Agenda - 10-07-2008- 7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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+SS' . ~ ` 14 2 ~' CHAPEL HILL CARRBORO Chamber o f CommeYCe May 19, 2008 Good evening Commissioners and Planning Board Members, 104 south estes drive p.o. box 2897 chapel hill, nc 27515-2897 919.967.7075 919.968.6874 fax www.carolinachamber.org My name is Adam Klein, I am the Director of Government Relations and Economic Development at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce and member of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan Coalition. I am here to offer a few brief remarks on the second draft of the Comprehensive Plan, ' specifically the economic development section. In. my professional opinion and the opinion of our Coalition members, the economic development section is missing a major strategy namely working with UNC-Chapel Hill to retain many of the businesses created at the University. UNC in many ways is our business incubator.ln the words of Chancellor-elect Holden Thorp, UNC's challenges in the coming years will be to "Cure diseases...fmd and invent clean energy... feed seven billion people" to mine a few. As UNC strives to tackle these issues, researchers are generating cutting edge products and devices that are spinning off into new businesses. These businesses are based on innovation, pay good wages and have little environnoental impact in a nutshell businesses we want in Orange County. Yet, out of 29 UNC businesses spawned since the year 2000, only 3 are located here. The majority go to RTP because they can find readily available office and lab space and a welcoming business environment. We can do much better than this and it can start with our Comprehensive Plan. I ask that you consider including a new objective of "working closely with UNC's Office of Technology Development to identify commercial space needs of businesses created by UNC research, promote development of such space within the. County, and actively encourage UNC businesses to stay in Orange County after leaving the University: 'This should be one of our primary strategies for economic development. Lastly, in order for the County's commercial tax base to expand and for more businesses to locate in Orange County, it is paramount that water and sewer be extended to all of the Economic Development Districts. In the current Comprehensive Plan draft, extending water and sewer to these districts is listed as a Long-term goal. The Coalition strongly urges that this objective be reprioritized as a short-term goal as so much of the other objectives within the Economic Development element hinge on having the necessary infrastructure in place to allow commercial and light industrial development. Please.. consider these changes as you review and edit the Comprehensive Plan. I thank you for your time and for the opportunity to give comment on this important document. Adam M. Klein Director of Government Relations and Economic Development Tt's smart business.