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TREASURE COAST

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DISTRICT

Comprehensive Economic

Development Strategy

2012 - 2017

August 13, 2012

This document was prepared under a financial assistance award (04-83-06494)

from the U.S. Economic Development Administration

Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council

421 SW Camden Avenue

Stuart, Florida 34994

(772) 221-4060

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.tcrpc.org

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.tcrpc.org/

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy 2012 -2017 – Draft 08-13-2012


2

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………….

3

Preface ………………………………………………………………………………

4

Executive Summary………………………………………………………………….

5

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………….

10

STRATEGY REPORT A. Background

Part I: Economic Profile …………………………………………………………..

a. Overview

b. Demographic Trends

c. Employment, Income and Wage Trends

d. Industry Trends

13

Part II: Sustainability……………………………………………………………….

a. Overview

b. Quality of Place and Economic Development

c. Infrastructure

d. Climate Change and Energy

e. Environment

33

Part III: Cluster Industry Profile…………………………………………………..

a. Overview

b. Cluster Identification and Analysis

48

Part IV: Measuring Regional Innovation…………………………………………..

55

Part V: Regional SWOT Analysis………………………………………………….

62

B. CEDS Goals and Objectives…………………………………………………….

63

C. Community and Private Sector Participation………………………………….

65

D. Strategic Projects, Programs, and Activities…………………………………..

66

E. Action Plan ……………………………………………………………………… 70

TECHNICAL APPENDIX

A. Detailed Cluster Analysis……………………………………………………….

72

B. Performance Measures …………………………………………………………

83

C. Past, Present and Projected Future Economic Development Investments…..

84

D. Integrating the CEDS with State and Regional Economic Development

Priorities……………………………………………………………………………..

84

E. Map Series………………………………………………………………………..

85

F. Other (TBD)……………………………………………………………………… 90

G. Bibliography……………………………………………………………………...



3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council would like to thank the members of the Comprehensive

Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Committee for their input during the preparation of this

document.

A special thanks also to _________________ for their support during the preparation of this document.

Further information on this economic development plan may be obtained by contacting Mr. Greg Vaday,

Economic Development Coordinator, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council at (772) 221-4060 or

email [email protected].

Contributing Committee Members

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Members Sherry Howard

Gary Hines

Tony Brown

Seabron Smith

Paul Skyers

Steve Craig

Alternates Doug Saenz

Carol Thompson

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY

Members Mark Mathes

Rich Stringer

Helene Caseltine

Randy Riley

Glenn Heran

MARTIN COUNTY

Members Tammy Simoneau

Anthony Parkinson

Tim Dougher

Pauline Becker

Linda Hake

Alternates Debbie Lewandowski

Ed Maxwell

Tobin Overdorf

Kathie Smith

Melissa Corbett

ST. LUCIE COUNTY

Members Derrik Moore

Teri Pinney

Michael Corbit

Harold Smyth

Nate Bray

Alternates Howard Fein

Larry Pelton

mailto:[email protected]



4

PREFACE

THE TREASURE COAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL, in partnership with its

local governments, businesses, nonprofit and community leadership, has developed this

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to help the Region achieve long-term

economic sustainability and regional competitiveness.

This CEDS was developed in cooperation with a standing committee comprised of organizations,

business leaders and individuals from throughout the Treasure Coast Region committed to

helping develop a sustainable regional economy. The year-long CEDS strategy development

process began with an in-depth economic analysis of the Region. This was followed by several

months of meetings to identify the salient strengths and weaknesses in the Region’s economy

and opportunities and threats that needed to be addressed to move forward. The net result of this

planning process was not only the preparation of this regional economic development strategy,

but the creation of an important regional collaborative mechanism to engage the Region’s

leadership.

The partners that have helped to create this strategy document recognize the Region’s long-term

sustainability and quality of life are tied into the larger global economy and the Region’s

economy must be focused on expanding economic diversity and enhancing innovation. This

became evident as the community’s leadership recognized how the Region’s most dynamic

industrial sectors – agriculture, tourism, construction, emerging life science, and research and

development clusters are affected not only by local economic conditions but national and

international economic trends as well. The deleveraging effects of the Great Recession have

significantly dampened per capita income, small business lending and labor mobility to the

detriment of the Region’s economic growth prospects. Simply put, the Region needs to lay the

foundations for a regionally competitive economy that produces the high demand goods and

services the world wants.



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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Treasure Coast Region is well known for its beautiful Atlantic beaches and its high quality

of life. From Boca Raton in the south, the Region stretches 100 miles north to the Sebastian

Inlet, and from the Atlantic Ocean west to Lake Okeechobee. While recognized for its upscale

communities along the ocean, the Region’s population is primarily located in historic mainland

cities such as Boca Raton, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Stuart, Fort Pierce,

and Vero Beach, and in rapidly growing “suburban” communities such as Port St. Lucie, Jupiter,

Palm Beach Gardens, and Sebastian.

Although the Region houses a permanent population of 1.9 million and devotes over one million

acres to agricultural uses, it also contains a significant number of important natural resources.

Examples include the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Okeechobee, Loxahatchee

National Wild and Scenic River, the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area, Indian River

Lagoon, Lake Worth Lagoon, St. Lucie River, Savannas (the largest remaining coastal

freshwater wetland on the Atlantic Coast) and St. John’s Marsh.

Robust population growth in the 1990s and the mid 2000s was the primary engine of regional

economic growth. During the period of 1990 to 2006, the Region’s average annual rate of

population growth was 2.5 percent, outpacing statewide growth of about 2.1 percent and

significantly outpacing national growth of about 1.1 percent. Equally important was the pace of

employment growth which mirrored the rate of population growth, averaging 2.5 percent per

year. The Region’s engine fueled heavily by tourism, agriculture, and the development of new

communities to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding population coupled with increasing

consumer demand for goods and services seemed a trend that would continue apace for quite

some time.

During this period of rapid population and employment growth, the Region’s leadership took

important steps to define and enhance emerging industry clusters such as aerospace/engineering,

aquaculture and marine-related industries. Significantly, in November 2003, then Governor Jeb

Bush signed into law a historic piece of legislation that laid the framework for the Scripps

Research Institute to expand its world-renowned scientific research and endeavors into Florida.

Scripps Florida, which began operations in Jupiter in 2005, became an important milestone on

the road to putting Florida and the Treasure Coast Region at the forefront of biomedical research

and development. Since the advent of Scripps, life science research institutes such as Torrey

Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, Max Planck Florida Institute and the Vaccine and Gene

Therapy Institute of Florida have significantly influenced and lead the growth and development

of the life sciences cluster in the Treasure Coast Region.

When TCRPC released its Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy 2007-2012

population and employment growth rates were expected to trend moderately lower than the high-

growth rate period of the previous ten years, landing somewhere around 2.0 percent. That CEDS

noted …. “This level of population growth should translate into healthy growth in the Region’s

local cluster industries such as retail trade, professional and business services and education and

health services…”



6

By the time the national recession officially began in December 2007, the relative strength of the

Region’s economy began to show softness as reflected by increases in the year over year

unemployment rate in all four of the Region’s counties and a decline for the first time since the

year 2000 in the median sales price for existing single family homes. By 2010, the Region’s

unemployment rate stood at 12.2% with St. Lucie and Indian River Counties experiencing the

highest rates of unemployment at 14.1% and 14.0% respectively.

Against the backdrop of the Great Recession and looking ahead over the next five years (2012 to

2017), this CEDS Plan attempts to gauge the existing health of the Region’s economy and its

future outlook. The analysis of data presented in the plan, along with findings from in-depth

discussions about Regional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats reveals a Region

with a unique set of attributes – its industries, cities and towns and related quality of life/place,

climate, geography, talent, diversity and resources (both financial and intellectual); its growth

prospects and its innovative capacity.

All of these attributes can be effectively harnessed to put the Region on the path to economic

sustainability provided the Region’s collective leadership makes strategic investments and policy

decisions to shore up the Region’s economic base, its educational foundations, its multi-faceted

infrastructure network and most importantly, its skill base to take advantage of new and

emerging economic opportunities nationally and abroad. In terms of the growth prospect

attribute, average annual population growth rates over the coming decade (2010 to 2020) are

projected to decrease to 1.1 from a high of 1.9 percent over the previous decade (2000 to 2010).

Ethnically, the Region’s population is expected to become increasingly diverse with Hispanics

making up almost 22 percent of the population by 2030 from about 17.5 percent in 2010. The

Region’s employment growth is expected to outpace the level for the state and the nation.

However, this strong employment growth will be tempered by growth in lower wage sectors of

the economy. Currently, almost 45 percent of the Region’s employment base earns wages that

are lower than the Region’s average annual wage of $43,237. In 2007, approximately one third

of all jobs in the Region paid wages lower than the annual average wage.

The CEDS examines the Region’s physical attributes or infrastructure attributes and suggests it

is critically important for the Region to develop, expand and maintain its multi-modal

transportation systems and telecommunications infrastructure to support its economy and allow it

to link directly to global markets and opportunities. The Region’s two deepwater ports, its

twelve airports (1 commercial, 11 general aviation), its freight and passenger rail system and its

roadway transportation networks all need to become more closely integrated to serve the needs

of growing a diverse economy and to deliver the goods and services produced by the Region’s

economy to a broader world market.

From a cluster industry perspective, the Region exhibits relative specialization in three industry

clusters – Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Visitor Industries (a foundational cluster in many

ways), Life Sciences and Business and Financial Services. Continued strong growth is projected

for the former two clusters. They are classified as “Star” clusters with Business and Financial

Services projected to transition to a “Mature” cluster. As previously mentioned, the Region also

has a number of emerging industry clusters including aerospace/engineering (incorporated in the Defense

& Security cluster); marine-related industries (incorporated in the Transportation Equipment

Manufacturing subcluster) and aquaculture (incorporated in the Agribusiness, Food Processing and

Technology cluster).



7

In terms of innovative capacity, this plan introduces a new web-based tool for comparing a

region’s innovation performance with that of the United States, a state or other regions. The

Innovation Index comprises two broad categories: inputs to innovation, which measure

innovation capacity, and outputs of innovation, which measure the results. The key for any

region’s economy is to translate its inputs – human capital and venture capital, for example, into

productive outcomes. The Treasure Coast Region scores ahead of the State of Florida with an

Innovation Index of 90.4 versus 86.5 but falls behind the nation by 10 percent and the State of

California by about 13 percent. It appears the Region’s lower levels of productivity affects its

overall innovation index score.

The Treasure Coast Region faces important challenges. As it slowly emerges from the negative

effects of the economic downturn and national recession – it needs to turn into a dynamic

economy. The current economy, long focused on tourism, agriculture and construction, must

now respond to the global challenge and compete in an increasingly interconnected world. The

current depression in the residential construction and tourism sectors, however temporary it may

be, highlights the importance of developing a dynamic economy to promote Regional economic

sustainability. If the Region’s leaders are truly concerned about economic sustainability and

facilitating the required transformation of the Region’s economy into one that is entrepreneurial

and innovative, that is dynamic– then regional collaboration and commitment is essential.

The Treasure Coast Region has taken important initial steps to develop an innovative economy,

but much more needs to be done. The key to the transformation is to focus on entrepreneurship

and innovation as the engine of regional competitiveness. The Region needs to re-energize its

educational foundations to ensure the future workforce can compete in a networked world and

find meaningful career opportunities and pathways. The Region’s leadership must focus not only

on smart growth, but should adopt a new paradigm of regional competitiveness. Finally, the

Region needs to form strong and sustainable networks to speed the process of innovation.

Without these actions the Region’s future is uncertain.

The TCRPC Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy 2012-2017 Plan serves as a

framework of ideas and a broad-based program of action to promote the long-term economic

sustainability of the Treasure Coast Region. It presents a comprehensive overview of our

Region’s economy illustrating significant trends in employment, wages, income and industry.

The plan examines the Region’s existing and emerging cluster industries, its economic assets and

the internal and external forces affecting its economy.

The CEDS suggests a comprehensive regional economic development strategy that is founded

upon the following vision for the Region:

The Treasure Coast Region:

Is comprised of vibrant communities with a true quality of place;

Is one of North America’s most dynamic economic regions;

Rewards innovation by starting, growing and attracting entrepreneurial firms;

Is Florida’s leading center for scientific research and development;

Provides economic opportunities to its residents;

Values its open spaces and unique natural environments; and

Has communities that are diverse, safe and prosperous.



8

Implementing the vision for the Region rests upon three sets of strategic priorities:

1. Framework

SIX PILLARS of FLORIDA’S

FUTURE ECONOMY:

The Six Pillars program is designed to be a framework

serving as “an organizing force for strategic planning at

local, regional and state levels” to bring together

“fragmented viewpoints into a common and consistent

conversation.” The Six Pillars are:

Talent Supply and Education

Innovation and Economic Development

Infrastructure and Growth Leadership

Business Climate and Competitiveness

Civic and Governance Systems

Quality of Life and Quality Places

2. Cluster Industry Focus

To make the Region economically

competitive the collective leadership

needs to focus on the Region’s economic

drivers – its clusters.

An advanced economic development

framework that focuses on innovation

and high-quality job creation is cluster-

based economic development. In his

book, The Competitive Advantage of

Nations, Dr. Michael Porter, a noted Harvard economist, concludes that a nation’s most

successful industries are those that consist of related groups of firms rather than single,

isolated companies. Nations (and Regions within nations) succeed not in isolated industries,

but in clusters of industries connected through vertical and horizontal relationships. A nation’s

economy contains a mix of clusters, whose makeup and sources of competitive advantage (or

disadvantage) reflect the state of the economy’s development.

The National Governors Association publication, Cluster-Based Strategies for Growing State

Economies, describes the increasing importance of cluster strategies to help accelerate

regional competitiveness.



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3. A Regional Jobs Agenda

Sustainable economic growth and prosperity for the Treasure Coast Region requires the

development and implementation of nothing less than a regional jobs agenda. Such a regional

jobs agenda is not simply a return to pre-recession levels of employment because of

improving economic conditions but a completely new priority to establish a regional jobs

agenda by the collective leadership of the Region. McKinsey Global Institute, in its report,

An Economy That Works: Job Creation and America’s Future suggests that “…while a robust

economic recovery provides a foundation for job growth, a cyclical rebound in GDP growth

alone is unlikely to put enough Americans back to work. Job creation must become a national

priority, not a by-product of other policy decisions…failure to reverse the anemic job growth

of the past decade and to accelerate job creation in the years to come will have serious

consequences for the future of the economy and the American people. For the United States

to remain a high-income, globally competitive nation, it will need to set the conditions for

demand-driven growth and job creation.” The report suggests progress on four dimensions is

needed:

Skill: Ensuring that Americans acquire the skills that match employer needs.

Share: Helping American workers win “market share” in an expanded global

economy.

Spark: Encouraging innovation, new company creation, and the scaling up of

new industries in the United States.

Speed: Removing impediments to investment and job creation.



10

INTRODUCTION

The CEDS is designed to guide the economic growth of the Treasure Coast Region. It is the

result of an ongoing, participatory planning process that addresses the economic problems and

potential of the Region. The strategy reflects local economic development needs and priorities

and recommends a regional approach to achieving sustainable economic development.

Ultimately, the CEDS planning process helps create livable wage jobs, fosters the growth of a

competitive regional economy, and secures the Region’s long-term sustainability.

A CEDS is required to qualify for U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)

assistance under its public works, economic adjustment, and most planning programs, and is a

prerequisite for designation by EDA as an Economic Development District (EDD). In December

of 1998, Council prepared its first CEDS in order to obtain designation as an EDD. In 2000, the

TCRPC produced its second planning strategy – “Treasure Coast 2010.” In 2004, Council

published “Go Treasure Coast 2004-2014.” In 2007, TCRPC released Comprehensive Economic

Development Strategy 2007-2012. This document is the fifth version of the CEDS plan and

importantly is developed in cooperation and collaboration with economic development planning

efforts going on simultaneously statewide with other regional planning councils, the State of

Florida, the workforce development boards, and other statewide economic development

stakeholders.

This CEDS planning effort is aligned with and is being conducted in concert with statewide and

regional economic development planning efforts as follows:

Florida’s 2012-2017 Statewide Strategic Plan for Economic

Development

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO)

Division of Strategic Business Development, as outlined in

Florida Statutes, 20.60, is required to create a five year

statewide strategic plan designed to help guide the future of Florida’s economy. DEO is

developing the strategic plan in close coordination with Enterprise Florida, Workforce Florida,

local governments, local and regional economic development organizations, the business

community, educational institutions as well as other local, state and federal entities. The

framework adopted for the planning effort is the Six Pillars of Florida’s Economy developed by

the Florida Chamber Foundation.

Earlier this year (February and March) DEO held regional forums across the state in conjunction

with all eleven regional planning councils to gather insights related to the creation of Florida’s

2012-2017 Statewide Strategic Plan for Economic Development. The purpose of the forums was

to review and prioritize goals, objectives and strategies for implementation by state government

that would assist Florida’s regions with economic development and job creation. The Treasure

Coast centered regional forum was held on March 5, 2012 in Stuart and had participation from

over 115 people representing local governments, local and regional economic development

organizations, community economic development entities, workforce development boards, the

business community, educational institutions and others attended the event. TCRPC staff

presented participants an overview of the 2012 CEDS Plan at the event.



11

Seven50

Seven50 (“seven counties, 50 years”) is a blueprint for

growing a more prosperous, more desirable Southeast

Florida during the next 50 years and beyond. The plan is

being developed to help ensure socially inclusive

communities, a vibrant and resilient economy, and

stewardship of the fragile ecosystem in what is quickly

becoming one of the world’s most important mega-regions.

Spearheaded by the South Florida and Treasure Coast Regional Planning Councils and the

Southeast Florida Regional Partnership (SFRP), a unique collaboration of more than 200 public,

private, and civic stakeholders, Seven50 is mapping the strategy for the best-possible quality of

life for the more than six million residents of Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach,

Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.

The plan is being devised through a series of public summits, workshops, online outreach and

high-impact studies led by the region’s top thinkers. Seven50 has been made possible by a grant

from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s Sustainable Communities

Initiative.

The Florida Eight

The Florida Eight initiative provides regional

teams with a variety of facilitation services

and resources to build their regional capacity

for economic development, talent

development, job retention and international

business opportunities. Through Workforce

Florida’s investment—and consistent with its

mission to strengthen the state’s business climate through talent development— this initiative

provides research, marketing and other resources to up to eight regional teams as they establish

and implement business development plans.

