Community Development Department


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The City of Niles Community Development Department is one of seven City departments. Its functions include activities related to short and long-range community planning; economic and community development; zoning administration, grant reporting and analysis; mass transportation planning and operations; and historical preservation and education. The department also works closely with the Niles Housing Commission and the Niles Main Street program.  The Community Development Department may be contacted by email or at 269-683-4700 ext. 3020

We are available Monday-Thursday from 7:30am-5:30pm and Friday from 7:30am-11:30am.  We are closed from 12:00pm-1:00pm for lunch.  Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.    

The Community Development Department is comprised of the following functional areas:

Planning

Planning provides information on land use, zoning, site development standards, general plan policies and City Council directed study issues. Planning also processes applications for land use related permits. Zoning information and related forms can be found online by clicking the link on the left.

Parks & Recreation 5-Year Plan
Notice of Intent - Master Plan
What is Master Planning?
Land Development 
2021 Master Plan
Niles Place Plan 
Development Incentive Tools

Zoning

The City’s Zoning Ordinance can be found at zoning.nilesmi.org or by clicking the link titled Zoning to the left. The Zoning Ordinance was developed to establish zoning districts and regulations in accordance with the provisions of Act 207 of the Public Acts of 1921, as amended; to define certain terms used herein; to provide for regulations governing nonconforming uses and structures; to establish a Zoning Board of Appeals and define its duties and powers; to provide for the administration and enforcement of this Ordinance and to provide penalties for the violation of this Ordinance.

The fundamental purpose of this Ordinance is to promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare; to encourage the use of lands and natural resources in accordance with their character and adaptability; to limit the improper use of land; to provide for the orderly development of the City; to reduce hazard to life and property; to establish the location and size of, and the specific uses for which structures may hereafter be erected or altered, and the minimum open spaces, sanitary, safety and protective measures that shall be required for such structures; to lessen congestion on the public roads and streets; to provide safety in traffic and vehicular parking; to facilitate the development of an adequate water supply and other public requirements; to conserve life, property and natural resources, and the expenditure of funds for public improvements and services; to conform with the most advantageous uses of land, resources and properties.

Niles History Center

The Niles History Center is located at 508 E. Main Street and includes the Fort St. Joseph Museum, which is housed in the former carriage house of its next door neighbor, the beautiful Victorian period Chapin Mansion.  The Chapin Mansion is open for historical and architectural tours.  Read more about the Niles History Center by clicking here.

Community Development Block Grant Program

The City of Niles was designated as a principal city of a metropolitan area by the Office of Management and Budget in 2003.  This designation has made Niles eligible to receive grant funds directly from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under the federal government’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

The CDBG program allows grantees to carry out a variety of community development activities directed towards revitalizing neighborhoods, economic development and providing improved community services.  These activities must meet one of three national objectives:  (1) Benefiting low and moderate income persons, (2) Elimination of slum and blight, and (3) Addressing an urgent need. 

As a CDBG program requirement the City must submit an Annual Action Plan every year.  The Annual Action Plan describes the actions, projects and programs that will take place during the following year to address the priority needs and specific objectives identified in the Consolidated Plan, which was approved by City Council last program year.  The City’s priorities have been incorporated into the Action Plan in the context of the goals identified within the Consolidated Plan. A public hearing was held prior to the approval of the Plan to afford citizens the opportunity to provide input.

City of Niles PY22 Approved CAPER
PY 23 Annual Action Plan Proposed Substantial Amendment Draft
City of Niles Consolidated Plan 2022-2026 Proposed Substantial Amendment
City of Niles PY23 Annual Action Plan
Substantial Amendment to PY 2022 Annual Action Plan
City of Niles PY21 CAPER
City of Niles PY20 CAPER
City of Niles Substantial Amendment to PY21 Annual Action Plan
YMCA Playground- Environmental Review Record and FONSI
Draft 2022-26 Consolidated Plan & PY2022 Annual Action Plan

Please see the dropdown menus below for CDBG Annual Action Plans and Annual Reports.

