Population
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Chapter 4.
Housing and Neighborhoods
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Chapter 5.
Employment and Economic Development
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Chapter 6.
Land Use and Development Patterns
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Chapter 7.
Community Facilities and Services
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Chapter 8.
Public Utilities
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Chapter 9.
Transportation
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INTRODUCTION
Section III constitutes the Future Land Use Plan, which includes the
City’s Goals and Objectives (Chapter 10), the Future Land Use
Plan (Chapter 11) and the Implementation Strategies (Chapter 12).
The final section of the plan is the Bibliography which outlines all
the various resources consulted in the completion of this Plan.
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COMMUNITY PROFILE
SECTION II. COMMUNITY PROFILE
In this section of the Master Plan, a general profile description of
the City of Niles is presented. This section is not intended as an
exhaustive inventory of all the numerous aspects of the community.
Rather, its purpose is to give some general impressions of the
natural features, demographics, land use patterns and
infrastructure that make up the City.
The material in this section has been drawn from City of Niles, A
Community Profile Report1 published by the City as a part of this
plan preparation process in September, 2002. That report
presented a “snapshot” of current conditions within the City and
recent trends in population and housing. It set the stage for the
finalization of plan goals and objectives, the future land use plan
and map, and implementation strategies. All of those materials
form the actual Master Plan set forth in Section III of this document.
Each of the following chapters includes an overview of its subject
matter along with a brief discussion of the planning trends that are
relevant. The material presented in the Community Profile has
been drawn from existing research and published texts. This
approach provides an efficient use of the resources of the City in
the completion of the Plan. However, in a few instances, this
approach may result in some unanswered questions. Further
research or analytical work could be undertaken to find answers to
those questions, but extensive refinement of the details at this
stage of the process seldom results in large-scale shifts in policy.
The City and the consulting team have found that the resources
available for the completion of the Plan are best directed at forming
the general outlines of land use policy with the intent of refining the
details of strategies as implementation proceeds.
1
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Williams & Works in conjunction with City of Niles, The City of Niles, A
Community Profile Report, September, 2002.
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NATURAL & CULTURAL FEATURES, AND THE ENVIRONMENT
CHAPTER 2. NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES, AND THE
ENVIRONMENT
The City of Niles is located in southwest
lower Michigan, primarily in Berrien
County. Niles is only three miles north of
the Michigan/Indiana state line and is
considered part of the South Bend
metropolitan area (see Location Map).
Niles is a classic, Midwest small town of
5.5 square miles in area. It benefits by its
prime location on the St. Joseph River
and central position for trade. The
natural and cultural features of Niles are
what brought the City to its heyday in the
early 1960’s with strong industry, quality
housing and beautiful public amenities.
Niles Location Map
CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL FEATURES
The Potawatomi tribe
inhabited the southwest
corner of what is now
Michigan in the areas of
the Kalamazoo and St.
Joseph River.
There has been documented human history in Niles for hundreds of
years. At the point of European contact, the Potawatomi tribe
inhabited the southwest corner of what is now Michigan in the
areas of the Kalamazoo and the St. Joseph River and adjacent
parts of Indiana. They moved there deliberately from more northern
regions to take advantage of the milder southern climate. Although
they shared many traits with the Chippewa and the Odowa
(Ottawa), they lived a more sedentary lifestyle.
The addition of horticulture to the Potawatomi cultural pattern
allowed them to establish a more stable food supply and eventually
a level of political unity unusual for Great Lakes’ tribes at that time.
Not only did they grow the American staples of corn, beans, and
squash, the Potawatomi were famed for their medicinal herbal
gardens. Besides enjoying the advantages of farming, their
fondness for trading helped the Potawatomi become a strong tribe
through the early 1800's when many tribes were forcibly removed to
Kansas and Oklahoma by the U.S. military.
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MASTER PLAN
With tribal offices in
Dowagiac, Michigan, the
Pokagon Potawatomi are
in the process of
reacquiring a land base.
City of Niles original plat map.
In 1684, French Jesuit missionaries came to work among the
Indians. Seven years later, in 1691, Fort St. Joseph was built on the
banks of the St. Joseph River. The St. Joseph area and Pokagon
area Potawatomi were largely Roman Catholic and acculturated.
Because of the St. Joseph mission, the Pokagon were protected
from removal by treaty and were allowed to stay in southwest
Michigan. The Band was refused tribal status under the Indian
Reorganization Act (1934) but their long struggle to gain federal
recognition finally succeeded in 1994. With tribal offices located in
Dowagiac, Michigan, the Pokagon are in the process of
reacquiring a land base. Currently, most of their 2,600 members
are scattered among the general populations of southern Michigan
and northern Indiana, including in the
City of Niles.
Niles’ colonial settlement reaches
back over 300 years. The area that
makes up Niles was occupied at
different times by Spain, France,
England and the United States, and
thus was given the motto “City of Four
Flags.” It once was the trading area
and passageway for westward bound
pioneers. The intersection for major
railroads, Niles was known as the
"Gateway
of
Commerce
and
Settlement" for the American West.
The original train depot is still in
existence today, and has been the site
of several Hollywood movies. The
Village of Niles was platted on August
1, 1829, and incorporated as a city in 1835.
HISTORICAL LANDMARKS
Niles’ rich history is evident not only in the City's pride in being one
of the oldest communities in Michigan, but also in the
neighborhoods, museums, downtown, and antique shops. Niles
has 14 historical landmarks listed on the State and/or the National
Register of Historic Places and 19 buildings and sites recognized
as historically significant by the County2.
2
CITY OF NILES
Nitz, Rebecca L., Appendix C of Berrien County Master Plan 2000.
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Public and private buildings provide
evidence of the City's history, including
City Hall and the Carnegie Library,
which is now home to the Chamber of
Commerce.
Carnegie Library, now the Niles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Historical
sites
offer
wonderful
opportunities for education and
recreation. Famous cities around the
world have linked historical landmarks
with trails or marked paths to identify a
historical walk. Boston’s Freedom Trail
linking famous sites from the colonial
revolution is a good example. Map 1
identifies the registered historical and
cultural resources in the City.
CLIMATE
According to the NOAA Climate Survey3 that averaged annual
climatic conditions between 1960 and 1995, temperatures in the
City average 26.2 degrees F in the winter, with an average of 71.1
inches of snowfall annually. During the summer, the average
temperature of 71 degrees F makes for a pleasant and
comfortable environment for fishing, golfing, hiking and many other
outdoor summer activities. The average annual rainfall for the City
is 39.14 inches.
T OPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY & SOILS
The City of Niles falls within the geophysical region known as the
“Cass-Kalamazoo Plains.” The region is characterized by flat
plains and low hills, lakes and lake basin swamps. Coldwater
shale, the dominant bedrock of the area, exists nearly 200 feet
below the ground surface. Soils in the region developed from
unconsolidated glacial till weathered by the action of the climate
and vegetation. The most significant relief occurs as part of the
river ravine.4
3
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National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration Website, National Climate
Data Center, 2001.
1996 Parks and Recreation Plan for the City of Niles, Michigan.
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MASTER PLAN
According to the Soil Survey of Berrien County (1978)5, the soils in
the City of Niles fall into four distinct soil groups; the SpinksOakville-Oshtemo
Association,
Riddles-Ockley-Oshtemo
Association, Brady-Monitor-Gilford Association, and OckleyOshtemo Association. Map 2, Soil Types, illustrates the general
coverage of these soil groups, and the following discussion
describes the characteristics of each
Covering about two-thirds of the City as well as much of the
surrounding area, Ockley-Oshtemo Association soils consist of
nearly level to steep topography areas. These are generally welldrained, loamy soils found on outwash plains and moraines. From
a land use planning standpoint, this soil association is good for
recreational uses and community development, although these
soils are often found in flood plain areas. The soils provide good
foundations for buildings, roads, and other structures. The scenery
in these areas can be very diverse as they support a wide range of
wild flora from grassy plains to bogs. Also, throughout the
remainder of the County, many of these areas have been converted
to agricultural uses.
Brady-Monitor-Gilford Association covers much of the northeast
portion of the city including all of the industrial and the northeast
corner of Plym Park. These are loamy soils generally found on
outwash plains.
These soil conditions generally follow the
Dowagiac River watershed. They are poorly drained and therefore
require connection to public sewer.
The remaining two soil types are quite well drained and are sandy
and loamy in content. Spinks-Oakville-Oshtemo Association is
found in south-central Niles between 11th Street and the St. Joseph
River. Riddles-Ockley-Oshtemo Association makes up the
western border of the City to the west of Lincoln Avenue.
LAKES, WATERSHEDS, WETLANDS AND DRAINAGE
A defining element of the City is the St. Joseph River. Today, the
riverfront offers excellent recreational destinations, residential
locations and wildlife habitat. However, development can produce
potential water quality impacts due to fertilizer application and
other human related activities. With continued development along
5
CITY OF NILES
Soil Survey of Berrien County, Michigan, St. Joseph River Conservation
District, 1978.
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MASTER PLAN
the riverfront, unspoiled natural watershed areas are becoming
rare.
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WATERSHEDS
Water quality within a
watershed is directly
related to the land
management practices
within that watershed.
A watershed is a region of land that is drained by a particular river
or river system. Typically these systems include many smaller
tributaries such as creeks and streams that feed into a larger river
and are influenced by elevation or the lay of the land. The St.
Joseph River watershed is the primary watershed in Niles, which is
fed by the smaller Dowagiac River Watershed.
The St. Joseph River watershed drains approximately 4600 square
miles in 14 counties and two states. The river and its tributaries
flow through hundreds of rural, suburban, and urban communities.
The river’s headwaters are located in Hillsdale, Michigan, and
travel 210 miles before flowing into Lake Michigan in between the
twin cities of Benton Harbor and St Joseph.
Watersheds are a reminder that natural processes do
not follow political boundaries, and planning for healthy
environments should transcend the abilities of
individual jurisdictions.
Water quality within a watershed is directly related to
the land management practices within that watershed.
For example, if a new development created a large
amount of impervious surface (i.e., asphalt) and
stormwater was not properly managed, it is possible
that the flow of the run-off into the creek, stream, or
river could be increased to a point that stream bank
The St. Joseph River is a defining element of Niles
erosion occurs. Stream bank erosion has the potential
of increasing silt material on the streambed, changing
the chemistry of the water with phosphates, nitrogen,
and other chemicals, and altering the turbidity of the water. All of
these changes may have an effect on the wildlife that is dependent
on the stream or river for survival. Map 3, Water Features,
illustrates the watersheds, rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands in
the City.
It is important to plan for the impacts human uses have upon
watersheds. The Dowagiac River Watershed Project, expected to
be completed this fall, plans for the health of the Dowagiac River
Watershed. There are many organizations associated with the St.
Joseph River Watershed. The most active group in the Niles area
is Friends of the St. Joseph River.
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MASTER PLAN
FLOODPLAIN
Much of the area in and around the St. Joseph River, the Dowagiac
River and the West Tributary fall within the Federal Emergency
Management’s (FEMA) designation of the floodplain. Map 3 also
illustrates FEMA’s Federal Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) in Niles.
There are wide areas prone to flooding, in portions of the river
channel where the river runs through a steeper gulch, such as the
area surrounding the French Paper Company.
Some areas of the
downtown are within
the 100-year floodplain.
Some areas of the downtown are within the 100-year floodplain.
From Main Street to Pokagon, the entire Riverside Park is in the
AE Flood Zone. AE is the Federal Emergency Management
Designation for areas that have been determined to flood in 100year storms. Between Wayne and Sycamore Street, the flood
inundation area reaches past Front Street extending nearly to
Third.
The National Flood Insurance Program was established by the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
pursuant to the National Flood Insurance Act of 19686. The City of
Niles became a participating member in 1987.
The City of Niles has taken
steps to support the
National Flood Insurance
Program, by adopting a
Floodplain Overlay District
as part of the zoning
ordinance.
The National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating
System (CRS) was implemented in 1990 as a program for
recognizing and encouraging community floodplain management
activities that exceed the minimum NFIP standards. The City of
Niles was included as part of this program. Under the CRS, flood
insurance premium rates are adjusted to reflect the reduced flood
risk resulting from community activities that meet the three goals of
the CRS: (1) reduce flood losses; (2) facilitate accurate insurance
rating; and (3) promote the awareness of flood insurance.7
The City of Niles has taken steps to support the National Flood
Insurance Program by adopting a Floodplain Overlay District as
part of its Zoning Ordinance. This district is consistent with the
6
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National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-448) as amended and
by the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-234) as
amended, and any supplemental changes to such rules and regulations.
Federal Emergency Management website: www.fema.gov
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MASTER PLAN
FIRM map 100-year flood AE and X Zones.8 However, the City
has yet to include the overlay as part of its official Zoning Map. The
ordinance states that no structure may be built within the Floodplain
Overlay District.9 However, in the recent past, the City has elected
to depart from its terms in some instances.
GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER
The City of Niles uses a groundwater based public water supply.
The groundwater supplies in the City, even though abundant, can
be affected as more area becomes impervious and with greater
demand placed on groundwater supplies.
The purpose of a WHPA
overlay zone is to protect
water quality, to keep
pollutants from entering
surface and
groundwater, to reduce
the danger of
contamination, and to
protect potable water
supplies.
In June of 2000, the City of Niles adopted a Wellhead Protection
Plan (WHPP). The goal of the Wellhead Protection Area
Management is to provide a mechanism to prevent existing and
potential sources of contamination from reaching the public water
supply or well field. Intelligent land use decisions regarding
development can be much more effective by using wellhead
protection policies and specific management techniques. A
discussion of wellhead protection management strategies in the
Plan should assist community leaders in the recognition of the
Wellhead Protection Area and the importance of wellhead
protection. Planning elements are intended to provide guidance in
the development of land use and land protection measures
supporting wellhead protection.