The Southeast Regional Business Team (covering the

seven county region extending from Monroe to Indian

River counties) has convened stakeholder meetings since

August 2011 to the present to identify the largest “Old

Economy” barriers to regional competitiveness and build a

strategic action plan to remove them. The identified focus

areas are:

Access to Capital

Logistics and Transportation Infrastructure

Licensing and Permitting/Transactions in the

Public Sector

International Diversification



12

STRATEGY REPORT



13

A. BACKGROUND

PART I: ECONOMIC PROFILE

a. Overview

The Region’s economy long-focused on tourism, agriculture and the development of new

communities to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding population is taking important steps to

enhance its economic base along the lines of high-value added cluster industries such as Life

Sciences, Transportation Equipment Manufacturing and Transportation and Logistics. The

recent establishment of the Scripps Research Institute, the Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular

Studies, Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute of Florida, a new teaching hospital at Florida Atlantic

University and other related operations, for example, have given the Region a profound boost in

the growing life sciences arena. These research institutes, should, over time, help to generate

important spin-off businesses and provide good job opportunities for residents. At the same

time, the majority of projected, fastest-growing jobs are in relatively low-paying sectors such as

tourism, administrative support services and construction labor. The Region attracts tens of

thousands of seasonal residents and tourists, primarily during the winter months. While tourism

is a leading income producing sector of the Region’s economy, the health care and social

assistance industry is rapidly growing.

Although employment in agriculture is declining, the Region maintains a primary role in

agricultural production. Palm Beach County ranks first in the state in income from agricultural

sales, and is of national prominence in the production of sugar cane and winter vegetables. St.

Lucie County is the largest grapefruit producing county in the state, and the Region is Florida’s

largest producer of citrus.

In many important ways the Region is experiencing a transition in its industry makeup but also in

its focus on economic sustainability as the main framework for economic development planning.



14

U.S. metropolitan areas are now home to 83 percent of American citizens, driving America’s

economy and service as incubators of innovation and entrepreneurship that can help generate

quality jobs and spur long-term, sustainable, growth. Brookings experts examine the role of

U.S. metro areas in driving the U.S. economy and how best to create a platform for U.S. cities

and metropolitan areas to boost American competitiveness in the global marketplace.



15

b. Demographic Trends

Population

The Treasure Coast Region’s current (2011) population is 1,890,837. This population is

distributed among the Region’s Counties as indicated in Table 1 and Figure 1 below. Palm

Beach County has the largest proportion of the Region’s population at approximately 70 percent.

In 1970, Palm Beach County’s share at the Region’s population was 75 percent. St. Lucie

County is now home to about 15 percent of the Region’s population, up from about 11 percent in

1970.

TABLE 1

2011 POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

7% 8%

70%

15%

Figure 1 2011 Population Distribution

Treasure Coast Region

Indian River

Martin

Palm Beach

St. Lucie

County Population

Indian River 138,694

Martin 146,689

Palm Beach 1,325,758

St. Lucie 279,696

Region 1,890,837 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and University of

Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and TCRPC



16

The Region contains a large number of municipalities (50 in 2010), 38 of which are in Palm

Beach County. Owing to its phenomenal growth over the last forty years, the Region’s largest

city would clearly be Port St. Lucie. Data for the Treasure Coast Region show that the five most

populous incorporated places and their 2010 Census counts are Port St. Lucie, 164,603; West

Palm Beach, 99,919; Boca Raton, 84,392; Boynton Beach, 68,217; and Delray Beach, 60,522.

Port St. Lucie grew by 85.4 percent since the 2000 Census. West Palm Beach grew by 21.7

percent, Boca Raton grew by 12.9 percent, Boynton Beach increased by 13.0 percent, and Delray

Beach grew by 0.8 percent.

Population Growth Trends

The Treasure Coast Region’s population has changed dramatically over the last forty years.

Between 1970 and 2010 the Region’s population increased four-fold, and the Region’s 2010

population stood at almost 1.9 million from just under 500,000 in 1970.

TABLE 2

POPULATION OF THE TREASURE COAST REGION

1970 – 2010

County 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Indian River 35,992 59,896 90,208 112,947 138,028

Martin 28,035 64,014 100,900 126,731 146,318

Palm Beach 348,993 576,812 863,503 1,131,191 1,320,134

St. Lucie 50,836 87,182 150,171 192,695 277,789

Region 463,856 787,904 1,204,782 1,563,564 1,882,269

State 6,791,418 9,746,961 12,938,071 15,982,378 18,801,310

Nation 203,302,031 226,545,805 248,709,873 281,421,906 308,745,538 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010, 2000, 1990, 1980 and 1970 Censuses

The Region’s share of the Florida population has grown steadily over the forty-year period. In

1970, 6.8% of the State’s population resided in the Region compared to 10% in 2010.

TABLE 3

REGION’S SHARE OF STATE POPULATION

Year State Share

1970 6.8%

1980 8.1%

1990 9.3%

2000 9.8%

2010 10.0%



17

The Region experienced its highest growth

in population by percentage (69.8) during

the 1970 to 1980 period. However, the

decade with the greatest actual or absolute

increase in population (416,878) occurred

between 1980 and 1990. Palm Beach

County has experienced the most absolute

growth since 1970 adding 971,141 persons

over the 40 year time period. While the

Region increased at a slower pace in the

subsequent decades, it significantly

outpaced the State’s population growth in

each decade from 1970 to 2010.

Percentage-wise, St. Lucie County has

experienced the most growth since 1970

with a 446 percent increase in population.

TABLE 4

POPULATION GROWTH (percentage)

1970-1980 1980-1990 1990-2000 2000-2010

REGION 69.8 52.9 29.8 20.4

Indian River County 66.4 50.6 25.2 22.2

Martin County 128.3 57.6 25.6 15.5

Palm Beach County 65.3 49.7 31.0 16.7

St. Lucie County 71.5 72.3 28.3 44.2

STATE 43.5 32.7 23.5 17.6 Source: TCRPC

Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the Region continued to increase in population, although at

a slower pace than in the previous ten year period (1990 to 2000). Each of the Counties

experienced a population increase of between 15 and 44 percent. The Region as a whole

increased by 20.4%, compared to 17.6% for the entire State.

Trend Analysis: Based on 2020 population

projections, the Region’s population will

continue to increase but at an annual pace of,

1.1%, which is lower than the projected growth

rate for the State, 1.2% as a whole, and

significantly lower than the 1.9% growth rate,

experienced during the previous ten-year (2000

to 2010) period. From a population of just

under 1.9 million in 2010, the estimated

Regional population in 2020 is over 2.0 million,

a projected increase of 11.2%. St. Lucie County

will be the fastest growing County in the Region over this period increasing at an annual average

rate of 2.4%, followed by Indian River County at 2.0%.

Projected

Average Annual Growth Trends

County 2010-2020

Indian River 2.0 percent

Martin 0.8 percent

Palm Beach 0.7 percent

St. Lucie 2.4 percent

Region 1.1 percent

Florida 1.2 percent Source: University of Florida, BEBR, Adapted by

TCRPC

PopulationPopulation The RegionThe Region’’s population has increased s population has increased

almost fouralmost four--fold since 1970fold since 1970

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Year

Population of the Treasure Coast Region

Indian River

Martin

Palm Beach

St. Lucie

Region

Largest % growth – 69.8%

Largest absolute growth – 416,878



18

By 2035, the Treasure Coast Region is expected to reach a population in excess of 2.4 million.

In the same period, the State of Florida will reach a population of 24.9 million.

The vast majority of this projected population

growth will be attributable to an estimated annual

net migration rate of 20,700 persons per year for the

Region.

Trend Analysis: In-migration will likely be a

continuing trend for the Treasure Coast Region for

the foreseeable future, albeit at a lower rate than

previously experienced. Over the next ten years

(2010 to 2020), the Region’s population is expected

to reach 2.1 million, increasing by over 210,000

people. This projected increase will be fueled

predominantly by net domestic migration.

Strategic Finding: At the current rate of population growth, approximately 21,000 persons per

year will need to be accommodated somewhere within the Region. This equates to about 58 new

residents per day. This level of

population growth should translate into

healthy growth in the Region’s local

cluster industries such as retail trade,

professional and business services and

education and health services.

However, infrastructure systems and

resources, particularly water and

transportation systems will be

challenged by residential and economic

growth.

Age Profile: The Region’s population is

older than that of the state or the nation.

In 2010, 22 percent of the Region’s

population was aged 65 and over, compared

to 17 percent of the State’s population and

only 13 percent of the nation’s population.

The Region’s school age population (5 to

17) at 15 percent compares with slightly

over 15 percent for the State and 18 percent

for the nation.

Trend Analysis: The most striking

characteristic of the age distribution of the

Treasure Coast Region’s population is the

increasing proportion of the age cohort referred to as “baby-boomers” (born between 1946 and

PopulationPopulation By 2035, RegionBy 2035, Region’’s population is estimated s population is estimated

to reach 2.4 millionto reach 2.4 million

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2035

Population of the Treasure Coast Region

1970-2035

Population by Age Group, 2010

0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00%

Ages 0 to 4

Ages 5 to 17

Ages 18 to 24

Ages 25 to 44

Ages 45 to 64

Ages 65 and Older

% of Total Population

State

Region

Population by Age Group, 2000 and 2010

0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00%

Ages 0 to 4

Ages 5 to 17

Ages 18 to 24

Ages 25 to 44

Ages 45 to 64

Ages 65 and Older

% of Total Population

2000

2010

Figure 2

Figure 3



19

1964). This age cohort can be further divided into what demographers call “empty nesters”

(aged 45-54) and “pre-elderly” (aged 55-64). From 1990 to 2010, the proportion of persons aged

45-64 grew rapidly in all counties in the Region. The senior population that is 65 years and over,

initially peaking in the year 2000, actually has started to decline as a share of each County’s

overall population in 2010.

The median age of all counties in the Region is projected to continue to increase over the next

twenty years, clearly outpacing the more modest increase in the State’s median age. This aging

of the population reflects a pattern of sustained net migration of elderly persons to the Treasure

Coast Region.

TABLE 5

MEDIAN AGE: CENSUS 2010 AND PROJECTIONS

TREASURE COAST REGION

2010 – 2030

COUNTY 2010 2020 2030

INDIAN RIVER 49.1 53.5 56.0

MARTIN 49.7 55.1 57.3

PALM BEACH 43.5 45.0 46.4

ST. LUCIE 42.4 46.8 49.0

STATE 40.7 42.2 44.0 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and Florida Statistical Abstract

2010

By 2030, Martin and Indian River Counties are projected to have a median age of 57.3 and 56.0,

respectively – twelve years higher than the State’s projected median age.

Strategic Finding: A fixed older population without an increase in the prime working age cohort

will challenge the Region’s drive to change its industrial mix from population-serving industries

such as education and health services and leisure and hospitality to traded cluster industries such

as life sciences, manufacturing and information technology as these industries need talented

young professionals to grow and prosper.

Racial and Ethnic Diversity:

In line with state trends, the

Treasure Coast Region’s racial

and ethnic composition has

become increasingly diverse over

the last decade. From 2000 to

2010, the Non-Hispanic White

share of the Region’s population

decreased from 73.2 percent to

63.1 percent. During this period,

the Region’s Hispanic population

grew from 11.1 percent to 17.5

percent of the total population.

The Region’s Non-Hispanic -20.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

140.0%

160.0%

180.0%

200.0%

Indian River Martin Palm Beach St. Lucie Treasure

Coast

Percentage Change by Race and Hispanic Origin

2000 to 2010

Non-Hispanic White

Non-Hispanic Black

Hispanic (Any Race)

Figure 4



20

Black population has also continued to grow in size since 2000 reaching 15.5 percent in 2010

versus 12.6 percent.

Palm Beach County experienced the largest rise in Hispanic population in absolute terms

growing from 140,675 to 250,823, an increase of 110,148 or 78.3 percent. St. Lucie County

experienced the highest percentage increase in its Hispanic population, just over 102 percent.

Trend Analysis: By 2030, population projections prepared by the Bureau of Economic and

Business Research at the University of Florida suggest that the Hispanic portion of the

population will reach almost 22 percent and the proportion of the Non-Hispanic White

population to fall to 60.1 percent, down from 63.1 percent in 2010. The Non-Hispanic Black

population is also projected to increase over the next twenty year period but only slightly. By

2030, the Non-Hispanic Black population will reach about 15.8 percent of the Region’s

population up from 15.5 percent in 2010.

Strategic Finding: The increasing diversity of the Region’s population, as evidenced by the

actual and projected rise of the Hispanic population from 11 percent in 2000 to just over 17

percent in 2010, and eventual rise to almost 22 percent presents new opportunities and

challenges for the Region’s educational system. Additionally, social and cultural amenities and

opportunities within the Region’s cities will need to reflect this growing diversity. An

increasingly diverse population will also provide fertile ground for new business opportunities.

Educational Attainment: In

2010, approximately 86.5

percent of the Region’s

population 25 years and over

had a high school degree or

higher and 29.1 percent had

earned a bachelor’s degree or

higher. Nationally, 85.6 percent

of the population had a high

school degree or higher and 28.2

percent had earned a bachelor’s

degree or higher. Within the

Region, Palm Beach County had

the highest proportion of its

population earning a bachelor’s

degree or higher at 31.8 percent

and St. Lucie County had the

lowest proportion of its

population with a bachelor’s degree or higher at 16.6 percent.

Strategic Finding: The Treasure Coast Region has a slightly higher proportion of its population

over 25 years of age that earned a bachelor’s degree or higher than the state or the nation. This

should be considered an opportunity to expand upon. However, there are marked differences in

educational attainment within the Region that need to be addressed. The Region needs to do

what it can to recruit a graduate program university with a robust research and development

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%

Indian River

Martin

Palm Beach

St. Lucie

Treasure Coast

US

State

Educational Attainment by % of Population 25

Years and Over, 2010

High School or less High School Graduate

Some College or Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree

Graduate or professional degree

Figure 5



21

capability that is internationally acclaimed and recognized. This will help to attract talented

young professionals to the Treasure Coast Region.



22

c. Employment, Income and Wage Trends

Labor Force and Unemployment: The Region’s annual average labor force and employment

indicators stood at 867,391 and 779,483 respectively for 2011. The 2011 unemployment rate for

the Region was 10.1 percent, compared to 9.7 percent for the State and 8.9 percent for the nation.

Within the Region, Palm Beach County had the lowest unemployment rate at 9.7 percent.

Table 6


Labor Force Summary

2011 Annual Averages

County/Region Civilian Labor

Force

Employment Unemployment

Level

Unemployment

Rate (percent)

Florida 9,197,730 8,304,616 893,114 9.7

Treasure Coast 867,391 779,483 87,908 10.1

Indian River 62,347 55,253 7,094 11.4

Martin 62,926 56,789 6,137 9.8

Palm Beach 618,909 558,880 60,029 9.7

St. Lucie 123,209 108,561 14,648 11.9

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Strategic Finding: The Region’s labor force participation rate of 56.2 percent is lower than that

for the State at 60.4 percent and markedly lower than the nation at 64.1 percent. The perception

of the Treasure Coast Region held by many community leaders inside and outside of the Region

is that its economy is based solely upon dividends, interest and rent income. Marketing the

Region as a valuable location to establish high-paying industries is constrained in part by this

perception of the Region as a tourist and retirement haven. The Region’s leadership needs to

help change the perception of the Region.

Employment Growth: Employment growth

reflects the rate at which

the economy is creating and

filling new jobs. The

Region continued to add

new jobs to its economy

through 2006, but the 2008-

2009 national recession

hampered employment

growth and caused it to turn

negative. Recent data,

however, suggests that

growth may be turning

positive once again.

Employment Growth

2000-2011Year Over Year Percent Change

-6.00%

-4.00%

-2.00%

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

nation state region

Figure 6



23

Why is This Important?

Employment growth is an indicator of expansion in the economy and represents an increase in

the economic opportunities available to the citizens of the region. Employment growth is

generally tracked as a percentage change year over year.

How is the Region Doing?

Between 2000 and 2006, Treasure Coast’s employment growth outpaced that of the state and the

nation (3.0% vs. 2.1% and 0.90%, respectively), but then lagged the U.S. and Florida during

2006-2007. As the national recession took hold in 2008, the Region’s employment growth rate

turned negative and contracted. Employment growth shrank from 2007 to 2010. From 2010 to

2011 employment growth turned positive for the first time experiencing 1.3 percent growth.

The year over year growth was led by advances in Professional and Business Services, Education

and Health Services, Trade, Transportation and Utilities, Leisure and Hospitality and Financial

Activities and other service industries.


Net year over year job growth was just over 4,400.

-3,000 -2,000 -1,000 0 1,000 2,000

Construction

Natural Resources and Mining

Manufacturing

Information

Unclassified

Other Services

Financial Activities

Leisure and Hospitality

Trade, Transportation and Utilities

Education and Health Services

Professional and Business Services

Year Over Year Employment Change by

Industry, 2010-2011

Figure 7



24

Industry Mix

In 2011, the Treasure Coast Region employed almost 642,000 people in the following industries

(see Figure 8) and accounted for approximately 10 percent of the state’s total employment.

Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Labor Market Statistics

Center, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Program (QCEW).

Released March 2011 and TCRPC adaptation.

The Education and Health Services sector accounted for the largest share of the Region’s 2011

non-farm employment followed by the Trade, Transportation and Utilities sector. This marks a

reversal from the previously published CEDS plan in 2007 when Trade, Transportation and

Utilities was the dominant economic industry sector by employment.

At the County level, on a relative basis, there are marked differences in the industry mix. For

example, St. Lucie County has the highest proportion of employees within the Trade,

Transportation and Utilities sector at 24% whereas Palm Beach County has the highest

proportion of employees within the Professional and Business Services sector at 17%. Martin

County has a relatively high proportion of its employment base employed in manufacturing at

5% while Indian River County has the highest proportion of employees in Education and Health

Services at 24% (see Figure 9).

