Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 05-27-11 regular — reading text

small -town atmosphere includes eleven traditional neighborhoods, seven of which are located along the shoreline, and each with their own distinct personality and charm. The city boasts nationally top- ranked public and charter schools with a low teacher -to- student ratio. Schools are a part of our neighborhoods, linked by fitness trails, sidewalks and public parks. Our locally -owned and operated businesses enjoy affordability and amenities which embody the city' s commitment to providing a positive business climate in which companies grow. The purpose of the Economic Development Element is to establish a course for strategic economic development until 2020 and beyond. Specifically, this Element provides the foundation for a 5 -year E strategic economic development plan to be implemented by the city' s designated economic development tom agencies, with annual review by the City Council. This Element emphasizes the strengths of the city' s u diversified, global economy; establishes a cluster development strategy to identify, maintain and enhance 2 existing business clusters; and also identifies the market potential for new business clusters to promote entrepreneurship and private investment. To our local businesses, this Element is a statement of our City' s o steadfast commitment to their growth and vitality. To investors and industries caught in a softening o national economy, it' s also a broadcast that while other cities are struggling to stay afloat, ours is a stable, w° diversified economy backed by the United States military, global technology industries, a superior education system, carefully planned growth, and unsurpassed natural beauty. v This Element will establish goals, objectives and policies for growth to encourage a " hard economy" c grounded in professional services, military and medical technology, and not overly service -oriented. c o Realizing that according to the Florida Association of Museums, one dollar invested in cultural assets ' 9 returns seven dollars, and one dollar invested in historic preservation returns ten dollars, through this Element the City will also ensure the availability of prime available lands, infrastructure, and amenities for cultural and educational venues. w Fort Walton Beach will utilize the City' s 2007 CRA Plan Update, the 2010 -2929 Comprehensive w Plan, and Okaloosa County' s 2006 Strategies to Diversify Our Economy, to strengthen and expand our m local economy. This Element outlines projects from public meetings intended to be the cornerstone of an Economic Development Strategic Plan. Such will ensure that our community will remain a favored U investment opportunity in a competitive global marketplace through 2020 and beyond. ca E The planning philosophy outlined in this Element' s introduction provides the framework of community values and attitudes regarding economic development. This section establishes the parameters ° around which future land use and economic development recommendations will be designed. Each Q development decision should ultimately benefit the shared vision for Fort Walton Beach. Presented below are the goals, objectives and policies for our community, organized under eight headings. They are: Industry Growth and Retention, Economic Development Representative/ Agency, Public /Private Partnerships, Sustainability, Creative Arts and Cultural Tourism, Waterfront Development, Military, and Growth Management and Infrastructure. 1. 3 GOAL, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES GOAL: Promote and maintain orderly and diversified economic growth, increased employment, and investment opportunities, while protecting quality of life through environmental sustainability to ensure competitiveness in today' s economy. Element I - 4 Packet Pg. 31  11. t. a FORT WALTON BEACH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OBJECTIVE 1. 3. 1 - Industry Growth and Retention The City will identify, maintain, and promote a cluster industry development approach throughout the city to strengthen existing businesses and interrelationships, and also to create a framework for targeting economic development activities. Policy 1: The City strives for a business- friendly atmosphere which enhances economic diversity by eliciting feedback from bus'ines'ses and organizations representing the commercial, industrial, culinary and waterfront industries. Email cortespondence, personal contact and surveys are among the methods to be utilized. Policy 2: Recognizing that entrepreneurship activity is vital to economic growth, the city will develop a pilot entrepreneur quick -start program by November 2011. The program will act as a one- stop resource to streamline licensing and permitting, and also provide market analysis c for site location. 0Ea w Policy 3: By 2011, the City will investigate opportunities to ensure its Commerce and Technology Park is a premier location for industry, including the creation of a Business o Improvement District by affected business and property owners. 2E Policy 4: A beautification plan for the commerce and technology park will be developed by 0a November 2010. In addition, the Beautification Committee will explore grants and private to sponsorship opportunities to screen unattractive uses such as barbed wire, inoperable vehicles, and trash receptacles on highly visible corridors. m Policy 5: By 2013, the City will conduct a land use study of Industrial Park designated lands vc along Hollywood Boulevard to determine the best course for economic development of that c_ v corridor. O OBJECTIVE 1. 3. 2 - Entrepreneurship Education Programs fostered by local organizations and institutions to teach entrepreneurship skills to interested students and residents will be an integral part of the City' s economic diversity strategy. m 0 w Policy 1: The City encourages diversified economic growth within Historic Downtown by encouraging opportunities for small business start -ups such as culinary studios, seafood and farmers markets, a vendor pushcart program, and encouraging the development of a working t? waterfront. c0 Policy 2: The City encourages the full utilization by businesses and industries of the c economic development enhancement programs implemented by the Legislature for the purpose of the development and expansion of permanent job opportunities, especially for the Q economically disadvantaged, brownfield designations, tax incentives, community development corporations, and other programs designed to enhance economic and employment opportunities. Policy 3: The City will amend its Land Development Code by 2011 to allow development or redevelopment which is listed on the Targeted Industries List and which also generates a minimum of 15 additional jobs or strengthens existing industries by means of transportation, or labor, or education, or expanded market or materials, to request a waiver of impact fees, or request subsidies, or other incentives by City Council. Element I - 5 Packet Pg. 32  11. 1. a FORT WALTON BEACH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OBJECTIVE 1. 3. 3 - Economic Development Representative/Agencies The City of Fort Walton Beach will designate an Economic Development Representative/ Agency. The representative will serve as the lead agency for implementing this Element and the coordination of City economic development activities and initiatives. Policy 1: The City will develop and annually update the five -year economic development strategic plan to attract appropriate business and industry. The plan will be coordinated with the Land Development Code and the Comprehensive Plan. Policy 2: The City will continue to maintain the following with the resources available: An updated inventory of targeted infill development sites 2. A record of available electricity, water, sewer, and natural gas capacity and its per unit cost. E 3. An inventory of Fort Walton Beach labor force characteristics. w 4. Demographic and statistical Fort Walton Beach data to distribute promotional ' w information. oV Policy 3: The designated economic development representative will be responsible for coordination of visits by prospective business and industry representatives' and serve as the c