Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy September 2011
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Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy September 2011 Prepared by: Northwest Colorado Council of Governments 249 Warren Ave., P.O. Box 2308 Silverthorne, CO 80498 970.468.0295 - www.nwccog.org With Financial Support from: U.S. Department of Commerce - Economic Development Agency State of Colorado - Department of Local Affairs U.S. EDA Planning and Assistance Grant #05-86-04922 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Principal Author & Researcher: Rachel E. Lunney Research Project Manager NWCCOG Contributing Authors & Researchers: June M. Walters Jean Hammes Director, Business & Economic Development, NWCCOG Director, Alpine Area Agency on Aging, NWCCOG CEDS Advisory Committee: Ted Archibeque – Owner, Archibeque Land Consulting, Ltd. Hugo Benson – President, The Old Gypsum Printer Paul Chodkowski – CEO, St. Anthony’s Summit Medical Center Tom Clark – Owner, Buildings & Grounds Maintenance Stan Clauson – Owner, Stan Clauson Associates Jean Hammes – Director, Alpine Area Agency on Aging Ryan Hyland – Assistant to the Town Manager, Town of Silverthorne Rob Ittner – Pitkin County Commissioner Stan Jensen – President, Colorado Mountain College James Newberry – Grand County Commissioner Eddie O’Brien – Owner, O’Brien & Associates Rosemary Pettus – Regional Director, Colorado Workforce Center Jynnifer Pierro – Owner, Legacy Building Specialties John Rich – Owner, Richland Propane Peter Runyon- Eagle County Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier – Summit County Commissioner John Zander – Vice President, Bank of the West Fraser Branch Northwest Colorado Council of Governments - Executive Committee & Full Council Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION A. CEDS Definition and Purpose I-1 B. CEDS Background and Requirements I-1 C. CEDS Planning Process – CEDS Advisory Committee I-3 D. Region 12 Economic Distress Factors I-4 II. NWCCOG ORGANIZATION A. NWCCOG Organization II-1 B. Economic Development District Organization I-2 III. REGION 12 DATA A. Description of the Region IIIA-1 A1. Area Description IIIA-1 A2. Location IIIA-1 A3. Brief Description of Each County IIIA-4 A4. Travel throughout the Region IIIA-9 A5. Geographic Setting IIIA-10 A6. Elevation IIIA-10 A7. Climate IIIA-10 A8. County Seats IIIA-13 A9. Land Ownership IIIA-13 A10. History IIIA-15 B. Population IIIB-1 B1. Population Trends IIIB-1 B2. Comparison to Other Regions in Colorado IIIB-2 B3. Components of Population Change IIIB-2 B4. Population Forecast IIIB-3 B5. Age and Gender IIIB-4 B6. Median Age IIIB-4 B7. Race and Hispanic Origin IIIB-5 B8. Language IIIB-5 B9. Population Movement and Mobility IIIB-6 B10. Other Population Characteristics IIIB-7 B11. The Aging of the Region’s Population IIIB-8 C. The Region’s Economy IIIC-1 C1. Income IIIC-1 C2. Cost of Living IIIC-3 C3. Labor Force IIIC-4 C4. Employment IIIC-4 C5. Unemployment IIIC-5 NWCCOG CEDS – TABLE OF CONTENTS C6. Wages IIIC-6 C7. Main Industries IIIC-8 C8. Trends in Main Industries IIIC-12 D. Infrastructure IIID-1 D1. Housing IIID-1 D2. Transportation IIID-8 D3. Utilities IIID-18 D4. Telecommunications IIID-22 D5. Water Resources IIID-25 D6. Energy Efficiency and Sustainability IIID-27 E. Community Services and Resources IIIE-1 E1. Education and Training IIIE-1 E2. Health Services IIIE-7 E3. Safety and Emergency Services IIIE-11 E4. Recreational and Cultural Facilities IIIE-14 E5. Community Resources IIIE-19 E6. Financial Resources IIIE-29 IV. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS & PARTNERS A. Economic Development Tools IV-1 B. Economic Development Partners IV-2 V. CURRENT & PROJECTED ECONOMIC CONDITIONS A. Population Trends V-1 B. Labor Force and Employment Trends V-3 C. Trends in Major Industry Sectors in Region 12 V-5 D. Trends in Environmental Factors V-8 VI. ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS & OPPORTUNITIES A. Strengths VI-1 B. Weaknesses VI-2 C. Opportunities VI-5 D. Threats VI-6 E. Consistency with State of Colorado Economic Dev. Strategy VI-10 F. Regional Economic Clusters VI-12 G. Past, Present and Projected Economic Dev. Investments VI-17 VII. REGIONAL GOALS & OBJECTIVES A. Elements from Key Planning Documents in the Region VII-1 B. Summary of Stakeholder Input Meetings VII-2 C. Survey Results: Prioritization of Potential Activities VII-2 D. Regional Action Plan VII-3 VIII. EVALUATION PLAN Evaluation Plan VIII-1 NWCCOG CEDS – TABLE OF CONTENTS IX. SOURCES Sources IX-1 X. APPENDICIES A. NWCCOG Member Needs Assessment (2009) B. NWCCOG Resolution 09-01 Authorizing Application to EDA C. EDA Award Letter (4/1/2010) D. Summary of Key Economic Development Planning Documents in the Region E. Summary of CEDS Planning Process F. Solicitation for CEDS Advisory Committee Members G. CEDS Advisory Committee (CEDSAC) Roster H. Minutes from CEDSAC Kickoff Meeting: 7/19/2010 I. Minutes from CEDSAC Visioning Session/SWOT Analysis Meeting: 10/20/2010 J. Stakeholder Input Meetings: Invitation and Schedule K. Summary of Stakeholder