A Downtown Development Authority has been proposed for Leelanau County's Northport village this month. The village council took up the idea at a special December 10 meeting.

The Leelanau Enterprise has this report:

During a special meeting Dec. 10, Ann Marie Mitchell of the economic development committee of the Northport-Omena Chamber of Commerce gave a PowerPoint presentation on how a DDA could help fund future capital improvement projects in the community.

Once established, a DDA board would have a number of tools to help fund improvements. They include the sale of revenue bonds; transfer and use of private property; the power to levy up to 2 mills; and tax increment financing. The latter is a method in which a future increase in property tax revenue in a defined district can be used to fund current improvements. The funds could also be used to provide the local portion of a “matching” grant.

Read the full article here, with reaction from Northport residents and an interview with Ann Marie Mitchell of Northport-Omena Chamber of Commerce's economic development committee.

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Photo: S3500015 by CedarBendDrive.