COMMUNITY PROFILE: NEW BALTIMORE

The Sustainable Small Harbors project received funding from Sea Grant, Michigan Department of Natural Resources — Waterways Program, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality — Office of the , and Michigan State Housing Development Authority to engage stakeholders in waterfront communities around Michigan. In 2015-2016, through public workshops and design charrettes, the project team helped community leaders assess challenges and opportunities related to the economic and environmental sustainability of their waterfronts. This community profile captures the insights and future visions developed through that process. For more information, see: sustainablesmallharbors.org. Community Basics Waterfront: Lake St. Clair COMMUNITY INVENTORY New Baltimore is listed as one of the 50 County: Macomb Safest Cities in Michigan and benefits Area: 6.73 square miles The City of New Baltimore is located from active promotion from the county on the north coastline of Lake St. Clair, executive’s office, including the “Make Population: 12,084 people in at the western edge of . The Macomb Your Home” campaign. 2010 (+63 percent change from city, located along the boundary line of 2000-2010) Macomb and St. Clair Counties, offers New Baltimore has seen significant Median Household Income: a public park, beach, farmers market, demographic changes over the last $78,377 in 2013 restaurants, public library, and historic 25 years. From 2000 to 2010, the downtown shopping district. New Baltimore population rose 63.2 Median Age: 40.7 (2014) percent, outpacing the Macomb County U.S. Census, 2000, 2010; City Data Incorporated as a village in 1867 population growth rate of 6.7 percent. and as a city in 1931, New Baltimore The largest demographic changes initially served as a getaway for urban experienced by New Baltimore have Detroiters for many years due to the been a proportional increase in citizens inter-urban railroad. The city also had aged 14 and younger and in citizens a robust shipping trade thanks to its between the ages of 35 and 54. location on Lake St. Clair. While New Baltimore has since seen a decline in Source: City of New Baltimore Parks and Recreation tourism, it is increasingly serving as Master Plan (2012), Macomb County Executive an outlying community for .

SUSTAINABLE SMALL HARBORS GUIDEBOOK COMMUNITY PROFILE: NEW BALTIMORE | PAGE 1 PLANNING DOCUMENTS HISTORICAL REFERENCES benefits of a harbor at Washington • City of New Baltimore Master Plan During the community engagement and Front Street waterfront. (2005) process, the team learned about the • City of New Baltimore Refuge city’s longstanding discussion and Harbor brochure (1980) — • City of New Baltimore Parks and debate about introducing a public Recreation Master Plan (2012) schematic drawing of a proposed harbor and access point to the harbor at Washington and Front • Downtown and City-Owned waterfront. A few of the supplied Street frontage. Property Vision (2014) materials include: • Village of Ashley (previous name • New Baltimore Downtown for New Baltimore) map of historic Development Authority — • The New Baltimore Recreational piers: Ashley Mill Docks, John Development and Tax Increment Harbor — Citizens for the Harbor Lozen Boat Pier, and William Financing Plans (2009) and Recreation Team (1994) — promotional brochure describing Baker Lumber Dock. Several historical pilings are still standing.

Figure 1: Schmid Marina and view of lakefront Walter and Mary Burke Park, Front Street, and Washington Street. USACE 2012

WATERFRONT INVENTORY Public Dock at Park Waterfront: with showers, gas dock, pump-out In 2013, the Department of Homeland station, and on-site service center for Schmid Marina: A privately owned Security Marine Division dedicated maintenance needs. and operated marina since the a public dock for use by division staff 1960s, the 12-acre property features and the public. Public perception of the Sun-Up Marina: Located on the approximately 1,200 linear feet of docks is mixed, with some indicating Salt River, just off of Anchor Bay, shoreline on Anchor Bay on Lake that they would not dock there due the marina provides 120 slips St. Clair. The marina provides to lack of protection from wind accommodating boats up to 45 feet. 160 slips with some reserved for and waves. The docks are managed All slips are supplied with water and transient use. The marina provides through public safety officials and are electric hookup and several have dry racks, indoor winter storage, frequented in the summer by day users. drive-up access. gas dock, 30-amp electric service, water, and pump-out service, plus an SALT RIVER MARINAS (APPROXIMATELY Kenney’s Marina and Harbor Heights 18-ton travel lift. Amenities include 3 MILES EAST OF NEW BALTIMORE): Marina are also listed, but public shower, restroom, and walkable information is limited. access to downtown New Baltimore Anchor Bay Marina: This marina (approximately half a mile). The specializes in dry rack storage, marina was put up for sale around accommodating up to 300 boats up 2010 and was the focus of the design to 51 feet in length with a 3-mile charrette. commute from storage to the lake. Amenities located at the marina include a ship store, restrooms

