county council quarterly update september 09

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1 www.lowcountrynet.o rg Lowcountry Economic Lowcountry Economic Network & Alliance Network & Alliance Quarterly Report to Beaufort County Council Public Safety Committee September 8, 2009

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The Lowcountry Economic Network\'s quarterly report to the Network board and Beaufort County Council

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Page 1: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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www.lowcountrynet.org

Lowcountry Economic Lowcountry Economic Network & AllianceNetwork & Alliance

Quarterly Reportto

Beaufort County CouncilPublic Safety Committee

September 8, 2009

Page 2: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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GoalsGoals

• Brand the Lowcountry as a place to live a high quality of life and to do business

• Increase business prospect traffic by 25%

• Improve regional government policies and processes to create a business friendly environment

Page 3: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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MarketingMarketing

• Recognized branding requires aggressive marketing:– online GIS system to search available product– strategic print and electronic advertising– extended media outreach – blogs, Twitter,

Facebook, etc. – planned Pecha Kucha Night –

www.pknbeaufort.com - October 8

• Strategy is already paying off

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The Network’s annual presentation has been viewed online almost 200 times.

http://www.lowcountrynet.org/annualvideo

Page 11: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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Prospect Traffic Prospect Traffic • The Lowcountry has been discovered!

– DOC identified Lowcountry for 4 potential projects in last 2 months:knowledge-intensive (1 prospect)manufacturing (2 prospects)distribution (1 prospect)

– Actively working 18 serious prospects, plus 3 smaller enquiries

• Welcomed Kazoobie Kazoos to Beaufort!

Page 12: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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Prospect TrafficProspect TrafficRecent DOC RFI Criteria• Local college or university• Available water supply of 18 – 25 million gallons per year• Within 2 hours of a major urban area with commercial

airport• Population between 30,000 – 300,000 individuals• Progressive – culturally, environmentally, politically, culinary• Outdoor centric• Environmentally focused• Quality workforce• Reliable and affordable utilities; progressive utility providers• Availability of potential facility locations

Page 13: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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Potential JobsPotential Jobs• Active enquiries count 1,304 jobs

540

325

165

85

89

100

Green

Healthcare

Headquarters

Knowledge-Intensive

Manufacturing

Production

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Prospect CultivationProspect Cultivation

• Marketing and target industry focus yielding strong prospect interest

• Ongoing efforts include:– site selection conferences– education of real-estate community– ‘behind the gates campaign’

Page 15: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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Product DevelopmentProduct Development

Prospects need available space or acreage:

Beaufort Commerce Park• Excavation and construction of master

stormwater system underway• proposals received to construct outlet

structures to complete gateway ponds• positioning Park for aeronautics target industry

Page 16: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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Product DevelopmentProduct DevelopmentMunicipalities• Identifying infill opportunities in the City, Port Royal,

Bluffton and Hilton Head• Target industries: knowledge-intensive and greenJasper• Adding available product in County and Hardeeville

to GIS• Identifying priority areas for economic development• Jasper Ocean Terminal and logistics industry focus

Page 17: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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Business Friendly Business Friendly EnvironmentEnvironment

• Objective:– assist local and county governments in

the development and improvement of policy which directly affects existing business and business recruitment

Page 18: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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Business Friendly Business Friendly EnvironmentEnvironment

Business Licenses• review of current proposed amendments

to County Ordinance• recommend proposed modifications to

consolidate and simplify local and county BLF processes and classifications

• recommend reduced rate schedule for target industries and caps for very high revenue companies

Page 19: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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Business Friendly Business Friendly EnvironmentEnvironment

Green Incentives• Objective to position region’s environmental

sensitivity and develop incentives to encourage green development, green businesses and green jobs:– density & height bonuses, impervious surface (parking)

reductions– reduced fee/permitting costs– expedited permitting– Green Overlay District– state and local tax credits

Page 20: County Council Quarterly Update September 09

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Business Friendly Business Friendly EnvironmentEnvironment

County Level• Drafted Comprehensive Plan Economic Development chapter

focusing recommendations on target industries and environmentally sensitive, business friendly community

• Participating in Airports Master Plan data gathering

Municipal Level• Provided input for economic development sections of City and

Hilton Head proposed comprehensive plans• Developed proposed set of economic development

recommendations for the Town of Hilton Head Island