Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Chapel Hill Town Manager Roger Stancil said that they are grateful that Gary Shope <br /> has come to work with Orange County. He said that the County's and Town's focus may be a <br /> little different. He said that the Town has moved into the economic development arena very <br /> thoughtfully and created in 2006 an economic development department and hired Dwight <br /> Bassett as the Director. He said they worked with a committee of their Town Council and <br /> created an economic development strategy and condensed it to one page, as shown: <br /> . . � - - . � <br /> Economic Development Strateqy Statement: <br /> The Town of Chapel Hill will innovatively and proactively diversify local economic opportunities <br /> by retaining and supporting existing jobs, and attracting new, desirable jobs in locations <br /> convenient to transit and housing. Our goal is to build a sustainable economy within the <br /> context of the Town's adopted Comprehensive Plan which places importance on the built and <br /> natural environment, community character, transit orientation, social equity and quality of life. <br /> Goal Statements and Objectives <br /> 1) Grow the non-residential tax base consistent with the principles of the Town's <br /> Comprehensive Plan. <br /> a) Analyze the retail market to identify opportunities and capacity <br /> b) Involve stakeholders in identifying locations and objectives for non-residential <br /> development <br /> c) Continue to seek new opportunities for downtown redevelopment <br /> 2) Develop educational and employment opportunities to expand workforce skills and <br /> reduce commuting. <br /> a) Work with community educational institutions to identify and develop training for job <br /> opportunities. <br /> b) Establish a working group of residents, students and professors to identify strategies <br /> for retaining and attracting the creative class. <br /> c) Work to increase the supply and diversity of new office space. <br /> 3) Focus on locally owned and/or oriented businesses. <br /> a) Work with UNC, the Downtown Partnership and the Chamber of Commerce to identify <br /> and understand barriers for new and existing business development. <br /> b) Develop incentives to assist in small and local business development. <br /> c) Develop stronger pedestrian, bicycle and transit connections between centers of <br /> activity. <br /> 4) Maintain an open and collaborative relationship with the University. <br /> a) Develop an Innovations Team with the University as a think tank for economic <br /> development <br /> 5) Welcome green and ecologically sound businesses and developments. <br />