In these economic times, doesn’t this plan seem kind of underwhelming? Where is the creativity and responding to immediate concerns. This is just more of the same from several years ago. How many jobs will this create? How much will it increase the property tax base? What are the real measurements for this work? I’m not inspired. The new council will be voting on this tomorrow.
The full plan is here. This is a summary.
RECOMMENDATION # 1 – CUSTOMER SERVICE
Zoning Code Modernization
Deliverables: Although not housed within the Economic Development Division, the Zoning Code re-write will have a significant impact on business development within the City. This was a priority outlined within the 3-5 Year Strategic Economic Development Implementation Plan. The deliverable for the Economic Development Division will be review and suggestions regarding Zoning Code text and mapping decisions that will likely be made in 2011.
Development Review Process Implementation
Deliverables: The Economic Development Committee will forward to the Madison Common Council Development Review Process recommendations in December 2010. EDD staff will assist with the implementation of these recommendations in 2011.
Road Construction Information/Assistance
Deliverables: As with 2010, Office of Business Resources staff will provide City Engineering with mailing lists of businesses impacted by road construction projects. OBR staff will attend regularly held business meetings for major projects and interface with impacted businesses as appropriate. Toward the later part of 2011, OBR staff will work with City Engineering on planning and notification of major 2012 projects.
RECOMMENDATION # 2 – QUALITY JOB CREATION/RETENTION/EXPANSION
As outlined in the accepted 3-5 Year Strategic Economic Development Implementation Plan, EDD staff will encourage and support the creation, retention, and expansion of quality jobs while implementing the components of Recommendation #2. Quality jobs are defined as those that pay at least a living wage, have competitive benefits, and have promotional and personal growth opportunities.
Business Requests/Prospects
Deliverables: Staff will continue to respond to inquiries as they are received. Staff will develop a process for tracking and reporting on the work completed through these efforts to the Common Council.
Small Business Assistance
Deliverables: A Small Business Development Specialist (“Specialist”) position will be added to the Office of Business Resources staff in the 1st or 2nd Quarters of 2011. The Specialist will respond to inquiries received from existing and prospective small business owners, and will work with these individuals to connect his or her needs with appropriate City Departments; as well as, public and private resources throughout the community. The Specialist will enhance the work of City staff with neighborhood business districts, including those impacted by road construction. The Specialist will further explore the concept of economic gardening, and how it can be applied to the City of Madison. Finally, the Specialist will prepare a process for tracking and reporting to the Common Council on the number and nature of small businesses receiving support from City staff.
Economic Development Impacts of Projects/Policies
Deliverables: Director will work with the Mayor’s Office, Council leadership, and EDC Chair on identifying if and when EDC input on projects and policies is warranted, and follow-up accordingly.
RECOMMENDATION # 3 – PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
City Real Estate Transactions
Deliverables: Real estate transactions (purchase agreements, leases, easement agreements, etc.).
Development Projects
Economic Development Division staff will work on the following development projects in 2011:
Allied Drive (Office of Real Estate Services, Office of Economic Revitalization)
BioAg Gateway marketing, Advisory Board, and Owners Association (Director, Office of Business Resources)
BioLink (Director, Office of Business Resources)
Burr Oaks (Office of Real Estate Services, Office of Economic Revitalization)
Capitol East District marketing and repositioning (Director, Office of Business Resources)
Center for Industry and Commerce and Interstate Commerce Park (Office of Real Estate Services)
Central Library (Office of Real Estate Services)
Central Park (Office of Real Estate Services)
Don Miller Holdings Remediation/Repositioning (Director, Office of Real Estate Services, Office of Business Resources)
Edgewater Hotel (Director, Office of Real Estate Services)
Garver Feed Mill (Office of Real Estate Services)
Lake Point (Office of Real Estate Services, Office of Economic Revitalization)
Madison Sustainability Commerce Center (Director, Office of Business Resources)
Public Market Square (Director, Office of Real Estate Services, Office of Business Resources)
– Madison Public Market
– High Speed Rail Station
– Government East Parking
– Potential Hotel
– Potential relocation of Madison Municipal Building functions
Royster Clark (Director, Office of Real Estate Services)
Truax (Office of Real Estate Services, Office of Economic Revitalization)
Truman Olson (Office of Business Resources, Office of Real Estate Services, Office of Economic Revitalization)
Union Corners (Director, Office of Real Estate Services)
The Village on Park (Office of Real Estate Services, Office of Economic Revitalization)
Street Vending and Sidewalk Café Program
Deliverables: Management of programs.
