Check out what the Planning & Performance Improvement Department has been up to.

1. Performance Improvement Projects
Food Club Evaluation: The Performance Improvement division completed a draft of the evaluation
plan for the Community Action House (CAH) Food Club in November. This plan includes a logic
model, evaluation questions, and the reporting and evaluation agreement for this project. The
agreement for evaluation services, which CAH will be reimbursing the County for, has been fully
executed. Department staff anticipate feedback on the evaluation plan in February once CAH
representatives have time to review it.
Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance Community Assessment: The Performance Improvement division assisted LNA with a request for salary
and fringe benefit information for a local nonprofit that is looking to fill a vacant Executive Director position. Department staff completed
this request using data collected during the first Nonprofit Community Assessment that was completed on behalf of LNA in 2019.
Zeeland City Staffing Evaluation: The Performance Improvement division completed its data analysis for the Zeeland City staffing
evaluation and provided a draft report to city officials in December. Department staff then met with city officials in January to review the
report and answer any additional questions. City officials were thankful for the
good quality report and requested one minor change that was incorporated into
the report. Zeeland City will be reimbursing the County for these evaluation
services.
Land Use Planning Projects
Groundwater: The Department has recently launched a groundwater issue
reporting tool, which can be found on our website: miottawa.org/groundwater .
The tool allows residents who are experiencing groundwater issues, or know of
locations that have groundwater challenges, to inform the County. By collecting
this information, the Department will build a better understanding of the
locations and types of observed groundwater challenges throughout the County.
The Department has installed a groundwater monitoring sensor in the Allendale
area, and are collecting data on groundwater levels. Staff are working to identify
additional locations to install sensors – if you have a well that you would be
willing to let the County use for unintrusive monitoring, please contact Matt
at: mchappuies@miottawa.org.
Zeeland City Staffing Evaluation Graphics
January 2021 plan@miottawa.org
Pertinent Updates
Summary of the Food Club themes
and key concepts

2. 2 Project Updates
Economic Development Projects
Comprehensive Digital Inclusion Strategy: As part of the County’s continued push to improve internet access for all County residents,
the Department has initiated a Comprehensive Digital Inclusion Strategy. This initiative is about establishing affordable broadband
access across all areas of the County and eventually West Michigan as a whole. The Department announced in a December press
release that the County is seeking bids to provide and execute a strategy for comprehensive data collection and analysis to determine
the status of broadband service and future needs throughout Ottawa County. This data collection is vital in determining needs,
ultimately aiding in the design and planning for the potential expanded network in conjunction with broadband service providers.
Farmland Preservation: In December 2020, the Board of Commissioners approved a Purchase Agreement with Shadyside Farm (the
Bronkema family) that will preserve 123.12 acres of farmland in Olive Township, currently producing dry beans, wool, lamb, and beef,
contingent upon receiving grant funding. Applications for grant funding are currently being prepared.
Also in December of 2020, an application was submitted to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for funding
that will be used to permanently preserve 37 acres of farmland in Blendon Township owned by Carson DeHaan. The land is used to
produce beef, hay, and corn. Funding announcements are expected mid February 2021 .
In January 2021, postcards were mailed to 1700 landowners in Ottawa County, announcing the opening of the 2021 Farmland
Preservation application cycle. Applications will be accepted until April 30, 2021. Typically, one property per year will be selected for
preservation. If funding allows, in some years two properties are selected .
Agriculture Initiatives: Staff serves on the planning committee for the West Michigan Agribusiness Talent Council's MICareerQuest virtual
event 'booth'. In 2020, this event was, for the first time, planning a sector dedicated to agribusiness. Due to the pandemic, we were
unable to hold the event. So for the first year featuring agribusiness as its own standalone sector, we will have to do so virtually. The ATC
will also be hosting a virtual job fair during March – National Ag Month – and hosting other activities promoting careers in ag during
National Ag Week. March 22-26.
In late 2020, staff dug in the tasks proposed in their Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grant. As of January 2021,
the final touches are being put on a temporary landing page, the full new farmlink and resource website is in development, the mentor
groups are being assembled along with the necessary documents, a short survey is ready for distribution, and succession /transition
planning efforts are in development. The temporary website, www.mifarmlink.org, will be live soon for more information as it becomes
available.
