Economic Development Strategic Plan
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Powhatan County Economic Development Strategic Plan Presented by: Powhatan County Economic Development Strategic Plan Table of Contents Section 1: Community Background ......................................................................................... 1 Section 2: Purpose of the Plan ................................................................................................ 1 Section 3: Project Approach & Methodology .......................................................................... 2 Virginia Benchmark Communities ......................................................................................... 3 Section 4: Discussion of Findings & Recommendations ........................................................... 4 A. Economic Development .............................................................................................. 4 Key Findings: Economic Development ............................................................................. 5 Business Retention and Expansion .................................................................................. 8 Incentive Programs and Policies ..................................................................................... 9 Technology Zones ...................................................................................................... 10 Economic Development Authorities .............................................................................. 12 B. Tourism & Agribusiness.............................................................................................. 15 Key Findings .............................................................................................................. 16 Initial Programming .................................................................................................... 17 Agritourism ............................................................................................................... 18 Future Programming ................................................................................................... 19 Support Networks ...................................................................................................... 20 C. Infrastructure ............................................................................................................ 22 Transportation ........................................................................................................... 23 Regional Access and Connectivity ........................................................................... 23 Access Management ............................................................................................. 24 Multimodal Access and Connectivity ....................................................................... 28 Water / Wastewater Infrastructure ............................................................................... 29 Considerations ..................................................................................................... 32 Franchise Utility Infrastructure ..................................................................................... 33 Electrical Power .................................................................................................... 33 Natural Gas .......................................................................................................... 37 Telecommunications ............................................................................................. 37 D. Development Process Review .................................................................................... 39 Land Use Mix .............................................................................................................. 39 Expedited Review Process ........................................................................................... 40 Zoning Ordinance Review ........................................................................................... 40 Article VIII – Development Standards .......................................................................... 47 Section 5: Goals, Objectives, & Performance Measures ......................................................... 51 Section 6: Key Strategies, Recommendations & Implementation Plan ................................... 54 Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 66 Appendix A: Community Assessment & Comparative Analysis Appendix B: Primary Data Points & Detailed Benchmarking Research Appendix C: Tourism Inventory Map Appendix D: SWOT Appendix E: Stakeholder Feedback Summaries Appendix F: Company Profiles & Team Members Powhatan County Economic Development Strategic Plan Section 1: Community Background The County of Powhatan is a community of 28,000 residents, located on the western edge of the Richmond Metropolitan Area, approximately 20 miles west of the City of Richmond, Virginia, the State Capitol. The County borders Goochland County and the James River to the north, Chesterfield County to the east, Amelia County and the Appomattox River to the south, and Cumberland County to the west. The County has easy access to major transportation corridors with Interstate 64, a primary east‐ west highway within eight miles of the County. Route 288, the western by‐pass around Richmond connecting Interstate 64 and Interstate 95, is located along the County’s northeastern corporate limits with both State Routes 60 and 711 providing access to Powhatan from Route 288. Richmond International Airport is located 40 miles from the County. Although predominately rural in character, Powhatan has experienced significant residential growth in recent years as the Richmond area migrated westward. The County’s population increased 25% between the 2000 and 2010 Census. As one of the fastest growing communities in the Commonwealth, the County is committed to preserving its rural charm while accommodating residential and business growth. To support this goal, the County adopted an update to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan in July 2010. Additionally, County leaders are currently working on a Countywide Strategic Plan that will be based on the Vision 2030 statement adopted by the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors in July 2014. In the interim, the County issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) in October 2014 for preparation of an Economic Development Strategic Plan to assist the community in identifying opportunities for diversification and expansion of the County’s tax base, and creation of additional employment opportunities for local residents. Section 2: Purpose of the Plan In July 2014, the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors defined their 2030 Vision for the community, including a commitment to an “attainable quality of life” and “rural character” for its residents. This Vision was reinforced by the Board’s adoption of broad goals that outlined seven primary areas of focus, including development of a “strong, robust, and diverse economy.” In addition, the Board stated their intentions to provide for quality education, local and regional partnerships, and infrastructure needed for a “sustainable community” – all of which are critical components of successful economic development programs. Thus, these and other elements of the 2030 Vision provide the foundation on which the Economic Development Strategic Plan (“the Plan”) for Powhatan County has been developed. As with any guiding document, the Economic Development Strategic Plan is intended to be a “roadmap” for delineating ways Powhatan County can arrive at its goal for a strong economy. Specifically, the Plan identifies ways in which the County can strengthen its business tax base and employment opportunities, through establishment of new programs, revisions to policies Spectrum Growth Solutions LLC | Bowman Consulting Group, Ltd Page 1 Powhatan County Economic Development Strategic Plan and regulations, or other modifications. Furthermore, by establishing key goals, objectives, strategies, and associated metrics, County leaders can better define their priorities, as well as monitor the effectiveness and success of economic development initiatives. Likewise, measurable goals and objectives will help to identify where program modifications or enhancements to strategies are needed, particularly in light of continual market changes; thus, County staff and the consultant team worked jointly to define specific goals and objectives as part of this document (refer to Section 5: Goals, Objectives, & Performance Measures on page 51). Section 3: Project Approach & Methodology Spectrum Growth Solutions LLC and Bowman Consulting partnered on this project to offer a comprehensive team of professionals to deliver all components of the Economic Development Strategic Plan. While each company operates independently, the work was completed collaboratively and cooperatively to provide the services and approach defined under the unified banner of Spectrum Growth Solutions LLC. Subsequently, the Spectrum team included proven professionals with expertise in economic development, land development, infrastructure design, engineering, planning, tourism, agribusiness, economic analysis and research, and public finance. The methodology used in formulation of the Economic Development Strategic Plan was a multi‐ step process that included both objective and subjective evaluation (Figure 2: Scope of Work and Project Approach). Significant data analysis was also completed to derive the current “starting