Citizen Participation Plan 
Southwest Michigan Planning Commission
Downtown District Authority

Doc app

Document Center

The Document Center provides easy access to public documents. Click on one of the categories below to see related documents or use the search function.

Categories always sorted by seq (sub-categories sorted within each category)
Documents sorted by HEADER in Ascending Order within category

Community Development Block Grant Funding23 documents

  • 2016-20 Consolidated Plan
    document Header 2016-20 Consolidated Plan
  • PY 2013 CDBG Annual Action Plan - 1st Substantial Amendment - Approved
    document Header PY 2013 CDBG Annual Action Plan - 1st Substantial Amendment - Approved
  • PY 2013 CDBG Annual Action Plan - 2nd Substantial Amendment - Approved
    document Header PY 2013 CDBG Annual Action Plan - 2nd Substantial Amendment - Approved
  • PY 2013 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Original Approved
    document Header PY 2013 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Original Approved
  • PY 2014 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Original Approved
    document Header PY 2014 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Original Approved
  • PY 2014 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Updated
    document Header PY 2014 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Updated
  • PY 2015 CDBG Action Plan 2nd Substantial Amendment - Requested
    document Header PY 2015 CDBG Action Plan 2nd Substantial Amendment - Requested
  • PY 2015 CDBG Annual Action Plan 1st Substantial Amendment-Approved
    document Header PY 2015 CDBG Annual Action Plan 1st Substantial Amendment-Approved
  • PY 2015 CDBG Annual Action Plan Public Notice of 1st Substantial Amendment
    document Header PY 2015 CDBG Annual Action Plan Public Notice of 1st Substantial Amendment
  • PY 2016 CDBG Annual Action Plan
    document Header PY 2016 CDBG Annual Action Plan
  • PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - 1st Substantial Amendment- Proposed
    document Header PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - 1st Substantial Amendment- Proposed
  • PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - 2nd Substantial Amendment- Proposed
    document Header PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - 2nd Substantial Amendment- Proposed
  • PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Original Approved
    document Header PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Original Approved
  • PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Public Notice of 1st Substantial Amendment
    document Header PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Public Notice of 1st Substantial Amendment
  • PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Public Notice of 2nd Substantial Amendment
    document Header PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Public Notice of 2nd Substantial Amendment
  • PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan w/2018 Amendments
    document Header PY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan w/2018 Amendments
    2018 Amendment to Annual Action Plan
  • PY 2018 CDBG Annual Action Plan-DRAFT
    document Header PY 2018 CDBG Annual Action Plan-DRAFT
  • PY 2020 CBDG Annual Action Plan Approved
    document Header PY 2020 CBDG Annual Action Plan Approved
  • PY 2020 CDBG Citizen Participation Plan
    document Header PY 2020 CDBG Citizen Participation Plan
  • PY 2022 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Substantial Amendment
    document Header PY 2022 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Substantial Amendment
  • PY19 CDBG Annual Action Plan Approved
    document Header PY19 CDBG Annual Action Plan Approved
  • PY20 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Approved
    document Header PY20 CDBG Annual Action Plan - Approved
  • PY21 Annual Action Plan
    document Header PY21 Annual Action Plan

Community Development Block Grant Annual Reports8 documents

  • PY2012 CAPER and Attachments
    document Header PY2012 CAPER and Attachments
  • PY2013 CAPER and Attachments
    document Header PY2013 CAPER and Attachments
  • PY2014 CAPER and Attachments
    document Header PY2014 CAPER and Attachments
  • PY2015 CAPER and Attachments
    document Header PY2015 CAPER and Attachments
  • PY2016 CAPER and Attachments
    document Header PY2016 CAPER and Attachments
  • PY2017 CAPER and Attachments
    document Header PY2017 CAPER and Attachments
  • PY2018 CAPER and Attachments
    document Header PY2018 CAPER and Attachments
  • PY2019 CAPER and Attachments
    document Header PY2019 CAPER and Attachments
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