The City elected to develop a Wellhead Protection Area “overlay
zoning district.” The use of a zoning “overlay” district in the City’s
Zoning Ordinance to protect the public water supply based on
known and clearly identifiable physical criteria is a well-accepted
method and a commonly used technique. The purpose of the
WHPA overlay zone is to protect water quality, to keep pollutants
from entering surface and groundwater, to reduce the danger of
contamination, and to protect potable water supplies.
The Wellhead Protection Plan determined that prohibiting uses
was not necessary or feasible. The plan states that well-crafted
design and performance standards for new businesses and
appropriate Best Management Practices for existing businesses
8
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Zone AE - An area inundated by 100-year flooding for which Base Flood
Elevations have been determined. Zone X - An area that is determined to be
inside the 100- and 500-year floodplains where Base Flood Elevations have
not been determined)
City of Niles Zoning Ordinance, Adopted July 25, 1994.
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MASTER PLAN
were more appropriate techniques.
In turn, design and
performance standards have been developed to be implemented
during the site plan review process. 10
10
CITY OF NILES
City of Niles Wellhead Protection Plan, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber,
Inc., June 8, 2000.
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CITY OF NILES
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OPEN SPACE AND GREENWAYS
Niles is lucky to have many parcels of land throughout the City
preserved as permanent recreation lands. For the purposes of this
Community Profile and master plan process, open space will be
considered undeveloped lands or lands developed for recreational
use.
A greenway is a corridor of protected open space
that is managed for conservation and/or
recreation. Generally, greenways follow natural
land or water features, like ridges or rivers, or
human landscape features, like abandoned
railroad corridors or canals. The newly improved
Riverside Park is a wonderful example of a
greenway.
Example of a greenway trail developed by Rails to
Trails Conservancy
Greenways can link natural reserves, parks,
cultural and historic sites with each other and
connect populated areas. Greenways not only
protect environmentally sensitive lands and
wildlife, they can also provide people with access
to outdoor recreation opportunities11.
The Parks and Recreation Commission has been working through
the development of a master plan to expand the City’s greenways
network. This includes making improvements and expansions to
existing facilities as well as incorporating new projects. Several
organizations exist in Michigan to help with trail planning, land
acquisition, design and construction. Groups like Rails-to-Trails,
the Southwest Michigan Greenway Collaborative, and the West
Michigan Trails/Greenways Coalition are all involved with helping
communities build their greenways networks.
VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE
Having been established as an urban area many years ago, very
little of the natural landscape in Niles remains unaltered. However,
the community is thriving with beautiful gardens and improved
recreation areas. Most long-term residents remember Niles as
“The Garden City.” Niles was given this honor when the Niles Train
Depot and its surrounding land were beautified with gardens to
11
CITY OF NILES
1000 Friends of Florida, Greenways Project website.
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MASTER PLAN
welcome visitors years ago. That tradition has been carried on
through the establishment of botanical gardens and nature centers.
In addition, residents throughout the community take pride in
maintaining their personal gardens and investing time and energy
in their yards.
As the urban forest is
beginning to age it may
be necessary to develop
a more proactive and
formal program to
maintain tree health and
canopy coverage.
Niles has an enviable urban forest through much of the older
neighborhoods. The City has run an informal tree planting and
removal program that operates generally on a case by case basis.
As the urban forest is beginning to age, it may be necessary to
develop a more proactive and formal program to maintain tree
health and canopy coverage.
The beauty of the built form
of the City coupled with the
urban forest system makes
Niles extremely appealing.
Several area yard and
garden
supply
stores
promote landscaping to
develop “backyard habitat”
for local wildlife. The
Backyard Habitat Program
serves as a guide to
residents when making
landscaping decisions to
include species that will
support the needs of local
wildlife. This initiative has
had a notable affect on
area residents and in turn it
has worked to enhance the
local ecosystem.
Rare trillium flower near St. Joseph River in Niles.
CITY OF NILES
20
MASTER PLAN
POPULATION
CHAPTER 3. POPULATION
…over the past five
decades, the City’s official
population count has been
slowly declining.
Population is among the most important measures to express
growth and its likely impact on land uses in a community.
Therefore, it is vitally important to achieve an understanding of the
City’s population and the changes that are occurring in order to
prepare a meaningful and realistic Master Plan. In this section, the
population of Niles is analyzed, and the current and likely future
trends are discussed.
To begin with, it is appropriate to determine the overall growth the
City has experienced in the recent past.12 Although the community
reportedly experienced significant growth over the first half of the
20th century, over the past five decades, the City’s official
population count has been slowly declining.
Figure 1. City of Niles
Historic Population Growth
13,842
14,000
13,500
13,145
12,988
13,115
13,000
12,458
12,500
12,204
12,000
11,500
11,000
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
To put this declining rate of growth in perspective, it is also
appropriate to compare the community with its neighbors. Figure 2
compares the 25-year population growth history in Niles to that of
other communities in southeastern Berrien County and western
Cass County. All of the communities in the comparison have
struggled to maintain their population base with the total Berrien
County population growing by less than 1% from 1970 through
1990. Therefore, while the population of Michigan has had
12
CITY OF NILES
U.S. Census Bureau
21
MASTER PLAN
POPULATION
significant growth (5.45%), it is clear that Niles, and its neighbors in
the southwestern portion of the state have stagnated.
Figure 2. Comparative Rates of Population Growth
1970
1980
1990
2000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
Bertrand Township
City of Buchanan
Howard Township
City of Niles
Niles Township
Milton Township
PROJECTIONS
For the purposes of this Community Profile, statistical averaging
techniques were utilized to project the City’s population growth to
the year 2030. These approaches are adequate to give a general
sense of growth trends, but they have limitations especially in areas
of rapid growth or decline that may run counter to statistical trends.
Future trends are based on the past as documented by the United
States Bureau of Census. In Figure 3, the population projections of
the Southwest Michigan Commission are compared with a straight
line extension of recent trends.
Figure 3. Population Projections – City of Niles
14500
14000
13500
13000
SWMC Projection
12500
Straight Line Projection
12000
11500
11000
10500
1 9 5 0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2005 2010 2015 2 0 2 0 2025
CITY OF NILES
22
MASTER PLAN
POPULATION
These approaches help give a sense of scale to future land use
requirements as well as the demand for various public services
and capital improvements.
The following summarizes the
projection techniques.
Comparing the age distribution of a community over time provides
another opportunity to measure change. Also, an age breakdown
of a community’s residents helps to determine the type of housing
demands and recreational facilities that may be needed. In 2000,
the median age of Niles residents was 35.3 years compared to the
median age for the county of 37.4 years. The median age
represents the mid-point in the range of all ages within the City and
County with one-half of the population younger and one-half of the
population older than the median. Typically, the median age is
viewed as an appropriate measure of the overall age of the
population.
Paralleling national
trends, the
population of
Berrien County, the
population of the
City is aging.
Paralleling national trends, the population of Berrien County and
the population of the City is aging. In 1990, the median age of the
County was 33.6 years. By 2000, it had risen to 37.4 years; and it
is expected to reach 39.5 years by the year 2020.13 By way of
comparison, the median age for Niles increased from 33.1 years in
1990 to 35.3 years in 2000.
In general, it is possible to identify more uniformity in the age
distribution as the population ages. The aging of the “baby
boomer” generation (36 to 56 year-olds in 2000) is clearly evident;
and as the children of that generation continue to mature and have
children, there is less variance in the numbers of individuals from
one cohort to the next. This greater uniformity suggests a slowing
in the rate of natural growth of the City’s population after the year
2020. Of course, growth through in-migration may continue and at
least partially offset this trend.
The 20 to 54 years age group is important as it represents the
prime wage earning population as well as the principal childrearing group. About 47.4% of the population fall in this age group
in Berrien County. A similar percentage (46.9%) of the City also
falls into this category. This relatively high percentage of the
population translates into family formations, the need for singlefamily housing stock, recreational facilities, future increases in the
under 5, and 5 to 19 years age groups, and increases in retail
trade.
13
CITY OF NILES
Southwestern Michigan Commission, Long Range Plan 2000-2025.
23
MASTER PLAN
POPULATION
The “empty nesters” group (55 to 65 years) comprises nearly 11%
of the City’s residents. Persons in this age group typically have
reached their peak earning potential and have higher disposable
incomes. The age group of 65 and older represented nearly 15%
of the City’s population in 1990 and it comprised about 13% of the
population in the county. By 2000, this cohort had increased
slightly to 15.4% of the City’s population.
The Southwest Michigan Commission projected future population
for Berrien County using the age/sex cohort model. If the Niles
population continues to be reflective of the County’s, the graphs
below are a good representation of future population in the area.
Figure 4. Berrien County Population Age Projections
2000 Age by Sex
Males
Projected 2010 Age by Sex
Females
Males
Age 75 and older
Age 75 and older
Age 65 to 74 Years
Age 65 to 74 Years
Age 55 to 64 Years
Age 55 to 64 Years
Age 45 to 54 Years
Age 45 to 54 Years
Age 35 to 44 Years
Age 35 to 44 Years
Age 25 to 34 Years
Age 25 to 34 Years
Age 18 to 24 Years
Age 18 to 24 Years
Age 5 to 17 Years
Age 5 to 17 Years
Age 0 to 4 Years
Age 0 to 4 Years
-20000 -15000 -10000
20,000
15,000
10,000
-5000
5,000
0
0
5000
5,000
10000
10,000
-15000
15000
15,000
15,000
-10000
10,000
Females
-5000
0
5,000
0
5000
5,000
10000
10,000
15000
15,000
Projected 2020 Age by Sex
Males
Females
Age 75 and older
Age 65 to 74 Years
Age 55 to 64 Years
Age 45 to 54 Years
Age 35 to 44 Years
Age 25 to 34 Years
Age 18 to 24 Years
Age 5 to 17 Years
Age 0 to 4 Years
15,000 -10000
10,000 -50005,000
-15000
0
0 5000
5,000
10000
10,000
15000
Source: Data prepared by the Southwestern Michigan Planning Commission, 1999
CITY OF NILES
24
MASTER PLAN
POPULATION
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
The quality of the local school system is generally an important
consideration for couples choosing a place to raise a family. In
Niles, residents are served by the Niles Community School District
and Brandywine School District. Niles Schools serve the City and
the surrounding area with over 4,000 students in the K-12 program.
The school system staffs 300
teachers and administrative
Figure 5.
employees. Niles High School
School Enrollment
received the Chase School of
Change Award from Fordham
University and the Chase
Elementary school
Manhattan Foundation in 2000.
48%
This
national
distinction
High School
recognizes
the
school's
success
22%
in bringing significant change to
their
entire
academic
Kindergarden
Nursery school,
College or
environment. The school district
5%
preschool
Graducate School
includes five elementary schools,
9%
16%
a middle school, a high school,
early childhood development and
alternative education programs.
CITY OF NILES
25
MASTER PLAN
POPULATION
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
The table below compares the educational attainment of residents
of Niles, Berrien and Cass Counties, and the State. As shown, the
residents of Niles (25 years and older) rank higher in the
percentage of high school completion than the County or State as a
whole. However, the percentage of the Niles population with a
bachelor’s degree or higher is below that of the State and Berrien
County. These levels of educational attainment typically indicate a
community of moderately skilled workers that attain jobs in service
or manufacturing industries. These conclusions are confirmed in
Chapter 4.
Education Attainment - The City of Niles, Cass and Berrien
County, and the State of Michigan, 2000
Niles
Cass County
Berrien County
Michigan
Source: US Census Bureau
High School Graduate
(%)
83.5%
80.4%
81.9%
83.4%
Bachelor’s Degree or
Higher (%)
14.3%
12.1%
19.6%
21.8%
Figure 6.
Niles Educational Attainment 1990 & 2000
2735
1775
925
1398
645
575
733
472
508
Gr
ad
ua
te
Ba
ch
elo
r's
de
gre
or
e
pro
fes
sio
na
ld
egr
ee
550
de
gre
e
824 364
1274
Le
ss t
ha
n9
th
gra
de
,n
od
9th
iplo
to
ma
12
th
gra
de
,n
od
iplo
ma
Hi
gh
sch
oo
l gr
ad
ua
So
te
me
col
leg
e, n
od
egr
ee
2000
3061
As
soc
iate
1990
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
CITY OF NILES
26
MASTER PLAN
HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
CHAPTER 4. HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS
Niles is characterized by a broad mix of housing types located
throughout the City. Multi-family units are mixed in with the singlefamily units and owner occupied homes neighbor rental properties
in many neighborhoods. This provides a good balance in many
areas of the City and improves stability. The homes in Niles have
long been the source of pride for local residents. Much of the
housing stock is older and beautifully maintained. These homes
are a good indicator of long-term financial and social investment in
the community.
HOUSING
There are 5,531 housing units in the City. Of
those, 435 (7.9%) were vacant during the
2000 Census count. Generally when housing
vacancy rates exceed 5%, there is some
concern for neighborhood stability.
If
vacancy
rates
exceed
10%,
the
neighborhood may be experiencing blight14.
However, the City of Niles has a very
proactive program for housing demolition
and redevelopment. This program helps to
maintain neighborhood stability by renewing
or removing blighted units and by continually
improving housing opportunities through
rehabilitation
Figure 7. 2000 Housing Occupancy
Occupied
92.1%
Seasonal
0.5%
Vacant
7.4%
Another good test of the health of a
community is the ratio of owner-occupied to
renter-occupied
housing.
Generally
communities strive to achieve a 2:1 or even
3:1 ratio of owner-occupant dominated
housing.15. Central cities and more urban
areas may have higher proportions of
renters. This is true in Niles where the
proportion of owner-occupied to renter
housing stock is 3 to 2.