Employment by Industry

2011

Construction

5%

Leisure and Hospitality

13%

Other Services

4%

Financial Activities

7%

Public Administration

6%

Information

2%

Natural Resources and

Mining

1%Unclassif ied

0%

Manufacturing

3%

Education and Health

Services

23%

Trade, Transportation and

Utilities

21%

Professional and Business

Services

15%

Figure 8



25

Figure 9 County Industry Mix

2011

Palm Beach County

Industry Mix, 2011

5%6%

14%

17%

20%

21%2%

4%3%

7%

1%0%

Unclassif ied Information

Natural Resources and Mining Manufacturing

Other Services Construction

Public Administration Financial Activities

Leisure and Hospitality Professional and Business Services

Trade, Transportation and Utilities Education and Health Services

Martin County

Industry Mix, 2011

5% 4%7%

5%

5%

13%12%

23%

23%2%1%0%







St. Lucie County

Industry Mix, 2011

0% 3%

11%10%24%

26%

3%6%

8%

6%

2%1%







Indian River

Industry Mix, 2011

6%

7%

14%10%

21%

24%0%

5%

4%4%3%

2%









26

Table 7

Employment by Wages and Industry

2011

Table 7, above reflects average annual employment by major industry sector for both the region

and the state. Of particular note is the Region’s annual average wage of $43,237 which is higher

than the State’s average wage of $42,176. In fact, for most industry sectors, the Region’s

average annual wage is higher than that for the State.

The industry sectors that pay an average annual wage higher than the Region’s average annual

wage of $43,237 include Education and Health Services, Professional and Business Services,

Manufacturing and Financial Activities. Together, the sectors that pay more than the District

annual average wage represent approximately 55 percent of total jobs.

Trend Analysis: Employment growth in the Treasure Coast Region has generally outpaced

population growth. As population growth tends to slow over the next few years it is expected

employment growth will moderate as well. Nevertheless, the Region’s employment growth rate

should continue to exceed that of the nation and the state.

1 Wages displayed in this table do not include non-wage income (dividends, rents, interest etc.).

Treasure Coast Region State of Florida Industry Number of

Establish-

ments

Total

Employment

Employment

Share

Average

Annual

Wage1

Industry Number of

Establish-

ments

Total

Employment

Employ

ment

Share

Average

Annual

Wage

Natural

Resources and

Mining

655 7,612 1.19% $30,023 Natural

Resources and

Mining

5,291 62,085 0.88% $28,856

Construction 6,418 32,757 5.10% $40,888 Construction 57,562 341,729 4.82% $41,180

Manufacturing 1,671 21,181 3.30% $53,356 Manufacturing 17,872 311,824 4.40% $53,176

Trade,

Transportation

& Utilities

12,633 132,065 20.57% $37,679 Trade,

Transportation

& Utilities

135,962 1,532,857 21.63% $38,644

Information 894 10,992 1.71% $58,885 Information 9,885 135,063 1.91% $63,236

Financial

Activities

7,220 43,469 6.77% $63,943 Financial

Activities

62,809 478,314 6.75% $56,744

Professional

and Business

Services

15,208 97,867 15.24% $53,139 Professional

and Business

Services

132,962 1,053,593 14.86% $50,420

Education and

Health Services

7,393 146,204 22.77% $44,006 Education and

Health Services

62,060 1,529,086 21.57% $43,832

Leisure and

Hospitality

5,021 86,208 13.43% $22,574 Leisure and

Hospitality

50,087 958,688 13.52% $22,328

Other Services 6,773 26,561 4.41% $30,599 Other Services 51,369 233,234 3.29% $30,212

Public

Administration

408 37,045 5.77 $56,427 Public

Administration

5,081 449,516 6.34% $50,980

Unclassified 175 109 0.02% $27,323 Unclassified 2,465 2,361 0.03% $31,916

Total All

Industries

64,469 642,070 100.0% $43,237 Total All

Industries

593,405 7,088,350 100.0% $42,176

Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Labor Market Statistics Center, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Program (QCEW).

Released March 2012 and TCRPC adaptation.



27

Strategic Finding: Almost 45 percent of the Region’s employment base earns wages that are

lower than the Region’s average annual wage of $43,237. This is a marked increase in lower

wage growth since publication of the previous CEDS plan in 2007. In 2007, one third of all jobs

paid wages lower than the annual average wage. Continued growth in low wage industry sectors

and a relative decline of job growth in the Information and Manufacturing industry sectors

suggest the Region needs to continue to focus on advancing the growth of high-wage, high-value

added sectors and reshaping the educational system to produce more engineers, scientists and

other skilled professionals.

Wages and Compensation

In 2010, the average annual wage in the Treasure Coast Region was approximately $43,300.

Average annual wages for the Treasure Coast Region have continued to outpace the average

wage levels for the State (Figure 10). However, average annual pay in the Region has been 6 to

7 percent below national wage levels. There are marked differences in wage levels within the

Region with Palm Beach County experiencing the highest and St. Lucie the lowest average

annual wages.

As illustrated in Figure 10, the Region’s average annual pay is likely to grow modestly and is

affected by the differences in wage levels within the four counties. Moreover, the continued

growth in relatively lower paying industry sectors brings down the Region’s average annual

wage as well. In a web-based report, Florida’s Job Structure, The University of Florida, Bureau

of Economic and Business Research maintains that Florida’s dependence on retirees, growth and

tourism has heavily contributed to its disproportionate share of relatively low skill jobs. Florida

is generally long on low skill jobs and short on high skill jobs.

Generally, Florida is over-represented in most types of service, leisure and hospitality, retail

trade and construction jobs. The State is under-represented in manufacturing and government

jobs which generally pay high wages. Long-term, medium-term and short-term (15 year, 5 year

and 1 year) state trends accentuate this pattern of disproportionate job growth in low wage

industry jobs with a declining share of high wage jobs.



28

Trend Analysis: Interpolating from the trends illustrated in Figure x suggest that wage

differences between the Region’s counties will likely exist for the foreseeable future.

Strategic Finding: The Treasure Coast Region continues to experience lower average wages per

job as compared to the nation. Even as Palm Beach County’s average wage per job tracks that of

the U.S. average wage ($46,751), wages in Martin, Indian River and St. Lucie Counties in 2010

were 82 percent, 75 percent and 73 percent, respectively of the nation’s average annual wage.

Table 8

Treasure Coast Average Weekly Wage

2010

Year Geographic Area

Average Weekly

Wage*

2010 Indian River $677

2010 Martin $740

2010 St. Lucie $655

2010 Palm Beach $881

2010 Region $833

Note: * Average Annual Wage divided by 52 weeks


In terms of average weekly wages, Palm Beach County has the highest wage in the Region at

$881 and St. Lucie County has the lowest average weekly wage at $655.

Poverty

St. Lucie County has the highest incidence of absolute poverty at 13.7 percent and Indian River

County experiences the highest percent of employed workers in poverty than any of the Region’s

counties or the State.

Average Annual Pay

2001 - 2010

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$35,000

$40,000

$45,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Year

Wa

ge

e

Palm Beach Martin St Lucie Indian River

Region Florida Nation

Figure 10



29

Table 9

POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS OF INDIVIDUALS BY SEX BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS

Universe: CIVILIAN POPULATION 16 YEARS AND OVER FOR WHOM POVERTY STATUS IS DETERMINED

Florida Indian

River Martin

Palm

Beach St. Lucie Region

Total:

Income in the past 12 months below poverty level: 1,817,615 12,170 10,786 112,937 25,237 161,130

Employed workers in poverty (Male & Female) 537,435 3,828 3,331 34,438 7,084 48,681

Percent of employed workers in poverty 6.4% 7.0% 5.5% 5.9% 6.4% 6.0%

Poverty rate for total population 16+ 12.4% 10.8% 9.0% 10.8% 11.8% 10.8%

Poverty rate for total population, all ages 13.8% 12.6% 10.4% 12.2% 13.7% 12.3%

NOTE. Data are limited to the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group

quarters.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

While the Region as a whole and its four counties have absolute poverty rates lower than the

state, there are communities experiencing significantly high levels of poverty. For example, the

Glades Region in the western portion of Palm Beach County, encompassing the cities of Belle

Glade, Pahokee and South Bay and the surrounding unincorporated areas stands out. The Glades

area is mostly rural with a total population of nearly 28,000. Poverty and long-term

unemployment are significant challenges in the region. This region has a staggering poverty rate

of approximately 33.3%. At the northern extent of the Region is the City of Fellsmere which has

a poverty rate of 26.6%. Within the Region’s urbanized corridor the City of Riviera Beach has a

poverty rate of 24.6%.

Strategic Finding: The incidence of poverty among employed workers in the Region is lower

than that for the state as a whole. However, Indian River County has the highest incidence of

poverty among employed workers while St. Lucie County has the highest rate of poverty for its

overall population of all the counties in the Region. Moreover, there are pockets of extreme

poverty in areas throughout the Region. Strategic projects and programs should be developed to

help build the job base and skill levels in the Region’s most distressed communities.

Income The Treasure Coast Region had a total personal income of just over $92.2 billion in 2010. At

$48,900 the Treasure Coast Region’s 2010 per capita income is above the state and the national

averages of $38,210 and $39,937 respectively. The respective per capita income of each of the

region’s counties is presented in Table 10 below:

Table 10

Per Capita Income by County, 2010

County Per Capita Income

Indian River $49,963

St. Lucie $29,670

Martin $51,723

Palm Beach $52,526



30

Over the past ten years, per capita income across the region witnessed a slow but steady increase

peaking in 2008 before the effects of the great recession started to be fully experienced.

Income Composition: Total personal income (TPI) is defined as income received by persons

from all sources. Personal income is the sum of net earnings by place of residence; dividends,

interest and rental income (property income) of persons; and personal current transfer receipts.

In 2010, net earnings by place of residence accounted for 43.3 percent of TPI; dividends, interest

and rent were 36.0 percent; and personal current transfer receipts were 20.7 percent. The share

of personal income derived from wage compensation in the Region is smaller than that in the

State (49.6 percent), and significantly lower than the share for the nation (64.4 percent).

Strategic Finding: The proportion of income derived from earnings in the Treasure Coast Region

is markedly lower than the experience in the state and the nation. This coupled with a declining

prime working age population will add a growing tax burden to the existing and future working

population.

Per Capita Personal Income by County

2000 - 2010

Figure 11



31

d. Industry Trends

Fastest Growing Industries

Over the next eight years (2011-2019), the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

projects an average annual growth of employment across all industries in the Treasure Coast

Region of approximately 1.8 percent. This rate of growth is higher than the projected rate of

growth of population (1.1 percent) over the same time period.

Two dominant features should be noted in the illustration of the region’s fastest growing

industries: they tend to be concentrated in the services and retail trade sectors of the economy

and they are strongly correlated to population growth. Most of the industries represented in

Figure 12 are also those with average wages lower than the average annual regional wage of

$43,300.

Strategic Finding: The fastest-growing industries in the Treasure Coast are those which are

strongly correlated to projected population growth. This pattern underscores the prevailing

tendency of the Treasure Coast Region to continue to experience high employment growth in

relatively low wage industries. Except for Professional, Scientific and Technical Services and

perhaps Specialty Trade Contractors, there is an over-representation of relatively low wage

industries projected in the future.

Fastest-Growing Industries

2011-2019

0.00% 1.00% 2.00% 3.00% 4.00% 5.00% 6.00%

Construction of Buildings

Specialty Trade Contractors

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Rental and Leasing Services

Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores

Ambulatory Health Care Services

Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing

Waste Management and Remediation Service

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

Building Material and Garden Supply Stores

Management of Companies and Enterprises

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers

Real Estate

Warehousing and Storage

Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing

Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related

Publishing Industries

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries

Ind

us

try

Annual Change (%)

Figure 12

Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Employment Projections Data. 20

February 2012. Available at http://www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/data-

center/statistical-programs/employment-projections, Accessed February 20, 2012.

http://www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/data-center/statistical-programs/employment-projections




32

Workforce Development Trends

One of the primary means of enhancing the innovative capacity of the Region is to ensure its

workforce has the requisite skills and knowledge base to work in the various targeted industry

clusters and to be adaptable to changing economic opportunities. The Region’s two workforce

development boards – Workforce Alliance (Region 21) and Workforce Solutions (Region 20)

closely monitor the local economy and work closely with local economic development agencies

to identify changes in industry growth and skill demands and make the necessary adjustments to

programs and services to continue meeting the needs of employers and jobseekers.

Through their partnerships with educational and economic development organizations, the

workforce boards ensure that the workforce services provided are consistent with the economic

development goals of the region and workforce funding sources are used to support the

recruitment and training needs outlined in local economic development projects. Their

partnerships with the Region’s varied educational institutions assist in developing a pipeline of

future workers with the requisite skills needed to adapt to a changing global marketplace.

In its publication, State Workforce

Investment Plan 2011-2012 Workforce

Florida, Inc. discusses the State’s skills

gaps and makes the argument that to

…Florida employers have indicated that basic

interpersonal and critical thinking skills are the biggest

gaps in the current workforce.

State Workforce Investment Plan 2011-2012

Workforce Florida, Inc.

Industries Gaining the Most New Jobs

2011-2019

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800

Ambulatory Health Care ServicesProfessional, Scientific, and Technical

Food Services and Drinking PlacesAdministrative and Support Services

Specialty Trade ContractorsLocal Government

Nursing and Residential Care FacilitiesConstruction of Buildings

Real EstateMerchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

Management of Companies and EnterprisesAmusement, Gambling, and Recreation

Social AssistanceGeneral Merchandise Stores

Building Material and Garden Supply StoresMembership Associations and

Clothing and Clothing Accessories StoresMerchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

Educational ServicesAccommodation

Annual Change (Jobs)

Figure 13

Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Employment Projections Data. 20

February 2012. Available at http://www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/data-

center/statistical-programs/employment-projections, Accessed February 20, 2012.





33

compete in the national and global economies workers need basic skills like reading, writing,

math, speaking and listening. Additionally, thinking skills such as creativity, logical reasoning,

decision-making, problem-solving and visualization will need to be incorporated in the

curriculum throughout Florida’s educational system. Armed with these sets of skills combined

with technical and computer proficiency will help to assure Florida’s ability to compete in the

global marketplace.

In this region, the life sciences industry is extremely broad in scope and encompasses basic and

applied research and development, medical device design and manufacturing, medical testing

and diagnostics, pharmaceutical research and manufacturing, marine science, environmental

monitoring and testing, biohazard abatement, veterinary research and health care services.

Workers with specific science-based skills sets are needed, as are support personnel with skills in

marketing, finance, human resources, security, information technology and bioinformatics. The

life sciences industry also requires services and suppliers of equipment, chemicals, contract

research, business management and financial services.

Strategic Finding: Building a talented and creative regional workforce requires close cooperation

between the business, education and economic development communities. These partnerships

need to be strengthened and supported to enable the workforce development boards to develop a

pipeline of future workers and to upgrade the skills of the existing workforce. Helping existing

and future workers develop the skill sets required for future jobs, especially in the emerging life

sciences and research and development clusters will help the Region develop its innovation

economy.



34

PART II: SUSTAINABILITY

a. Overview

Economic sustainability is closely tied to the concept of creating livable regions. Livable regions

are comprised of vibrant communities that are diverse, safe and prosperous. A livable region

should offer its residents a wide variety of choices to live, work, play and visit. These choices

will include urban, suburban and rural living options; a wide range of quality employment

options and locations; high quality schooling, dynamic artistic and cultural and environmental

amenities with a true quality of place.

This section frames the concept of economic sustainability through a discussion of the

importance of qualify of life/place considerations, the importance of having well developed

infrastructure systems, an understanding of how climate change may affect the Region’s

economy and the necessity to preserve and enhance the Region’s natural environment.

b. Quality of Life, Quality of Place and Economic Development

Increasingly, economic activity is centering in metropolitan area across the country and across

the world. Place factors prominently in business and industry location decisions as does quality

of life considerations. The Treasure Coast Region as a whole is perceived as having an excellent

quality of life. While this topic is subjective to a certain degree, there are commonly used criteria

to describe quality of life components. These include the natural environment, recreation,

culture, safety, education, housing and health services.

The large amounts of open space, strong efforts to expand educational and cultural facilities,

public safety programs, and increasing health-related services, suggest that maintaining the

quality of life is a high priority in the Region. The perception of an area having a good quality of

life is critical for many businesses when determining whether or not to invest in an area. Studies

indicate that cultural and natural assets form the basis for economic development in

communities. The greatest attractions for economic growth are quality of life, natural

environment, historic legacy and cultural context. These qualities and the character of a city

influence a wide range of business and residential location decisions and can serve as either a

dampener or catalyst for tourism and other economic and cultural activities. In relocation

decisions, businesses place increasingly more value on quality of life considerations. Continuous

investment in infrastructure as well as in various amenities (museums, theaters, sports,

entertainment, recreation) are necessary to maintain a competitive posture. The arts, culture, and

historic resources are big factors in a city’s quality of life and provide it with something more

tangible - a leveraging tool. If a community wants to attract capital and investment, it must be

prepared to call attention to its diversity, identity, and individuality. In addition, a continued

effort should be made to maintain, improve and/or expand these amenities to sustain a quality of

life that is enjoyed by the Region's residents and found attractive to outside businesses.

The Region’s Strategic Regional Policy Plan suggests that renovating and creating new locations

for economic development and businesses in existing cities, towns, and villages should be of

highest priority. While it is likely that land outside these central locations will be sought for



35

economic development, well-defined cities, towns, and villages provide fertile ground for

business and commerce because of good transportation networks, dense infrastructure, close

proximity of neighborhoods (employees) to workplace, high density of customers and support

businesses, and proximity to cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities.

Moreover, as Brookings points out in its report, Global MetroMonitor 2011, … “Economic

activity concentrates in metropolitan areas through interactions on the ground among businesses,

people, and governments. By locating in metropolitan areas, businesses benefit from large labor

markets, public infrastructure, and deep pools of consumers. Firms also profit from close

proximity, which spurs specialization, innovation, higher productivity, and ultimately economic

growth. As a result, metropolitan areas have the unique economic advantage in which area

population growth results in more than a proportional growth of output, patents, bank deposits,

and other wealth creation and innovation

factors…”

c. Infrastructure

The lifestyle enjoyed by a community and its

ability to attract and sustain economic

development is predicated on the quality of its

public facilities and infrastructure. Indeed, as

regions across the country and world are

interconnected in a globally competitive economy

it is critical for the Treasure Coast Region to

develop, expand and maintain multi-modal

transportation systems and telecommunication

infrastructure to support a prosperous and

globally competitive economy.

