Michigan’s outdoor public spaces are poised to benefit from a substantial infusion of federal funding to create, renovate, or redevelop outdoor recreational opportunities that improve health and safety outcomes for residents and visitors. The $65 million will be directed to communities that experienced disproportionate negative economic and health impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have historically experienced barriers to accessing these types of grants. Administered by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Michigan Spark Grants will support projects that provide safe, accessible public recreation facilities and spaces to improve people’s health, introduce new recreation experiences, build on existing park infrastructure and make it easier for people to enjoy the outdoors.

Current Progress

The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to direct money to the communities with a high proportion of households that are struggling financially, a high number of residents with physical and mental disabilities, and a lack of public recreation opportunities. Analysis is underway to identify those targeted areas using mapping data. An advisory group of key collaborators has worked with the DNR to refine the program’s intent, scoring criteria, and application requirements. Once the DNR incorporates the advisory group’s feedback and finalizes the materials, the Spark grant website will be updated to give local communities and potential applicants as much time as possible to prepare their grant materials. It will take six to eight weeks to develop the final online application materials, which the DNR will host on its MiGrant online system. During that time, direct outreach and communication plans will be put in place to bring more awareness to targeted areas about funding availability. The grant application will launch in October and stay open for six weeks, with round-one grants awarded by the end of the calendar year. There will be two more rounds of Spark applications and grant awards in 2023.

Key Points

• The Michigan Spark Grant Program is dedicated to helping improve and redevelop existing public outdoor recreation in communities that have historically experienced barriers to accessing these types of grants.
• Funding priority will be given to communities with a high proportion of households that are struggling financially, a high number of residents with physical and mental disabilities, and a lack of public recreation opportunities.
• This grant money will be used for developing neighborhood features that promote improved health and safety outcomes, such as parks, trails, green spaces, recreational facilities, and other projects that will revitalize public spaces.
• Applications will be open in October. Communities should check the Michigan Spark Grants webpage for updated information on scoring criteria and begin assembling application materials in advance.
• It is a grant requirement that this funding is directed equitably the DNR wants to create funding opportunities for the communities that have been most negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Equitable allocation of this money means using this funding to create more balanced access to parks, green spaces, and other public outdoor spaces for all Michiganders.
• The DNR aligned project partners and community organizations to maximize resources and bring the health, safety, and economic benefits of public outdoor spaces to more areas in Michigan.

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

The State of Michigan is working maximize the new funding resources sent to Michigan through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). In addition to making use of the resources available to the state, agencies like the Office of Rural Development in the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan Infrastructure Office (MIO), the Michigan High Speed Internet Office, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation seek to help communities access and deploy IIJA funding available to them. This survey is designed to help these agencies better understand and respond to local and regional infrastructure needs, plans, and readiness to apply for and administer new infrastructure resources.

Please take a few moments to respond to the short survey here to share general information about your community’s infrastructure priorities and needs. This information will be used to plan for communications and support to rural communities as the new infrastructure funding becomes available.

For your reference, a few helpful resources on new infrastructure funding are available at the websites below:

• A Rural Playbook for the Infrastructure and Jobs Investment Act, or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), provides a summary of funding opportunities available through the law.
• The Michigan Infrastructure Office website summarizes the asset classes/infrastructure types that may be funded under IJIA or BIL in Michigan.
• The Local Infrastructure Hub includes information on nearly 400 funding opportunities in a database that allows searching and sorting by topic and opportunity.

Thank you for your time and participation. If you have questions, please contact Sarah Lucas, Deputy Director for the Michigan Office of Rural Development: lucass5@michigan.gov.

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

North Carolina Highway Research Project (NCHRP), in conjunction with Michigan State University, is focused on development of the next generation of the USLIMITS2 expert system for speed limit setting.  As the name implies, expert systems for setting speed limits are computer programs that employ decision rules developed by traffic engineers and other practitioners to recommend a speed limit.

To inform this process, the research team is distributing a survey to a broad range of stakeholders with backgrounds and experiences in areas related to setting speed limits.  Ultimately, the collective survey responses will be used towards the development of a revised speed limit setting expert system.

First, they are requesting individuals to provide some general information about themself and their experiences with setting speed limits and other speed-related aspects. Based on those responses, they will then follow-up with a set of roadway cases for individuals to review and recommend a speed limit.  Prior speed limit setting experience is not necessary.  Please note that these surveys are designed to be completed on a computer, and some portions may not properly display on a mobile phone.

For further project information, please visit the NCHRP 03-139 Project Page, or contact Tim Gates (gatestim@msu.edu) with any questions or concerns.

