City of Fort Bragg Business Advocate Introduction to Fort Bragg
Funded in part by Community Development Block Grant #06-EDBG-2608 1 Topics
• Community Strengths • Brief History of Fort Bragg • Community Activities • Community Assets • New Development Projects • Tours of the Town • Economic, Demographic & Retail Data
2 Our Strengths
¾ Beautiful & accessible natural environment, ocean access, rugged coast line, redwood forest, beaches, and mountains which provide venues for a variety of outdoor activities and scenic qualities. ¾ An active and involved community characterized by small-town friendliness, great business involvement and networking, and cultural diversity ¾ Regional retail and employment center for the Mendocino Coast. ¾ Access to a well educated qualified workforce. ¾ Well established artistic and cultural scene of community-based theater, music, fine arts and crafts. ¾ Exceptional quality recreational opportunities such as: sport fishing, scuba diving, surfing, sea kayaking, beach combing, canoeing, horseback riding, hiking, bird watching, and walking. ¾ Limited traffic congestion, air pollution, crime and related urban ills. ¾ Excellent employment opportunities. ¾ Active revitalization of the 425-acre Mill Site will result in a new 3.5 mile coastal trail and parklands, the Noyo Center, and residential and commercial development.
3 More Strengths
¾ A rich history of fishing, logging and lumber processing which contribute to community ambiance and character. ¾ Unique, visually interesting small town character with quality retail, a mix of restaurants, and local events. ¾ Association with the “Mendocino” name/branding strength for higher-end products and the hospitality sector. ¾ A variety of excellent employers, which add to the high quality of life, such as: the College of the Redwoods, the Mendocino Coast District Hospital, Harvest Market, etc. ¾ Natural and historic assets, including: Fort Bragg’s historic and vibrant downtown, the Skunk Train, Glass Beach, Pomo Bluffs, our coastline, Guest House Museum, etc.
4 Fort Bragg has…. an Involved Business Community
¾ Great business-to-business communications ¾ Friendly small-town ¾ Community of relationships ¾ Cultural diversity ¾ Green-minded community that values energy conservation and sustainability
5 A Quick Overview of Our History
• Pre-1850 Pomo Native American culture • 1850 Frolic shipwreck north of Point Cabrillo attracted interest in timber resource • 1857 Fort Bragg military post, named after Braxton Bragg, was established to control native population • 1861 Fort abandoned, land offered at $1.25/acre to settlers • 1873 Lumber port established at Noyo • 1889 City incorporated • 1893 Union Lumber Company created; absorbed smaller lumber companies in area • 1905 California Western Railroad formed; railway established here to Willits • 1906 earthquake • 1907 Fort Bragg reconstructed, gained prosperity through lumber sales to rebuild San Francisco • 1916 Fort Bragg becomes popular place to visit – and settle • 1920’s First motorized trolling vessels introduced to Noyo Harbor • 1990’s Fishing industry declines due to declining fish populations and regulations • 2002 Lumber mill permanently closed • 2003 Initiated planning for re-use of Mill Site (425 acres): a full 1/3 of the City 6 Attractions & Fun Activities
Tourism attractions ¾ Skunk Train ¾ Noyo Harbor ¾ Botanical Gardens ¾ MacKerricher State Park ¾ Glass Beach ¾ Haul Road Coastal Trail ¾ Guest House Museum Fun Activities ¾ FB oddities brochure ¾ Mountain Biking ¾ Diving Community Events ¾ Surfing ¾ Whale festival ¾ Mini Golf ¾ Symphony of the Redwoods ¾ Bowling ¾ Paul Bunyan Days ¾ Movies ¾ World Famous Salmon BBQ ¾ Sport Fishing ¾ Kite Festival ¾ Horse back riding ¾ Mendocino Film festival ¾ Bird watching ¾ Mendocino Symphony ¾ Beach visits ¾ Mendocino Music festival ¾ Tide pooling ¾ Gloriana Opera Co. ¾ Hiking & walking ¾ Farmer’s Market ¾ First Friday ¾ Quilt Show ¾ Rodeo ¾ Car Show ¾ Rhododendron Show ¾ Fund-raising dinners (crab, salmon, spaghetti, fish, cioppino, tri-tips, chowder tasting, breakfasts) 7 Many Community Assets
• Local hospital • Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, community gardens • Recreation Center, golf course, dog parks • Cotton Auditorium, movie theaters, art galleries • Health clubs, dance and yoga studios, tennis courts • Rowing club, national spear fishing club • World class restaurants (7 Zagat rated-The Restaurant, Mendo Bistro, Nits Café, The Rendezvous Restaurant, North Coast Brewing Company, Chapter and Moon, Sharon’s by the Sea) • MCTV, local radio and local newspapers • Little River Airport, LR golf course • College of the Redwoods • Fort Bragg Unified School District (pre-school, adult, & ROP) • Excellent Police Force
8 Family Friendly Community
• Mendocino Coast Recreation & Park District – After-school sports & programs – Classes – Future golf course & conference center planned • Mini golf, bowling alley • Senior Center, Library • PAL (Police Activity League) fishing derby • Local sports: Softball, basketball, football, soccer, golf, wrestling, swimming, equestrian, skating, karate, cheerleading (team placed in national competition) • Spiritual location • Involved community 9 New Community Facilities