The World Economic Forum in its Global

Competitiveness Report 2011-2012 makes the

distinct point … “Extensive and efficient

infrastructure is critical for ensuring the effective

functioning of the economy, as it is an important

factor determining the location of economic

activity and the kinds of activities or sectors that

can develop in a particular instance…the quality

and extensiveness of infrastructure networks

significantly impact economic growth and reduce

income inequalities and poverty in a variety of

ways. A well-developed transport and

communications infrastructure network is a

prerequisite for the access of less-developed

communities to core economic activities and

services…”



36

The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012 stresses the importance of transportation

networks… “Effective modes of transport, including quality roads, railroads, ports and air

transport, enable entrepreneurs to get their goods and services to market in a secure and timely

manner and facilitate the movement of workers to the most suitable jobs. …, a solid and

extensive telecommunications network allows for a rapid and free flow of information, which

increases overall economic efficiency by helping to ensure that business can communicate and

decisions are made by economic actors taking into account all available relevant information…”

In its report, Growth and Renewal in the

United States: Retooling America’s Economic

Engine, McKinsey Global Institute notes that

building 21st-Century infrastructure is a key

imperative to advance sustainable GDP

growth in the US. See inset.

Two critical trends are highlighted in the

report that suggest a more active approach to

infrastructure development and finance is

needed both for the country as a whole but to

regions like the Treasure Coast specifically.

The first trend is that the relative quality of

US infrastructure has been declining over the

past decade. According to the World

Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness

Report 2010-2011, the United States ranked

23rd

out of 139 countries on the overall quality

of infrastructure. The American Society of Civil Engineers suggests a total of $2.2 trillion is

needed to upgrade the quality of existing infrastructure assets and build new infrastructure.

Implement Best Practices for Infrastructure

Development

Infrastructure-both physical like transportation and

virtual such as broadband connection-drives productivity

directly and by acting as a platform for other

productivity-enhancing innovation to build scale. These

network and platform effects dramatically lower

interaction costs, driving positive step changes in both

productivity and competitiveness. To capture more of

these opportunities, the United States could consider

implementing best practices in infrastructure

development from project selection to financing and

delivery.

Growth and Renewal in the United States: Retooling

America’s Economic Engine

McKinsey Global Institute

Figure 14 Figure 14



37

The second trend relates to the relatively low rate of broadband penetration in the country. At 27

subscribers out of 100 the US falls behind many countries, effectively placing limits on

economic activity. McKinsey Global Institute suggests that the nearly 40 percent of US

households that do not subscribe to broadband represent $450 billion in annual purchasing power

of retail products.

Coming out of one of the deepest national recessions the Region’s leadership – both public and

private will need to come together to focus on making strategic investment decisions to fund

existing and future infrastructure systems holistically. This requires coordination economic

development, land use, infrastructure, water and natural-resources decision-making.

The following section provides an overview of the strategic infrastructure resources that form the

Region’s economic development backbone including transportation and water systems, industrial

parks, and electricity.

The Importance of Linkages

The Region's ability to efficiently move people, goods, and services is an important component

of economic development. The Region has good transportation access to larger markets. The

FEC and CSX railroads traverse the entire Region as do the Florida Turnpike and Interstate I-95.

The Treasure Coast Region is served by eleven general aviation airports, one commercial service

airport – Palm Beach International Airport and two deepwater ports – the Ports of Fort Pierce

and Palm Beach. St. Lucie County International Airport has the potential to become another

important commercial airport in the Region, increasing transportation linkages further. A State

University and a number of community colleges and private and technical schools are located in

the area. Still, the linkages of transportation within the Region to outside markets and to

educational facilities can be improved.

Figure 15



38

Transportation Systems

Statewide, the 2060 Florida Transportation Plan (FTP) defines transportation goals, objectives

and strategies to make Florida’s economy more competitive, its communities more livable and its

environment more sustainable for future generations. The 2060 FTP goals that have been

adopted provide guidance to all other transportation partners and regions as they develop and

implement future transportation policies, plans and projects. The FTP goals are:

Invest in transportation systems to support a prosperous, globally competitive economy

Make transportation decisions to support and enhance livable communities

Make transportation decisions to promote responsible environmental stewardship

Provide a safe and secure transportation system for all users

Maintain and operate Florida’s transportation system proactively

Improve mobility and connectivity for people and freight

The report cites many challenges facing the State’s multimodal transportation system,

particularly its ability to carry the state forward into the next 50 years, including addressing the

increased demand for moving people and freight, capacity constraints at Florida’s seaports,

airports and spaceports, anticipated congestion between Florida’s regions, Florida’s

transportation system must evolve to accommodate new types of vehicles, fuels and logistics

practices and the current fragmentation of decision making responsibilities. All of the statewide

challenges previously listed apply equally to the state of transportation systems at the regional

level. At its core, the Region’s transportation facilities –

ports, airports, roadways - must balance the needs of a

growing population, and increasingly diversified economy

with its demands for mobility of both people and freight.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has for

the last few years been working to develop a seamless

transportation system designed to enhance Florida's

economic competitiveness. This system, known as the

Strategic Intermodal System, comprises transportation

facilities and services of statewide and interregional

significance. In the Treasure Coast Region, the SIS includes

commercial airports, deepwater ports, freight rail terminals,

passenger rail, rail corridors, waterways and highways.

In order to continue to develop this seamless system, FDOT

will designate new types of transit and roadway connectors

between SIS hubs and provide funding to accommodate

pedestrians, bicycles and local transit vehicles at SIS

passenger terminals. SIS priorities are geared toward

improving access to existing employment centers and

supporting statewide targeted industries.

The designated SIS seaport in the region is the Port of Palm

Beach. The Port of Palm Beach is the 4th busiest container

Figure 16



39

port in Florida and the only port facility in Southeast Florida operating a rail system. It's

proximity to international waters, the Caribbean and the vast agricultural areas in the region have

made it a major nodal point for the shipment of bulk goods and passenger cruise services.

Although not a designated SIS facility, the port of Fort Pierce is envisioned to be a major facility

for the development of marine and mega-yacht industries.

The designated SIS commercial service airport in the Treasure Coast Region is Palm Beach

International Airport (PBIA). In addition to PBIA, there are eleven general aviation airports in

the region. According to FDOT’s Statewide Aviation Economic Impact Study, PBIA provides

approximately 37,000 jobs and the general aviation airports provide a combined 9,200 jobs in the

region.

The statewide economic impact study shows how aviation serves as an economic engine and

discusses other benefits that air transportation supports. The study also indicates that air cargo

demand in the Palm Beach market area is accommodated by passenger airlines and integrated

express companies located at the airport. Annual output related to cargo activity at PBIA is

estimated at over 19.6 million. The following table provides the breakdown of each airport’s

total employment and total output, which includes on-airport and off-airport cargo business and

other commercial activity:

Table 11

Economic Output of Regional Airports

Associated City Airport Name

Total

Employment

Total

Output

Commercial Service Airports

West Palm Beach Palm Beach International Airport 37,504 3,495,488,600

General Aviation Airports

1 Belle Glade

Belle Glade State Municipal

Airport 51 7,017,100

2 Boca Raton Boca Raton Airport 1,237 154,474,100

3 Fort Pierce

St. Lucie County International

Airport 1,371 164,199,900

4 Indiantown Indiantown Airport 58 13,463,000

5 Pahokee Palm Beach County Glades Airport 13 2,552,900

6 Sebastian Sebastian Municipal Airport 177 15,125,000

7 Stuart Witham Field 1,240 295,482,600

8 Vero Beach New Hibiscus Airpark 11 1,895,700

9 Vero Beach Vero Beach Municipal Airport 4,152 355,567,300

10 West Palm Beach

North Palm Beach County General

Aviation Airport 639 53,317,800

11 West Palm Beach Palm Beach County Park Airport 296 32,165,700

Total activity of general aviation

airports 9,245 1,095,261,100

Total activity of all airports in the

region 46,749 4,590,749,700

Source: Statewide Aviation Economic Impact Study, Table G-1, Florida Department of Transportation - Aviation Office



40

Intermodal Logistics Center

The Port of Palm Beach, located in the City of Riviera Beach, has taken a comprehensive look at

its long term growth potential. Currently, the port is a landlocked facility without adequate

physical expansion opportunities. To address this situation, the Port has developed the concept

for an inland port facility in western Palm Beach County. The facility would serve the Port as a

direct extension of its waterside terminal.

The Inland port would also help ease intermodal freight movement by shifting it westward from

the increasingly congested South Florida highway and rail corridors. The project would also

build additional rail connections to alleviate a good portion of the freight traffic to the west and

create an inland cargo terminal to provide a distribution hub. The inland port would likely

become an SIS facility and therefore would receive accelerated funding from state and federal

sources for both rail and roadway improvements that would improve access to the site.

At least two potential locations for

inland ports have been identified for the

Treasure Coast Region. One potential

location is in western Palm Beach

County and another site has been

identified in western St. Lucie County.

The potential western Palm Beach

County inland port, according to the

Martin/St. Lucie 2035 Regional Long

Range Transportation Plan, would be

located on an 850 acre site owned by

Florida Crystals Corporation located

between Belle Glade and South Bay.

Recently, Florida Crystals Corporation

and IDI, one of the largest privately

held logistics real estate companies in

North America, have entered into a

strategic alliance for the planning and

marketing of the South Florida

Intermodal Logistics Center (SFILC) in

western Palm Beach County.

Previously, Florida Crystals’ 850-acre site had received certain approvals from Palm Beach

County to allow the industrial and warehouse uses related to the development of an intermodal

logistics center on the site.

An alternative site under consideration is located in St. Lucie County at what was previously

known as the Treasure Coast Intermodal Campus. The Florida Inland Port is seeking to build a

cargo distribution center on 4,000 acres in western St. Lucie County.

Figure 17

Potential Inland Port



41

Figure 18

There is also increasing interest in developing other intermodal logistics centers in Miami-Dade,

Broward and Central Florida which could reduce demand for an inland port in the Treasure

Coast region. Locating the inland port south of the Lake would bring much needed jobs and

commercial activity to an area experiencing the economic effects of a diminishing sugar

industry.

Shifting Transportation Priorities

According to Florida’s Strategic Intermodal

System Strategic Plan, highways continue to

receive the highest priority for transportation

capacity improvements, but the state is

beginning to place greater emphasis on

alternatives for moving people and goods

statewide, including expanded use of rail,

water and urban fixed guide-way transit.

Existing transit services in the region are

mostly limited to county-operated fixed-route

bus service and Tri-Rail, the region's single

north/south commuter rail service which

terminates in northern Palm Beach County.

Despite the existing transit service there is still

major traffic congestion on the large

north/south highways such as I-95 and US-1.

In recent years transit-supportive initiatives

such as the South Florida East Coast Corridor

(SFECC) study have emphasized the need for

new passenger rail service and transit-oriented

development (TOD) in the region. This shift is

important due to the limited coverage of the

existing transit service and the significant

number of transit dependent people in the

region. In addition, the support for more

mixed-use, higher density development along

with the growth it is intended to accommodate

makes the pursuit of alternative travel modes

more desirable than the continued reliance on

the existing, over-capacity roadway network.

The SFECC study identified 95 preliminary

station areas on the Florida East Coast (FEC)

Corridor. The proposed 85-mile system would

begin in downtown Miami and terminate in the city of Jupiter in Palm Beach County. In

response to this on-going study, a number of preliminary TOD master plans have been proposed

for the station areas within the cities of Jupiter, Lake Worth, Riviera Beach and West Palm



42

Beach. The recommended preliminary development programs for these master plans generally

calls for mixed-use development around the stations which include residential, office and retail

uses.

In March 2012, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority announced its Fast Start

plan to bring passenger service to the FEC railway corridor in a 3-5 year time frame. The Fast

Start plan proposes a new, limited FEC regional service between Jupiter and Miami in addition

to the current Tri-Rail service.

The other form of passenger rail service in the Region is Amtrak, which operates long-distance

service through Florida on the CSX tracks. Since 2000, there has been active discussion

regarding potential expansion of Amtrak on the FEC Corridor from Jacksonville to West Palm

Beach, with service interconnecting in West Palm Beach to the CSX Corridor and continuing

south on the CSX into Miami. The project remains a long-term opportunity to expand the

Region’s passenger rail network, and if operational agreements to initiate service are

accomplished, 2015 is likely the earliest date for service to begin operation.

Strategic Finding: Maintenance of the Region's existing roadway network and enhancement

of airside, waterside, rail, mass transit and distribution infrastructure are needed to increase the

mobility and efficiency of the movement of people and goods. Moreover, an enhanced and

dependable communications infrastructure network promotes the rapid and free flow of

information which is increasingly important in an inter-connected world. Continued

improvement is needed in order to enhance the Region's attractiveness and competitive edge for

economic development.

Water Systems

Florida’s water management districts are

charged with the goal of ensuring an

adequate supply of water to protect

natural systems and to meet all existing

and projected reasonable beneficial uses,

while sustaining water resources for

future generations. The water

management districts are responsible for

the development of comprehensive

water supply plans customized to each

region that are key to identifying and

understanding current and future water

needs.

Additionally, to meet the growing demand for potable water and ensure that resources are

available, the State of Florida requires all local governments to submit:

10-year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan



43

Proposed amendments to their Capital

Improvement Element

Updated Potable Water Element

Updated Conservation Element

Water supply planning in the Region is

conducted by the South Florida Water

Management District (SFWMD) and the St.

Johns River Water Management District. The

former covering the Region’s southern three

counties and all of South Florida Regional

Planning Council’s counties, and the latter

covering Indian River County.

SFWMD’s draft 2012 Lower East Coast (LEC)

Water Supply Plan Update, for example,

estimates the LEC Planning Area’s2 population

will increase by over 18 percent, from

approximately 5.6 million residents in 2010 to

slightly more than 6.6 million residents by 2030.

The previous update, in contrast, the 2005-2006

LEC Plan Update estimated the planning area’s

population to increase over 31 percent, with the

total population reaching 7.3 million by 2025.

As such, the previous plan included a large set of

alternative water supply projects to meet

projected demand. In the current update,

projected gross water demand for 2030 for the

LEC Planning Area is estimated at 1,006 million gallons of water per day (MGD). This

represents a 19 percent increase from 845 MGD used in 2010. The increase is PWS demand

over this period is expected to require implementation of fewer water supply development

projects by utilities than projected in the previous plan.

However, because freshwater resources are limited, the 2012 LEC Water Supply Plan Update

focuses on other water supply sources, such as reverse osmosis to treat brackish groundwater,

reclaimed water, storage options, seasonal surface water and water conservation to address future

demands.

The Upper East Coast (UEC) planning area includes all of Martin and St. Lucie counties and the

eastern portion of Okeechobee County. The 2011 UEC Water Supply Plan Update projects the

UEC Planning Area’s population to almost double to nearly 800,000 people from a base of about

437,000 permanent residents. The planning area’s greatest growth is expected to take place in

St. Lucie County, where the population is projected to increase from the 2005 baseline of about

240,000 to approximately 595,000 in 2030. Total projected 2030 gross water demands for all

2 Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and parts of Monroe, Collier and Hendry counties.

Figure 19



44

water use categories are an estimated 320-340 MGD. In addition, the public water supply gross

demands are expected to more than double from the 2005 baseline of 45 million gallons per day

to 96 million gallons per day by 2030. To meet the future water demand, the Plan Update

advocates continued diversification of water supply sources, such as increased use of the Upper

Floridian aquifer and reclaimed water, as well as increased emphasis on water conservation

measures.

Strategic Finding: Existing demand and environmental constraints will continue to limit

development of traditional water supply sources pushing the need for alternative water supplies

or nontraditional sources including seawater or brackish water, surface water captured during

wet-weather flows, new storage capacity and reclaimed water.

Electricity

Electrical energy is supplied to Treasure Coast residents primarily by investor-owned private

utilities and publicly-run utilities. Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), an investor-owned

utility provides electricity to all of the Region’s four counties. FPL currently provides electricity

to 4.5 million homes and businesses in Florida. Municipal electric utilities in the Region include

facilities located in Vero Beach, Fort Pierce and Lake Worth – all members of the Florida

Municipal Power Agency (FMPA).

Both public and private utilities use a mix of fuels to generate electricity. In 2010, FPL’s

electricity was generated by a fuel mix of 58.4 percent natural gas, 20 percent nuclear, 12.8

percent purchased power, 3.8 percent oil and 5 percent coal. Each year every electric utility in

the State of Florida produces a ten year site plan that includes an estimate of future electric

power generating needs. The purpose of the ten year site plan is to disclose the general location

of proposed power plant sites and facilitate coordinated planning efforts. The Florida Public

Service Commission requests Council review of ten year site plans produced by both private and

public utilities. Most recently, Council reviewed a ten year site plan prepared by FPL.

The 2012 FPL Ten Year Power Plant Site Plan indicates that after demand side management efforts and

significant energy efficiency contributions from the federal appliance and lighting efficiency standards are

factored in, FPL will still require additional capacity from conventional power plants to meet future

electrical demand. FPL is proposing to add a total of 250 megawatts of summer capacity to its system

from 2012 to 2021. FPL plans to obtain additional electricity through: 1) power purchases from

qualifying facilities, utilities and other entities; 2) upgrades to existing facilities; 3) returning inactive

reserve units to active status; and 4) modernization of existing facilities.

Strategic Finding: Maintaining and growing a reliable and consistent supply of energy is critical

to the Region’s economic competitiveness and sustainability. To help meet this goal the Region

needs to decrease its vulnerability to fuel price increases and supply interruptions related to the

energy industry. Electrical utilities need to diversify their fuel types in order to accomplish this

goal. The Region and State of Florida should focus on developing new programs to:

1. Reduce the reliance on fossil fuels as future energy sources;

2. Increase conservation activities to offset the need to construct new power plants; and

3. Increase the reliance of clean alternative energy systems to produce electricity.



45

d. Climate Change and Energy

The regional economy and quality of life are highly dependent on tourism, recreation, and

agriculture. However, there are concerns that global climate change may significantly affect the

Region’s major industries. At the state level, these concerns have been described in Florida’s

Energy & Climate Change Action Plan, which was produced by the Governor’s Action Team on

Energy & Climate Change in 2008 following the guidance provided in Executive Order 07-128

by Florida Governor Charlie Crist. The Action Plan provides a framework for a coordinated

effort to secure Florida’s energy future, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and heavily support

and sustain strategic economic development in the emerging “green tech” sector.

