March 23rd Master Plan Advisory Committee Draft Minutes on Economic Development Element

March 23rd Master Plan Advisory Committee Draft Minutes on Economic Development Element 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SHOULD ENCOMPASS / INVOLVE:

• -  Utilization of interstate transportation systems
  
• -  Enhance local and regional education systems
  o Expand educational offerings
  
• -  Good telecommunications and fiber optic networks
  
• -  Well-planned infrastructure investment(s)
  
• -  A diverse, well-trained workforce
  o To accommodate retail, manufacturing, industrial trades, technological businesses, transportation / logistics, and warehousing uses
  
• -  Enhanced quality of life activities / uses
  

o More arts and entertainment activities, including festivals, concerts / music o Encourage and nurture community wellness and healthy lifestyles with
expanded recreational opportunities, access to locally-made goods, etc.
o Increased diversity for housing choices / options
o Opportunities and activities for people of all ages, including families and seniors

• -  Expansion and retention of existing businesses o We should build on what we have first
  
• -  Bringing in new businesses that do not negatively impact existing businesses
  
• -  Utilization and retention of Dearborn County’s working population
  
• -  Cultivating and developing an entrepreneurial spirit
  Suggested Economic Development Definition text, (Salmon Valley Business & Innovation Center):
  Economic development is the development of economic wealth of regions or communities for the well-being of their inhabitants. From a policy perspective, economic development can be defined as efforts that seek to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for a community by creating and/or retaining jobs and supporting or growing incomes and the tax base.
  

KEY ISSUES:
Strengths

• -  High quality of life
  
• -  Accessibility to the community, including access from the Ohio River
  
• -  Road infrastructure / network, which should be further improved and enhanced
  
• -  Good housing stock
  
• -  Very good water supply
  
• -  Recent infrastructure investment by local governments
  
• -  Ivy Tech, as a local secondary education provider
  
• -  Local schools are good overall, in many respects
  
• -  Land is an available resource (for growth to occur)
  
• -  Low crime rates
  
• -  The government is not as bureaucratic, in comparison to bigger, neighboring
  communities / areas
  Weaknesses
  

• -  Lack of predictable, fair decisions by policy-makers
  
• -  Local schools seem to be lacking vocational, internship, and apprenticeship programs
  and advance placement opportunities to prepare students for workforce activities
  
• -  Overall, the labor force of the community does not seem to be trained well-enough to
  meet the local and regional area’s employment needs
  
• -  Need to dedicate more resources to economic development staff, so that there are
  full-time, focused, constant, expanded, and better-coordinated efforts—for new businesses, business retention, and small business growth
  o Need increased, larger-scale marketing efforts
  
• -  Difficult to determine and provide small businesses with the resources they need to
  grow and expand
  
• -  Rail access is limited
  
• -  Access to the Interstate (road) system is very limited
  
• -  Topographical constraints to site development
  
• -  Sewer infrastructure
  
• -  Need better communications infrastructure
  
• -  The community is still perceived as being not ‘business-friendly,’ based on past
  experiences and associated word-of-mouth communication(s)
  
• -  Poor or non-existent image / message associated with our gateway / primary
  entrances into the community, from U.S. 50 and I-275
  
• -  We are not taking advantage of / capitalizing on our environmental assets—our
  natural resources, beautiful scenery, rolling terrain, proximity to the Ohio River, etc.
  

GOAL: A resilient, diverse, sustainable economy.
STRATEGIES

1. 1  Improve the overall quality of life of the Dearborn County community--to attract businesses and residents by promoting and supporting economic advancement, healthy lifestyles, recreation, education, excellent infrastructure and services, and a well-respected environment.
   
2. 2  Need to develop a structure to administer and coordinate all economic development-related efforts, so that community efforts are focused and efficient.
   
3. 3  Need to have a qualified, full-time staff (group) who can develop both long and short-term economic plans and marketing and advertising campaigns.
   
4. 4  Create an economic strategic plan—which can be used in coordination with other community plans to make community-level improvements, such as those involving transportation and sewers, in targeted areas.
   
5. 5  Need to better define our identity and create a consistent (community) brand and message—which will significantly improve and impact our marketing and advertising efforts.
   
6. 6  Need to identify, and support, potential partnership opportunities with other economic development groups (such as the Economic Development Initiative). *As a part of this effort, a Revolving Loan fund should be established.
   
7. 7  Business recruitment efforts should be focused on identified, targeted uses.
   