Pertinent Updates continued
Ongoing Projects
Performance Improvement Projects
Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Evaluation: The Performance Improvement division is
working with Public Health staff to evaluate the use of the CHIP that was completed in 2018.
Department staff created a survey to better understand how the CHIP, now called "Healthy Ottawa," is
being used and to measure the positive outcomes of the CHIP. The survey will be sent to everyone who
participated in the creation of the 2018 CHIP or downloaded a copy of the CHIP report. Department
staff will also be analyzing the survey data for presentation at the kick-off meeting for the 2021 CHIP.
United Way Community Assessment: In December, staff met with United Way representatives to learn
about their Community Assessment that is completed every three years. The United Way has requested
the Department's assistance with owning the Community Assessment data and completing quarterly
cross tabulation requests for its members. In the past, the United Way received the high-level results of
the Community Assessment and was unable to fulfill member requests for more detailed data. The
Department is awaiting further information from United Way that will be used to create a fee-for-service
proposal to perform this work.
CHIPS priorities

3. 3 Project Updates
After Action Report for COVID-19: The Performance Improvement division is working with Public Health staff to gather and analyze
information that will be used to complete their required After Action Report for COVID-19. The survey will help the OCDPH identify
strengths to be maintained and built upon, identify potential areas for further improvement, and support the development of corrective
actions that will guide future emergency preparedness initiatives for the OCDPH. The survey will be sent to staff at the OCDPH in the
next couple weeks.
Parks/Public Health Diversity Initiative: Members of the Step It Up committee, including staff from the Performance Improvement
division, began meeting in September to discuss ways to increase diversity at Ottawa County parks and get underserved populations
physically active. As a first step in this process, the team has reached out to Bridge Card Navigators within the county to increase
awareness of the Parks policy that allows Bridge Card holders to obtain a free parks pass. Taking it a step further, committee members
are aiming to meet this population where they are and allow them to get a free parks pass by answering questions while meeting with or
on the phone with a Bridge Card Navigator rather than coming into the Parks office. In addition to brainstorming ideas, department staff
are acting in a research, data analysis and evaluation capacity by creating and analyzing survey data for this initiative.
Suicide Prevention Coalition—2020 Accomplishment Reports: The Performance Improvement division is working with Public Health staff
to assist them with reporting 2020 accomplishments for the Suicide Prevention Coalition. This will involve updating the strategic plan for
the Coalition to show 2020 accomplishments for each metric as well as reporting on the work accomplished by the Victims' Advocate
program during the past year.
Equity Profile for Ottawa County: The Performance Improvement division met with DEI office staff in early January to understand their
needs related to compiling an Equity Profile for Ottawa County. Department staff are in the process of reviewing an equity profile that
was completed for Battle Creek to determine if it can be replicated by staff for Ottawa County. The goal of the project is to create a
central repository of equity data for Ottawa County that can be utilized by a variety of agencies and businesses throughout the county
Land Use Planning Projects
Housing Commission: Following the Housing Commission's letter to state and federal legislators in December, staff created a summary
report of Kalamazoo County's long-term Eviction Diversion Program (EDP). Staff also began developing a position paper discussing the
role of parking on housing affordability.
Non-Motorized Countywide Trail Connectivity Planning: No pertinent activity due to
current resource constraints.
Countywide Future Land Use Vision Preparation: No pertinent activity due to current
resource constraints.
Ongoing Projects continued
Economic Development Projects
Brownfield Redevelopment: Ottawa County's United States Environmental Protection
Agency Brownfield Assessment grant work is well underway, with eight assessments
and/or planning activities underway on four project sites. Outreach is being
conducted to ensure that all eligible parties are aware of the available funds. For
example, this flyer was distributed to nearly 600 local stakeholders.
The County's local brownfield redevelopment tool, the Brownfield Incentive Program,
approved its seventh project, supporting a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
for a renovation project that will result in 50,000 square feet of much needed
warehouse space in the County.