At the regional level, the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact represents a joint

commitment of Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Monroe counties to partner in mitigating

the causes and adapting to the consequences of climate change. The Compact was formalized in

2009 when elected officials came together to discuss challenges and strategies for responding to

the impacts of climate change. The Compact outlines an on-going collaborative effort to foster

sustainability and climate resilience at a regional scale. Efforts are currently under way to expand

the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact to include Indian River, Martin, and

St. Lucie counties.

Foremost among the concerns related to climate change is the potential impact of sea level rise on the

coastal counties. As part of an ongoing program evaluating global climate change, the US

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a nationwide project promoting planning for

and awareness of sea level rise. Council participated in this program and in 2005 completed the

report, Sea Level Rise in the Treasure Coast Region. The report contains maps of the Treasure

Coast Region that distinguish the shores that are likely to be protected from erosion, inundation,

and flooding, from those areas where natural shoreline retreat is likely to take place. The report is

designed to support the EPA’s national effort encouraging the long-term thinking required to

deal with the issues associated with sea level rise. The ultimate goal of the project is to diminish

losses to life and property from coastal hazards, such as erosion and inundation, and to ensure the

long-term survival of coastal wetlands.

The study followed the general approach of other sea level rise planning studies sponsored by the

EPA. The statewide approach for identifying likelihood of land use protection characterized all

uplands from 0 to 10 feet in elevation and within 1000 feet of shoreline into the following four

general categories: protection almost certain; protection reasonably likely; protection unlikely;

and no protection. Application of the state-wide approach in the Region resulted in the

identification of 119,157 acres (83.3%) of uplands and 23,927 acres (16.7%) of wetlands in the

study area. Regionally, the “Protection Almost Certain” category accounted for 77.0% of the

uplands in the study area. This was followed by “Protection Reasonably Likely” (6.7%),

“Protection Unlikely” (10.7%), and “No Protection” (5.6%). A clear regional trend exists,

reflecting an increase in the number of acres in the “Protection Almost Certain” category when

moving north to south from Indian River County to Palm Beach County. A total of 34

municipalities in the four counties of the Treasure Coast Region are likely to be impacted by sea

level rise in the future. The report encourages local government planners and citizens to consider



46

the problem of sea level rise. This project represents the first step in planning for sea level rise in

the Treasure Coast Region.

Council has long been an advocate of good energy planning. In 1999, Council adopted an energy

planning guide, Energy Planning in the Twenty-First Century, A Guide for Florida Communities.

The document, which was updated in 2009, includes major sections dealing with coordinated

energy planning, reduced impacts from power generating facilities, reduced impacts from

electric power lines, energy efficiency and conservation, greater use of solar and other renewable

energy resources, sustainable communities, energy efficient buildings, energy efficient

transportation systems and a new regional economy based on renewable resources. The energy-

planning guide includes a comprehensive set of energy-related goals, strategies and policies. The

guide also encourages companies that produce renewable resource and energy efficient products,

such as photovoltaic systems and solar water heaters, to establish manufacturing facilities in the

region. The guide is intended to enhance awareness of energy issues and lead to a cleaner

environment, more sustainable forms and patterns of development, and a higher quality of life.

e. Environment

Everglades Restoration Critical to Region’s Future

The Treasure Coast Region is a region of abundant resources and a highly desirable quality life.

The quality of life enjoyed in the Region depends on the conservation of the natural environment

and the countryside. While much of the Region still remains as countryside, at least 80 percent

of the Region’s natural environment has been altered or lost. The main threat to remaining

natural systems and the countryside is not growth, but sprawling suburban growth which due to

its inefficient development form has required ever-increasing acreage to deliver an acceptable

quality of life. Therefore, the solution to environmental problems is found in part in the form of

development. Public and private sectors need to encourage a more system-wide approach to

protect complete natural systems and to address the inadequacies of existing land use planning

and development strategies to protect complete natural systems. Efforts need to be made to

promote patterns of development that preserve and manage complete natural systems as a

network of greenways and wildlife corridors connecting natural preserves and prevent sprawl.

The quality of life and the Region’s environment and economy also are intimately tied to the

proper and prudent management of its water resources. Sectors competing for limited water

resources within the Region include: natural systems; agriculture; and domestic, municipal, and

industrial users. Future increases in needs of these users will cause competition to increase

between all sectors for existing water supplies, and will necessitate more efficient use of water.

The Region’s water resources should be managed to provide for all recognized needs on a

sustainable basis. The stakes involved in water management are huge: Florida Bay, the

Everglades, Lake Okeechobee, the Region’s estuaries and wildlife, and the health of the

Region’s economy.

The Everglades ecosystem requires special attention because of its large size, economic and

environmental importance, and the State’s commitment to protect this system is part of creating a



47

Sustainable South Florida. The Everglades ecosystem is a massive watershed spreading over

9,000 square miles in southern Florida. This system includes a series of interconnected fresh

water rivers, lakes, marshes, prairies, forests and estuaries that stretch from the Kissimmee River

Basin, Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, Big Cypress Swamp and the estuaries of Florida Bay

and the Ten Thousand Islands. This system occurs in all or part of 16 counties. Within the

Treasure Coast Region, portions of St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties are located

within the Everglades ecosystem.

Both the economy and natural resources of South Florida depend on the health of the Everglades

ecosystem. Approximately 6 million residents and 17 million visitors yearly depend on this

system for domestic, agricultural, and industrial water supply; as well as for income and

recreation. Furthermore, thousands of plant and animal species, many of which are endangered

and potentially endangered, depend on the clean, free-flowing water and expansive natural areas

of the Everglades ecosystems for survival.

Historically, water flowed slowly through the Everglades ecosystem through the chain of lakes in

the Kissimmee River Basin, into Lake Okeechobee, and then southward through the Everglades

proper, and into Florida Bay. The Everglades once covered about 4 million acres and was

characterized as a slowly moving sheet of freshwater drifting southward.

During the last 100 years, drainage of lakes, swamps, and marshes and alteration of the flow of

water has resulted in the permanent loss of over half the original Everglades. The drainage was

primarily to make the area more suitable for urban and agricultural development. Channelization

of the Kissimmee River destroyed over 40,000 acres of wetlands, and diminished fish and

wildlife habitat. Agricultural runoff and water diversion degraded Lake Okeechobee and the

Everglades. Roads, canals, levees, and water control structures have disrupted water flow to the

Everglades, Big Cypress Swamp, Florida Bay and Ten Thousand Islands estuaries. Within the

Treasure Coast Region, much of what was originally Everglades wetlands south and southeast of

Lake Okeechobee has been converted to the production of sugar cane.

In order to correct the problems with the existing water management system affecting the

Everglades, the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and SFWMD released the Central and

Southern Florida (C&SF) Project Comprehensive Review Study in 1999. The primary goals of

this project, known as the Restudy, were to restore natural ecosystems, increase regional water

supplies, improve water quality, and maintain flood protection in the project area. The resulting

plan is known as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). The plan contains

more than 50 projects designed to work in concert with many other ongoing and planned

environmental restoration projects of the Federal Government, State of Florida, and local

partners. Major components of the plan include the creation of approximately 181,000 acres of

new reservoirs, 35,600 acres of stormwater treatment areas, and more than 300 underground

water storage wells. These components will greatly increase water storage and greatly increase

the water supply for natural systems, urban and agricultural needs. In addition, the components

of the plan are designed to restore more natural flows to waterbodies, improve water quality, and

restore natural hydroperiods. The most recent estimates indicate that CERP will cost an

estimated $10.5 billion and will take 30 years to construct and implement. Completion of CERP

will require a continued commitment to fund the project by the U.S. Congress and State of

Florida.



48

One of the first components of CERP to be implemented in the Treasure Coast Region is known

as the Indian River Lagoon – South Feasibility Study. The purpose of this project is to

investigate structural and operational changes to the C&SF project to improve the quality of the

environment, protect the aquifer, and help to conserve urban and agricultural water supplies. The

study examines alternative surface water management options in the South Indian River Lagoon

watershed in Martin and St. Lucie Counties. The report focuses on alternative plans that benefit

the receiving bodies of water by improving water deliveries and water quality. The report also

identifies an adaptive implementation strategy based on monitoring, evaluation, refinement and

modeling. This strategy recognizes that after each component of the project is constructed and

tested, feedback based on new insights gained on the response of the system may require that

adjustments be made to the project.

In 2004, the Final Integrated Project Implementation Report and Environmental Impact

Statement for the Indian River Lagoon – South project was released. The recommended plan

includes building and operating approximately 12,000 acres of above ground storage reservoirs,

9,000 acres of manmade wetlands, restoring natural hydrology on approximately 90,000 acres of

natural areas including 53,000 acres of restored wetlands, and muck removal and habitat

restoration inside the estuaries. The recommended plan is expected to provide significant

restoration of degraded areas in the southern Indian River Lagoon and will have a positive

impact on other water-related needs of the region including increased water supplies, improved

water quality, and the maintenance of flood protection. The total initial cost of the recommended

plan for the Indian River Lagoon – South project is estimated to be $1.3 billion.

The Indian River Lagoon - South project represents an opportunity to restore impacted natural

systems, maintain a healthy environment, and balance the need to provide water for natural

systems and urban and agricultural uses in Martin and St. Lucie counties. Other parts of the

Region eagerly await the completion of other CERP projects, including the Indian River

Lagoon – North project, which includes parts of Indian River County, and the North Palm Beach

County – Part 1 project, which includes the Loxahatchee River watershed and northern Palm

Beach County. Implementation of these plans will help to protect and restore the environment

and build a strong economy in the Region.



49

PART III: CLUSTER INDUSTRY PROFILE

a. Overview

Clusters are the economic drivers of a region because they produce goods and services that are

sold outside of the region, generating income that fuels the rest of the regional economy.

Economic developers recognize that without these economic drivers, a region would only

circulate money already in the local economy, losing economic momentum over time. By

identifying industry clusters and focusing on meeting their needs, a region can attract wealth and

increase prosperity for all residents. Focus on the region’s cluster industries can help a region

adapt to economic change. If regional leaders, planners, educational, financial and business

institutions understand the issues facing key regional clusters, they will be in a better position to

respond to cluster needs.

What is a Cluster?

The Council on Competitiveness defines an industry cluster as a group of firms, related

economic actors, and institutions that are located near one another and that draw productive

advantage from their mutual proximity and connections. Industry clusters are the key to

understanding the performance of regional economies and the competitiveness of individual

firms. The economic performance of the Treasure Coast Region is dependent, in large part on its

industrial composition and its industry clusters.

The Brookings Institute makes the case, in its monograph Job Creation on a Budget: How

Regional Industry Clusters Can Add Jobs, Bolster Entrepreneurship, and Spark Innovation, that

properly designed cluster strategies are a low-cost way to stimulate innovation, new-firm start-

ups, and job creation by helping to link and align the many factors that influence firm and

regional growth. Further, Brookings suggests that states should:

Develop and use data and rigorous analysis to identify industry clusters, target

policy and track performance

Establish a modest grants program to address discrete gaps in cluster performance

Reorient existing economic development programs, policies and initiatives to

support clusters

b. Cluster Identification and Analysis

The Region’s industry clusters are examined through the use of two analyses: Location

Quotients3 and Shift-Share Analysis

4. In this study, we adopt the set of seventeen (17)

3 A location quotient (LQ) compares the fraction of the region’s employment in a particular industry cluster to the

fraction of the nation’s employment in the same industry cluster. An LQ equal to one indicates the region employs

the same fraction of its workforce in the industry as does the nation as a whole. When the LQ exceeds 1.0, the

region is said to “specialize” in that particular industry cluster. 4 Shift-share analysis is a method to account for the competitiveness of a region’s industries and to analyze the local

economic base. Shift-share analysis attempts to explain the changes (employment) in the region’s economy that is

attributable to growth of the national economy, a mix of faster or slower than average growing industries and the

competitive nature of the local industries.



50

benchmark industry cluster definitions developed by the Indiana Business Research Center

(IBRC) with the Center for Regional Development at Purdue University under a grant from the

U.S. Economic Development Administration to provide, a set of industry clusters and associated

data that can be readily accessed by regions and economic development districts across America.

The research team at the “Innovation in American Region’s” website has identified the following

seventeen industry clusters that TCRPC examined:

The 17 Clusters and Six Subclusters

1. Advanced Materials

2. Agribusiness, Food Processing and Technology

3. Apparel and Textiles

4. Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Visitor Industries

5. Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences)

6. Business and Financial Services

7. Chemicals and Chemical-Based Products

8. Defense and Security

9. Education and Knowledge Creation

10. Energy (Fossil and Renewable)

11. Forest and Wood Products

12. Glass and Ceramics

13. Information Technology and Telecommunications

14. Transportation and Logistics

15. Manufacturing Supercluster

1. Primary Metals

2. Fabricated Metal Products

3. Machinery

4. Computer and Electronic Products

5. Electrical Equipment, Appliance and Components

6. Transportation Equipment

16. Mining

17. Printing and Publishing

The manufacturing supercluster was subsequently disaggregated into six more-specialized sub-

clusters. The aggregated industry cluster definitions are provided in Appendix x.

The Region’s industry clusters were evaluated in the following manner:

Number of employees

Number of establishments

Location quotient in 2010

Change in location quotient, 2005-2010

Figure 20 illustrates the 17 clusters’ employment size, LQ and change in LQ. Bubbles in the

chart fall into one of four quadrants: Stars, Mature, Emerging and Transforming.



51

Star Clusters: Industry clusters in the upper right quadrant are known as “Stars.” These are the

clusters that have higher concentrations of employment than that of the nation and whose relative

employment has increased over the five year period relative to the nation. Star clusters are

specialized as compared to the nation and are becoming more specialized.

Mature Clusters: Industry clusters in the upper left quadrant are “Mature.” Mature clusters are

those whose fraction of employment in the region is larger than that in the nation and whose

fraction of employment has decreased over the five year period relative to the nation. Mature

clusters are specialized as compared to the nation but are becoming less specialized.

Emerging: Industry clusters in the lower right quadrant are known as “Emerging.” Emerging

clusters are those whose fraction of employment in the region is currently less than that in the

nation and whose fraction of employment has increased over the five year period relative to the

nation. These industry clusters are less specialized in the region as compared to the nation.

However, these clusters may become specialized clusters in the future and warrant further

attention.

Transforming: Industry clusters in the lower left quadrant are known as “Transforming.”

Advanced Materials, 7,786

Agribusiness, Food Processing & Technology, 15,046

Apparel & Textiles, 2,513

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation & Vistor Industries, 35,887

Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences), 76,105

Business & Financial Services, 60,821

Defense & Security, 31,488

Education & Knowledge Creation, 15,502

Energy (Fossil & Renewable), 18,749

Forest & Wood Products, 2,298

Glass & Ceramics, 405

Information Technology & Telecommunications, 16,267

Transportation & Logistics, 9,029

Manufacturing Supercluster, 10,890

Primary Metal Mfg, 136

Fabricated Metal Product Mfg, 1,829

Machinery Mfg, 885

Computer & Electronic Product Mfg, 2,609

Electrical Equipment, Appliance & Component Mfg, 815

Transportation Equipment Mfg, 4,616

Mining, 340

Printing & Publishing, 8,667

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

-200.00% -150.00% -100.00% -50.00% 0.00% 50.00% 100.00% 150.00% 200.00%

LQ

in

2010

Percent Change in LQ 2005-2010

Treasure Coast Region Industry Clusters

Stars

Emerging

Mature

Transforming

Figure 20



52

Transforming industry clusters are those whose fraction of employment in the region is less than

that for the nation and whose fraction of employment has decreased over the five year period

relative to the nation. These are the clusters that are least specialized in the region and are

unlikely to become specialized.

Immediately recognizable is the tremendous increase in the Region’s concentration in the

Electrical Equipment, Appliance and Components and Primary Metal Manufacturing clusters.

The Region’s proportion of employment in these two clusters increased substantially more than

in the nation, 100% for Primary Metal Manufacturing and just over 221% for Electrical

Equipment, Appliance and Components. Both of these clusters, however, are relatively small

(136 and 815 jobs, respectively) as compared to many of the other regional industry clusters.

Because of the large growth in the LQs of these two industry clusters, however, the overall chart

pattern is obscured somewhat. In Figure 21, the bubble chart is shown with these industry

clusters excluded.

Figure 21


Agribusiness, Food Processing & Technology, 15,046


Arts, Entertainment, Recreation & Vistor Industries, 35,887

Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences), 76,105



Education & Knowledge Creation, 15,502

Energy (Fossil & Renewable), 18,749



Information Technology & Telecommunications, 16,267




Machinery Mfg, 885

Computer & Electronic Product Mfg, 2,609


Mining, 340


0.00

1.00

2.00

-40.00% -30.00% -20.00% -10.00% 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00%

LQ

in

2010



(excluding Electrical Equipment Mfg. & Primary Metal Mfg.)

Stars

Emerging

Mature

Transforming



53

Star Clusters: The clusters located in the upper right-hand section of Figure 21 are “Star”

clusters – the important clusters for the region to focus on. These clusters have higher

concentrations of employment than that of the nation and help to place the region in a

competitive position. These clusters have also shown strong growth over time. The star clusters

identified in the Treasure Coast Region include Arts, Entertainment, Recreation & Visitor

Industries and Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences). These clusters employed a total of

111,992 workers, or approximately 17.2% of the Region’s work force.

Figure x: Arts, Entertainment, Recreation&

Visitor Industries Cluster Snapshot

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation &

Visitor Industries: Between 2005 and

2010 this cluster’s share of national

employment increased by 2.96 percent.

With a location quotient of 1.39, this

industry is 39 percent more concentrated in

the Treasure Coast Region than in a typical

U.S. Region. This cluster includes motion

picture and video distribution, radio

stations, television broadcasting, travel

agencies, convention and visitors bureaus,

museums, historical sites, recreational

facilities, and hotels and motels.

Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences): This cluster’s share of national employment increased

by 9.2 percent between 2005 and 2010. Additionally, overall employment in this cluster

increased by 11.2 percent over the period, higher than the cluster’s employment growth at the

national level (9.5 percent). In their Life Sciences cluster snapshot, Enterprise Florida indicates

that Florida is now home to the second fastest growing biotech industry in the nation. This

important regional cluster includes pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, medical

equipment and supplies manufacturing, research and development in physical, engineering and

life sciences, and HMO medical centers. Key regional Life Sciences cluster assets include

Scripps Research Institute, Max Planck Florida Institute, Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular

Studies and the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute of Florida. See Map x.