8. 8  Create a complete community inventory of lands and building sites that are in
   need of redevelopment.
   
9. 9  Study the viability of establishing one or more business incubators.
   
10. 10  Need to engage and attract young employees, graduates, and professionals and get them to become more actively invested and involved in all elements of the community.
    

GOAL: Expanded access to knowledge, education, and training opportunities.
STRATEGIES

1. 1  Form stronger partnerships with local and regional educational institutions to
   focus, and enhance, educational efforts more towards the needs and demands
   of local and regional employers.
   
2. 2  Increase the awareness of educational opportunities and workforce
   development opportunities in the community.
   
3. 3  Improve infrastructure connectivity and access, where possible, to technologies
   and programs that support off-campus and online education services.
   

Economic Development-Related Projects:

•   Business retention and expansion from within the community
  
•   Additional, improved workforce development opportunities
  
•   Road and sewer improvements
  
•   High-speed internet improvements
  
•   Cellular / wireless telecommunications improvements
  Economic Opportunity Areas (to be mapped):
  
  •   West Harrison TIF area
    
  •   St. Leon interchange area, including area outside of TIF
    
  •   I-74 corridor area
    
  •   U.S. 50 corridor, including TIF and redevelopment areas
    (Ex: Frisch’s, El Mariachi)
    
  •   Old AEP sites (along US 50)
    
  •   Greendale, along U.S. 50 and I-275
    
  •   Dillsboro area
    
  •   Downtown areas of Lawrenceburg and Aurora
    
  •   Along the Ohio River (entertainment and recreation opportunities)
    
  •   Oxbow area (outdoor recreation destination / play areas)
    
  •   SR 1 (activity / cluster areas)
    
  •   SR 350 (activity / cluster areas)
    
  •   Perfect North Slopes (outdoor recreation destination / play areas)
    

General Comments:

•   Targeted uses should include: advanced manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, technology, retail (including online retail), tourism (including agri- tourism), river trades, agri-business, unique arts and crafts, higher-end restaurants, etc.
  
•   Long-standing businesses that are unique to the community should be identified and recognized...these are typically family-owned and operated and may provide significant growth opportunities.
  
•   The County’s sense of place needs to be developed and enhanced. This could be encouraged or enhanced in part by promoting community events such as festivals, concerts, farmer’s markets, indoor and outdoor sporting events and recreational opportunities, etc.
  
•   Economic development and growth requires more than just accommodating the community’s current needs—it involves selling locally-produced goods to people and businesses outside of the community for growth and expansion to occur.
  
•   Capital should not be used / expended faster than it is generated.
  
•   Tax incentives should be used to raise the level of prosperity of the community and
  to create jobs, if they are to be used at all.
  
•   The value of new fill and new buildings within the floodplain should be examined to
  determine all associated costs, including those to the environment.
  
•   All costs associated with green field development (with productive agricultural
  lands) should be factored, including loss of farm land and local food sources.
  

Dearborn County Plan Commission
www.dearborncounty.org/planning
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
March 23rd, 2015 Meeting
ATTENDEES: (Underlined members present)
Advisory Committee Members:
Al Abdon, Doug Baer, Joyce Baer, Craig Beckley, Andy Bischoff, Cliff Bischoff, Bill Black, Mike Clark, Archie Crouch, Phil Darling, Jim Deaton, Guinevere Emery, Brett Fehrman, Rick Fields, Pat Hawkins, Jim Helms, Roger Howard, Grant Hughes, Jennifer Hughes, Bruce Keller, Casey Knigga, Eric Kranz, Dennis Kraus (Sr.), Helen Kremer(E), Todd Listerman, Randy Maxwell (E), Jay McMullen, Chris Mueller, Jane Ohlmansiek, Rick & Susan Pope(E), Terri Randall(E), Jim Red Elk, Robert Sauerbrey (E), Kathy Scott, Bill Shelton(E), Jeff Stratman, Christina Swafford, Ralph Thompson, Harley & Jan Ulmansiek, Bill Ullrich(E)
County Commissioners:
Kevin Lynch, Shane McHenry, Art Little
Plan Commission:
Mike Hall, Dennis Kraus, Jr., Art Little, Dan Lansing, Mike Hornbach, Russell Beiersdorfer, Mark Lehmann, Jim Thatcher, Jake Hoog
Planning & Zoning Staff:
Mark McCormack, Vinnie Fazzino, Karen Abbott