Figure 8. 2000 Housing Tenure
Renteroccupied
40.3%
Owneroccupied
59.7%
This ratio reflects the results of an effort in the
14
15
CITY OF NILES
Michigan State Housing Development Authority
ibid.
27
MASTER PLAN
1970’s and 1980’s to increase the City’s population by
encouraging the splitting of larger homes into multi-family rental
units. As indicated in Chapter 2, this effort did not stabilize
population decline and actually led to less stable neighborhoods,
an increase in Housing Code violations and, in some cases, may
have fostered an increase in crime. This is not to say rental housing
categorically has negative impacts on a community, in fact, quite
the contrary. However, it is preferable that the rental units not be
heavily concentrated in one area. Instead, rental housing should be
well distributed throughout the community. Locating single-family
rental housing among owner-occupied housing helps to hold rental
property owners to the same
Figure 9. Rental Property Owners
standards as surrounding
homeowners.
Individual
Property
Owner
74.8%
Town &
Country
Apartments
1.9%
In the 2000 Census, 2,055
rental housing units were
reported.
The City’s code
enforcement office identified
just under 300 landlords that
Niles Housing
Commission
manage those properties.
8.8%
While some of those rental
Hotels
properties are part of larger
North Niles 8.7%
Villas
housing complexes or hotels,
5.8%
most are not (see Figure 9).
According to the code
enforcement officer, most of the landlords in the City do an
excellent job maintaining their properties. However, it can often be
difficult for a single person to manage multiple properties and
maintain them at a high level of quality.
NEW DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT
New residential growth has been limited in recent years. This has
been primarily because the City is essentially built-out with less
than 5% of its residential land in large, vacant parcels. The new
projects that have been proposed and constructed have been
multi-family complexes to maximize the yield of the limited
remaining lands.
CITY OF NILES
28
MASTER PLAN
A further indicator of growth in the residential land uses in the
community is the number of new parcels established each year for
new residences. Between 1997 and the present, 43 total homes
have been constructed in Niles. Figure 10 breaks down the yearly
construction activity in housing development.
Figure 10. New Homes Constructed
1997 - 2002
15
11
8
10
8
6
4
6
5
0
1997
1998
1999
Source: City of Niles
2000
2001
2002 to
date
This relatively moderate level of construction illustrates the lack of
available residential land and a relatively weak market.
There are a few vacant parcels on the west side of the City that
could be developed for residential uses. As currently zoned, these
developments would need to be single-family in nature. In addition,
some scattered parcels throughout the city are available for infill
development. Based on current zoning standards, it is estimated
that vacant lands in the City would accommodate around 50 new
housing units.
The central City area has many
opportunities for redevelopment.
Through a grant obtained by the
Greater
Niles
Community
Development Corporation (CDC),
the upper stories of the buildings on
Main Street have been targeted for
apartment
rehabilitation
and
redevelopment.
The City has begun some
redevelopment efforts off Main
Street in the downtown area. In
1997, the City approved the
construction of a multi-family
Buildings on Main Street in the process of being redeveloped.
CITY OF NILES
29
MASTER PLAN
housing development on the block encompassed by Front Street
and Second Street to the east and west, Wayne to the north and
Howard Street to the south. More redevelopment projects are
planned for the area surrounding the new project. The Downtown
Development Authority in its 1995 Visioning Project identified new
multi-family developments including apartments, townhouses and
residential/commercial mixes for several sites between Wayne and
Sycamore Streets in the downtown area.
The 2000 Census reported that the majority of owner-occupied
homes in the City of Niles are valued between $50,000 and
$99,999 (61%). Almost of quarter of the homes were reported to
be valued at less than $50,000 suggesting an abundance of
affordable housing opportunities. In addition, 48.2% of home
owners reported their monthly costs for their homes to be less than
15% of their household income.
This demonstrates the
affordability of the housing stock in Niles. The Federal Department
of Housing and Urban Development uses one-third of household
income as a typical upper limit for housing costs.
Figure 11. 2000 Housing Values for Owneroccupied Units
$50,000 to
$99,999
61%
less than
$50,000
23%
$200,000 to
$999,999
1%
$150,000 to
$199,999
4%
$100,000 to
$149,000
11%
Source: U.S. Census 2000
The median housing values in Niles are generally below the
median housing values elsewhere in the region. Most of the
surrounding area has housing valued at $80,000 or more. The City
of Buchanan is an exception where housing values have remained
very similar to Niles.
CITY OF NILES
30
MASTER PLAN
Community
Bertrand Township
City of Buchanan
Howard Township
City of Niles
Niles Township
Milton Township
1990* Median
Housing Value
$72,825
$47,528
$62,860
$47,273
$55,705
$71,803
2000 Median
Housing Value
$100,000
$69,300
$90,400
$69,600
$80,000
$106,500
*1990 values are based on inflation rates in 2000 dollars. Source: Profile of
Selected Housing Characteristics, 2000 Census Demographic Profile
The City Assessor reports that a full appraisal of all properties in
the City has not been completed for over forty years. This is a
concern since an up-to-date evaluation of property values
determines tax revenues for the City of Niles.
HISTORIC DISTRICT
A Historic District was established to preserve the
historic character of the housing stock in parts of
the city. To date the Historic District consists of the
west side of 4th Street from Wayne Street to
Sycamore Street. Improvements to homes within
this district must meet historic guidelines
established by the Historic District and may entitle
the owner to certain tax benefits. A Historic District
Commission was established to implement the
guidelines for renovations or improvements to
homes in the historic district. Homeowners must
approach the Commission for review and approval
before making any improvements.
Unfortunately, this historic designation has been
somewhat counter-productive for both the
A home in the historic district on 4 th Street.
homeowners and the City. Many owners have
deferred needed improvements to their property
because of the restrictive nature of the guidelines for improvements
in the district. As a result, the quality of the housing stock in the
Historic District has been declining. Since many have been
converted to multi-family units, the use of these properties is more
intense, thereby making the need for improvements more frequent
CITY OF NILES
31
MASTER PLAN
and more costly. Nevertheless,
the historic character of many of
the homes in the City is an
important part of the community’s
personality and these homes are
certainly an asset that should be
preserved.
THE GREATER NILES COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
The Greater Niles Community
Development
Corporation
(CDC) was established in 1996
with the purpose of eradicating
substandard housing within the
Home on 5th Street built by the Greater Niles Community
City of Niles. A group of citizens
Development Corporation.
got together to knit the interests
of the north side neighborhood
association, the City of Niles, the Niles Chamber of Commerce
and formed a not-for-profit 501 C-3 corporation. The primary focus
of the organization has been improving the north side
neighborhood housing stock, especially along the Fifth Street
corridor from the City limits on the north to the terminal point of M51 downtown.
The CDC accomplishes its mission through activities that educate
potential low to moderate income persons regarding
homeownership. The CDC has also designed a series of
programs aimed at qualifying those low to moderate income
persons for mortgages and home improvement loans.
In addition, the CDC has an aggressive program of identifying
properties in greatest need of purchase, rehabilitation, or
demolition. To date, the CDC has renovated seven houses and
constructed six new homes on 5th Street. It currently has three new
homes under construction, which should be available for sale in the
fall of 2002. Two existing homes are currently being renovated.
The CDC recently purchased three existing homes in the 5th Street
target area that they plan to renovate in 2002-2003.
CITY OF NILES
32
MASTER PLAN
HOUSING QUALITY AND CODE VIOLATIONS
Housing quality in the city is protected, as it is in many cities, by a
Housing Code. The Housing Code is enforced by inspecting rental
properties in the City every 18 months and in response to
complaints.
In 2001, the CDC completed a Housing Quality Survey for the 5th
Street area. The survey was initiated because of the marked
declining quality of the housing stock in this area. This survey
included a total exterior evaluation including foundation, roof,
façade conditions, porch structure, paint, and other detailing. The
analysis for that survey is being completed this year. This
evaluation will be an important benchmark to gauge progress in
neighborhood improvement.
In addition, the survey will map:
1) vacant, buildable lots to be used for in-fill housing;
2) homes that meet or exceed the base threshold of the City’s
code and zoning requirements and require no assistance
under the CDC revitalization effort;
3) homes that will require some repair or rehabilitation to meet
the threshold of the City’s code and zoning requirements to
stabilize or revitalize the neighborhood; and
4) homes that are beyond repair or rehabilitation and will
require demolition and replacement.
This mapping will help to
improvement efforts in the area.
coordinate
rehabilitation
and
NEIGHBORHOODS
Neighborhood
association programs
can be very effective
in building community
capacity and
improving quality of
life in neighborhoods.
CITY OF NILES
Many older urban cities have developed neighborhood
associations to facilitate housing improvements and respond to
social issues at a neighborhood level. These associations may
form under City-sponsorship or spontaneously. Neighborhood
association programs can be very effective in building community
capacity and improving quality of life in neighborhoods.
33
MASTER PLAN
The City of Niles has not designated neighborhood boundaries and
does not have a neighborhood association system in place at this
time. However, the City is laid out in a manner that easily lends
itself to the formation of such a neighborhood association system.
Such groups can organize community and neighborhood events
such as neighborhood clean-ups, house painting, or assisting
elderly and others in housing improvements. In addition, these
organizations generally have a social component that organizes
educational programs related to employment, child care or
domestic violence. They can establish up neighborhood watch
groups and engage citizens in community policing training.
CITY OF NILES
34
MASTER PLAN
EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 5. EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
An important measure of the overall vitality of a community is its
economic health. Incomes and job growth are key indicators in this
area, and this chapter seeks to evaluate the City’s position relative
to other communities.
EMPLOYMENT
Niles residents are employed in a wide range of occupations. The
industry with the highest number of employees is manufacturing
(28.6%) followed by education (17.3%). There are a fair number of
residents employed in retail trades (12.8%), and the remaining
industries employ between 2% and 7% of working Niles residents.
This broad distribution of employment explains the similar patterns
observed in Niles residents’ income. While manufacturing may be
the industry that employs the largest proportion of Niles’ residents,
more than 71% of people are employed in other fields. These
remaining fields offer a broad spectrum of employment options and
levels of attainment. Therefore, income levels may vary greatly.
Industry
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Transportation warehousing, utilities
Information
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and
leasing
Professional, scientific, management,
administrative, and waste management services
Educational, health and social services
Arts, entertainment, recreation,
accommodation, and food services
Public administration
Other services
CITY OF NILES
35
Employment by
Industry
10
283
1,548
200
694
267
126
200
Percentage of Total
Employment in Niles
2.0%
5.2%
28.6%
3.7%
12.8%
4.9%
2.3%
3.7%
357
6.6%
937
17.3%
378
7.0%
108
310
2.0%
5.7%
MASTER PLAN
Modes of
transportation
appropriate for
short distances
decreased
significantly in the
past decade.
Employment has been changing fairly dramatically over the last
decade. Many jobs within the City have moved elsewhere. This is
evident in the change in commuting patterns from 1990 to 2000.
Modes of transportation appropriate for short distances decreased
significantly in the past decade. The number of employed residents
who walked to work declined by 85.4%, and those who took public
transportation to their jobs declined by 59.6%.
According the City staff, these employment changes included the
closing and downsizing of several of the major employers in the
City. This has forced some Niles residents to seek employment
outside of the City. Some of the companies that have made
significant changes in the last decade include:
-
National Standard downsized and relocated headquarters due
to buy-out.
-
Simplicity Pattern Company downsized.
-
Garden City Fan Company downsized due to buy-out and
moved headquarters from Niles to a larger parent company.
-
Tyler Refrigeration had minor downsizing.
-
Ironwood Display Company closed.
INCOME
The median household income in the City in 1990 was $23,700;
and by 1999 (for 2000 Census), it had increased to $31,208,
placing the City below the median for Berrien County which was
$27,245 in 1990 and $36,552 in 1998. For perspective, these
figures should be compared to the other jurisdictions in the County.
Niles has the lowest median household income in comparison with
its neighbors and the County.
Generally, this means residents do not have the kind of disposable
income enjoyed by residents in neighboring communities.
However, as was described in Chapter 3, housing prices are also
not as high as in neighboring communities. The City of Buchanan,
which was comparable to Niles relative to housing values, has
higher median income. The amount of disposable income enjoyed
CITY OF NILES
36
MASTER PLAN
by residents largely dictates the types of retail and entertainment
business that will locate in the City.
Figure 12.
2000 Median Household Income
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
$30,000
$55,183
$53,750
$41,477
$40,503
$36,552
$34,244
$37,794
$31,208
$20,000
$10,000
Ni
les
Tw
p
Ni
les
Be
rta
nd
Tw
p
Be
rrie
nC
Bu
o
ch
an
an
Tw
p
Bu
ch
an
an
Ho
wa
rd
Tw
p
M
ilto
nT
wp
$-
* Median Household Income for 2000 Census tabulated in 1999
Source: US Census, Summary Social, Economic and Housing Characteristics
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
With its proximity to
several interstate
transportation
corridors, the City has
attracted significant
commercial and
industrial investment.
About 1,185 acres, or about 33% of the land in Niles (as a whole)
is dedicated to industrial and commercial land uses. In terms of
developed land (residential, commercial, institutional, etc.),
industrial and commercial uses represent over 39% of the land
cover in the City.
With its proximity to several interstate
transportation corridors, the City has attracted significant
commercial and industrial investment.
Four industrial corridors in the area are home to more than 100
manufacturers with 4,200 employees. Bertrand Crossing is a new
technical park in neighboring Bertrand Township, served with water
and wastewater services from the City of Niles. It contains 86
acres in Phase I and is the home of high tech plastics and metal
machining manufacturers. Lake Michigan College has built a
30,000 square foot facility in Bertrand Crossing to provide state-of-
CITY OF NILES
37
MASTER PLAN
the-art training for industry. Four manufacturers currently have their
international headquarters in Niles. French Paper Company is the
oldest company in Niles and is also the oldest family-owned and
operated business in Michigan. Garden City Fan has been located
in Niles since 1900.