Employment (2010) 35,887

Distribution by county

Location Quotient 1.39

Annual Average Wages $33,540

Establishments (2010) 2,112

8%

8%

78%

6% Indian RiverCounty, FL

Martin County,FL

Palm BeachCounty, FL

St. LucieCounty, FL



54

Figure x: Life Sciences Cluster Snapshot






Mature Clusters: The Region has one mature cluster as evidenced in the bubble chart –

Business & Financial Services.

Figure x: Business & Financial Services Cluster Snapshot

Business & Financial Services: The

Region’s Business & Financial Services

cluster includes consumer lending,

securities brokerage, pension funds,

legal services, architectural, engineering

and related services and management,

scientific and technical consulting

services. The Florida Department of

Economic Opportunity projects an

average annual growth rate of

employment in this industry cluster of

approximately 2.8 percent statewide and

approximately 3.3 percent for the

Region.

7% 10%

72%


Martin County,FL


St. LucieCounty, FL






5% 6%

85%


Martin County,FL


St. Lucie County,FL



55

Emerging Clusters: The clusters in this quadrant are important and warrant further attention

because, while they have not reached a critical employment mass in the region compared to the

nation, they have experienced a significant amount of growth. The Treasure Coast Region has a

number of emerging industry clusters including Defense & Security; Education & Knowledge

Creation; Information Technology & Telecommunications and Transportation & Logistics.

Figure x: Defense & Security Cluster Snapshot






5% 9%

78%


Martin County,FL


St. Lucie County,FL



56

Figure x: Education & Knowledge Creation

Cluster Snapshot





Establishments (2010) 803

Figure x: Information Technology & Telecommunications

Cluster Snapshot






5% 9%

70%


Martin County, FL


St. Lucie County,FL

4% 6%

86%


Martin County,FL


St. Lucie County,FL



57

Figure x: Transportation & Logistics Cluster Snapshot






Transforming Clusters: The clusters situated in the lower left-hand portion of Figure 21 are

“Transforming” clusters. These clusters exhibit two main characteristics- they are not

specialized and their relative employment concentration has decreased over the five-year period

of this analysis. The identified transforming clusters include Agribusiness, Food Processing &

Technology; Printing & Publishing; Energy and Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing.

While the Region as a whole exhibits relative specialization in the three mentioned star clusters

each of its counties display marked differences in their respective specialized clusters (see Table

12).

7% 11%

67%


Martin County, FL


St. Lucie County,FL



58

Industry ClustersIndustry ClustersClusters

Region Palm Beach Martin St. Lucie Indian River

Advanced Materials

Agribusiness, Food Process and Technology 1.9 2.5

Apparel and Textiles

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Visitor

Industries

1.4 1.4 1.2 1.6

Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences) 1.1 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.1

Business and Financial Services 1.1 1.2

Chemicals and Chemical-Based Products

Defense and Security

Education and Knowledge Creation 1.0

Energy (Fossil and Renewable)

Forest and Wood Products

Glass and Ceramics

Information Technology and

Telecommunications

Transportation & Logistics

Manufacturing Supercluster

Computer and Electronic Product Mfg

Electric Equip, Appliance and Component Mfg 1.7

Fabricated Metal Product Mfg

Machinery Mfg

Primary Metal MFG

Transportation Equipment Mfg 1.3 1.3

Mining 1.1

Printing and Publishing

Table 12

Specialized Clusters in the Treasure Coast Region and Counties

(LQ greater than 1 in 2010)



59

Palm Beach County and the Region as a whole are equally matched in their respective star

cluster makeup. Martin County specializes in three cluster industries – Arts, Entertainment,

Recreation & Visitor Industries; Life Sciences and Transportation Equipment Manufacturing.

St. Lucie County exhibits relative specialization in the following three clusters, Agribusiness,

Food Processing and Technology; Life Sciences and Education and Knowledge Creation. Indian

River County exhibits relative strength in six industry clusters – the most of any county in the

region. Specialized clusters in Indian River County are Agribusiness, Food Processing and

Technology; Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Visitor Industries; Life Sciences; Electrical

Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing and Mining.

If we examine the Region’s manufacturing supercluster we find a strong increase of 17.65

percent over the study period reflecting a growth in this sector of the economy. Even though this

cluster has not reached critical mass in terms of specialization it has shown strong growth –

particularly in four out of its six subclusters. See Figure 22.

Among the six subclusters in the Region’s manufacturing supercluster, four can be classified as

emerging clusters as their relative employment share has increased over the five year time

Manufacturing Supercluster, 0.40,

10,890.00

Fabricated Metal Product Mfg, 0.29,

1,829.00

Machinery Mfg, 0.18, 885

Computer & Electronic Product

Mfg, 0.47, 2,609.00

Transportation Equipment Mfg, 0.67,

4,616.00

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

-50.00% -40.00% -30.00% -20.00% -10.00% 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00%

Treasure Coast RegionManufacturing Supercluster: Size, Location Quotients and

Percent Change in LQ, 2005-2010

Figure 22



60

period of 2005 to 2010, are not yet specialized but may become so over time. These are

Transportation Equipment, Machinery, Primary Metal, and Electrical Equipment, Appliance

and Components Manufacturing. These subclusters warrant further attention from a research

and policy standpoint.



61

PART IV: MEASURING REGIONAL INNOVATION

This section introduces a newly released Innovation Index (www.statsamerica.org/innovation),

funded in part by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The index provides

policymakers and economic development practitioners a unique web-based tool for exploring

regional innovation performance and comparing that with the United States, a state or other

regions.5 The index includes both inputs and outputs together as a composite indicator of

innovation capacity and output potential. Inputs are those factors, influences or conditions that

promote innovation. Inputs are divided into two sub-indexes: human capital and economic

dynamics.

Human Capital: Human capital inputs are those characteristics that describe the ability of the

population and labor force to innovate. Regions with high levels of human capital are those with

enhanced knowledge that can be measured by high educational attainment, growth in younger

age brackets of the workforce and a sizeable number of innovation-related occupations and jobs

relative to the overall labor force.

Economic Dynamics: This component measures local resources and business conditions

available to region entrepreneurs and businesses that encourage innovation close to home.

Outputs are the direct outcomes and economic improvements that result from inputs. They are

divided into two sub-indices: productivity and employment and economic well-being.

Productivity and Employment: These variables measure economic growth, regional

desirability or direct outcomes of innovative activity. The variables in this index suggest the

extent to which local and regional economies are thriving and attracting workers seeking certain

jobs.

Economic Well-Being: Innovative economies improve economic well-being for residents

because they earn more and have an increasing standard of living. Areas with decreasing

poverty rates, increasing employment, positive net migration and improvements in personal

income signal a more desirable location to live and point to an increase in economic well-being.

Figure 23 illustrates the measures in each sub-index along with each sub-indices’ weight in the

calculation of the overall index.

5 This research was supported by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and done in

collaboration with Purdue Center for Regional Development, Strategic Development Group, Inc., the Rural Policy

Research Institute, and Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc.

http://www.statsamerica.org/innovation

http://www.eda.gov/

http://www.pcrd.purdue.edu/

http://www.sdg.us/

http://www.rupri.org/

http://www.rupri.org/

http://www.economicmodeling.com/company/



62

Figure 23: Indicators and Weights Used to Calculate the Innovation Index



63

The Region’s overall Innovation Index score is illustrated in Figure 24 and benchmarked against

three comparison regions.

With an overall index score of 90.5 the Region is slightly ahead of the State but falls behind the

nation and the benchmark state of California. Looking closer, we can compare each region’s

score on the four sub-indices that make up the overall index – Human Capital, Economic

Dynamics, Productivity and Employment and Economic Well-Being (see Figure 25 and Table

13).



64

Table 13

Innovation Index and Sub-Index Values for Three Regions and the United States

Clearly, the Treasure Coast Region exceeds one or more of the benchmark regions on three out

of the four sub-indices – Economic Well-Being, Economy Dynamics and Human Capital.

However, with a score of 73.5 the Region trails each of the benchmark regions on the

Productivity and Employment sub-index. Why is this? Let’s look at the component metrics of

this sub-index which are:

Change in High Tech Employment

Job Growth

Gross Domestic Product per Worker

Average Patents per 1,000 Workers

U.S. Treasure

Coast

Florida California

Innovation Index 100 90.5 86.5 103.8

Human Capital 100 96.3 95.0 112.8

Economic Dynamics 100 97.8 82.9 112.3

Productivity & Employment 100 73.5 76.3 87.2

Economic Well-Being 100 101.6 102.7 101.1



65

Change in High-Tech Employment

Firms requiring a highly skilled and specialized workforce are drawn to innovative areas. Growth

in this sector suggests the increasing presence of innovation. High-tech employment, derived

from a NAICS-based definition by Moody’s Analytics, measures an aggregation of employment

in key sectors (e.g., telecommunications, Internet providers, scientific laboratories) as an average

annual rate of change in the share of high-tech employment. Research shows this indicator has a

significant effect on GDP per worker growth.

Job Growth

High employment growth relative to population growth suggests jobs are being created faster

than people are moving to a region. A high ratio between these 2 variables indicates strong

economic growth.



66

Gross Domestic Product per Worker

GDP serves as a measure of county-level economic output, while increases in GDP per worker

measures increases in worker productivity.

Average Patents per 1,000 Workers

New patented technologies provide an indicator of individuals’ and firms’ abilities to develop

new technologies and remain competitive in the economy. Patents are presented as total number

per 1,000 workers.

The relatively low score in this Sub-Index is largely driven, it appears, by a declining share of

high-tech employment regionally, a gross domestic product per worker that is only eighty-eight

(88) percent (and as low as 76 percent on an individual county basis) of that for the nation and a

very low rate of patent generation.

The McKinsey Global Institute, in its paper Growth and Renewal in the United States: Retooling

America’s Economic Engine suggests that to deliver economic prosperity for this current

generation and the ones to follow, … “ the United States needs to retool the economy’s engine so

that it can run at a higher, sustainable growth rate for decades to come. The key to achieving this

aim is productivity – the United States need to accelerate labor productivity to a rate not seen

since the 1960s. Further, the United States needs to ensure that this productivity growth is

broadly based, coming from efficiency gains, innovation, and increasing the value and quality of

goods and services produced.”



67

PART V: REGIONAL SWOT ANALYSIS

This section provides a graphical representation of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and

threats affecting the regional economy. The analysis was performed by members of the CEDS

Committee during the period of February through March of 2012. A summary of some of the

salient findings is presented below. The full analysis is provided in Appendix X.

Strengths

1. Moderating rate of population growth

2. Increasing rate of job growth projected

3. High regard for quality of life/quality of place issues

4. Steady rate of small business growth

Weaknesses

1. Lack of economic diversity

2. Venture capital and entrepreneurial network

lacking

3. Skills mismatch to industry needs

4. Lack of capital to support small business

growth

Opportunities

1. Emerging research / development clusters

2. Ports and export capability, globalization

3. Regional partnerships emerging – workforce development, education, economic

development, finance

4. Growing, culturally diverse population

Threats

1. Infrastructure systems and resources stretched by residential and economic growth

2. Federal disinvestment for local priorities

3. Job growth concentrated in low-wage sectors

4. Lack of support for entrepreneurship and weak understanding of process

In the simplified visual representation in Figure 26, the findings from the regional SWOT

Analysis are illustrated and points are allocated to each “issue” identified under each category –

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. Clearly, the number of issues reflected under the

Weaknesses category outweigh the issues represented in the other three categories. The issues

reflect structural economic weaknesses such as lack of economic diversity, a skills mismatch to

industry needs and a lack of an efficient and effective entrepreneurial network to assist emerging

entrepreneurs and existing small business develop and expand their businesses. Interestingly,

external threats to the region’s economy represent the smallest share of issues in the analysis

suggesting the possibility that if the Region could collaborate to remove the structural

impediments or weaknesses in the economy the regional economy could be greatly strengthened

and advanced into a more productive state.

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

1

Figure x

Regional SWOT Analysis Visualization

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

Figure 26

Regional SWOT analysis Visualization



68

B. CEDS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The CEDS must contain a section setting forth goals and objectives necessary to solve the

economic problems, or capitalize on the resources, of the region. Any strategic project, program,

or activity identified in the CEDS should work to fulfill these goals and objectives.

Goals are broad, primary regional expectations.

Objectives are more specific than goals, clearly measurable, and stated in realistic terms

considering what can be accomplished over the five (5) year time frame of the CEDS.

1. Talent Supply & Education - Goals

Goal One: Support a highly skilled and educated workforce, creating economic opportunity for the

Region’s citizens.

Objective One: Create an additional 5,000 jobs in the target industries due to business retention

and expansion as measured by the data collection system by January 2017.

Objective Two: Raise the Region’s average annual wage to that of the nation by January 2017.

Objective Three: Recruit 2,500 new jobs in the target industries by January 2017 at a

sustainable annual wage.

Implementing Strategies

Strategy One: Cultivate education/business partnerships to encourage and develop

education/training support programs that will benefit existing and new businesses

and employees.

Strategy Two: Coordinate with local school boards, community colleges, universities and

workforce development boards on workforce development activities.

Strategy Three: Support and promote the development of a new four-year educational institution

in the Treasure Coast District.

Strategy Four: Support Local school boards, community colleges, universities workforce

development boards and non-profit organizations by forecasting regional

educational needs.

Strategy Five: Promote the provision of adequate workforce housing throughout the Region to

alleviate long commutes to industrial and commercial job sites.

2. Innovation & Economic Development - Goals

Goal One: Develop an innovative and sustainable regional economy by supporting the growth and

development of emerging industry clusters such as Life Sciences and Manufacturing.

Objective One: Increase the relative specialization of two or more of the Region’s emerging

cluster industries such as Defense & Security and Transportation Equipment Manufacturing to

allow these industries to transition from “Emerging” to “Star” cluster status by January 2017.



69


Strategy One: Identify locations for and encourage the development of industry clusters in the

Region.

Strategy Two: Encourage and support industry cluster research and development activities.

Strategy Three: Research, develop and disseminate information that will facilitate economic

development efforts.

3. Infrastructure & Growth Leadership - Goals

Goal One: Enhance physical infrastructure which encourages sustainable business growth.

Objective One: Improve methods for including economic development criteria into regional

infrastructure evaluation programs.

Objective Two: Complete grant applications for strategic regional physical infrastructure

improvements.


Strategy One: Work with local governments to maintain and improve the region’s physical

infrastructure to support the needs of established and emerging industry clusters.

Strategy Two: Assist local governments in upgrading or expanding their infrastructure facilities

by identifying potential funding sources and supporting funding applications.

Strategy Three: Coordinate with local governments and local and regional utility providers in

determining the need for advanced infrastructure facilities and identification of

potential funding sources.

Strategy Four: Identify industrial and commercial sites in the Region that have adequate

infrastructure capacity for future development.

Strategy Five: Coordinate with local economic development organizations to develop new

inventories of commercial and industrial sites with adequate infrastructure.

4. Business Climate & Competitiveness - Goals

Goal One: Establish an entrepreneurial culture that fosters and supports the creation of new firms

by focusing on economic drivers that generate new and sustainable wealth for our communities.

Objective One: Grow and support the development of one hundred (100) high-valued

entrepreneurial businesses within the Region’s targeted industries by January 2017.

Objective Two: Gather and maintain annual baseline data on the key economic indicators of the

region’s industry clusters.

Objective Three: Increase the Region’s high-tech employment share of total employment from

approximately 3.6 percent to 5.0 percent by January 2017.



70


Strategy One: Educate the public about entrepreneurship and its benefits to the Region.

Strategy Two: Increase availability of financing to entrepreneurs and small and minority-owned

businesses.

Strategy Three: Better connect venture capital and angel capital networks across the Region with

Treasure Coast entrepreneurs.

5. Civic & Governance Systems - Goals

Goal One: Adopt a clear economic vision for the Treasure Coast Region and promote collaboration

between business, political and community leaders to achieve it.


Strategy One: Provide local governments with high-quality research and information about

economic development principles, especially their costs and benefits, to help

them make the best-informed decisions possible.

Strategy Two: Work with the Region’s economic development organizations to develop a

coordinated communications and marketing campaign that effectively promotes

the Treasure Coast Region for business expansion and recruitment.

6. Quality of Life & Quality Places - Goals

Goal One: Promote the development of vibrant and thriving communities with a true quality of

place and a high quality of life for all the region’s residents.


Strategy One: Create and sustain affordable, vibrant, healthy and safe communities that attract

workers, businesses, residents and visitors.

Strategy Two: Encourage the creation, expansion and protection of the region’s natural

environment and cultural amenities for residents, businesses and visitors alike.

C. COMMUNITY AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION

This CEDS was developed by a standing committee comprised of public and private sector

organizations, business leaders and individuals from throughout the Treasure Coast Region

committed to helping develop a sustainable regional economy. The year-long CEDS strategy

development process began with an in-depth economic analysis of the Region. This was

followed by several months of meetings to identify the salient strengths and weaknesses in the

Region’s economy and opportunities and threats that needed to be addressed to move forward.

In August, 2012 the public was invited to review and submit comments on the draft CEDS.



71

Local governments in the Region were also notified the CEDS was available for review and

comment.

Implementation of the CEDS over the next five years depends on the cooperation and

Collaboration of many public and private sectors partners. The strategic projects, programs and

activities that follow in the next section were selected for inclusion in this CEDS because they:

Advance innovation and entrepreneurship;

Have a high degree of public commitment;

Help to diversify the regional economy;

Support the development of existing and emerging traded clusters;

Reshape the workforce to meet the needs of future industry clusters;

Are identified as priority projects in local government economic development plans;

Enhance long-term sustainability;

Have regional economic impacts; and

Address a critical need(s) to move the Region forward.

D. STRATEGIC PROJECTS, PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

This section of the report outlines a series of regional projects, programs, and activities designed

to implement the CEDS plan and ultimately, the desired vision for the Region’s future. The

following regionally significant projects are classified as either “Suggested or Vital Projects.”

Vital projects address the Region’s greatest needs and/or enhance the Region’s competitiveness.

Vital Projects are not priority ranked at this time. Suggested projects are longer-term economic

development projects that may be initiated after implementation of the Vital projects.

