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businesses, need to improve the infrastructure for them. <br />• Existing businesses also need physical infrastructure: office space, wet -lab <br />space. Improving infrastructure will help us retain /support those <br />businesses. <br />• The great shoe -store analogy of 2009: Our county is like a shoe - store. It's <br />not just about attracting the businesses into the county (into the shoe - <br />store), we also have to be able to accommodate them when they get here <br />(we have to have the shoes they want in the right size!) <br />2. Streamline the PERMITTING PROCESS: <br />• Think of how to bring in businesses we do want, rather than using <br />regulations to keep out businesses /industries we don't want. <br />• Use advocates to aid businesses to understand the systems and <br />requirements. <br />3. Adopt TARGETED STRATEGIES: <br />• We need to know what kinds of businesses we want to attract /retain /grow. <br />We need to know what size shoes those businesses need. Then we can <br />shape our efforts strategically around that. Need to focus and be proactive, <br />not just take whatever scraps come along. <br />4. Focus on RETAINING EXISTING BUSINESSES: <br />• Existing businesses are a big resource; let's not throw all our money and <br />time into recruiting new businesses when we have businesses right here <br />already. <br />• Underscore the value Orange County places on home -grown business. <br />• Be responsive to local businesses' needs by tracking needs and providing <br />supportive infrastructure, space, etc. <br />• Partnerships can help us retain and support businesses —need to work with <br />the universities and with other city /county governments. <br />5. Build on the STRENGTHS and ASSETS Orange County already has: <br />• Attitude: the Board is talking about ED in a new way: focusing on what they <br />want rather than what they don't want. <br />• Location — proximity to highways, universities, UNC healthcare system, etc. <br />• Highly educated population <br />• We're already doing "place- making" strategies well: lots of cultural assets <br />• Agriculture <br />• High quality of life here that is attractive to residents and businesses <br />• County has some big parcels of land set aside yet undeveloped <br />• Public education system, universities, community colleges <br />25 <br />