INSIDE
: Playhouse committee considers short-term solutions
REFLECTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY
Volume 2, Issue 41 MARCH 7, 2025
Total Raised: $9,439
Lead this Legacy
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Gene Carignan
Community shapes future vision for downtown Shelby By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent
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SHELBY - The Village of Shelby asked village residents, as well as anyone interested in the future of the village, to respond to a two-question Downtown Shelby Vision Survey in January. The results of the survey were shared at the Feb. 10 Shelby Village Council meeting. Emailed to almost 200 addresses and posted on Facebook, the survey saw 91 respondents. Over 30 indicated they would be willing to actively lead or actively participate in dialing in on the results of the survey, while over 50 indicated they felt more comfortable providing input or watching what develops for now. Besides answering the survey, many listed Shelby’s important community assets, including the hospital, school, library, churches, employment opportunities, a grocery store, new “Welcome to Shelby” signs and new housing. With these already in hand, Shelby seems more poised than ever to make
The sun shines on downtown Shelby, Thursday, March 6. Recently, the community was asked to give their thoughts about the future of the village, and over 90 people provided their feedback. • Brendan Samuels/Echo its next play. The first survey question asked people to rate the level of importance for listed items as they related to a “future safe and appealing downtown Shelby.” Of the 14 elements people were asked to rate for a “future safe and appealing Village of Shelby, the top four included: appealing building facades; garbage, weedfree and edged sidewalks; enhanced night lighting; and smooth, well-maintained roads and well-planned traffic configurations. Elements responders didn’t rate as high a priority in a future safe and appealing Shelby, were art features, specific outdoor features like outdoor fireplaces, and decorative-stamped concrete sidewalks. The second survey question asked people to rate the “safe and appealing level of elements in downtown Shelby as they currently stand.” The items with the highest responses were on the “not appealing or safe” end of the survey spectrum and included art features: landscaping, building facades, night lighting and specific features. After rating each element, respondents were welcome to provide written comments, and there were dozens, mostly all constructive in nature. Many wanted to see the
village expand on some things it has already begun, such as the addition of more artwork, more downtown landscaping, seasonal decorations/ plantings, and outdoor seating. Respondents also suggested the village look beyond the normal updates and consider renovating the rail trail pavilion with a gas fireplace; adding fun and functional night lighting; and sidewalk bumpouts to alert drivers and improve safety. Overwhelmingly, people commented on the importance of showing pride for the community by keeping the downtown clean and building facades freshened/refurbished; cleaning up the backside of businesses facing the rail trail; enforcing blight violations; engaging the community and drawing in new businesses. One respondent urged the village and township to be sure and create a good maintenance and security plan for the new parks, so they do not fall into disrepair or vandalism. Many people felt the village should make the following their top priorities: more and better signage; greenspaces; outdoor eating and benches; beautification (not only downtown but on roads entering the village); safer sidewalks and corners; continued road and sidewalk maintenance; and finding
Shelby’s unique appeal to locals/visitors and capitalizing on that. Though more involved and costly, many forward-thinking suggestions (in no particular order) were offered and seem worthy of consideration such as developing a Downtown Development Authority or Tax Increment Finance Authority to fund improvements; refurbishing unused buildings as business incubators for people wanting to start a business; purchasing a downtown speaker system and an electric sign at the south entrance to village; adding a walking/biking trail loop “pedestrian highway” from new housing on the north to downtown; changing one side of Michigan Avenue to parallel parking; allowing fast food restaurants near the freeway to bring in badly needed revenue; showing more appreciation for the businesses you do have; developing a disc golf course along Piper Creek; creating a rustic camping area for bicyclists to use; reconfiguring the five-street intersection south of downtown; create a “National Post Card Museum” (featuring Harlow Elliott’s works) in the old fire barn on 3rd Street; and renovating the dilapidated apartment house across from Fox’s on Michigan Avenue into a hostel for bikers rolling
through on the rail trail; focusing on the village’s history, posting historic photos in businesses, restoring historically significant building facades, offering business owners some options for renovation, establishing a dedicated food truck area with outdoor seating, and creating a more vibrant downtown color scheme or theme. When asked what people envisioned for downtown Shelby, the community dreamed big. One respondent didn’t hold back, “I envision a Shelby that not only competes with luring tourists and business away from Hart, but is even better at doing it. Offer tax incentives and promote the town’s potential. Promote Shelby’s affordability over Hart and Pentwater.” While another said, “We may not have key features such as lakes, rivers and larger cultural attractions that normally draw people downtown. However, we have a newly upgraded park with more park improvements to be made in the future.” and “We are located right on the Rail Trail, which not every town in Oceana can say, we should be capitalizing on it.” One respondent suggested turning Shelby Methodist Church into a non-sectarian community center for sports, art shows, concerts, festivals
and community events. Others added they would like to see regular weekly events and volunteer opportunities for all ages, a nicer sit down restaurant, an ice cream store, more, and higher-end, apartments over downtown businesses and development of the vacant lot on 4th Street, into a common gathering space with a firepit and fountain. Someone else suggested a “subtraction” versus an “addition” by saying the village should renovate or get rid of the dilapidated buildings south of town. “We need to be a place where when an out-of-towner drives into our village, they feel safe and it looks inviting (enough) to stop and eat/visit our village and not lock their doors and get out of town asap!” said one responder. “It would be nice to increase the single-person housing supply downtown (one-bedroom apartments, studio apartments). We have a lapse in housing and not many affordable housing options for non-families which indirectly forces our 18-30 age population to leave town and makes it more difficult to get them to come back,” said another. “It’s clear how vital it is for our community to take care of our existing businesses, homes, and public spaces, and the significant impact that can have. I’m thrilled that 30 people expressed interest in being actively involved, whether on the leadership team or through hands-on work. The people of Shelby are driving progress forward!” commented Village Administrator Phil Morse. If this article has sparked ideas, comments or questions, community members are encouraged to contact the Village of Shelby at 231-861-4400 or one of the village council members, who would be happy to hear more!