VITAL PROJECTS

Project – South Florida Intermodal Logistics Center

Pillar(s) Addressed




Applicant Project/Program Location Project/Program

Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

Palm Beach County

Board of County

Commissioners

Unincorporated western

Palm Beach County $ TBD TBD

Description

Recently, the Port of Palm Beach and Florida Crystals Corporation have agreed in principle to

collaborate on the development, construction and operation of a “South Florida Intermodal Logistics

Center” on 850 acres of land owned by Florida Crystals Corporation off U.S. 27, just north of South Bay

in unincorporated western Palm Beach County. The project would be a distribution center where freight

from South Florida ports could be taken by road and rail – then stored and routed to final destinations.



72

The Intermodal Logistics Center would ease inter-modal freight movement by shifting westward

from the increasingly congested South Florida highway and rail corridors. A freight system

could be linked to the region’s seaports which are constrained with limited expansion

opportunities. The 850 acre site has been approved at the Land Use designation level by Palm Beach

County and the State Department of Economic Opportunity but the project still needs to obtain zoning

and other development approvals, including permits.

Public-private partnerships to jointly develop and/or operate facilities have been the most

successful. This project addresses a growth forecast of Florida international trade estimated to

reach 2.5 million metric tons by 2025. Potential project partners would include Palm Beach

County, Florida Crystals Corporation, FDOT/MPO, private railroad companies, Business

Development Board of Palm Beach County, the City of Belle Glade, the City of South Bay, the

City of Pahokee and regional public private stakeholders, including South Florida Sea Ports. The

Inland Port feasibility study was completed in July 2007. EDA funds could be used for

architecture/engineering site design, development pro-forma and/or infrastructure improvements.

Outcomes

Estimated number of jobs created or retained – up to 20,000

Estimated amount of private sector investment generated -$TBD

Estimated amount of public sector investment generated -$TBD

Funding Sources -TBD

Project – Florida Inland Port

Pillar(s) Addressed





Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

Florida Inland Port St. Lucie County $ TBD TBD

Description

Florida Inland Port, formerly known as Treasure Coast Intermodal Campus has brought together

a team of experts to conduct market, regulatory and construction feasibility assessments and help

plan and design the development of a major cargo distribution center on 4,000 acres of land in

western St. Lucie County. The project would have a 30-year development timeframe. EDA

funds could be used for architecture/engineering site design, development pro-forma and/or

infrastructure improvements.

Outcomes

Estimated number of jobs created or retained – 12,000 to 36,000

Estimated amount of private sector investment generated -$TBD





73

Project - The Treasure Coast Research & Education Park

Pillar(s) Addressed






Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

St. Lucie County St. Lucie County $3.6 Million 2013/2014

Description

This project entails the construction of required infrastructure for phase one of the Research

Park. Components of the project include: installation of a 12" water main service loop for water

supply and fire protection; installation of a gravity sewer collection system utilizing a common

lift station; construction of roadside swales, catch basins and culverts for stormwater

conveyance; improvements to Pruitt Research Center Road including pedestrian facilities,

lighting, and native plants; and the construction of a new road called "Exploration Parkway" that

will run north from Pruitt Research Road through the Core Campus. This project will enable the

Research Park to have adequate facilities for the generation of private sector jobs and

investments, attract private sector capital, support technology based development, accelerate new

development, and enhance the region's ability to capitalize on opportunities presented by free

trade.

Outcomes

Estimated number of jobs created or retained – TBD

Estimated amount of private sector investment generated - $TBD


Funding Sources – State, Local, EDA

Project – Public Market

Pillar(s) Addressed





Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

City of Riviera Beach Marina District $15 Million 2013/2014

Description

The Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation, Inc. (“RBCDC”) is seeking grant

funding to develop a 40,000 to 50,000 square foot public market project to be located in Riviera

Beach. The development of this project, within the boundaries of the City’s Community

Redevelopment Area (“CRA”), and Marina District, and situated next to a designated food

desert, will serve as an important catalyst for urban redevelopment, private sector investment and

job creation to occur. More importantly, the project addresses social, environmental and



74

community barriers to community economic development that have plagued the community

redevelopment area including:

• Disinvestment

• Crime

• Marginal business development

• Vacant and abandoned buildings

• Lack of employment opportunities

• Lack of access to fresh foods

EDA funds could be used for architecture/engineering site design, development pro-forma and/or

infrastructure improvements.

Outcomes

Estimated number of jobs created or retained – 450

Estimated amount of private sector investment generated -$ TBD

Estimated amount of public sector investment generated -$ TBD

Funding Sources –EDA, State and Local

Project - Regional Seed Capital Fund

Pillar(s) Addressed





Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

TCRPC Treasure Coast Region $3 Million TBD

Description

In 2003, the Regional Planning Council established the Treasure Coast Enterprise Fund (TCEF),

a small business lending program to provide access to capital to support small business

development in the Treasure Coast Region. The program provides small business loans of up to

$35,000 to emerging and established businesses that are expanding and creating jobs. TCEF is

seeking funding to meet the financial/technical assistance needs of growing early-stage

entrepreneurial businesses and proposes to establish an initial seed capital fund of approximately

$3 million. This funding would provide financing for seed-stage and early-stage companies to

cover a portion of the initial costs associated with bringing new products or services to market.

Outcomes


Estimated amount of private sector investment generated -$6 Million





75

Project – Lake Worth Park of Commerce

Pillar(s) Addressed





Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

City of Lake Worth Lake Worth Park of

Commerce $4.3 Million 2013

Description

The City of Lake Worth is seeking funding to help fully develop a 314 acre site into an

operational industrial park adjacent to major transportation routes including I-95 and CSX rail,

Palm Beach International Airport, Florida Turnpike, Port of Palm Beach and FEC rail. An

Infrastructure Needs Assessment and Preliminary Engineering Study for the Project was

completed (November 2010) by Camp Dresser & Mckee, Inc.

In FY 2012, monies were allocated to contract engineering design services for the completion of

Phase 1 (out of 3 phases). An RFP has been issued and will be reviewed through a competitive

bid process mid-2012. In order to complete Phase 1, grant dollars would be used for the physical

infrastructure improvements including: transportation and streets (including right-of-way

acquisition); storm water collection systems; potable water distribution system; sanitary sewer

collection system; electric power distribution system; and telecommunications upgrades.

Outcomes





Project – Research Park at Florida Atlantic University - Jupiter

Pillar(s) Addressed







Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

City of Jupiter and

Research Park at Florida

Atlantic University

Jupiter $15 Million 2013/2014

Description

The Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority (FARDA), an independent non-

taxing special district organized under Florida Statutes Chapter 159, Part V, and Endeavour

Sustainable Investments (ESI) propose to collaborate on the establishment of a new research and

development park in close proximity to the research assets of Scripps Florida, Max Planck



76

Florida Institute and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in northern Palm Beach County. The aim

of the project is to capture economic and creative energy emerging from the research institutes

that can be translated into sustainable economic development in the life science industry for

South Florida.

In the first phase of the project, ESI will acquire land in proximity to FAU, and develop a 40,000

sf building in which it will locate companies it has invested in. A second building will follow

when feasible. The second phase of the project involves FARDA, which uses the brand name

Research Park at Florida Atlantic University, assuming outstanding debt on the land and building

and taking title to both. The Research Park will then own and operate the research park with

ESI’s collaboration and with the understanding that ESI will continue to place its investment

companies in the Research Park to contribute to the overall economic development strategy of

this region.

Outcomes





Project – Fellsmere Agricultural Industrial Park

Pillar(s) Addressed





Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

City of Fellsmere CR 512 approximately 0.5

miles west of 86th Street

$700,000 2013

Description

This project would help to expand the Fellsmere agricultural industry cluster by developing an

access road pair to provide access to a new agricultural business consisting of a commercial

scale, state-of-the-art aquaculture program harvesting Grade 10 prawns, cobia, oysters, and sea

asparagus in addition to algae and methane production and livestock feed byproducts. The

access road pair will also open nearly 600 acres of land to additional industrial development by

providing access and requisite utilities. The new business will also contain a research and

development consortium comprising Florida Organic Aquaculture in partnership with Harbor

Branch, Florida Institute of Technology and Texas Tech University. The project is located in a

Qualified Census Tract and a Brownfield Area. The access road pair will consist of

approximately 3,600lf of roadway providing access to the site of the new business that will

develop 100 acres of underperforming lands. Approximately 52 permanent full-time jobs will be

created.

Outcomes





77



Project - Regional Provision of Natural Gas Fueling Facilities

Pillar(s) Addressed





Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

Regional partnership

TBD

I-95 Corridor throughout the

Region

$2.5 Million per

fueling station 2013-2015

Description

The United States has a proven supply of over 100 years of natural gas. Technologies exist for a

competitive conversion of vehicular fuel source from gasoline and diesel to natural gas. This

project will implement natural gas fueling stations or pumps within existing stations along the

entire I-95 corridor to allow both the general public and the transport industry an alternative fuel

source that is proven to be more cost efficient and less harmful to the environment. Major firms

within the transport industry and the natural gas industry have already begun the conversion of

fleets to natural gas in heavily traveled corridors and provide a willing private partner in the

implementation of the project.

Outcomes

Estimated number of jobs created or retained – 5 per station

Estimated amount of private sector investment generated -$1.5 Million per station

Estimated amount of public sector investment generated -$1.0 Million per station

Funding Sources – Private, Local, State, EDA

Project – Regional Cluster Industry Study and Development Strategy

Pillar(s) Addressed






Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

TCRPC Treasure Coast Region $300,000 2013

Description

This section to be completed.

Outcomes




Funding Sources – Private, Local, State, EDA



78

SUGGESTED PROJECTS

Project - Pahokee Plaza Brownfield Redevelopment Site

Pillar(s) Addressed





Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

City of Pahokee Lake Okeechobee

Southeastern area,

surrounding 4 municipalities

TBD TBD

Description

The TCRPC has been working with the City of Pahokee to advance the redevelopment of a

formerly abandoned commercial plaza in the City limits. This section to be completed.

Outcomes

Estimated number of jobs created or retained - TBD

Estimated amount of private sector investment generated - $ TBD

Estimated amount of public sector investment generated - $ TBD

Funding Sources – Private, TCRPC (Brownfields Program), Local, EDA

Project - Port of Fort Pierce

Pillar(s) Addressed






Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

St. Lucie County Port

Authority

Treasure Coast Region TBD TBD

Description


Outcomes

Estimated number of jobs created or retained - TBD

Estimated amount of private sector investment generated - $TBD

Estimated amount of public sector investment generated - $TBD

Funding Sources –State, Local, EDA



79

Project - Fellsmere Corporate Research Park

Pillar(s) Addressed





Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

City of Fellsmere Fellsmere TBD TBD

Description


Outcomes


Estimated amount of private sector investment generated - $ TBD


Funding Sources – State, Local, EDA

Project - Regional Aviation Park

Pillar(s) Addressed Innovation and Economic Development



Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

City of Sebastian Sebastian TBD TBD

Description


Outcomes





Project – Martin County Fiber Optic Network

Pillar(s) Addressed





Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

Martin County TBD TBD



80

Description


Outcomes





Project – I-95 Interchange/Overpass at 69th

Avenue

Pillar(s) Addressed Innovation and Economic Development



Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

City of Fellsmere I-95 Interchange/Overpass

at 69th Avenue – Fellsmere

$25 Million 2015-2017

Description

The future land use envisioned within Fellsmere on the 24,000 acres of land straddling I-95

envisions new sustainable mixed use communities and regional employment activity centers.

Primary access to these lands via a new I-95 interchange/overpass at 66th

Avenue is set forth in

the Indian River County’s Long Range Transportation Plan. Private investment is expected as

part of this project through the mandatory impact fees that would be forthcoming from the

development. The impetus for this interchange/overpass will be a major employment generator

to be located within an employment activity center.

Outcomes


Estimated amount of private sector investment generated -$15 Million

Estimated amount of public sector investment generated -$10 Million

Funding Sources –Private, Local, State, EDA

Project – All Aboard Florida

Pillar(s) Addressed







Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

Florida East Coast

Industries, Inc. $ 1 billion 2015



81

Description

Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) is developing a privately owned, operated and maintained

intercity passenger rail service that will give business and leisure passengers a new convenient,

environmentally friendly and cost-effective way to travel between South Florida and Orlando.

The new route will feature passenger service in the existing FEC rail corridor between Miami

and Cocoa and the creation of new tracks into Orlando. 200 of 230 miles of Right-of-Way are

already in place and have been in service as an operating railroad for over a century. This allows

for passenger service between South Florida and Orlando to be up and running in 2014. FECI

would own, operate and manage the passenger rail line. Florida’s taxpayers will have no ongoing

construction or operating risks.

Outcomes


Estimated amount of private sector investment generated -$ 1 Billion

Estimated amount of public sector investment generated -$


Project – FEC/Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Service

Pillar(s) Addressed







Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

Florida Department of

Transportation Florida’s East Coast $250 Million 2013

Description

The FEC/Amtrak project will restore passenger rail service on the FEC rail corridor between

Jacksonville and West Palm Beach, where Amtrak service will be routed through a new

FEC/CSX rail connection to the CSX rail corridor, and service will continue south on the CSX

into Miami International Airport. Eight new stations are proposed in St. Augustine, Daytona

Beach, Titusville, Cocoa, Melbourne, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, and Stuart. The project will

create a new mobility option for the 8.3 million residents residing Florida's east coast counties,

and interconnect major activity hubs including historic downtowns, entertainment destinations,

Florida's airports/seaports, and educational facilities.

Outcomes







82

Project – Southeast Florida Commuter Rail Service

Pillar(s) Addressed







Cost

Anticipated Start

Date

Florida Department of

Transportation

Palm Beach, Broward and

Miami-Dade Counties $TBD 2015

Description

This project involves the introduction of commuter rail service on an 85-mile portion of the

Florida East Coast (FEC) rail corridor, complementing the existing Tri-Rail commuter service,

and providing expanded mobility and economic development in Palm Beach, Broward, and

Miami-Dade counties. The service will create a new efficient transit connection through the

hearts of 28 densely-populated municipalities, improve north-south mobility, encourage stronger

east-west connections, promote redevelopment and revitalization, and enhance freight

movement.

Reinstating passenger service in the FEC corridor will provide an efficient option to driving on

congested streets and highways and a much-needed integrated transportation link essential for

smart growth management, sustainability and a vital economy.

Once fully implemented, commuter rail on the FEC, integrated with other transit projects in

southeast Florida, has the potential to generate tens of thousands of jobs and billions in short-

and long-term economic impacts through construction, operations, maintenance and Transit

Oriented Development (TOD). As in other areas around the country, TOD realized over time will

expand the regional tax base and contribute to the financial stability of communities along the

corridor.

Outcomes







83

E. ACTION PLAN

This section illustrates in matrix form the implementation steps to be taken, the timeline and the

lead parties that will help develop the Vital Projects identified previously in the Strategic

Projects, Programs and Activities section of the CEDS.

Staff to complete this form.

Table 14

Vital Projects Project Time Line (by

year)

Project Lead

Organization

Tasks Project Cost Yr

1

Yr

2

Yr

3

Yr

4

Yr

5

1.0 South Florida

Intermodal

Logistics Center

2.0 Florida Inland

Port

3.0 St. Lucie County

Research and

Education Park

4.0 Public Market

5.0 Regional Seed

Capital Fund

6.0 Lake Worth Park

of Commerce

7.0 Research Park at

Florida Atlantic

University -

Jupiter

8.0 Fellsmere

Agricultural

Industrial Park

9.0 Regional

Provision of

Natural Gas

Fueling Facilities

10.0 Regional Cluster

Industry Study and

Development

Strategy



84

TECHNICAL APPENDIX



85

A. DETAILED CLUSTER ANALYSIS

The Region’s industry clusters are examined through the use of two analyses: Location Quotients

and Shift-Share Analysis. In this study, we adopt the set of seventeen (17) benchmark industry

cluster definitions developed by the Indiana Business Research Center (IBRC) with the Center

for Regional Development at Purdue University under a grant from the U.S. Economic

Development Administration to provide, a set of industry clusters and associated data that can be

readily accessed by regions and economic development districts across America. The research

team at the “Innovation in American Region’s” website has identified the following seventeen

industry clusters that TCRPC staff will examine:

The 17 Clusters and Six Subclusters

1. Advanced Materials

2. Agribusiness, Food Processing and Technology

3. Apparel and Textiles

4. Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Visitor Industries

5. Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences)

6. Business and Financial Services

7. Chemicals and Chemical-Based Products

8. Defense and Security

9. Education and Knowledge Creation

10. Energy (Fossil and Renewable)

11. Forest and Wood Products

12. Glass and Ceramics

13. Information Technology and Telecommunications

14. Transportation and Logistics

15. Manufacturing Supercluster

1. Primary Metals

2. Fabricated Metal Products

3. Machinery

4. Computer and Electronic Products

5. Electrical Equipment, Appliance and Components

6. Transportation Equipment

16. Mining

17. Printing and Publishing

The manufacturing supercluster was subsequently disaggregated into six more-specialized sub-

clusters.

The aggregated industry cluster definitions are provided at the end of this section.



86

Location Quotients

Industry Cluster Analysis: Using the 17 benchmark industry cluster definitions described

earlier, we evaluate each clusters by means of a location quotient. A location quotient compares

the proportion of a region’s employment in a particular industry to the fraction of the nation’s

employment in the same industry cluster. The location quotient for industry “I” in region “r”, for

example, is calculated as

LQri={[Eri / Er] / [Eni / En]},

where Eri is the region’s employment in industry cluster i, Er is total regional employment, Eni is

the nation’s employment in industry cluster I, and En is total national employment. An LQ equal

to one means the region employs the same fraction of its workforce in the industry cluster as

does the nation as a whole. An LQ of greater than one indicates the region employs a larger

fraction of its workforce in the industry cluster (less than one a small fraction) than does the

nation. When the LQ exceeds 1.0, the region is said to “specialize” in the industry cluster and

has a concentration in the industry cluster.

Industry clusters are sometimes displayed in a three-dimensional (LQ, percentage change in LQ

and cluster employment) format using a bubble chart. A hypothetical chart is shown in Figure

A1.

The vertical axis represents the value of LQ in 2010. The horizontal axis cross the LQ axis at a

value of LQ equal to one. Bubbles above the horizontal axis represent industry clusters that

employ a greater share of the region’s workforce than does the nation while the bubbles below

the horizontal axis represent clusters that employ a smaller fraction of the region’s workforce

than does the nation. Moving along the horizontal axis represents the percentage change in the

Figure A1Location Quotients

Mature Star

Transforming Emerging

L

Q

in

2

0

1

0

% Change in LQ 2001 - 2010

Industry Cluster Bubble Chart

Hypothetical Data

-10 10

2

1

0

The size of the bubble represents regional employment in the cluster.