In 2020, the Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority began capturing
taxes on its fifth Brownfield Tax Increment Financing Plan. This Plan supports a
multimillion dollar redevelopment project that will result in 75 new jobs created in
the Village of Spring Lake. Brownfield Assessment Grant Informational Flyer

4. 4 Project Updates
Ongoing Projects continued
ACRE AgTech: ACRE AgTech, an Ottawa County economic development initiative, held its 2021 organizational meeting on January 22.
The executive board was elected and the West Michigan Food Processing Association gave a presentation. The ACRE AgTech Board of
Directors continues to explore sources of capital for operations, however the organization remains in hibernation (i.e. not accepting new
clients) until stable funding can be secured. The Board intends to reconvene in 6-months (i.e. June 2021) to re-assess its hibernation
status.
Events
Planning & Zoning
Fundamentals: Each year, the
Department hosts a free
Planning and Zoning
Fundamentals training where
attendees learn the roles and
responsibilities to help them
more effectively serve on a
Planning Commission or Zoning
Board of Appeals. This year’s
sessions will occur on February
16 (PC) and February 18 (ZBA).
Registration is now open.
Lakeshore NonProfit Alliance
and West Michigan Evaluators
Network (WMEN) Workshop: As
members of the WMEN, the
Performance Improvement
division has been asked to
present at a virtual evaluation
capacity building workshop
hosted by LNA on March 18.
Staff's role in the two-hour
workshop, "Need data? Now
what? Got data. Now what? How
evaluation can enhance public
value.", will involve a case study
of the Food Club evaluation
efforts to-date. CAH will also be
sharing their role in the
evaluation process and the
value that evaluation brings to
their initiative.
Spring Lake Village DDA TIF
Meeting: Department staff and
County Administrators held their
annual meeting with Spring Lake
Village representatives this
month to review pertinent
information about the work of
the Spring Lake DDA during the
past year. This annual meeting is
a requirement of the agreement
that the County entered into with
the Village in 2016 that allows
the Village to capture tax dollars
from the County.
News & Stats
Project Updates Newsletter:
Following the dissolution of the
Planning Commission, which had
traditionally provided County
administrators with Department
updates, staff developed and
designed this new Project
Updates Newsletter.
2020 Planning & Performance
Improvement Annual Report
released: Department staff
completed editing and design
work and published the Annual
Report. The 52-page report
documents the myriad projects
staff have had a hand in this
past fiscal year, including a
variety of pandemic-related
initiatives Planning staff.
Department Sharepoint Site: The
Department upgraded to
Microsoft 365 in the fall and
department staff are working to
create an internal SharePoint
site for the department. The
ultimate goal of this site is to
serve as a replacement to the
shared file network that has
been in use for years.
Community Engagement and
Other Farmland Preservation
Updates: The Ottawa County Ag
Preservation Board has
partnered with the Ottawa
Conservation District and others
to apply for funding assistance
through the Regional
Conservation Partnership
Program, an initiative of the
USDA Natural Resource
Conservation Service. This
funding assistance request
includes funding for agricultural
easements, and awards are
expected to be announced by
mid 2021.
Both the Ottawa County and
Kent County Farmland
Preservation Programs were
featured in a recent mlive
article. Read more.
In December, Farmland
Preservation staff coordinated,
prepared and hosted a panel
discussion entitled Preserve
Where You Conserve. The
discussion focused on how
agricultural conservation
easements can complement and
enhance natural resource
conservation outcomes. The
virtual event was well attended
for a Friday morning, with 45
participants logging in.
Staff also participated in a
Midwest Roundtable discussion,
which was part of our role as a
member of the National
Agricultural Land Network
administered by the American
Farmland Trust. The discussion
was part of the process that will
help identify critical needs for
farmland protection nationwide
and begin work on addressing
those needs.
Remonumentation Program:
Staff are compiling program
information and will be
submitting the county's annual
completion report to the LARA
Office of Land Survey and
Remonumentation (OLSR) later
this month.
Housing Commission Metrics:
The Performance Improvement
division created a survey for
Housing Commission members
to share their thoughts on the
importance of 36 different
metrics to measure their
success. Staff then analyzed the
data and created a graphic to
display the results to the
Commission.
Events and Notable Statistics
Housing Commission Metrics