The following table presents the top employers in the community
and their product or service:
Company
Product or Service
Brandywine Public Schools
French Paper Co.
Hess Engineering, Inc.
Lakeland Regional Med.
National-Standard Co.
Niles Community Schools
Simplicity Pattern Co.
Tyler Refrigeration Corp.
United Fixtures
Approximate No.
of Employees
Education
Production
Design and build
Medical service
Wire products
Education
Sewing Patterns & publications
Commercial refrigeration
Rack/pallet system
205
100
150
500
250
575
380
466
300
The Niles Industrial Park covers 340 acres. The park is served by
Conrail and is within three miles of major highways. Fifty-five acres
of the industrial park are fully developed with industrial capacity
utilities in place.
There are about 250
acres of vacant land
in the City’s Industrial
Park, all zoned I-2
General Industrial
District.
Indeck Energy Services, Inc. (Indeck) has been approved to site a
gas turbine electrical generating facility in the City of Niles Industrial
Park. The facility will supply electric power to the electrical grid that
serves the surrounding region and up to 19 states on a merchant
basis.
Two large (36-inch) high-pressure gas supply lines bisect the
Indeck property. An American Electric Power substation to the
electrical transmission grid is less than one-half mile from the site,
and municipal sewer and water are available to the entire industrial
park. In addition, the property was formerly part of a railroad yard.
Vestiges of the former use remain, and the soil consists primarily
of railroad cinders and ballast with a good deal of heavy metal
content. The results of the ground samples and well testing prove
the site meets criteria for brownfield redevelopment. Given the
brownfield designation, Indeck is eligible for tax relief for site
remediation.
CITY OF NILES
38
MASTER PLAN
The entire industrial park is zoned I-2 General Industrial District.
There are approximately 250 acres of vacant land in the industrial
park. The Indeck facility will occupy approximately 50 acres of an
80-acre parcel. The combined-cycle plant will be configured with
dry-condensers, cutting its need for water, which will be supplied by
the City.
The addition of Indeck
will boost the City’s tax
revenues to
approximately $7.14
million during the first
year.
Commercial operation is planned for mid-2003. Out-put will be
sold into the East Central Area Reliability Council wholesale
market. Construction costs are estimated at over $400 million.16
The City of Niles will be the beneficiary of at least $1.2 million in tax
revenues for the first 12 years under the brownfield abatements,
and $2.4 million for every year following.
The City’s fiscal year begins on October 1 of each year. The City’s
total general fund revenue in FY 2002 is $5,937,325.
Comparison of 2002 Real Property Valuation17
Jurisdiction
Agricultural
VAE*
% of
(millions)
Total
Commercial
VAE*
% of
(millions)
Total
Industrial
VAE*
% of
(millions)
Total
Residential
VAE*
% of
(millions)
Total
Bertrand Twp.
15.77
18.6%
1.48
1.7%
2.45
2.9%
65.27
76.8%
Niles Twp.
13.53
4.7%
46.4
16.0%
7.93
2.7%
222.79
76.7%
Buchanan City
0
12.3
15.5%
14.16
17.8%
53.09
66.7%
City of Niles
0
41.91
22.3%
11.85
6.3%
134.17
71.4%
Berrien Co.
315.4
540.21
10.4%
587.82
11.4%
3,733.48
72.1%
6.1%
*VAE – Value as Equalized
The tax base for the City of Niles is somewhat unique for the
surrounding area, primarily because it is the central city for the
region. As a result, the City is urbanized and therefore has no
agricultural uses. In addition, the proportion of taxable value in
commercial property is much higher than the rest of the region.
This is positive in terms of generating activity in the community.
Commercial uses generally require fewer services than residential;
16
17
CITY OF NILES
Megawatt Daily’s Generation Week , “Indeck Plans 1,100 MW Plant”,
Wednesday July 26, 2000.
Berrien County Equalization Department,. 2002 Equalization Report, April
11, 2002
39
MASTER PLAN
however, they tend to be more susceptible to fluctuations in the
market and consequently are the most unstable class of property.
Industrial property value is underrepresented in the City in relation
to the County overall. However, the City has taken steps to improve
the balance in favor of industrial land uses. The attraction of Indeck
will serve to significantly improve industrial values in the City. By
2015, when brownfield abatements for the plant have expired, the
Indeck plant taxable value will be approximately 94% of the entire
industrial base (assuming the industrial class remains stable).
Industrial uses can be of great benefit to the City because they
generate tax revenue and jobs while requiring the least services of
all the use classes other than agriculture.
The City has slightly less than three-fourths (71.4%) of the
community’s tax base in residential properties, as compared to
72.1% county-wide This proportion of value in the local tax base
will be important in future land use decisions and municipal
revenue-expense projections for both the City and local school
districts, as residential properties tend to require government and
school services valued in excess of the property tax revenues they
generate. Typically residential uses require between $1.10 and
$1.30 in municipal services (i.e., schools, police, fire, roads, parks,
etc.) for every $1.00 contributed in tax base.18
18
CITY OF NILES
Thomas, Holly L. The Economic Benefits of Land Conservation, Planning
& Zoning News, January, 1993.
40
MASTER PLAN
LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS
CHAPTER 6. LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS
The total land area of the City of Niles is about 5.5 square miles or
3,520 acres. Niles is considered a “built-out” community due to its
limited vacant land. The City has a well-defined downtown located
in the center of the City surrounded by fairly dense residential uses
with commercial and industrial uses following transportation
corridors.
LAND COVER
Niles is considered a
built-out community
due to its limited vacant
land.
Land cover describes the vegetation or land use that occupies the
land in a given community. The land cover in Niles is reflected in
Map 4. The Land Cover map is based on computerized mapping
prepared by the Michigan Resources Information System (MIRIS).
MIRIS is an effort to create a "statewide computerized database of
information pertinent to land utilization, management, and resource
protection activities." 19 It is important to note that the map was
prepared from aerial photography and reflects composite
groupings of land uses categories. MIRIS information is not
bounded by parcel lines, but instead follows natural systems. The
original mapping for the Berrien and Cass County areas was done
in 1978 and was updated with a land cover change comparison in
1996.
MIRIS data depicts some 52 categories of urban, agricultural,
wooded, wetland, and other land cover types for the entire State of
Michigan. Since the City of Niles has been nearly built-out for many
years, the 1978 MIRIS map is still fairly accurate in comparison to
other communities. The 1996 update reflects only minor changes
including slight expansions of residential areas and a shift of some
expansions of industrial development in formerly vacant areas
along Progressive Drive. In the completion of Map 4, the 52 land
cover categories of the MIRIS system have been consolidated into
ten categories which are more descriptive and useful for the
purposes of this Community Profile report.
19
Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Resource Inventory
Program established under the Michigan Resource Inventory Act, 1979 PA 204.
CITY OF NILES
41
MASTER PLAN
The most predominate current land cover is residential lands,
followed by industrial. To verify the MIRIS database, a detailed
existing land use survey was completed as a part of the
preparation of this report. This also confirmed that the City’s
Official Zoning Map serves as an adequate representation of
existing land uses and land cover within the City. 20
An analysis of the existing land uses reveals the following
approximate breakdown and allocation of land uses among six
commonly used land use categories.
Land Use Category
Commercial
Industrial
Residential
Office
Public Uses
Open Space and River
Approximate
Acreage
260
920
1,870
100
70
300
Percentage of
the City
7.4%
26.1%
53.1%
2.8%
2.0%
8.5%
Source: Joint Williams & Works and City of Niles land use survey, July 11, 2002. Note
that the acreage calculations and the representations on Map 5 are intended to generally
describe existing uses in the aggregate. However, individual anomalies are possible.
Although residential land uses predominate and constitute more
than half of the City. There is a significant area planned and zoned
for industrial uses. However, much of the industrial on the east side
of the City include the Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport and there is a
significant area of land that remains vacant and open, awaiting the
installation of infrastructure and private investment.
The open space uses naturally tend to follow the St. Joseph River,
with some additional recreational open space at the stadium and
within a few scattered neighborhood parks. The community is
fortunate to have this important natural feature which offers the
benefits of recreational opportunities and natural beauty. Of
course, the River’s floodplain must be respected as an important
limitation in any land use analysis (see Chapter 1 and Map 3).
20
CITY OF NILES
City of Niles Land Cover Survey performed July 11, 2002.
42
MASTER PLAN
Many of the
downtown property
owners have found
the use of upper
stories to be difficult.
CITY OF NILES
Commercial areas are concentrated within the downtown area and
along Main Street and they extend southward along the 11th Street
corridor into Bertrand Township. The uses in the downtown tend to
be traditional small town commercial buildings of two- and threestories with retail uses on the ground floors and office or residential
uses above. However, many of the downtown property owners
have found the use of upper stories to be difficult. One exception to
the multi-story pattern downtown is the suburban-style strip
shopping center located at Main Street and the River. That
structure is representative of attempts that many communities
made in the 1970s to bring suburban style development forms into
downtown areas. Most such approaches have failed, although this
center appears to be an exception.
43
MASTER PLAN
CITY OF NILES
44
MASTER PLAN
CITY OF NILES
45
MASTER PLAN
ANNEXATION
Since the completion of the last Comprehensive Plan for the City
almost half a century ago, additional property has been
incorporated into the City’s boundaries. Between 1950 and 1970,
the majority of the lands annexed into the City of Niles were small
parcels of single ownership. Many of these were incorporated into
subdivisions and then divided. However, there have been some
major additions to the City. The portions of the airport formerly in
Niles Township and Howard Township were annexed to the City in
1959 and 1996. The City acquired the property that is now the
industrial park from the Michigan Central Railroad Company. That
land was annexed between 1980 and 1981.21
As a part of the recent negotiations with Indeck regarding the new
energy facility, the City and Niles Township have entered into
discussions to exchange jurisdiction on some lands with a parcel to
be added to the City to provide Indeck with access to M-51 and an
existing parcel in the City to be detached and returned to the
Township.
21
CITY OF NILES
Niles City Council Resolutions and State of Michigan Boundaries
Commission records, Niles City Clerk’s office.
46
MASTER PLAN
COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES
CHAPTER 7. COMMUNITY FACILITITES AND SERVICES
Community facilities, such as schools, parks and public buildings,
play an important role in maintaining and improving quality of life.
This chapter discusses these facilities and the comprehensive
development needs of the City.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Community facilities, such
as schools, parks and public
buildings, play an important
role in maintaining and
improving quality of life.
The Niles area is served by the Niles Community Schools,
Brandywine Public Schools and the Berrien County Intermediate
School District. Niles Community Schools rank above the State
average in math, science, and reading scores in many of the
elementary and high school grade levels. Private and parochial
schools provide alternatives to public education. The following
schools are located within the City of Niles:
- Niles Senior High
- Ring Lardner Junior High School
- Ballard Elementary School
- Eastside Elementary School
- Southside Elementary School
- Northside Child Development Center
- Countryside Charter School
Opportunities for higher education in the area include two junior
college campuses in Niles, Lake Michigan College and
Southwestern Michigan College. Several colleges are within easy
driving distance, including Andrews University in Berrien Springs,
Michigan State and Western Michigan University extensions in
Benton Harbor, and just across the state line, University of Notre
Dame, St. Mary's College, and Holy Cross College.
PARK FACILITIES AND RECREATION PLANS
Niles offers residents and visitors many types of indoor and
outdoor recreation activities. Opportunities for fishing, hunting,
canoeing, hiking, and cross-country skiing abound. Organized
sports such as baseball, softball, and soccer leagues and
CITY OF NILES
47
MASTER PLAN
individual activities such as the Niles Triathlon provide athletic
recreation. Community celebrations include the Historic St. Joseph
Re-enactment Rendezvous, Niles Riverfest, and the Four Flags
Area Apple Festival. Free summer concerts at the amphitheater on
the riverfront in downtown Niles provide entertainment and a focal
point for the community. A five-mile walking/jogging trail along the
St. Joseph River offers a great opportunity to exercise and stay fit,
and in Riverfront Park you will find the area's largest children's
playground.
The City of Niles Parks and
Recreation Board consists of nine
members, appointed by the City
Council.
The board’s primary
responsibilities
include
the
improvement of parks and the
establishment of organized recreation
programs. This board develops short
and long-term plans involving public
parks and recreational facilities and
programs.
Pavilion at Riverfront Park.
The City of Niles completed the Parks
and Recreation Plan in 200222. The
Plan described the community,
inventoried all of the recreational
facilities for the City, created an action
program and created a basis for
action. The Plan was tailored to meets the recreational needs of
the City through 2007. Map 6 illustrates the location of important
community facilities.
The budget for parks and recreation in FY 2002 is $201,000, or
3.4% of the general fund. While initially the plan suggests using
future funds to update park equipment, in the long-term, the Board
hopes to establish a Parks and Recreation Department in the City
and hire a director.
Within the City, there are 120.5 acres of parks, six schools with
park facilities, and a golf course. In addition, there are a number of
private recreational businesses in the Niles area, including the
Love Creek Nature Center, Niles Canoe Rental, Nub Lake and
22
CITY OF NILES
City of Niles 2002 Parks and Recreation Plan.
48
MASTER PLAN
Spaulding Campgrounds, Fernwood Nature Center and the YMCA.