The larger the bubble, the larger the employment.



87

value of the LQ from 2005 to 2010. Bubbles lying to the right of the vertical axis represent

industry clusters that have increased their relative share of employment, while those to the left of

the vertical axis have decreased their relative share of employment. The size of the bubble

represents regional employment in a particular cluster.

Bubbles in the chart fall into one of four quadrants: Star, Mature, Emerging and Transforming.

Star Clusters: Industry clusters in the upper right quadrant are known as “Stars”. These are the

clusters that have higher concentrations of employment than that of the nation and whose relative

employment has increased over the five year period relative to the nation. Star clusters are

specialized as compared to the nation and are becoming more specialized.

Mature Clusters: Industry clusters in the upper left quadrant are “Mature”. Mature clusters are

those whose fraction of employment in the region is larger than that in the nation and whose

fraction of employment has decreased over the five year period relative to the nation. Mature

clusters are specialized as compared to the nation but are becoming less specialized.

Emerging: Industry clusters in the lower right quadrant are known as “Emerging”. Emerging

clusters are those whose fraction of employment in the region is currently less than that in the

nation and whose fraction of employment has increased over the five year period relative to the

nation. These industry clusters are less specialized in the region as compared to the nation.

However, these clusters may become specialized clusters in the future and warrant further

attention.

Transforming: Industry clusters in the lower left quadrant are known as “Transforming”.

Transforming industry clusters are those whose fraction of employment in the region is less than

that for the nation and whose fraction of employment has decreased over the five year period

relative to the nation. These are the clusters that are least specialized in the region and are

unlikely to become specialized.

Figure A2 displays the Treasure Coast Region’s industry clusters.



88

Immediately recognizable is the tremendous increase in the Region’s concentration in the

Electrical Equipment, Appliance and Components and Primary Metal Manufacturing clusters.

The Region’s proportion of employment in these two clusters increased substantially more than

in the nation, 100% for Primary Metal Manufacturing and just over 221% for Electrical

Equipment, Appliance and Components. Both of these clusters, however, are relatively small

(136 and 815 jobs, respectively) as compared to many of the other regional industry clusters.

Because of the large growth in the LQs of these two industry clusters, however, the overall chart

pattern is obscured somewhat. In Figure A3, the bubble chart is shown with these industry

clusters excluded.


Industry Clusters


Agribusiness, Food Processing &

Technology, 15,046



Vistor Industries, 35,887

Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life

Sciences), 76,105



Education & Know ledge Creation,

15,502

Energy (Fossil & Renew able), 18,749



Information Technology &

Telecommunications, 16,267



Primary Metal Mfg, 136


Machinery Mfg, 885

Computer & Electronic Product Mfg,

2,609

Electrical Equipment, Appliance &

Component Mfg, 815


Mining, 340


0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

-200.00% -150.00% -100.00% -50.00% 0.00% 50.00% 100.00% 150.00% 200.00%


LQ

in

2010

Figure A2



89


Industry Clusters

(excluding Electrical Equipment Mfg. & Primary Metal Mfg.)



Technology, 15,046



Vistor Industries, 35,887


Sciences), 76,105



Education & Know ledge Creation,

15,502

Energy (Fossil & Renew able), 18,749




Telecommunications, 16,267




Machinery Mfg, 885

Computer & Electronic Product Mfg,

2,609

Mining, 340


0.00

1.00

2.00

-30.00% -20.00% -10.00% 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00%


LQ

in

2010

Figure A3



90

Star Clusters

The clusters located in the upper right-hand section of Figure A3 are “Star” clusters – the

important clusters for the region to focus on. These clusters have higher concentrations of

employment than that of the nation and help to place the region in a competitive position. These

clusters have also shown strong growth over time. The star clusters identified in the Treasure

Coast Region include Arts, Entertainment, Recreation & Visitor Industries and

Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences). These clusters employed a total of 111,992 workers,

or approximately 17.2% of the Region’s work force.

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation & Visitor Industries: Between 2005 and 2010 this

cluster’s share of national employment increased by 2.96 percent. With a location quotient of

1.39, this industry is 39 percent more concentrated in the Treasure Coast Region than in a typical

U.S. Region. This cluster includes motion picture and video distribution, radio stations,

television broadcasting, travel agencies, convention and visitors bureaus, museums, historical

sites, recreational facilities, and hotels and motels.

Number of Employees: 35,887

Average Wage: $33,540

Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences): This cluster’s share of national employment

increased by 9.2 percent between 2005 and 2010. Additionally, overall employment in this

cluster increased by 11.2 percent over the period, higher than the cluster’s employment growth at

the national level (9.5 percent). In their Life Sciences cluster snapshot, Enterprise Florida

indicates that Florida is now home to the second fastest growing biotech industry in the nation.

This important regional cluster includes pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, medical

equipment and supplies manufacturing, research and development in physical, engineering and

life sciences, and HMO medical centers. Key regional Life Sciences cluster assets include

Scripps Research Institute, Max Planck Florida Institute, Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular

Studies, Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute of Florida and the Mann Research Center. See Map

x.



Mature Clusters: The Region has one mature cluster as evidenced in the bubble chart –

Business & Financial Services.

Business & Financial Services: The Region’s Business & Financial Services cluster includes

consumer lending, securities brokerage, pension funds, legal services, architectural, engineering

and related services and management, scientific and technical consulting services. The Florida

Department of Economic Opportunity projects an average annual growth rate of employment in

this industry cluster of approximately 2.8 percent statewide and approximately 3.3 percent for

the Region.





91

Emerging Clusters: The clusters in this quadrant are important and warrant further attention

because, while they have not reached a critical employment mass in the region compared to the

nation, they have experienced a significant amount of growth. The Treasure Coast region has a

number of emerging industry clusters including Defense & Security; Education & Knowledge

Creation; Information Technology & Telecommunications and Transportation & Logistics. The

top five emerging industry clusters by as evidenced by increase in employment concentration

over the five-year period of 2005 to 2010 are:

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

Apparel & Textiles

Transforming Clusters: The clusters situated in the lower left-hand portion of Figure A3 are

“Transforming” clusters. These clusters exhibit two main characteristics- they are not

specialized and their relative employment concentration has decreased over the five-year period

of this analysis. The identified transforming clusters include Agribusiness, Food Processing &

Technology; Printing & Publishing; Energy and Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing.

While the Region as a whole exhibits relative specialization in the three mentioned star clusters

each of its counties display marked differences in their respective specialized clusters. See

Tables A1 and A2.

Industry ClustersIndustry ClustersClusters

Region Palm Beach Martin St. Lucie Indian River

Advanced Materials

Agribusiness, Food Process and Technology 1.9 2.5

Apparel and Textiles

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Visitor

Industries

1.4 1.4 1.2 1.6

Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences) 1.1 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.1

Business and Financial Services 1.1 1.2

Chemicals and Chemical-Based Products

Defense and Security

Education and Knowledge Creation 1.0

Energy (Fossil and Renewable)

Forest and Wood Products

Glass and Ceramics

Information Technology and

Telecommunications

Transportation & Logistics

Manufacturing Supercluster

Computer and Electronic Product Mfg

Electric Equip, Appliance and Component Mfg 1.7

Fabricated Metal Product Mfg

Machinery Mfg

Primary Metal MFG

Transportation Equipment Mfg 1.3 1.3

Mining 1.1

Printing and Publishing

Table A1

Specialized Clusters in the Treasure Coast Region and Counties

(LQ greater than 1 in 2010)



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Palm Beach County and the Region as a whole are equally matched in their respective star

cluster makeup. Martin County specializes in three cluster industries – Arts, Entertainment,

Recreation & Visitor Industries; Life Sciences and Transportation Equipment Manufacturing.

St. Lucie County exhibits relative specialization in the following three clusters, Agribusiness,

Food Processing and Technology; Life Sciences and Education and Knowledge Creation. Indian

River County exhibits relative strength in six industry clusters – the most of any county in the

region. Specialized clusters in Indian River County are Agribusiness, Food Processing and

Technology; Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Visitor Industries; Life Sciences; Electrical

Equipment Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment Manufacturing and Mining.

Table A2

Cluster Employment by County, 2010

Cluster Indian River Martin Palm Beach St. Lucie

Employment LQ Employment LQ Employment LQ Employment LQ

Total All Industries 45,155 1.00 55,434 1.00 487,891 1.00 63,494 1.00

Advanced Materials 347 0.21 817 0.40 6,009 0.33 613 0.26


Technology 2,761 2.58 784 0.60 8,638 0.75 2,863 1.90

Apparel & Textiles 211 0.63 233 0.56 1,970 0.54 99 0.21

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation

& Visitor Industries 2,907 1.62 2,760 1.25 28,026 1.45 2,194 0.87


Sciences) 5,389 1.08 7,406 1.21 54,685 1.02 8,625 1.23

Business & Financial Services 2,922 0.74 3,370 0.69 51,809 1.21 2,720 0.49

Chemicals & Chemical Based

Products

200 0.28 359 0.42 3,050 0.40 514 0.52

Defense & Security 1,668 0.67 2,680 0.88 24,508 0.92 2,632 0.76

Education & Knowledge Creation 735 0.42 1,393 0.65 10,874 0.58 2,500 1.03

Energy (Fossil & Renewable) 1,008 0.50 2,590 1.05 13,272 0.61 1,879 0.67

Forest & Wood Products 146 0.30 169 0.28 1,763 0.34 220 0.32

Glass & Ceramics 16 0.18 58 0.52 278 0.29 53 0.42


Telecommunications

701 0.41 991 0.47 13,953 0.75 622 0.26

Transportation & Logistics 602 0.45 974 0.59 6,108 0.42 1,345 0.71

Manufacturing Supercluster 1,167 0.61 1,740 0.74 7,219 0.35 764 0.29

Primary Metal Mfg 87 0.68 - - 18 0.01 31 0.17

Fabricated Metal Product Mfg 116 0.27 264 0.49 1,266 0.27 183 0.30

Machinery Mfg 72 0.21 66 0.15 552 0.15 195 0.40

Computer & Electronic Product

Mfg

41 0.11 461 0.97 2,085 0.50 22 0.04

Electrical Equipment, Appliance

& Component Mfg 219 1.74 136 0.88 447 0.33 13 0.07

Transportation Equipment Mfg 632 1.32 813 1.38 2,851 0.55 320 0.47

Mining 72 1.13 11 0.14 196 0.29 61 0.68

Printing & Publishing 509 0.69 850 0.94 6,862 0.86 446 0.43

The foregoing analysis helped to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the region’s economy

by examining the concentration of employment across all seventeen industry clusters and by



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seeing how certain clusters have become more or less specialized over time. The next part of the

analysis attempts to explain how the region’s economic performance differs from the nation as a

whole. This is known as shift-share analysis.

Shift-Share Analysis

Shift-share analysis attempts to explain the changes (employment) in the region’s economy by

deconstructing the actual changes into its three sources: a national growth effect, industrial mix

effect and regional competitiveness effect.

National Growth Effect – The share of regional job growth that can be attributed to the

growth of the national economy.

Industrial Mix Effect – The share of regional industry job growth explained by the

growth of the industry cluster at the national level. To calculate this number, the national

growth rate of the total economy is subtracted from the national growth rate of the

specific industry, and this growth percentage is applied to the regional jobs in that

industry.

Regional Competitiveness Effect – The regional share effect represents the share of

regional job growth that is left after accounting for the national growth and industrial mix

effects. It explains how much of the change in a given industry cluster is due to the

unique set of resources and jobs skills, essentially the region’s competitive advantage that

cannot be explained by national trends in that industry cluster or the economy as a whole.

A positive value indicates the region has a competitive advantage in the industry cluster,

while a negative value indicates a competitive disadvantage.

Table A3 illustrates the shift-share analysis for the Treasure Coast Region. The region’s industry

clusters are organized in the table by their position in the bubble charts in Figures A2 and A3.

Take the Life Sciences industry cluster for example. In 2005 this cluster’s regional employment

level was 68,417. Employment in this cluster increased from 68,417 in 2005 to 76,105 in 2010.

As illustrated in Table x, this change in employment can be deconstructed as follows:

National employment decreased by 2.8% over the period. If the region’s cluster were

to behave like the nation as a whole, 1,943 jobs would have been lost (i.e. -2.8

percent times the cluster’s base employment of 68,417 equals -1,943). This is the

national share effect.

Employment in this industry cluster increased by 9.5% over the period of 2005 to

2010. If the region’s cluster performed like the industry cluster at the national level,

6,527 jobs would have been added (i.e. 9.5% - 2.8% times the cluster’s base

employment of 68,417 equals 4,584, this is the industry cluster share.

The regional share is calculated to produce 5,047 jobs. This is the residual effect

after netting out the national and industry cluster share effects. The positive regional

share indicates that the regional economy enjoys a competitive advantage in the

Biomedical / Biotechnology (Life Sciences) cluster.



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Table A3


Shift Share Analysis Region LQ 2010 % Change

in LQ

2005-2010

Employment

2010

Change in

Employment

2005-2010

National

Share

Industry

Cluster

Share

Regional

Share

Total All Industries 651,974 -67,813

Stars: Specialized, Increasing Concentration

Arts, Entertainment,

Recreation & Visitor

Industries

1.39 3.0 35,887 -2,399 -1,087 -1,807 495

Biomedical/Biotechnical

(Life Sciences)

1.06 9.3 76,105 7,688 -1,943 4,584 5,047

Mature: Specialized, Decreasing Concentration

Business & Financial

Services

1.06 -0.9 60,821 -4,714 -1,861 1,566 -4,419

Emerging: Not Specialized, Increasing Concentration

Defense & Security 0.88 8.6 31,488 1,923 -840 757 2,006

Transportation Equipment

Manufacturing

0.67 36.7 4,616 -160 -136 -1,303 1,279


Telecommunications

0.65 10.2 16,267 -393 -473 -1,336 1,416

Education & Knowledge

Creation

0.62 17.0 15,502 2,104 -380 518 1,966

Apparel & Textiles 0.52 23.8 2,513 -509 -86 -911 488

Transportation & Logistics 0.47 6.8 9,029 -620 -274 -731 385

Electrical Equipment,

Appliance & Component

Manufacturing

0.45 221.4 815 481 -9 -69 559

Chemicals & Chemical

Based Products

0.41 7.9 4,123 -810 -140 -992 322

Manufacturing Supercluster 0.40 17.6 10,890 -1,378 -348 -2,634 1,604

Advanced Materials 0.32 6.7 7,786 -1,024 -250 -1,359 585

Glass & Ceramics 0.31 19.2 405 -57 -13 -117 73

Machinery Manufacturing 0.18 12.5 885 -134 -29 -175 70

Primary Metal

Manufacturing

0.08 100.0 136 36 -3 -25 64

Transforming: Not Specialized, Decreasing Concentration

Agribusiness, Food

Processing & Technology

0.97 -4.0 15,046 -2,006 -484 -798 -724

Printing & Publishing 0.82 -6.8 8,667 -2,908 -329 -1,887 -692

Energy 0.65 -7.1 18,749 -3,000 -618 -735 -1,647

Computer & Electronic

Product Manufacturing

0.47 -7.8 2,609 -1,047 -104 -692 -251

Mining 0.37 -2.6 340 -59 -11 -36 -12

Forest & Wood Products 0.33 -19.5 2,298 -2,099 -125 -1,468 -506

Fabricated Metal Product

Manufacturing

0.29 -3.3 1,829 -554 -68 -455 -31

A review of the results of Table A3 reveals the regional competitive effect is positive – the region has a

competitive advantage – in all of its star and emerging clusters.



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DETAILED CLUSTER DEFINITIONS TO BE INSERTED HERE.



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B. PERFORMANCE MEASURES

This section introduces a set of metrics by which the Regional Planning Council can chart the

successful implementation of the CEDS.

An important component in the successful implementation of this Comprehensive Economic

Development Strategy is to measure progress towards achieving our Vision of regional economic

sustainability. This requires a set of metrics by which the Regional Planning Council can chart

the progress of the Region’s economy. The following metrics can be used to measure progress

towards the successful implementation of the CEDS Plan:

1. Number of Jobs Created After Implementation of the CEDS

a. Total Employment in Initial Year

b. Total Employment in Subsequent Years

2. Number and Types of Public Sector Investments Undertaken in the Region

a. EDA Sponsored Investments

b. Significant State and Local Investments

3. Number of Jobs Retained in the Region

a. Number of Jobs Retained as a Result of Federal Investments

b. Number of Jobs Retained as a Result of Select State and Local Investments

4. Amount of Private Sector Investment in the Region After Implementation of the CEDS

5. Changes in the Economic Environment of the Region (Changes to Taxes & Fees, New

Incentive Programs, etc.)

Additionally, as part of the Florida Regional Councils Association’s efforts to coordinate and

maintain consistency with the State in its development of the 2012-2017 Statewide Strategic

Plan for Economic Development, all CEDS Plans statewide have incorporated the following “Six

Pillars” metrics:

A detailed supplement with tables and illustrations for the following metrics will be

provided.

1. Talent Supply & Education

a. Average Annual Wage

b. High School Graduation Rates

c. 8th Grade Math Performance

2. Innovation & Economic Development



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a. Gross Domestic Product

b. Bed Tax Collections

c. Trade Exports and Imports

3. Infrastructure & Growth Leadership

a. Population Counts, Estimates and Projections

b. Building Permits

c. Vehicle Miles Traveled per Lane Mile

4. Business Climate & Competitiveness

a. Average Annual Unemployment Rates

b. Employment by Industry

c. Wages by Industry

5. Civic & Governance Systems

a. Millage Rates

b. Registered Nonprofit Organizations

c. Voter Participation

6. Quality of Life & Quality Places

a. Per Capita Income

b. House Purchase Price and Cost Index

c. Persons Living in Poverty

C. PAST, PRESENT AND PROJECTED FUTURE ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS


a. Recent Economic Development Investments

b. Current Economic Development Investments

c. Anticipated Economic Development Investments

D. INTEGRATING THE CEDS WITH STATE AND REGIONAL

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES




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E. MAP SERIES



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F. OTHER (TBD)

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