Agenda - 04-12-2007-1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Expansion of Broadband and Cell Phone Coverage During March, members of the Infrastructure Work Group met with Jane Patterson, Executive Director of e-NC, whose mission is increasing statewide access to broadband connectivity. Ms. Patterson shared information on broadband availability in Orange County, and agreed to have her GIS staff work with Orange County staff to map access. The group will meet again in May to review the results and discuss next steps. The effort to expand coverage for economic development includes County Information staff, the County Manager's office, and County Planning staff in addition to EDC staff. Reorganization of QualitLr of Place Work Group Under new co-chairs Winkie La Force (Executive Director of Leadership Triangle) and Jon Wilner (Executive Director of the ArtsCenter), twelve potential work group members met on March 29 to discuss collaborative efforts to market the County and its many cultural assets. The group identified others to invite to a second meeting in early May, at which time it will develop objectives and a work plan for 2007-08. The overall goal of the Quality of Place Work Group is to create thriving partnerships ensuring that the county is a great place in which to live and work, attracting and retaining the "creative community" of innovators, artists and civic leaders that will drive the desired economy. Agricultural Services and Other Rural Enterprises A group consisting of Planning, Environment and Resource Conservation, and Economic Development Department staff are meeting weekly to wrap up recommendations for changes to support innovative agricultural enterprises throughout the county. The work will be presented at the May Quarterly Public Hearing. EDC staff is also working with Planning Staff on a proposal for Rural Economic Development Areas and on reexamining regulations governing rural crossroads community nodes. The Rural Economic Development Area concept will be part of the May Quarterly Public Hearing, with an update on the nodes targeted for the Fall Quarterly Public Hearing. Central Permitting and Facilitated Development Interdepartmental predevelopment meetings (including Hillsborough staff as appropriate) continue on a regular basis. Project applicants meet, face-to-face, with all staff who have a project review role, with Economic Development staff present in a ~ non-regulatory, facilitating role. The applicant has an opportunity to learn all of the steps involved in project approval and to ask any clarifying questions of staff. Minutes of the meetings become the road map for the approval process. While time consuming and sometimes difficult to schedule, staff and applicants have expressed great satisfaction with the results. Building Inspections is preparing information on additional staff requirements to formalize the one-stop permitting process. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the report and direct any comments to the EDC Board and the Economic Development Director.