The following parks are located within the City of Niles:
-
CITY OF NILES
Plym Park
Eastside Park
Island Park
Eagle Street Park
Clevenger Park
Troost Park
Cable Street Park
Tot Park
Riverfront Park
Vella Park
F.O.P Park
Birkholm Park
Lt. General Donovan Smith
Veterans Memorial
Saathoff Park
Southside Park
Thomas Stadium
49
69 acres
4.65 acres
3.50 acres
.32 acres
1.01 acres
.10 acres
1.80 acres
.13 acres
17.7 acres
6.2 acres
.79 acres
1 acre
.98 acres
3.76 acres
9.56 acres
MASTER PLAN
CITY OF NILES
50
MASTER PLAN
OTHER PUBLICLY OWNED FACILITIES
The City maintains several buildings and
facilities for public use. The Chapin Mansion
was converted into City Hall years ago and is
available to the public for business or tours. A
major renovation and expansion of the Niles
Community Library was completed in 1999,
resulting in one of the finest public library
facilities in Southwestern Michigan and
Northern Indiana. The City also developed the
St. Joseph museum on the same property as
City Hall. The museum is open to the public six
days a week.
In addition, the City of Niles maintains the Jerry
Tyler Memorial Airport, the Silverbrook
Cemetery, and the golf course at Plym Park.
Gentleman walks Riverfront Park trail with St. Joseph
River and Main Street Bridge in the background
CITY OF NILES
51
MASTER PLAN
FIRE PROTECTION FACILITIES
Some older portions
of the City’s water
distribution system
are strained at fire
protection flow rates.
The City of Niles has recently completed the construction of a new
fire station. The station is located on the corner of East Main
Street and Maple. The Fire Chief expects response time to remain
the same, but there will be some areas requiring longer travel
distance from the new station. Currently, average response time is
in the 3 to 4 1/2 minute range. However, the industrial park is
presently a 7-minute response, which will be reduced at the new
location. The Niles Fire Department employs 12 line officers and 2
staff officers (one is the Fire Marshal). The City has 19 on-call
volunteers
The Fire Chief reports that fire equipment in the City is “top notch.”
The only limiting factors related to fire response is water quantity.
Some older portions of the City’s water distribution system are
strained at fire protection flow rates.
On site fire code inspections are performed annually on
commercial properties and every 2 years for residential properties.
POLICE
Community training can
often be an important
step in decreasing
crime and increasing
community awareness.
Police Chief Richard Huff reports that the Department employs a
total of 56 personnel, including 22 full-time sworn police officers.
Crime rates in the City have risen considerably over the last 20
years. This came at a time when the population of the community
was decreasing and police staff was being cut. The City has
organized several community action programs to improve the
safety of the City. These include a Neighborhood Watch Program,
Stop the Violence and Street Sweep. In addition, the Police
Department offers citizen-training programs relating to crime
prevention, personal safety, gun safety, driver training, rape/date
rape prevention, and others. These programs are facilitated
through the Community Reclamation Officer/School Resource
Officer. Community training can often be an important step in
decreasing crime and increasing community awareness.
According to Chief Huff, the City provides police staff with very
good equipment. The department has 25 vehicles total, including
patrol cars, administrative vehicles and special response vehicles.
CITY OF NILES
52
MASTER PLAN
The 2003/2004 Police Department budget allocated $2,323,525
for police services.
CITY OF NILES
53
MASTER PLAN
PUBLIC UTILITIES
CHAPTER 8. PUBLIC UTILITIES
Public utilities and infrastructure are an important element in a
land use plan. Through the delivery of reliable and plentiful water
and the safe and efficient disposal of wastewater, communities
can achieve an improved quality of life for local residents. Utility
systems also have the potential to aid in growth management by
enabling greater densities in selected locations. Finally, and
most importantly, public utility systems give the community the
ability to provide effective stewardship over such important
natural features as groundwater and surface water.
UTILITIES
Utility systems also
have the potential to aid
in growth management
by enabling greater
densities in selected
locations.
In a discussion of community infrastructure, it is essential to
consider its utility systems. In August 1999, the City of Niles
Utilities Department conducted surveys of residential and small
business customers and in-person interviews with large business
customers. The purpose of the surveys and interviews was twofold:
1. To assess consumer satisfaction with current rates and
services provided by the Utilities Department, and
2. To assess the market for communications services and the
satisfaction with current rates and services provided by
communications companies serving the City’s residents and
businesses.
The results of this survey are discussed in the following sections.
WATER
The following summarizes the findings from a recent evaluation of
the water system in the City. 23 A Water Study was completed by
the Utilities Department in 2003 . The discussion that follows
reflects the latest information available at the assembling of this
Community Profile.
23
CITY OF NILES
City of Niles Water Study, Wightman and Associates, Inc., 2003.
54
MASTER PLAN
PUBLIC UTILITIES
The existing City of Niles water system consists of a network of
water distribution mains ranging in size from 4-inch to 24-inch
diameter. The system serves all of the City of Niles as well as
limited portion of Niles Township at Bertrand Crossing.
The City has numerous dispersed wells within the City and can
pump a combined maximum of 6 million gallons per day. The
static pressure of the system is 55 psi (pounds per square inch),
and the flow pressure is 44 psi, at 2,040 gallons per minute (with
two hydrants open). The City’s average demand per day is 1.75
million gallons. The average peak demand per day is 3.3 million
gallons. The average pressure provided is 50 psi. Each of the
City’s well sites is equipped with auxiliary power to be able to
pump water in the event that electric power is lost.
The City’s water rate structure does not include charges for
infrastructure extensions. It is the responsibility of the developer
to provide the infrastructure extensions. The “one time” cost of
tapping into the City’s water system is charged to the customer
on a time and material basis.
In the Consumer Survey, approximately 30 percent of residents
and businesses expressed some dissatisfaction with the taste,
smell, and color of their water. A list of “very dissatisfied”
customers was provided to Niles Utilities Department staff for
investigation. In addition, approximately 35 percent of residential
customers and 15 percent of small business customers were
somewhat dissatisfied with water rates. There is a strong
correlation between opinions concerning current water rates and
location. Township residents are twice as likely to be “very
dissatisfied” with water rates than are City residents.
As
a
result
of
the
survey
and
the
Water
Study the Niles Utilities Department is upgrading its water system
in several parts of the community. In 2003, the City issued a
municipal bond to fund the necessary improvements. To address
water quality issues, an iron filtration plant will be constructed,
which will be followed by two new water towers to improve
pressure in surrounding Howard and Bertrand townships.
CITY OF NILES
55
MASTER PLAN
PUBLIC UTILITIES
WASTEWATER
The City of Niles has an extensive public sanitary sewer service
area. The City has its own wastewater system for sanitary
sewage collection treatment sufficient to serve the long-term
needs of the City. The City’s wastewater treatment plant capacity
is 5.8 mgd. It regularly operates at around 50% of capacity. While
the City’s wastewater system has the available capacity, some
improvements are necessary.
In April of 2000, the
City began Phase I of
a CSO Program with
the primary goal of
eliminating the
combined sewer
overflows into the St.
Joseph River.
Portions of the City’s wastewater collection system have been
maintained as combined storm and sanitary sewers for many
years. As a result, the City experiences occasional combined
sewer overflow (CSO) events. A CSO is common in older urban
areas where infrastructure was originally designed to handle both
stormwater and sewer. In areas of the City where the storm and
sanitary systems are still combined, there have been occasional
instances of overflows resulting in the discharge of diluted, but
untreated sewage into the St. Joseph River during heavy storms.
In April of 2000, the City began Phase I of a CSO program with
the primary goal of eliminating the combined sewer overflows into
the St. Joseph River24. The secondary goal of the program is to
separate enough of the collection system to allow the Waste
Water Treatment Plant to handle its design capacity of a 1-year,
1-hour storm with a retention basin to equalize flows to enable the
system to handle a 10-year, 1-hour storm.
ELECTRIC AND T ELECOMMUNICATION
The City of Niles has a 34 KV transmission system that
interconnects seven distribution substations. Each substation
transformer is 10 MVA in size and is approximately 50% loaded.
The system is “looped” arrangement that provides improved
flexibility and reliability. The distribution feeders from these
substations have multiple field ties through the use of air break
switches.
24
CITY OF NILES
City of Niles Combined Sewer Overflow Program – Phase I, Wightman
and Associates, Inc. April 25th 2000 memo to Mr. Fred Morley of Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality.
56
MASTER PLAN
PUBLIC UTILITIES
Most of the transmission and feeder distribution lines in the City
are overhead. The services to the individual customers can be
either overhead or underground. Indeck Energy Services, Inc.
(Indeck) has been approved to site a gas turbine electrical
generating facility in the City of Niles Industrial Park. The facility
will supply electric power to the electrical grid that serves the
surrounding region and up to 19 states on a merchant basis. This
will undoubtedly add capacity to the existing electrical system as
well as provide an economic benefit to the City.
Customers expressed
that they are satisfied
(75%) with electric
rates and extremely
satisfied with customer
service of the Utilities
Department.
CITY OF NILES
In general, customers expressed that they are satisfied (75%)
with electric rates and extremely satisfied with customer service
of the Utilities Department. This demonstrates a significant
competitive advantage to the City as the electric industry moves
toward a more competitive environment.
The survey data is also intended to provide baseline information
for a communications business plan if the City chooses to
develop a municipal telecommunications service in the future.
Numerous additional downstream applications exist for future
expansion of the telecommunications system in the City.
57
MASTER PLAN
TRANSPORTATION
CHAPTER 9. TRANSPORTATION
The way land uses are connected through a transportation system
can have a significant affect on the way a community develops
and evolves over time. Thus, generally speaking, the more
diverse and interconnected the transportation network, the
healthier the community. Planning for transportation systems is
complicated because each land use and each mode of
transportation place different demands on the network. Providing
a safe, efficient and multi-modal transportation system creates
ease in commerce and can make daily trips an enjoyable
experience for residents and visitors.
T RAFFIC & CONNECTIONS
Planning for
transportation systems
is complicated
because each land use
and each mode of
transportation place
different demands on
the network.
Transportation linkages between the City of Niles and the
remainder of the region are quite good. However, like any aging
community, each year more roads are in need of repair; and as
more residents are commuting to jobs, roads become
increasingly congested at peak periods. The local street network
is laid out in a traditional grid pattern. Internal circulation in
residential neighborhoods is generally accomplished on paved
and fully improved streets; however, some local streets remain
unpaved.
11th Street roadway on a Saturday afternoon.
CITY OF NILES
58
MASTER PLAN
TRANSPORTATION
Niles is self-described as a “crossroads town.” In addition, the
City is within close proximity to major transportation routes which
provide easy access to large urban areas. Five main highways,
M-51, M-140, US-31, US-12 and M-60, converge in Niles.
Business Route 12 provides east-west access to the City, while
the new US-31 bypass provides access to points north and south.
Interstate 94 is located 25 minutes west and 45 minutes north of
Niles and I-80/90 (Indiana Toll Road) is about 15 minutes south of
the City and runs east and west.
In August of 2000 the Southwest Michigan Commission
completed the Niles Buchanan Cass Long Range Plan 20002025. The Plan was written to provide guidance to local officials
as they plan for the present and future development of the
transportation network in their communities. The Plan outlines
five goals for the future of all modes of transportation within the
Niles Study area. They are as follows:
GOAL I:
To provide access and efficient movement of
goods and people.
GOAL II:
To make the transportation system as safe as
possible.
GOAL III:
To preserve the existing transportation system.
GOAL IV: Encourage a transportation system that enhances
the area’s economic vitality.
GOAL V: To promote land use planning, which supports the
transportation system and natural resources.
M ASS T RANSIT AND RAIL SERVICE
An important component of an overall surface transportation plan
is the presence of public transportation. A well-organized and
highly-used transit system can provide many benefits to an area
by lessening traffic volumes and congestion, reducing wear and
improving the lifespan of roadway surfaces, and contributing to
improving the environment through cleaner air.25
25
CITY OF NILES
Center for Livable Communities, Streets and Sidewalks, People and Cars
April 2000.
59
MASTER PLAN
TRANSPORTATION
The State of Michigan provides mass transit funding to urbanized
areas (over 50,000 population) for the local share to match
federal funding through a formula based on population, population
density, and other transit service and passenger information.
Rail services to Niles are offered by Norfolk-Southern for freight
as well as Amtrak and South Shore Railroad for passenger
service. A proposed high-speed rail connection to Chicago
(making the trip in under 45 minutes) will open the door to many
new possibilities for the area, both in terms of residential
development and in business and industry. According to the
Chicago Amtrak office, the rail lines from Chicago to Niles have
already been upgraded for the high-speed capabilities.
Relating to land use,
Amtrak and the train
facilities
occupy
a
significant land area in the
northern part of the City.
Much of that land is currently
vacant or being used to
store equipment. Amtrak
staff acknowledge that the
maintenance facility that
occupies the south of the
depot could be sited in
another, more appropriate
location. Amtrak would be
willing to relocate the
maintenance area if given
an alternate, but equally
practical parcel and the
Niles train depot, passenger ticketing and boarding area.
resources to complete the
26
move . The maintenance facility property is approximately 10
acres and could provide a viable option for redevelopment.
Mass transit in Niles is provided through Niles Dial-A-Ride. The
program was started in 1974 and is primarily a demandresponse transit service that also has a line haul route within the
26
CITY OF NILES
Discussion with Frank Hall, Amtrak Engineering, August 8, 2002.
60
MASTER PLAN
TRANSPORTATION
City27. The city limits of Niles form the boundaries of the
coverage area of Dial-A-Ride, although linkage to other areas is
coordinated with the Berrien Bus. It has a fleet of nine vehicles
that are manned by fourteen drivers. All of the vehicles are liftequipped.
Ridership of the Niles Dial-A-Ride has varied significantly in
recent years. According to the 2000-2025 Long Range Plan, the
number of passengers per vehicle hour (ppvh) was 7.53 in FY95.