Click the following link to complete the survey. MSU Speed Limits Survey

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has launched a new website to help local road agencies better find federal resources.

According to the Department, “Navigator is a new resource to help communities understand the best ways to apply for grants, and to plan for and deliver transformative infrastructure projects and services.” Additionally they share information about finding technical assistance resources and information about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Click here to visit the new Navigator website.

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

U.S. Treasury would like to invite you to a webinar this Wednesday, August 10th, to brief stakeholders and recipients on how American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds can be used for affordable housing production and preservation. During the session, Treasury will discuss recently released guidance on long-term loans and expanded presumptively eligible uses for affordable housing, layering with other federal programs, and other uses of funds.

The event will be Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 2:00 PM ET and you can register here.

The webinar will be recorded and shared on their website for future reference.

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

There is news to share on the American Rescue Plan (ARP) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) front. As you may be aware, the last iteration of SLFRF Project and Expenditure Reporting Guide said that recipient governments had to make a one-time, irrevocable election to take the standard allowance on their April 30^th filing.

In the July update of the SLFRF Project and Expenditure Reporting Guide—version 3.1—Treasury announced it will allow recipient governments to change their election in the next reporting period if they choose. For example, if a recipient government did not elect to take the standard allowance on the April 30^th, 2022 report and wants to take it now, a recipient government can make a change on their next filing.

The SLFRF Project and Expenditure Reporting Guide (p.42) states “if a recipient previously elected to calculate revenue loss or elected the standard allowance but would like to update that election, Treasury’s Portal will allow recipients to supersede their prior election.”

Many states and local units across the country have been pushing Treasury to make this update, and we are happy to report the good news.

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

PA 106 of 2022 (HB 5041) allows home-based child care providers that have a proven record of success to serve more children. A family home provider will be eligible to serve seven children, instead of six. A group home provider will be eligible to serve 14 children, instead of 12.

Child care staffing shortages throughout the state have made it difficult to find caregivers for our young children and have had a significant impact on working families. These factors were the driving force behind this policy change.

For the home-based provider to be eligible for increased capacity, the child care home must satisfy all of the following criteria:

• Hold a current license.
• Have been licensed to operate for at least 29 consecutive months.
• Have provided child care services for 1 or more unrelated minor children during the licensed period.
• Have received a renewed regular license after at least 29 months of licensed operation.

If child care home meet this requirement, the may request an increase in capacity and a variance to the personnel to child ratio by completing the form titled Family and Group Home Increased Capacity and Ratio Request and submitting it to the department. The local unit of government is not involved in this process.

It is important that cities and villages across Michigan are aware of this change though as it may create a conflict with your local ordinances on home-based child care. Communities should be consulting with there legal counsel and reviewing your ordinance to see if it identifies the 1-6, 7-12 capacities specified in the definitions rather than referencing the states definition.

This review will help identify if any changes need to be made to your local ordinances and avoid confusion when interacting with home-based child care providers that are permitted uses vs those that may need a special use permit or extra site plan requirements.

If there is a conflict, communities, in consultation with their legal counsel, should consider updating their ordinances to reflect the new capacities stipulated in statute, or reference the states definition which could help avoid future changes to the ordinance should the state modify the definition in the future.

We are working with the Department of Health and Human Services on this issue to help ensure a smooth transition to the increased capacities and will provide any additional information as it becomes available.

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

The Michigan Infrastructure Council (MIC) Asset Management Champion Program sets out to establish a network of talented individuals and organizations to help strengthen and “champion” best practice asset management across Michigan’s complex infrastructure environment. Participants graduate by completing a mix of training, group coaching, building their peer network and accessing industry learning. The program supports the statutory responsibilities of the MIC as established in P.A. 323 of 2018, P.A. 324 of 2018 and P.A. 325 of 2018.

The Asset Management Champion Program is a fast-paced and interactive training curriculum that combines asynchronous education, facilitated discussion, peer interactions, and industry learning into a professional certification from MIC. The program will require approximately 25 hours to complete.

The MIC is welcoming a new cohort of leaders into the Asset Management Champion Program. This program will establish a network of talented individuals and organizations to help strengthen and “champion” best practice asset management across Michigan’s complex infrastructure environment. The MIC is now accepting scholarship applications for Fall 2022. The deadline to apply is August 19, 2022 and space is limited. Click here for more information and to apply.

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Rail is now soliciting competitive applications from local road agencies who wish to partner with railroads to improve the condition of railroad crossing surfaces within their communities.