Input Meetings L. Economic Development Stakeholder Survey Instrument and Results M. Minutes from CEDSAC Meeting: 3/30/11 N. CEDSAC Resolution 2011-01 Adopting the draft CEDS O. Colorado Governor-Elect Hickenlooper’s Transition Team Meeting Notes (11/13/10) P. Explanation of Gov. Hickenlooper’s Bottom-Up Economic Development Plan Initiative Q. Meeting Notes from Gov. Hickenlooper’s Initiative – Region 12 Meeting (1/14/11) R1. Eagle County R2. Grand County R3. Jackson County R4. Pitkin County R5. Summit County R6. Colorado Blueprint: Summary of 6 Focus Areas for State Economic Development S. Information on Public Comment Period for CEDS: Press Release, website posting T. Request for No-Cost Time Extension on Planning Grant #05-86-04922 U. EDA Letter Granting No-Cost Time Extension on Planning Grant #05-86-04922 V. NWCCOG Resolution #11-02 Approving CEDS W. NWCCOG Economic Development District Board Roster X. Letter from NWCCOG Chair Officially Requesting EDD Designation from the EDA NWCCOG CEDS – TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION A. CEDS Definition and Purpose Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG) has prepared a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the following five counties which make up State Planning and Management Region 12 in the State of Colorado: Eagle County, Grand County, Jackson County, Pitkin County and Summit County. These five counties are located in the northwest portion of the State of Colorado, and NWCCOG has been its designated regional association (Region 12) since 1972. Region 12’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the region in the creation of an economic roadmap to diversify and strengthen the regional economy. Development of a CEDS is the first step for Region 12 to become an Economic Development District under the auspices of the EDA. It is NWCCOG’s hope that , based on the merit of this CEDS, the EDA will grant the region Economic Development District status, thereby making Region 12 towns and counties eligible for potential funding programs that will assist with economic development projects that will serve to bolster and diversify our economies. B. CEDS Background and Requirements NWCCOG’s Region NWCCOG’s Region is located in the northwest section of the State of Colorado. Most of the area is located among the high peaks of the Colorado Rockies. The region is bordered in the East by the Continental Divide, in the north by the State of Wyoming in Jackson County, to the west by Garfield County, and to the South by the Elk Mountain Range in Pitkin County. It is considered the "high country", as elevations range from a high point of 14,270 (Grays Peak in Summit County) to a low of 6,312 in the Town of Gypsum in Eagle County. The average elevation of the towns in Region 12 is 8,124 feet above sea level. The mainstay of the region’s economy is tourism. The region has a large percentage of public lands, which serve as the basis for this tourism. The public lands attract millions of visitors from across the United States as well as internationally for skiing, hiking, mountain biking, camping, wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting, and simply enjoying the beautiful vistas, clean air, and overall enjoyment of the natural environment. Secondary industries have emerged from the tourism-based economy such as the construction of second homes, and the real estate industry generated from the buying and selling of real estate. Region 12’s economy lacks diversity, and this CEDS seeks to identify opportunities to make it more diverse and sustainable. Impetus for Creating the CEDS The first sentence in NWCCOG's mission statement is to be responsive to our members' needs and interests. In the most recent member needs survey, conducted in July 2009, the number one need NWCCOG CEDS - PAGE I-1 mentioned by NWCCOG member jurisdictions was "economic downturn and associated issues: budget constraints, reduced revenues, long term sustainable funding, unemployment (particularly in the construction industry), maintaining a quality workforce during difficult economic times, funding capital projects, and economic development and diversification away from dependency on resorts and tourism". (Appendix A) In response to the member needs survey, staff began exploring requirements to become an Economic Development District (EDD) under the auspices of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). In October 2009, the NWCCOG Board of Directors passed Resolution 09-01 authorizing staff to apply for a planning grant from the EDA to develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) (Appendix B). Creation of a CEDS is the first step a region takes in becoming an EDD. A CEDS is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the creation of an economic roadmap to diversify and strengthen regional economies. The planning grant was submitted to the EDA in December 2009, and a grant award in the amount of $35,000 was made on April 1, 2010 with a deadline of submitting the CEDS and EDD designation materials to the EDA by May 31, 2011 (Appendix C).