It spiked to 11.69 in FY98 only to drop off to 6.99 ppvh in FY 99.
AIR T RANSPORTATION
The City operates a small general aviation airport for private and
charter use. Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport serves Niles and Berrien
County and is owned by the City of Niles. The airport has more
than one runway. The longest is a paved runway extending 4,100
feet. The facility is at an elevation of 750 feet and at a distance of
about 2 miles from the populated areas of Niles.
Summary of Airport Aircraft and Operations28
Aircraft
44 total aircraft based on the
field:
Single engine airplanes: 35
Multi-engine airplanes: 9
Operations
Average 21 operations per day
Local general aviation: 70%
Transient general aviation: 30%
The airport and surrounding properties are zoned for industrial
uses. The adjoining uses in Cass County and Howard Township
are rural and undeveloped. The Federal Aviation Administration
is involved with review and approval of applications for
development within a certain proximity to the airport.
27
28
CITY OF NILES
Niles-Buchanan-Cass Area Transportation Study 2000-2025 Long Range
Plan, Southwest Michigan Commission.
Airnav.com
61
MASTER PLAN
TRANSPORTATION
Commercial air passenger service is offered in nearby South
Bend at Michiana Regional Airport. Daily service is provided to
and from Chicago, Detroit, and Milwaukee. The airlines that
operate out of Michiana are United Express, Midwest Express,
Delta, Continental, and Northwest.
ROAD IMPROVEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS
According to the Niles Public Works Director, several road
improvement projects are planned for the next few years. The
Niles Buchanan & Cass Long Range Plan (August 2000) includes
road improvements and a separate list for enhancements.
Specifically, road improvements consist of such projects as lane
widening and reconstruction; road enhancements include projects
specifically for the augmentation of the surface transportation
system. These enhancement projects range from bike paths to
historical preservation to landscaping and scenic roadway
preservation.
The City of Niles applied for enhancement funds for Main Street
improvements from the Michigan Department of Transportation
as part of their TEA-21 Program. The Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) established a fund
for Transportation Enhancement Activities. The Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) of 1998 continued this
program through the year 2003. Ten percent of the Surface
Transportation Fund is set aside for these activities. In TEA-21,
the term transportation enhancement activities may include:
-
CITY OF NILES
Provision of facilities or educational activities for
pedestrians and bicyclists.
Acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic
sites.
Scenic or historic highway programs (including welcome
centers).
Landscaping and other scenic beautification (including
control and removal of outdoor advertising).
Historic preservation; rehabilitation and operation of
historic transportation buildings, structures, or facilities
(including historic railroad facilities and canals).
62
MASTER PLAN
TRANSPORTATION
-
Preservation of abandoned railway corridors (including the
conversion and use of it for pedestrian or bicycle trails).
Archaeological planning and research.
Environmental mitigation to address water pollution due to
highway runoff or reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality
while maintaining habitat connectivity.
The following lists those improvement enhancement projects from
both the Long Range Plan and the Niles Department of Public
Works. These projects are based on capacity deficiencies and
local concerns.
Road
Clarendon Ave.
Fourteenth St.
Eleventh St.
Broadway
Eighteenth St.
Maple St.
Fourth St.
Oak St.
Kensington Dr.
State St.
Grand Ave.
Pine St.
French St.
Cass St.
Lake St.
Sycamore St.
Grant St.
Sixth St.
Seventh St.
Eighth St.
Barrett St.
Woodruff St.
Tenth St.
Maple St.
S. 13th St.
7th St.
Tomahawk Ln.
Second St.
Ninth St.
S. Fifth St.
Segment
Improvement & Date
16th St. to 17th St.
rsf 2002
Merrifield to Powers Ct.
rsf 2002
Broadway to Sycamore St. rsf 2002
local rsf 2002
Broadway to Oak St.
local rsf 2002
th
th
9 St. to 11 St.
local rsf 2002
Broadway to Oak
local rsf 2002
Third to Fourth
local rsf 2002
Brown St. to north 440’
local rsf 2002
Grant St. to Main St.
local rsf 2002
Grant St. to Fairview
local rsf 2002
Barrett St. to Madison
local rsf 2002
Lincoln to Woodruff
local rsf 2002
Second St. to Fifth St.
local rsf 2002
13th to Terminal Rd.
federal aid rsf 2002
9th St. to 13th St.
Fairview to City Limits
Pokagon to Vine St.
local rsf 2003
Pokagon to Vine St.
local rsf 2003
Howard to Wayne St.
local rsf 2003
Clay north to cul-de-sac
local rsf 2003
Clay to Chicago Rd.
local rsf 2003
Cedar St. to Sycamore St. local rsf 2003
local rsf 2003
Lambert St. to Marion St.
local rsf 2003
Howard St. to Wayne St.
local rsf 2003
Sassafras Ln. to Plym Rd. local rsf 2003
Wayne St. to Dey St.
Main St. to Sycamore St.
Oak St. to Michigan St.
federal aid ref 2003
*rsf: resurfacing
CITY OF NILES
63
MASTER PLAN
TRANSPORTATION
PEDESTRIAN AND OTHER NON-MOTORIZED CONNECTIONS
The Southwest Michigan Commission has made it a priority in
their Long Range Plan to develop a non-motorized trail plan with
connections to adjacent areas29. This idea is supported by the
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in the State’s
Long Range Transportation Plan. This document identifies the
State’s Non-motorized Transportation Strategy to
“…provide assistance to communities in planning for and
implementing non-motorized facilities and systems and to
accommodate non-motorized travel in its scoping, design,
and funding of state highway projects.”
Both organizations aim to “invest in projects which will
encourage non-motorized travel as an alternative to auto use.”
Pedestrian and nonmotorized linkages are
important to
establishing a
“walkable” and inviting
community.
Sidewalks are a significant component in developing a thorough
non-motorized transportation system. The City has a voluntary
sidewalk repair program where the homeowner pays for half the
cost and the City pays half. This annual program has been in
place for 4 years. During that time, the City spent about $425,000
at about 400 locations. However, there has been a significant
reduction in the number of people signing up for the program.
The City is considering making the program mandatory next year.
A study done in 1993 showed that approximately $3 million worth
of sidewalk repairs were needed at that time. Sidewalks are
generally considered worthy of repair if there is a grade
separation of 1/2" or more, or if there is a water problem that can
lead to ice during cold weather months.
Other non-motorized facilities in the City include a pedestrian only
bridge leading from Parkway to Island Park over the St. Joseph
River. Parkway is on the east side of the river south of Grant
Street. Riverfront Park has a paved trail used primarily for
recreational purposes. There are no other trails in the City.
29
CITY OF NILES
Niles Cass Buchanan Long Range Plan 2000-2025, Southwestern
Michigan Commission, August 2000; p. 14.
64
MASTER PLAN
GUIDING ISSUES
CHAPTER 10. GUIDING ISSUES
The preceding chapters presented a broad range of summary
information related to current conditions and the planning trends
that are apparent and emerging in the City of Niles. In the context
of the Master Plan, it is important to ask and answer the question:
What does it all mean? The following section begins that
discussion. Later sections of the plan will help to further focus
and refine the City’s response to its small town challenges and to
suggest alternative responses to these challenges.
The following paragraphs express implications that formed has
guidelines for developing the City’s goals and objectives and
finally the future land use plan.
1.
Clearly the population growth of Niles, and virtually all of
the southwest Michigan region, is stagnating. It will be vital
for the community to isolate the causes of this fifty-year
trend and begin to reverse it. A combined effort of job
creation, housing development, marketing and community
revitalization will certainly be needed. The community
must develop amenities to attract new growth. Of equal
importance will be facilities that foster family formations
and settling in the community. This may be the central
challenge of the updated Master Plan over the next twenty
to twenty-five years.
2.
The historic character of the City of Niles has both positive
and negative implications for the community and its future.
As demonstrated in the historic district, the imposition of
strict preservation guidelines can have a dampening effect
on remodeling and even maintenance in the absence of
market forces to create incentives to invest. However, a
combined effort of coordinated planning that takes into
account the historic nature of certain areas, carefully
permits reasonable improvements and provides
connections to other portions of the City all with attention to
market forces, may help to reverse some trends of
disinvestment.
Stagnant population
growth may be the
central challenge of the
updated Master Plan.
CITY OF NILES
65
MASTER PLAN
GUIDING ISSUES
3.
A significant portion of the downtown area on the east side
of the River lies within the 100-year floodplain making
redevelopment difficult. However, many communities have
found appropriate development techniques to overcome
flood insurance difficulties to permit limited development.
In addition, as Niles has done, many communities develop
very attractive parkland and community spaces within the
floodplain areas. These assets need to be effectively
integrated into the future land use plan of the larger
community.
4.
The City currently has over 250 acres of vacant and
available industrial land.
This important asset, if
aggressively developed, could be extremely important to
the community’s future. Plans to cooperatively develop an
additional 100-acre parcel in Niles Township under an Act
425 agreement will further expand this opportunity.
However, availability of land is only one of many key
elements in the economic development formula.
Nevertheless, the positive implications of these important
real estate assets cannot be over emphasized.
5.
The relative imbalance of the City’s housing stock with its
3 to 2 ratio of owner-occupied housing to rentals together
with a nearly 8% vacancy rate point to an impending threat
to the community. This is further exacerbated by the
stagnant population growth and the overall affordability of
housing alternatives located outside the City. Since the
population of the entire Niles region is not growing, the
laws of supply and demand will continue to depress
housing prices in the area. This may ultimately require
more aggressive code enforcement if disinvestment
becomes a more serious problem.
6.
The City lacks active neighborhood associations and
without these important grassroots structures, the effort to
stabilize and strengthen residential and commercial areas
is significantly more difficult. The Police Department has
had success with Neighborhood Watch programs and
other community action efforts. While the focus of these
efforts may be crime prevention and, as a result, they may
seem to create a negative impression of some
With little population
growth and excess
supply of housing, the
laws of supply and
demand will continue to
depress housing prices
in the area
CITY OF NILES
66
MASTER PLAN
GUIDING ISSUES
neighborhoods, they do form a basis upon which to form
effective neighborhood associations.
CITY OF NILES
7.
Niles has a relatively attractive and compact downtown
with many established businesses. However, the potential
of the central core is far greater than demonstrated in the
current uses, employment and amenities. In addition, the
underutilized upper floors of many structures offer an
opportunity to further stabilize and strengthen the area.
8.
The potential of a high-speed rail link to the Chicago
market cannot be over estimated. Many weary Chicago
commuters spend at least 45 minutes behind the wheel
daily never to escape the oppressive sprawl of that
metropolis. Niles offers an extremely inviting alternative
which, with the high speed link, could transform the
community and its surroundings with investment, jobs and
new population.
67
MASTER PLAN
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN
SECTION III. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN
This section of the Plan builds on the Community Profile
presented in Section II and extends the Community’s vision into
the future. The Future Land Use Plan begins with the broad policy
foundation upon which the Plan is formed. This foundation is
found in Chapter 10 which includes the goals of the City and the
objectives or milestones that support them.
Based on the goals and objectives of the City, the future land use
plan is presented in Section III. That section includes the Future
Land Use Map (Map 7 on page 85), and a description of the
general land uses planned for the City. Finally, this section
concludes with the Action Plan.
This is a series of
implementation strategies that outline a course of action to realize
the vision of this Plan.
CITY OF NILES
68
MASTER PLAN
CHAPTER 11. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goals are intended
to describe a desirable
end state or the
condition of the City
about twenty-five years
into the future.
As a part of the effort to develop this Plan, the City of Niles
undertook a community-wide effort to establish a broadly-held
consensus about the preferred future of the community. An
Advisory Group comprised of nearly seventy community members
participated in a two-year process to aid the Planning
Commission in the completion of the Plan and to serve as a
“sounding board” for the Plan’s goals, objectives and strategies.
In addition, a community futuring session was held to identify and
rank the various land use “opportunities and threats” facing the
City.
A. HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS .
1.
The City will offer a variety of residential settings to serve
all Niles’ citizens with attractive, efficient and affordable homes
located in safe and attractive neighborhoods. Residential areas
will be located in harmony with the area’s natural features and
conveniently arranged to promote walking and social interaction
among neighbors.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Establish a neighborhood park and playground on
the near east side of the City to provide a venue for
social interaction.
b. Establish and support mechanisms to encourage
in-fill housing development in the City’s older
neighborhoods.
c. Establish, continue and support mechanisms to
develop housing opportunities in the downtown.
2.
The City’s neighborhoods will be characterized by strong
socially and ethnically diverse networks that work together to
maintain the housing stock and promote a sense of community
and belonging in every neighborhood.
CITY OF NILES
69
MASTER PLAN
OBJECTIVES :
a. Identify and define logical and appropriately-sized
neighborhoods.
b. Form and support neighborhood organizations to
build the capacity in neighborhoods to address
community issues and concerns effectively and
cooperatively.
B. NATURAL FEATURES , PARKS AND RECREATION.
1.
Residents of Niles will enjoy clean air and water resources
and significant areas of open space, riverfront, wetlands and
woodlands to provide natural wildlife habitat and to ensure that
current and future generations will enjoy the benefits of the natural
features of the area. The St. Joseph River will continue to be the
centerpiece of the community characterized by clean water with
opportunities for recreational by area residents.
OBJECTIVES :
a.
Working with upstream communities, the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources, and the Friends
of the St. Joseph River 319 Watershed
Management Planning Project, develop and
implement efforts to improve the water quality of the
St. Joseph River and the wildlife habitat it supports.
b. Develop an inventory of important natural features
in the City, including woodlots, wetlands, streams
and steep slopes.
c. Implement a program to acquire public areas along
both banks of the St. Joseph River throughout the
City and to link Plym Park with the fort site and to
link Island Park to both riverbanks.