SUSTAINABLE SMALL HARBORS GUIDEBOOK COMMUNITY PROFILE: NEW BALTIMORE | PAGE 2 FAIR HAVEN MARINAS (APPROXIMATELY Harbor Marina, providing additional DREDGING AND FEDERAL 4 MILES WEST OF NEW BALTIMORE): covered and uncovered wells just down from the main marina. INFRASTRUCTURE Mayea Marina: Established in 1911, There are currently no dredging or this full-service marina in Fair Haven Swan Creek Harbor: A 5-minute federal infrastructure projects in provides 250 slips from 25 to 50 feet cruise up Swan Creek from Anchor New Baltimore. with 20 slips reserved for transient Bay, the marina provides boat wells use. The marina provides a gas dock, up to 40 feet, restrooms with showers, pump-out, boat repairs, mechanical pavilion with barbeque area, Wi-Fi, service, party store, storage, bath buoyed entrance, winter storage, houses, laundry, and the popular Island picnic areas, and a fire pit. The marina Grill Clubhouse. As recently as 2013, promotes its walkable access to the marina basin depth was only three restaurants and bars and marina parties feet; since dredging the basin, the with movie nights. marina now markets itself as a “deep NEARBY PUBLIC BOAT LAUNCHES: water marina.”

Terry’s Marina: Private marina • Brandenburg Park (2.0 miles) offering slips for boats up to 50 feet • Fair Haven Boating Access Site with covered wells up to 38 feet. (6.1 miles) Services and amenities include • Deckers Landing Access Site a pump-out station, picnic area, (16.4 miles) bathrooms with showers, laundry • Harley Ensign Launch (16.6 miles at facilities, recreation areas, pool, Wi-Fi, mouth of the ) and an invitation to the annual marina party. Terry’s also offers floating • Clinton River Cut Access Site cottages for rent and operates Hidden (14 miles)

VISIONING AND PLANNING ASSETS AND LIABILITIES As part of the visioning process, the community self-identified the following assets and liabilities.

Figure 2: Assets (top) and weaknesses or barriers (bottom) reported by the community, where larger text size indicates a higher frequency of mentions. Source: Sustainable Small Harbors

SUSTAINABLE SMALL HARBORS GUIDEBOOK COMMUNITY PROFILE: NEW BALTIMORE | PAGE 3 COLLABORATORS To draw upon community expertise, Full Charrette Report the following technical meetings were For additional information on the three alternatives the community convened: evaluated and the development of the “preferred alternative,” please see the full charrette report, available for download on the website. • Historic Commission; • Downtown Development Authority; and • Parks and Recreation.

To facilitate implementation support, the following initial state and regional partners were identified:

• MDNR Natural Resources Trust Fund program; • Regional Prosperity Initiative field staff; • Michigan Sea Grant staff; • and Michigan State University Extension staff.

PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE: “NEW BALTIMORE 2035” “New Baltimore 2035” represents a Figure 3: The preferred alternative for New Baltimore has Schmid Marina as public access with a boat launch, shared future vision of the community downtown redevelopment, and a harbor inserted to Front Street. Source: Sustainable Small Harbors based on the charrette design process. The preferred alternative has Schmid Marina as public access with a boat launch, downtown redevelopment, and a harbor inserted to Front Street.

For the Schmid Marina focus area, the community engagement process supported public acquisition of Schmid Marina. The proposed design includes incorporation of six public boat launches and parking for boat trailers. Existing indoor dry storage buildings may be retained should the community desire, but would reduce parking capacity. One of the existing storage buildings could be converted into the New Baltimore Recreation Center. As proposed, the site hosts the youth sailing club, a kayak landing, and Figure 4: Current view and artistic rendering of widened bridge, sailing school site, kayak landing, and expanded storage racks, which may be rented. parking area. Source: Sustainable Small Harbors Access to the site along Taylor Street would be widened and a bike lane added.