Aquatic Center Noyo Center for Science & Education at Fort The Aquatic Center is under construction, upon Bragg completion it will provide: The Noyo Center will promote understanding of • 8-lane competition lap pool marine and terrestrial environments by • 4-lane activity/therapy/learning pool with providing: zero-depth, beach entry play features and a • A natural laboratory water slide • Appropriate infrastructure for scientific research • 175-feet running-river resistance water • Innovative education and channel • Natural resource stewardship
10 The Fort Bragg Tour based on type of business proposed
Commercial districts • Downtown • Main Street (Hwy 20 to Pudding Creek) • Boatyard Shopping Center • Noyo Harbor • South Franklin Shopping Strip
Industrial districts • North Franklin (north of train tracks) • North Main Street (north of Airport Road)
Schools • Redwood Elementary (K-2) • Dana Gray (3-5) • FB Middle School (6-8) • FB High School (9-12) • College of the Redwoods
Recreational sites in the City • Aquatic Center • City Parks: Glass Beach, Pudding Creek, Bainbridge, Otis Johnson, Pomo Bluffs, Noyo Beach (dog park)
11 12 School Tour
Redwood Elementary Dana Gray Middle School Fort Bragg High School College of the Redwoods
13 Pending Developments
Glass Beach condos – 62 condo units
Assisted Living Facility – 110 bed assisted living facility, 12 units of senior housing, 32 bed memory center
Hare Creek project – 72 condo units, gas station, restaurant, 10,000 square foot office space, 32 single family homes
14 Mill Site Reuse Plan
400+ residential units (A) Resort hotel (B) Commercial & Downtown (C) Industrial & Mixed-Use (D) 3.5 mile coastal trail and 75 acres of parkland (E)
15 City of Fort Bragg Starting Your Resources for… Business Guide Zoning City fees Business licenses Signs Remodels Home businesses Hazardous materials Opening a restaurant Business advice! www.fortbragg.com Starting a new business in city.fortbragg.com town? Find out where to go to get the information you need!
16 Check Your Zoning… before you buy or rent
• City staff will help you identify and understand if a potential property can meet your business needs given its zoning, and also help you understand permitting, parking, signage, and other requirements. • Some of the City is within the Coastal Zone. Development projects in the Coastal Zone must comply with the California Coastal Act and may be subject to review of California Coastal Commission.
17 Business Assistance Groups
¾ Promotion Committee www.fortbragg.com Advertising and promoting the advantages of Fort Bragg for recreation, tourism, and business growth.
¾ Community Development Advisory Board Advising the City regarding economic development, housing, preservation, and economic revitalization of the downtown and the City
¾ Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce www.mendocinocoast.com 961-6300 Business referrals, networking, visitor information, Chamber mixers, newsletters, promotes area to visitors and film industry
¾ West Company www.westcompany.org 964-7571 Business development workshops, consulting services for marketing, business plans, and business loans
¾ City Hall www.city.fortbragg.com 961-2823 Business Advocate Program, business licenses, market data, special projects, and permitting for signs, zoning, and building permits
¾ Economic Development & Financing Corporation www.edfc.org 467-5953 Financial & technical assistance, marketing, site selection assistance
¾ County of Mendocino www.co.mendocino.ca.us 964-5379 Building permits, ADA requirements, information specific to retail food facilities
¾ Lodging Business Improvement District www.mcla.info (866) 637-MCLA Marketing and events to attract tourist to Mendocino 18 Business Networking Opportunities
¾ Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 707-964-1228 www.bigbrothersbigsistersofmendocino.com Non-profit agency for families and children. ¾ Rotary, www.fortbraggrotary.org Local service organization ¾ Soroptomist Int’l of Fort Bragg, 961-0944 ¾ Noyo Sunrise Soroptomist, 961-1864 ¾ Fort Bragg Lion’s Club, 961-1727 Service club providing eye care, glasses, hearing aids, and support to the Fort Bragg community. Sponsors the 4th of July Fireworks every July. ¾ Arts Council of Mendocino County, 961-5449 www.artsmendocino.org Introduce, promote and benefit the arts in order to enrich the quality of life for the citizens of the county. ¾ Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance, 468-9886 ¾ Kiwanis Club of Fort Bragg, 964-6181 Non-profit service organization ¾ Toastmasters, 964-3433 ¾ Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce, 961-6300
19 Business Considerations Challenges
Shipping & transportation issues Broadband capabilities Cell phone service Child care Employee base Telecommuters Housing availability & affordability Do your homework regarding zoning and market research
20 Educational Resources
College of the Redwoods, www.redwoods.edu (707) 962-2664 Online and community education courses available, education available to suit business needs
Associate of Arts Degrees Associate of Science Degrees Certificates University Studies Business-General Addiction Studies General Studies General Studies Business-General Graphic Communications Desktop Publishing Marine Science Technology Early Childhood Education Office Professional Fine Woodworking Graphic Communications Marine Science Technology Medical Office Business Skills Natural History Word Processing