3. Recreational opportunities in Niles will be located in proximity
to population centers and include a diverse range of outdoor
and indoor activities that further the physical and mental wellbeing of residents and visitors.
CITY OF NILES
70
MASTER PLAN
OBJECTIVES :
a. Cooperate with the Niles Public Schools in the
formation of a joint Department of Parks and
Recreation to plan, implement and maintain the
park and playground facilities in the City and
provide recreational programming to the
community.
b. Working with the YMCA, develop programs to
attract the participation of area young people and
adults to indoor recreational activities.
3.
Natural features, recreational opportunities and
neighborhoods will be interconnected with trails and walking
paths to promote walking, biking and healthy lifestyles.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Plan and implement a network of walking and
biking trails and rights-of-way to connect
neighborhoods with shopping, schools, parks,
mass transit and the downtown.
4.
The St. Joseph River will be regarded as the centerpiece
of the City with programmed events and activities that enable
residents to enjoy the River while promoting the health of the River
ecosystem.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Establish a foot bridge to link Island Park to both
riverbanks.
b. See also E, 1, b.
C. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
1.
The vitality of the City of Niles will be assured through the
growth of existing businesses and the addition of new business
resulting in a diverse local economy served by a highly-skilled and
educated local workforce.
CITY OF NILES
71
MASTER PLAN
OBJECTIVES :
a. Support the expansion of programs to provide
vocational training to the Niles workforce.
b. Expand the business retention activities of the
Chamber of Commerce, the DDA and the
Southwestern Michigan Economic Growth Alliance
to assist local business to grow and prosper.
c. Reactivate the business incubator with sufficient
financial and technical support to foster successful
entrepreneurs.
2.
Land use patterns and infrastructure in the City will
promote a range of quality employment opportunities and clean
and desirable job-producing development.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Extend water and wastewater services in rational
patterns to support areas of existing and emerging
development to promote industrial and commercial
investment.
b. Identify conflicting land uses and develop programs
to relieve conflicts either through mitigation
techniques on site or through relocation of
conflicting uses to more appropriate areas of the
community.
D. TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION
1.
A safe and efficient system of roadways and public
transportation will serve the citizens of the City, providing effective
linkages with surrounding communities and employment and the
city’s residential areas will incorporate walking paths and trails
between and among neighborhoods, shopping and employment
areas.
OBJECTIVES :
a.
CITY OF NILES
Develop roadway and parking area design and
landscape standards to assure that such facilities
are discretely designed to compliment and support
natural features, land uses and social activities and
to function efficiently.
72
MASTER PLAN
b. Support the Niles Dial-a-Ride system and expand it
to offer reliable and efficient local bus service.
c. See also B, 3, a.
d. In cooperation with Transpo in South Bend, develop
and implement a reliable and efficient inter-city bus
connection.
E. DOWNTOWN.
1.
Downtown Niles will serve as the area’s economic and
commercial core characterized by successful retail and service
businesses and entertainment venues for all segments of the
community as well as high quality residential development.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Working with the Niles Main Street Initiative and the
DDA, develop and refine the identity of the
downtown with a program of consistent marketing
for the downtown itself and its businesses.
b. Plan and implement numerous downtown events to
encourage families and tourists to enjoy downtown
amenities and businesses.
c. Develop appropriate code standards to encourage
upper story living units and commercial uses in the
downtown area with appropriate and realistic
parking standards.
d. Expand the marketing of vacant and underutilized
space in the downtown to encourage the location of
mutually supportive businesses and services in the
area.
e. Promote
new
housing
and
commercial
development on vacant lands and in underutilized
buildings in the downtown.
2.
Development in downtown Niles will be sensitive to the
community’s heritage while incorporating attractive design
elements to promote inviting and walkable patterns of growth.
CITY OF NILES
73
MASTER PLAN
OBJECTIVES :
a. Support the work of the Main Street Design
Committee to develop and implement design
guidelines that provide consistent standards for
building scale, materials and colors, while allowing
flexibility to meet the needs of individual
businesses.
b. Expand the use of the downtown alleys to enhance
building use and to create interesting and attractive
spaces.
b. Complete a study of downtown parking availability
and consumer perceptions of parking convenience
and implement a program to address any
deficiencies found.
F. PLANNING, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND REGIONAL
COOPERATION.
1.
Residential and commercial property in Niles will
consistently exceed minimum Code standards through the
cooperative efforts of the City and property owners.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Develop a program of property inspections and
code compliance activities coupled with a program
of financial assistance for low and moderate income
property owners to assist in completing property
improvements.
c. See also A, 2, b.
2.
The City of Niles will play a leadership role with the State
of Michigan in promoting regional cooperation and mutual
support between and among the communities and school districts
of Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana to strengthen the
entire region.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Work with the Southwestern Michigan Economic
Growth Alliance and its counterpart in Indiana to
create a forum of area local governments and
CITY OF NILES
74
MASTER PLAN
school districts to periodically meet and consider
issues of greater than local importance.
b. Build and expand upon the community’s presence
before the agencies of the State of Michigan to
assure continued access to decision-makers.
G. UTILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
1.
Niles will utilize its abundant clean water and electrical
power to support the requirements of a vibrant and active
community.
OBJECTIVES :
a. The City’s business attraction efforts will target
industries with requirements for significant water
availability and high energy usage.
2.
Utility services will be extended strategically to encourage
growth and development that is consistent with local and regional
land use and economic development goals.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Expand cooperative efforts with Niles, Howard,
Milton, and Bertrand Townships to foster economic
development in the Niles area that benefits the
entire region.
3.
State-of-the-art communication linkages will enable Niles
residents and businesses to efficiently communicate and do
business with all other parts of the world.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Develop an internet point of presence, or domain
for Niles area businesses and residents providing
high-speed broadband access.
CITY OF NILES
75
MASTER PLAN
H. COMMUNITY HERITAGE
1.
The unique historic character of Niles will be preserved
through compatible and consistent development forms and
patterns and the community’s heritage will be sustained through
the careful preservation of important landmarks.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Complete an evaluation of all key historic
landmarks and identify resources that may be
threatened by deterioration.
b. Develop and promote a database of information on
renovation techniques and financing sources to aid
in the preservation of historic homes in the City.
c. Partner with organizations such as Support the Fort
to develop a “Fort St. Joseph Living History
Complex” at the south end of Riverfront Park.
I. QUALITY OF LIFE
1.
The City of Niles will be known for its friendly and inclusive
social climate, a relaxed and casual pace of life, unspoiled natural
resources, a commitment to strengthen families and a willingness
to cooperate to achieve the continual improvement of the
community.
OBJECTIVES :
a. Build on the Neighborhood Watch program to
expand the social capital of Niles residents
resulting in improved social interaction within and
among neighborhoods.
b. Develop and implement a Leadership program in
the City to identify and foster the community’s next
generation of leaders.
c. Establish a Citizen’s Academy to foster greater
understanding of community issues and build a
constituency for responsible local government in the
area.
CITY OF NILES
76
MASTER PLAN
CHAPTER 12. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN
The primary purpose of
this plan is to encourage
the enrichment of already
existing development
patterns that preserve and
augment the City’s historic
charm, neighborhood
enhancement, downtown
investment opportunities,
and industrial potential.
The City of Niles Future Land Use Plan establishes a general
blueprint of land usage to guide growth, development, and
redevelopment for the next twenty years. Since the City of Niles is
almost fully developed, the primary purpose of this plan is to
encourage the enrichment of already existing development
patterns that preserve and augment the City’s historic charm,
neighborhood enhancement, downtown investment opportunities,
and industrial potential.
The Plan also intends to pilot
improvements to the present aging housing stock and set the
stage for future growth.
By encouraging a Plan for the future, Niles is realizing objectives
and setting the pace for continued progress. For example, by
establishing Village Center nodes, small mixed-use areas may
serve the immediate needs of the neighborhood. Furthermore, by
continuing to strengthen the Central Business District, Niles will
champion efforts to redevelop downtown as a regional
destination and an attractive spot for entertainment, dining,
shopping, and living.
Other future land use districts help
strengthen Niles as an area employment and recreation center.
The Future Land Use Plan is inevitably linked to the zoning
districts in the City of Niles. Zoning is the act of regulating the use
of lands, while planning is essentially scheduling in advance land
within a community for a general usage. To this end, the Future
Land Use Plan uses a map to visually express the intended
conditions of land uses in the City. Even though Niles is a fully
established community, these uses are illustrative of how the City
is recommended to grow in an effort to boost positive
characteristics and to reverse impending disinvestment in the
City. The following describes the future land use designations as
illustrated on Map 7.
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
The Central Business District is intended to promote efficient and
livable forms of development in the downtown core of the City.
With attractive and inviting patterns of development along and off
of Main Street, higher density residential and commercial uses
here allow for a secure and exciting living and shopping
environment. This land use designation is meant to serve the
CITY OF NILES
77
MASTER PLAN
entire community of Niles with goods and services while
developing in accord with the surrounding residential and
residentially mixed neighborhoods. Finally, this district is meant
to serve as a social gathering place for area residents, as City
Hall, the St. Joseph Museum, the Niles Library and the Ready
Theater are all located here.
By continuing to
strengthen the Central
Business District, Niles will
champion efforts to
redevelop downtown as a
regional destination and an
attractive spot for
entertainment, dining,
shopping, and living
As the downtown area of Niles, the Central Business District sits
generally east of the river, south of Cass, north of Broadway and
west of 9th, with Main Street as the foremost thoroughfare.
Access to downtown for residents is provided via connector
streets that serve as a safety mechanism to control traffic volumes
on Main Street.
The key to distinguishing the Central Business District from the
other land use classifications in the City of Niles is high-density
mixed uses. For example, buildings along Main Street are in the
process of being redeveloped to encourage a mixture of
commercial and residential apartment uses. Planned uses in this
district include, but are not limited to, commercial, office,
entertainment, civic, high-density residential, and pocket parks.
Conversely, industrial uses are to be discouraged in the Central
Business District, as they may generate off-site impacts that
conflict with the desired uses planned.
CIVIC
The Civic land use designation includes government buildings,
public institutions and schools. For example, City Hall, Niles
Senior High, Ring Lardner Junior High, the elementary schools,
and the Niles Library all are Civic land uses. A primary purpose
of this usage is to facilitate public meetings, education, and
culture for the City of Niles.
Public buildings are located throughout the City, typically adjacent
to parks and residential uses, and occasionally near professional
offices. City Hall and the Niles Library, for example, are
downtown near Cedar, 5th and Main Streets. The largest Civic
land use is the High School and Ring Lardner Junior High
complex on the east edge of the City bounded by 14th Street to
the west, Merrifield to the north, the Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport to
the east, and Eagle to the south.
CITY OF NILES
78
MASTER PLAN
Estimable uses for the Civic land use districts should be in
harmony with governmental and educational purposes, and
companionable with the public good.
Industrial
The Industrial land use classification is meant for manufacturing,
shipping and heavy commercial employment opportunities to
serve the greater Niles area. Facilities ought to be developed
with suitable utility and transport links and with respect for the
City’s environmental features.
The future Industrial uses cluster in two sections of the City: west
and south of the river at the City’s southern boundary, and, the
largest area located at the northeastern edge of the City,
including the Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport. This area actually
extends eastward into Cass County.
Traditionally, the Industrial designation has the following
purposes:
-
-
To shield residential areas against potentially
undesirable effects of manufacturing, such as noise,
odors, fumes, and truck traffic;
To provide sufficient lands for base industry
employment and investment; and,
To establish appropriate land use controls intended to
protect manufacturing and neighboring residential
developments from congestion and pollution
PARKS & NATURAL PRESERVES
Parks and natural
preserves are a vital part
of the community’s
identity and health. With
careful planning these
areas can be preserved.
CITY OF NILES
Recreational activities in the City of Niles abound, as the City
offers opportunities for hunting and fishing, canoeing, socializing,
hiking and cross-country skiing. The two-mile walking/jogging
trail along the St. Joseph River provides for outdoor exercising,
and the region’s largest children’s playground is found at
Riverfront Park. With careful planning, these common areas can
be preserved. These lands are a vital part of the community’s
identity and health. The Parks land use designation is intended
for community parkland, golf courses, and cemeteries. While
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MASTER PLAN
pockets exist throughout the City, as they should, the largest
concentrations of “parkland” in Niles are the golf course at Plym
Park, Thomas Stadium and Silverbrook Cemetery, and Riverfront
Park.
The areas falling under the Parks land use designation are
intended for public ownership and use. Maintaining and
promoting more green-space and safe public meeting places is
essential to quality of life in Niles.
M EDIUM TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
…establish walkable
neighborhoods in close
proximity to commercial
and recreational
services with amenities
and design.
A primary goal of this Master Plan is the development of high
quality and aesthetic forms of development that increase density
while creating a very attractive living environment for residents.
The high-density residential designation is key to this goal. The
primary purpose of this designation is to establish walkable
neighborhoods in close proximity to commercial and recreational
services with amenities and design that work with the area’s
natural features. These neighborhoods are scaled for public
transit or for passenger car travel with good pedestrian
connections to commercial and institutional land uses nearby.
The primary land use within this area will be attached homes
developed in clusters, in multi-unit buildings or in buildings mixed
with commercial uses. Conservation design techniques will be
encouraged, where appropriate, to establish small pockets of
natural lands within this relatively intense development form.
Innovative design techniques will be considered to accommodate
mixed uses that complement one another. Overall residential
densities from five to twelve dwelling units per acre will be
achieved.