SUSTAINABLE SMALL HARBORS GUIDEBOOK COMMUNITY PROFILE: NEW BALTIMORE | PAGE 4 Figure 5: Artistic rendering of a concept for a Figure 6: Current view and artistic rendering of Washington St. and Front St. intersection, looking toward Lake St. downtown harbor. Source: Sustainable Small Harbors Clair. Source: Sustainable Small Harbors

For the downtown focus area, the For long-term planning, residences A Burke Park Marina was proposed, preferred design alternative illustrated within the two-block redevelopment bringing boating to the heart of new development. The “Brewery Block” area are removed in the proposed downtown. This design would infill to the west of Washington Street plan and replaced with mixed-use remove the current beach area and proposes 13,000 square feet of new development and high-density require excavating to Front Street. retail. The “Library Block” infill to the housing. The library would remain, The beach, volleyball area, and east of Washington Street proposes along with three other buildings, plus playground would be relocated 33,000 square feet of new retail, the planned development on the corner within Burke Park. Preliminary restaurant, and office space. The newly of Washington and Front Street. The investigation of existing underground designed Willy & Babbish Building old mortuary building on the corner of infrastructure suggests this is (approved for construction on the Maria Street and Main Street could be technically feasible, although at a cost northwest corner of Washington and renovated into the brewery that would of more than $4 million. A floating Front) will provide 3,200 square feet of give this block its name (i.e., “Brewery dock system with wave dissipaters new retail. Block”). Ten three-story townhouses could provide an estimated 80 with roof decks and drive-in garages protected boat slips. The harbor is are included and the townhouses have designed with 30-foot and 45-foot shared private green space. Finally, in slips as well as a few broad side areas the design, a portion of Front Street for larger boats. and Washington Street are “flexible streets,” which may be blocked off for festivals and farmers market days.

SUSTAINABLE SMALL HARBORS GUIDEBOOK COMMUNITY PROFILE: NEW BALTIMORE | PAGE 5 and would shift to follow Front Street for a block between Taylor Street and Maria Street. Kayaking connectivity includes adding a launch site and rentable storage racks at Schmid Marina. This launch site would be part of the existing Lake St. Clair paddle trail along the shore and would connect with the Burke Park beach where there is another launch site. A water-taxi and personal boats would provide additional transportation options.

Pedestrian paths between Schmid Marina and downtown should have improved lighting along the walkways, defined crosswalks, and sidewalks on Taylor Street and Front Street. Additional transportation between the marina and downtown could Figure 7: Design connectivity diagram. Source: Joseph Demski be provided by an e-cart, or small electric vehicle/shuttle, used as needed CONNECTIVITY e-carts, and personal boats. Bicycle to transport people between the lanes striped on the existing roadway proposed recreation center, marina, There are many modes of connectivity could connect bike traffic to County and downtown. Participants also proposed in this vision, including Line Street and Jefferson Street through expressed interest in a trolley circling linkages for vehicles, bicycles, kayaks, the town and to the marina. Bike lanes town and connecting to nearby towns. pedestrians, water taxis, trolleys, are part of the design on Main Street

VALUE CAPTURE – 4 to 6 percent. A destination downtown Department of Planning and Economic like New Baltimore, further enhanced Development. The department also INITIAL EFFORTS by waterfront improvements, should reported that Schmid Marina currently In support of this alternative, an be able to capture up to 2.5 - 3 percent operates approximately 80 slips and economic analysis of retail capacity of the retail trade market. This would could be modified to accommodate was conducted by a member of the indicate a potential market for an 160 slips. If 90 percent of the 160 slips charrette team. Current downtown additional 51,000 to 61,000 square were occupied, that would potentially New Baltimore contains approximately feet of retail. Using the lower estimate net over $300,000, which would offset 77,000 square feet of retail, both (51,000 sq ft), this could break down capital improvements. Additional occupied and vacant. The primary into various major retail categories: revenue would also come from boat retail trade area has an estimated launch fees, onsite storage, marina store population of approximately • 17,500 square feet of full-service or improvements, and leasing agreements 120,000 with an estimated 45,000 limited-service restaurants or pubs with sailing clubs or similar entities. households. Currently the downtown • 18,000 square feet of general businesses capture between 1.5 and shopping goods ECONOMIC ANALYSIS 1.6 percent of the retail trade area, • 9,000 square feet of personal services New Baltimore is located on Lake which is well below what a walkable • 6,500 square feet of miscellaneous St. Clair, a popular destination for historic downtown should capture. retail fishing and boating. However, public A comparison analysis of retail boat-launching facilities are limited, capture percentages of similar small The economic analysis for this and the local marina is privately owned downtowns in alternative is supported by research and disconnected from the nearby showed retail capture percentages of conducted by Macomb County downtown.

