AGENDA DATE: 3/8/2017
TITLE:
Title
Economic Development Site Readiness Report
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Overview of Report from Bowman Consulting + Froehling Robertson Team Assessing the Readiness of Eight Selected Sites in the County as Background for Economic Development Strategic Plan Development
ITEM TYPE: Regular Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Doug Walker, Lee Catlin, Mark Graham, Susan Stimart
PRESENTER (S): Lee Catlin, Susan Stimart, Bowman Consulting
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Douglas C. Walker
BACKGROUND: Early in 2016 the Board of Supervisors approved an approach for formulating the County’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. One element of that approach included conducting a site inventory and community assessment of commercial real estate assets in the designated growth areas, identifying what is vacant and buildable under commercial zoning or Comp Plan designation.
Initial findings from the site inventory were shared with the Board in July of 2016, based on GIS data and staff input from the Economic Development and Community Development Departments. Board members requested further analysis to show what could be available if parcels were assembled for business and industry targets. The team of Bowman Consulting + Froehling Robertson Team, the Bowman Team, was hired in November of 2016 to evaluate selected assemblages in the County’s designated growth areas for site readiness and potential for business and industry.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Economic Prosperity: Foster an environment that stimulates diversified job creation, capital investments, and tax revenues that support community goals
DISCUSSION: The Bowman Team scope of work included meeting with property owners to gather data and assess interest in developing sites for target industry, and gathering data on geotechnical and environmental analysis, County ordinances, planning and zoning entitlements, and utility and transportation infrastructure. This assessment provides detailed information about a given site’s suitability (how much land is buildable) and readiness (time needed for building a new building suitable for the desired industry target).
Representatives from the Bowman Team will be present at the work session to provide an overview on general issues related to site readiness and to walk through specific assessments for each site at a high level. A summary of the report (Attachment A) and a site suitability matrix (Attachment B) are provided.
The intent of this work session is to provide a high-level review of the outcomes of the report as an important step in the development of the County’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. The full report will be provided to the consultant who will be completing the strategic plan along with many other data sources which will inform the goals, strategies and recommended priorities of the draft plan. While no action or specific guidance is being requested at this work session, the Bowman report will be a very important element in helping to shape the plan that will come forward for community review and feedback and ultimately for the Board’s consideration and direction. Even before the County’s Strategic Plan is drafted, any of the assemblage reports prepared by the Bowman Team can be used by the respective property owners in preparing for future development as a private sector initiative.
BUDGET IMPACT: No immediate budget impact is associated with this work session.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
No action or specific guidance is required from this work session, action on material contained in the report will occur as part of the Economic Development Strategic Plan process
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A - Report Summary
Attachment B - Site Suitability Matrix