An area of high density residential exists between 5th and 11th
Streets just north of the Amtrak property. This facility abuts both
residential and some industrial land uses. In addition, there is a
fairly substantial area of high-density residential uses west of the
River and south of Platt Street. The Medium to High Residential
District will accommodate town-homes, condominium projects,
multiple family housing, and senior housing developments. Other
areas are planned west of 9th Street and north of Fort Street and
around the margins of the Central Business District.
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
REGIONAL COMMERCIAL
…minimize the
appearance of the
oppressive, asphalt
dominated “big-box”
look, while respecting
the need for easy
access.
This land use classification is intended to provide goods and
services for the greater Niles area, including jobs for residents
and goods for visitors. Developments should, to the greatest
extent possible, be designed and built to preserve unique natural
features and to support smooth traffic movements.
The only Regional Commercial area in the City will be along
either side of 11th Street south of Hickory, with the exception of
the Silverbrook Cemetery and Thomas Stadium.
Facilities in the Regional Commercial district are likely to include
large-scale retailing, automobile-related services, lodging, and
entertainment services. Commercial uses typically exist in strip
development form with abutting parking areas separating the
structures from the road. It is desirable for such facilities to be
designed in architectural good taste and for parking areas to
include adequate landscaping to minimize the appearance of the
oppressive, asphalt dominated “big-box” look, while respecting
the need for easy access. Such uses should bring visitors and
residents from neighboring communities into Niles for shopping,
dining, and various services.
LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
Where new
development is
proposed, clustered
patterns should be
encouraged to allow for
the conservation of
natural land within this
land usage category.
CITY OF NILES
A primary goal of the City of Niles is the preservation of family
living environments by encouraging attractive residential
neighborhoods. The main focus of this district is to establish,
preserve and enhance inviting and walkable neighborhoods at
suitable densities with less than five units per acre to
accommodate empty-nesters, families with children, and single
residents. This designation is meant for single-family houses on
individual lots, typically in subdivisions and traditional grid street
neighborhoods.
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MASTER PLAN
Most of the City is classified
as Single Family Residential,
with a heavy influence in every
section
but
the
very
northeastern
corner,
downtown, and the southern
edge south of French and
Silverbrook, west of 13th
Street and east of Lincoln.
© Walkable Communities, Inc.
The principal land use in this
district will be single-family
detached housing. Where new
development is proposed,
clustered patterns should be
encouraged to allow for the
conservation of natural land
within this land usage category. Such conservation design
could establish small pockets of natural lands essential in
maintaining clean air, open space, and growing property
value. On a restricted basis, higher densities might be
considered where the effects of that density on natural
features can be mitigated, and where impacts on neighboring
residences can be effectively buffered.
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
The City of Niles seeks to promote scattered areas of higher
density and mixed-use development to encourage vibrant,
pedestrian friendly urban neighborhood centers within the
developed neighborhoods of the City. This classification will
provide commercial options at a scale and a distance that
encourages walking with additional associated residential
forms to create a village-like atmosphere.
These urban neighborhood centers are planned outside of
downtown in areas that already have commercial and office
development. Additionally, these areas are proposed to be
reasonably spread out all over the community to provide
walkable access to goods and services for all residents.
© Walkable Communities, Inc.
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
The five Neighborhood Center areas are relatively undefined in
scope, but are proposed near the intersections of:
-
… scattered areas of
higher density and
mixed-use development
to encourage vibrant,
pedestrian friendly urban
village centers within the
developed
neighborhoods of the
City.
Chicago, Lincoln and Clay;
Main and Michigan;
Dey and 5 th ; and,
Wayne and 12th.
This land use classification is meant to offer goods and services
to the immediate residential neighborhood while offering denser
living options for older or younger residents. Facilities will be
developed and re-developed to heighten pedestrian safety and
minimize auto-pedestrian conflicts. A mixture of apartment style
homes and small neighborhood-oriented establishments will
prove beneficial since such features promote neighborliness. For
example, people walking to and from a neighborhood ice cream
parlor (rather than driving in a private automobile) can converse
about a new career, the benefits of retirement, or what happened
on the playground that afternoon. Increasing opportunities to
meet fellow Niles residents while decreasing the necessity to
drive to services enhances both a sense of community and safety.
WATER
This designation includes the St. Joseph River and its tributaries.
OFFICE
This land use designation will expand the City’s role as a regional
focal point for employment, economic development, professional
service, medical and related uses, and training and educational
opportunities.
This classification also complements the
significant industrial development in the City by providing
professional, marketing and management support.
Office districts in Niles primarily fall in four areas of the city:
- Along the north side of Broadway between 2nd and
4th in the downtown area;
- North and south of Grant west of the river;
CITY OF NILES
83
MASTER PLAN
-
Northeast of Front and Marmont; and,
North of Maple, south of Broadway, east of 12th and
west of 13th.
Intended uses for the Office designation include workplaces for
such professionals as dentists, doctors, architects, attorneys,
publishers, insurance and real estate sales companies, etc.
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
ACTION PLAN
CHAPTER 13. ACTION PLAN
In order for the Future Land Use Plan to serve as an effective
guide for the continued growth in Niles, it must be implemented.
Making one improvement at a time will create the vision the City
has now defined. The Action Plan is the point in the Master Plan
that we describe “how we get there from here.”
These action strategies
give the master plan
vitality and they provide a
means of marking
progress toward the
City’s goals as tasks are
completed.
Primary responsibility for implementing the Plan rests with the
Niles City Council, the Planning Commission and the City staff.
This is done through a number of methods. These include
ordinances, programs, and administrative procedures which are
described in this chapter. Most of the action strategies require
significant public and private investment. Some are small enough
to be implemented immediately. Others will take time. All are
important, as they contribute individual elements that will help
build the overall vision expressed by the Master Planning process
participants.
1. Amend the Zoning Ordinance
The Zoning Ordinance is the primary implementation
mechanism for this Plan. This strategy contemplates a
complete evaluation of the entire Ordinance. This will include
a revision of the Zoning Map to support the future land use
map, and a revision of some zoning classifications to better
conform to the future land use designations in this Master
Plan. In addition, the Ordinance should be evaluated for
flexibility to address innovative development techniques and
for its ability to control undesirable development patterns. So
issues that have been identified throughout this process
include:
a. Landscape ordinance
b. Open Space ordinance
c. Performance standards for Neighborhood Center Areas
d. Restrict location for Sexually Oriented Businesses
e. Develop performance standards for industrial uses outside
of predominately industrial areas.
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
ACTION PLAN
f. Change language regarding occupancy requirements
when converting from a rental to an owner-occupied unit
g. Wellhead Protection Overlay needs to be added
h. Flood Plain Overlay needs to be added as part of the
zoning map
2. Central Business District Design standards
The City has won funding and great state-wide acclaim for its
efforts to restore the original building facades on the upper
stories of the Main Street properties. To ensure that the
aesthetic objectives are achieved and to assist the City in
meeting its goal for new jobs and residents in the downtown,
design standards for the CBD should be developed
implemented.
3. Developing new methodology to identify and preserve
historical resources
Currently the City has a Historic District just north of the
downtown on 4th Street and 19 properties that are registered
historical landmarks. The Historic District designation has not
served its intended purpose of preserving and protecting
historic buildings. The City should research alternative
approaches to achieving their preservation goals and
implement approaches that further preservation without
discouraging maintenance and investment.
4. Develop Sub-area plan for Depot development
The Amtrak property and areas around the train depot have
been identified as a Neighborhood Center with a mix of uses.
This has been an underutilized area within the City for years.
To stimulate investment, the City should develop a sub-area
plan for the depot development to better define the intended
use and character in the area.
5. Tree removal and replacement program
Niles has a beautiful urban forest which greatly adds to the
pleasant atmosphere in its urban neighborhoods. The urban
forest is reaching an age where a percentage of the street
trees are aging, diseased or dying. The City should develop
and fund a street tree removal and replacement program to
ensure the perpetuation of beautiful, cool, and inviting
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
ACTION PLAN
neighborhood streets and preserve the value of the properties
they grace.
6. Neighborhood Association pilot project
Neighborhood associations are difficult for a government
body to initiate because to be successful they must have the
broad support and buy-in from neighborhood leaders and
residents. However, in communities where no neighborhood
associations exist it is helpful to develop an example program
in a neighborhood that might be particularly receptive to such
an association. The City should work with neighborhood
leaders in one area of the City to develop a pilot
neighborhood association.
7. Update Parks and Recreation Plan
The Future Land Use plan envisions several new parks and
dedicated areas within the City for park use. These new
facilities, including the trails network expansion ideas, should
be incorporated into the parks plan in order to take advantage
of grant and other funding opportunities.
8. Improve Non-Motorized Network
As a fairly dense community, it will be important to develop
safe and effective pedestrian connections throughout Niles,
but particularly between parks and public amenities.
Pedestrian linkages are important to provide residents with
options other than private automobiles, to encourage healthy
lifestyles and to reduce the number of traffic-pedestrian
conflicts. The City may explore options to improve pedestrian
connections through publicly supported loan and grant
assistance for sidewalks or as a long-term measure as
redevelopment occurs.
9. Brownfield Redevelopment Authority coordination and
site testing
Several former industrial sites within the City are ripe for
redevelopment and will need to be evaluated for
environmental contamination before some portions of the
future land use plan are feasible. Working in coordination with
the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the City should
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
ACTION PLAN
identify key areas for new investment and apply for funding for
baseline assessments of the property.
10. Access Management Program on 11th Street
Access management controls and expanded site plan review
requirements are warranted to address future traffic
considerations for any changes or new development on 11th
Street.
11. Investigate options for City Hall relocation
For many years there has been discussion about reclaiming
the Chapin Mansion, now used for City Hall, as a museum in
Niles. The intensity of City Hall operations are taking a toll on
one of the City’s most valuable historic assets. An alternative
location for City Hall should be investigated within the Central
Business District.
12. Investigate options for City Hall relocation
For many years there has been discussion about reclaiming
the Chapin Mansion, now used for City Hall, as a museum in
Niles. The intensity of City Hall operations are taking a toll on
one of the City’s most valuable historic assets. An alternative
location for City Hall should be investigated within the Central
Business District.
13. Improve Local and Regional Public Transportation
Currently in town Niles is served by Dial-a-Ride and the Niles
Trolley. However, there seems to be a strong need to expand
regular service all the way into South Bend. Many Niles
residents are employed in South Bend and the City would like
to encourage Notre Dame and St. Mary’s students to shop
and dine in Niles. Expanded, consistent service to and from
Niles would serve a large segment of the population and
expand Niles market area.
14. Truck Route
In town truck traffic has been a concern of residents and
downtown business owners for years. Being located at the
junction of several state highways has forced trucks to lumber
through Niles’ neighborhoods and intimidate pedestrians on
Main Street. During the master plan discussions the Advisory
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
ACTION PLAN
Group define potential truck routes and the obstacles to
achieving those routes. Within the next five years the City
should work with regional and state transportation agencies to
find solutions to those obstacles and contribute to identifying
new routes. It is understood that some of the truck traffic is
local, as in any City, and must continue to travel through
downtown, however, a significant percentage of the traffic can
be redirected.
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The following texts, websites, articles and official reports were
consulted in the compilation of this Community Profile Report.
1000 Friends of Florida, Greenways Project Website, June 2002.
1996 Parks and Recreation Plan for the City of Niles, Michigan.
Airnav.com
Berrien County Equalization Department,.2002 Equalization Report,
April 11, 2002
Brandywine Public Schools Website, July 2002.
Center for Livable Communities, Streets and Sidewalks, People and
Cars April 2000.
City of Niles 2002 Parks and Recreation Plan.
City of Niles Combined Sewer Overflow Program – Phase I,
Wightman and Associates, Inc. April 25th 2000 memo to Mr. Fred
Morley of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
City of Niles Water Study, Wightman and Associates, Inc., in draft
form August 2002.
City of Niles Wellhead Protection Plan, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr
& Huber, Inc., June 8, 2000.
City of Niles Zoning Ordinance, Adopted July 25, 1994.
Discussion with Frank Hall, Amtrak Engineering, August 8, 2002.
Federal Emergency Management Website, July 2002.
Institute of Traffic Engineers, Trip Generation, 5th Edition, 1991
Lindeburg, Michael, R., P.E., Civil Engineering Reference Manual,
1989.
Megawatt Daily’s Generation Week, “Indeck Plans 1,100 MW Plant”,
Wednesday July 26, 2000.
Michigan Department of Management and Budget, Office of the
State Demographer, January 1996.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Resource
Inventory Program established under the Michigan Resource
Inventory Act, 1979 PA 204.
Michigan Department of Transportation Website, July 2002.
Michigan Natural Features Inventory Website, July 2002.
CITY OF NILES
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MASTER PLAN
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Michigan State Housing Development Authority Website, August
2002.
National Flood Insurance Ac t of 1968 (Public Law 90-448) as
amended and by the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (Public
Law 93-234) as amended, and any supplemental changes to such
rules and regulations.
National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration Website, National
Climate Data Center, 2002.
Niles Cass Buchanan Long Range Plan 2000-2025, Southwestern
Michigan Commission, August 2000; p. 14.
Niles Community Schools Website, July 2002.
Niles-Buchanan-Cass Area Transportation Study 2000-2025 Long
Range Plan, Southwest Michigan Commission.
Nitz, Rebecca L., Appendix C of Berrien County Master Plan 2000.
Office of Labor Market Information, Michigan Department of Labor
Soil Survey of Berrien County, Michigan, St. Joseph River
Conservation District, 1978.
State of Michigan Information Center Website, July 2002.
Thomas, Holly L. The Economic Benefits of Land Conservation,
Planning & Zoning News, January, 1993.
United States Bureau of the Census Website, July 2002.
US Environmental Protection Agency Website, July 2002.
CITY OF NILES
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Master Plan - City of Niles, Michigan

Transcription

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