SUSTAINABLE SMALL HARBORS GUIDEBOOK COMMUNITY PROFILE: NEW BALTIMORE | PAGE 6 Potential changes identified in Edgewater Resources’ initial financial In covering a May 2016 presentation to the charrette design include the projections for marina operations city council by Edgewater Resources, construction of a boat launch, were very positive. A grant writing local newspaper The Voice reported the municipal purchase of the private consultant for the city noted: “The following update: marina, a new marina abutting design charette process made it downtown New Baltimore, and possible to move the community of “The various renovations and additional downtown development. New Baltimore towards the vision of improvements proposed by Edgewater Economic modeling indicates that these public access and beautiful recreational Resources would total about $2.6 changes could significantly enhance the opportunities. Without that experience million. A conservative revenue model sustainability of New Baltimore. The and process, the community of New that includes basin slips, canal slips, dry boat launch and a publically owned Baltimore would not be where we are racks and winter storage shows potential marina could generate revenues of t o d ay.” annual revenues of about $338,000, approximately $400,000 per year. which would support a $4.6 million Source: Macomb Daily News (2015) bond at roughly 4 percent over 20 years, allowing for ‘near reconstruction of the IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES. Several residents marina.’” USE OF DESIGN AND VISIONING neighboring the Schmid property, PRODUCTS. The New Baltimore who did not participate in the design Sources: The Voice News (May 2016), The Voice News Charette Final Report provided charrette, were initially displeased with (February 2016) instrumental documentation of the proposed design alternative. The MOMENTUM. The City of New New Baltimore community support city provided direct communication to Baltimore Mayor, City Council, Parks and the professional assessment engage the concerned parties, inviting and Recreation Department, Planning and recommendations made by the several community members to join a Commission, Historic District, Small Harbors Study Team. The final Schmid study committee. As a result, Downtown Development Authority, recommendations were used as support the city has alleviated several concerns and residents and businesses are documentation for the City of New and established a dialogue with key collaboratively leading implementation Baltimore to move forward on an stakeholders. of several of the visions suggested acquisition grant through the Michigan PRIORITIZATION AND FUNDING. through the community engagement Department of Natural Resources process. Edgewater Resources has Trust Fund. The City of New Baltimore The $2.85 million Michigan Natural proposed to renovate the marina in was awarded a $2.85 million grant on Resources Trust Fund grant requires stages so as not to impact the boating December 7, 2015, to acquire Schmid a roughly $900,000 match from the season or displace boaters. Marina for municipal use, as suggested city — a local match requirement of 25 percent of the requested state funding. through the charrette process. The Macomb County Planning and Economic Development Department In pursuing detailed plans for the In January 2016, the city council program manager of land and water property, the city provided the project approved funding for a proposal resources said Schmid Marina is a key documentation to Edgewater Resources, from Edgewater Resources to component “to the re-birth of southeast LLC. The city hired the firm to conduct conduct a feasibility analysis of the Michigan. I know that sounds like a further assessments and develop a marina development that includes stretch, but it really isn’t…It needs business implementation plan for the an assessment of Americans with to be known what New Baltimore is Schmid Marina property. Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements at the site. In February 2016, the city to the region because there really is INITIAL IMPACTS. In May 2016, the council voted to allocate the $22,000 in not a walkable downtown outside of city approved the Michigan Natural Community Development Block Grant Detroit and maybe Windsor, and the Resources Trust Fund Land Acquisition funding the city will receive this year city already has what’s really key to its Project Agreement for Schmid Marina; to bringing the marina in compliance success,” he said. “But it’s also going to once the agreement is fully executed the with the ADA. This will ensure the be about bringing the people here; it’s city will move forward on the next steps public space is universally accessible. about access to the water.” of the acquisition process. Source: The Voice News (May 2016), The Voice News (March 2016)

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