Fort Bragg Unified School District • Fort Bragg schools achieved the highest annual performance index ranking in the County for schools with comparable demographics • Regional Occupational Program (ROP)
Private • Living Light Culinary Institute • Bamboo Garden Spa Massage School
Future Educational Facility Noyo Center for Science and Education at Fort Bragg
21 Media Resources
•MCTV • Newspapers: Fort Bragg Advocate, Mendocino Beacon, Press Democrat • Radio stations: KMFB, KPMO, KOZT, KSAY, KUKI, KDAC • Internet: MCN
22 Seasonal Weather
• Average annual temperature ranges from 53° to 57° F • Average annual precipitation 35” to 60” • Spring & Fall expect clear skies and temps 65° to 75° • Summer characterized by cooler weather (that draws visitors seeking relief from the inland heat) • Coast subject to strong winds from time to time
23 Fort Bragg Demographics
City Location & Population 2000 Census 2007 Estimate
7,026 6,917 City Population Coast region population 16,000 18,000
City occupies 2.7 square miles
Location: 165 miles north of San Francisco; 188 miles west of Sacramento Ethnicity by Household White 82% 69% Latino 12% 20% Other (includes African American/Black 3% 3% American Indian 2% 1% Asian 1% 1% Income Levels Median Family Income $36,000 Per Capita $15,832
Local Commute Drive alone 69.8% Carpool 13.9% Walk 8.9% Work at home 4.6% Mean travel time to work 14.5 minutes
24 Workforce
Occupations • Service 31.8% • Management, professional & related occupations 19.9% • Sales & office 16.6% • Production, transportation & material moving 14.9% • Construction, extraction & maintenance 11.5% • Farming, fishing & forestry 5.2%
Class of Workers • Private wage & salary 76.0% • Government 14.4% • Self-employed in own not incorporated business 9.1% • Unpaid family workers 0.4%
25 Jobs by Industry
Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation & food services 20.4% Educational, health, & social services 20.1% Retail trade 10.9% Manufacturing 8.7% Agriculture, forestry, fishing/hunting, & mining 8.3% Construction 7.2% Public administration 4.2% Professional, scientific, management, admin, & waste services 4.0% Other services (except public administration) 3.8% Wholesale trade 3.5% Information 3.4% Finance, insurance, real estate, rental & leasing 3.0% Transportation/warehousing & utilities 2.6%
Source: Employment Development Department
26 Major Employers (50+ employees)
• Fort Bragg Unified School District • Mendocino Coast District Hospital • College of the Redwoods • Caito Fisheries (crab, salmon, rockfish) • Charter boat companies (whale watching, sportfishing, abalone diving) • County of Mendocino • Anderson Logging • City of Fort Bragg • Harvest Market • Safeway (EDD data – 50 or more employees) Historically, Fort Bragg’s economy was heavily dependent on the timber and fishing industries, retail and visitor services, and government jobs. Today the largest employment categories include services, wholesale and retail trade, local government, public education, health care, tourism, and fishing.
27 Employee Base
Education attainment (population 25 years and older) Less than 9th grade 5.7% 9th –12th grade, no diploma 13.2% High school graduate 32.9% Some college, no degree 27.5% Associate degree 7.1% Bachelor’s degree 8.4% Graduate or professional degree 5.2%
28 Employee Base per Census 2000
Employment Status (population 16 years and over) • Civilian labor force employed 56.7% • Civilian labor force unemployed 5.3% • Armed forces 0.4% • Not in labor force 37.6%
Local Earnings Status • Median family income $36,000 • Mean earnings $36,048 – Population with earnings 71.4% – With Social Security Income 32.4% – With Supplemental Security Income 9.5% – With public assistance income 8.6% – With retirement income 16.6%
29 Retail Sales Trends 2007
• Fairly steady retail sales since City of Fort Bragg 2000 Taxable Retail Sales Transactions, 2001-2005 • Up-tick in 2003 & 2004 largely (Inflation adjusted 2005 dollars) due to sales growth in gasoline 170,000,000 and building materials 164,781,920 160,000,000 161,298,200 152,636,250 151,923,771 150,000,000 150,162,349 149,147,755 140,000,000
130,000,000
120,000,000
110,000,000
100,000,000 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
30 Retail Sales Growth by Category 2000-2005
• Strong retail trade growth between 2000 and 2005 in – Apparel – General merchandise – Sporting goods – Auto dealers – Service stations
31 Seasonality by Retail Category
• Seasonality is very strong in Apparel (60%), Specialty Retail (24%), Restaurants (50%), Service Stations (82%), All Retail (30%)
32 Retail Opportunities & Leakage After adjusting for tourism spending…. • Retail leakage in apparel & auto dealers for FB residents • Leakage in apparel, general merchandise, books, restaurants, home furnishings, auto dealers, service stations for Coast residents
33 Visit the City’s Website for more information www.city.fortbragg.com • Planning and Zoning • Data: employment, real estate, retail sales, tourism, etc. • Link to real estate multiple listing service (MLS) • Information on obtaining a business license
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