RECOMMENDATION # 4 – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLKIT
Brownfield Remediation (BREWD)
Deliverables: Promotion of the program, accepting and processing of applications, and reporting as necessary to the State Department of Commerce.
Capital Revolving Fund
Deliverables: Underwriting of new projects and maintenance of existing loans.
Façade Improvement Grants
Deliverables: Underwriting and maintenance of grants.
Home Ownership and Rehabilitation Programs
Deliverables: Underwriting and maintenance of programs.
Bond Financing
Deliverables: Work with the CDA to issue tax-exempt revenue and redevelopment bonds for new projects.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Deliverables: Underwriting of new TIF projects, maintenance of existing TIF districts and loans, and creation of new TIF districts. In addition, the City TIF policy will be revisited with regard to options for supporting business development in the absence of an identifiable financial gap. Also, in the context of the economic development emphasis of the TIF Policy, staff will continue to review opportunities where the use of TIF could leverage additional private investment.
Zoom Prospector Commercial Real Estate Database
Deliverables: Office of Business Resources staff has played a lead role in collaboration with WEDA on the implementation of this new economic development tool in 2010, and will continue in this role in 2011.
Thrive’s Business Link Program
Deliverables: Office of Business Resources staff has played a lead role in collaboration with Thrive on the implementation of this new software in 2010. During 2011, Office of Business Resources staff will interview and gather information from the City’s top-20 private-sector employers to begin populating the software program. Interviews of businesses found in other industry clusters will likely follow.
Economic Dashboard
Deliverables: Periodic updates to the Economic Dashboard.
Continued Partnership with the CDA for Economic Development Projects
Deliverables: Dependant upon specific projects.
RECOMMENDATION # 5 – PUBLIC/PRIVATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Promotion of Business Resources and Vision
Deliverables: Continued promotion.
Further utilization and partnership with allied business and economic development organizations
Deliverables: Continued partnership building.
Communication/Collaboration/Attitude
Deliverables: Continued partnership building.
ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL PROJECTS/PROGRAMS RECEIVING SUPPORT
Under current staffing levels, the Economic Development Division is unable to devote significant attention to these projects next year. These are; however, very important projects/efforts that deserve further attention by the Economic Development Division. The allocation of additional staff to the Division would make one or more of these projects possible.
Monitoring/Benchmarking Customer Service
As outlined in the 3-5 Year Strategic Economic Development Implementation Plan, this recommendation calls for a formalized approach to gather and measure customer feedback (such as through a Baldrige or similar process). Additional financial resources would be needed to retain a consultant, purchase software, etc. for this effort.
Proactive retention/expansion
As outlined in the 3-5 Year Strategic Economic Development Implementation Plan, this project would include interviewing existing Madison companies, likely working with other economic development partners, to learn more about their future retention/expansion needs. This would likely be an expansion of Thrive’s Business Link Program to include more companies than currently envisioned.
Product Beta-testing in Appropriate Clusters (such as “Green Industries”)
Businesses often require beta-testing of new products with potential customers. Madison is already recognized as a “green community,” taking a lead in new efforts for sustainability. There may be opportunities to reach-out to companies in the growing “green” business cluster to complete their beta-testing here. Especially in cases where firms are not already familiar with Madison, this could be an effective way to introduce them to Madison, with the goal of accommodating their future expansions here.
“Green” Workforce and Business “Homesteading”
Given its central location, available transit, mixed-use neighborhoods, etc. living or locating a business within the City of Madison provides individuals with a greater opportunity to live or run their businesses in a more sustainable manner than most other locations within the region. As a way to retain/attract a quality workforce within the community and employers who consciously wish to be more “green,” promoting the concept of “green” workforce and business “homesteading” could be further explored.
“Madison” Branding Campaign
Develop a campaign for branding Madison as a preferred/competitive location for business.
Promotion of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)
In partnership with neighborhood business districts, promote the use of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) to enhance and capture opportunities within those corridors.
Community Tours
Meet/tour other Wisconsin/Midwest communities to learn more about their economic development approaches in an effort to gain additional ideas for Madison. This could also include tours of businesses within Madison.
City Partnerships
Similar to the “Sister Cities” concept, develop relationships with U.S. cities in other regions of the Country for the purpose of generating leads of businesses looking for Midwest locations.