There is no cost or obligation for local road agencies to participate in this program. If selected, projects are covered by 60% state funding with a 40% railroad match.

This program is specifically for the repair or reconstruction of railroad crossing surfaces and only covers work items that are to be performed by the railroad company. By law, roadway approach repairs remain the responsibility of the road agency and the establishing legislation specifically excludes roadway approach work from participation in crossing surface project awards.

Guidance for the 2023 Program follows below:

• Applications may only be submitted by local road authorities, in cooperation with a participating railroad.
• Applications must include detailed railroad estimates, proof of 40% railroad match, updated traffic counts, and road agency approval of detour routes.
• Eligible project costs include materials, labor and equipment for railroad work items: engineering costs and roadway approach work are not eligible.
• Applications will be accepted if received via e-mail by September 30, 2022.
• Project selection will be in compliance with the criteria established by law.
• Projects should be selected/announced by late November.

It is incumbent upon railroads and road agencies to work together to assure that applications are complete and accurate. It should also be noted there are significant public advantages if a proposed project includes coordinated adjacent road work. Therefore, road agencies are encouraged to seek opportunities to combine adjacent roadway surface improvement projects with any pending railroad crossing surface applications, as this project category will receive priority consideration in the 2023 Program.

This program is administered in compliance with enabling legislation, details of which can be found in Act 51, MCL 247.661(1)(d). Application materials and instructions are available by clicking here, and a list of railroad contact information can be found at that the following link. 2022 Local Surface Grade Crossing Railroad Contact List – REVISED

Please feel free to contact Kris Foondle directly in the Office of Rail directly at 734-657-1626 if you have any questions.

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

On July 11, 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 4534, enacting Public Act 141 of 2022, which amended Section 211.7cc of the General Property Tax Act, regarding the Principal Residence Exemption. The amendment made the following changes:

1. Eliminated the July and December Board of Review appeal process in MCL 211.7cc(15) and 211.53b regarding claiming a principal residence exemption for which the exemption was not on the property for the current and previous three years. The July and December Board of Review have no authority to grant the exemption effective immediately. Assessors are asked to ensure that the 2022 July Board of Review does not take action related to PRE claims.

Effective immediately, an owner who owned and occupied a principal residence within the time period prescribed in MCL 211.7cc(2) for which the exemption was not on the tax roll must file Form 2368 Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) Affidavit with the local tax collecting unit claiming an exemption under this section for the current calendar year or the immediately preceding three calendar years. If requested by the assessor, the owner is required to furnish proof within 30 days that the owner meets the requirements for the exemption for the current calendar year or the immediately preceding three calendar years.

1. Eliminated the requirements in MCL 211.7cc (5), MCL 211.7cc (6), MCL 211.7cc(11) that the following forms be forwarded to the Department of Treasury:

Form 2742 Notice of Denial of PRE- Local

Form 4075 Notice of Denial of PRE-County

Form 4640 Conditional Rescission of a PRE

Form 4983 Foreclosure Entity Conditional Rescission of a PRE

The assessor must retain a copy of Form 2742 Notice of Denial of PRE- Local, Form 4640 Conditional Rescission of a PRE, and Form 4983 Foreclosure Entity Conditional Rescission of a PRE. The county treasurer must retain a copy of Form 4075 Notice of Denial of PRE-County. The assessor and county treasurer would have to forward to the Department of Treasury a copy of these forms upon Treasury’s request.

1. Eliminated the requirement in MCL 211.7cc(6) that the assessor notify the Department of Treasury of a denial issued by the assessor. Instead, the assessor is now required to notify the county treasurer in writing of the denial. As indicated previously, the assessor would still have to forward to the Department of Treasury a copy of a denial upon Treasury’s request.

1. Added the requirement in MCL 211.7cc(11) that the county treasurer’s denial shall be on Form 4075. As indicated previously, the county treasurer must retain a copy of Form 4075 Notice of Denial of PRE-County. The county treasurer would have to forward to the Department of Treasury a copy of these forms upon Treasury’s request.

1. Eliminated a provision in MCL 211.7cc(15) stating that an affidavit filed by an owner for a PRE rescinds all previous exemptions filed by that owner for any other property.

The Department of Treasury and the State Tax Commission will be updating all existing guidance related to Boards of Review and the Principal Residence Exemption, as needed.

Treasury staff is available to assist and answer questions regarding this Act or other PRE related questions. The following are key contacts:

PRE Unit Phone Number: (517) 335-7487

PRE Unit E-mail Address: PRE@michigan.gov

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.