HomeMy Public PortalAboutRES-CC-1995-08f
RESOLUTION NO. 08-95
ENDORSING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN FOR MOAB AND
GRAND COUNTY.
WHEREAS, the Grand County Economic Development Coalition was
created by Grand County, Moab City, and the Moab Area Chamber of
Commerce and consists of representatives appointed by the governing
bodies of each of these organizations; and
WHEREAS, the Coalition was created for the purpose of creating
an Economic Development Action Plan for Moab and Grand County; and
WHEREAS, the Coalition has prepared a draft Plan that
assimilates past and current economic development planning efforts
into one working document; and
WHEREAS, the draft Plan addresses economic and community
development issues that were prioritized during the Grand County
Master Planning Process;
NOW, THEREFORE,' BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the (^,* A4 ^,ma•u
Geuncil) (Moab City Governing Body) that (Grand County4 (Moab City)
endorses the draft Economic Development Action Plan for Moab and
Grand County in substantially the form presented to this Council.
PASSED AND APPROVED THIS 13th DAY OF June , 1995.
Attest:
Signed
Economic Development Action Plan
or
Moab and Grand County, Utah
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Table of Contents
Section 1: Executive Summary
Section 2: Mission Statement
Section 3: Community Vision
Section 4: Goals, Objectives and Actions Steps
Section 5: Project List
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Grand County Fconomic Development Action Plan- Page 1
Section 1: Executive Summary
Background
The Grand County Economic Development Coalition was; formed in the Spring of 1994, and is
composed of three representatives each from the City of Moab, Grand County and the Moab
Area Chamber of Commerce. With the assistance of a Forest Service Grant, the Coalition's
charge was to create an Economic Development Action Plan which assimilated all previous
economic development efforts into a dynamic working strategy that addresses the current
economic development issues facing Grand County. Over a period of months, with the
assistance of resource people from the community and from outside agencies, the Coalition
created a draft Action plan. The Coalition is now beginning to seek public input on the draft ,
and will hold meetings with both the public and public officials.
The following organizations participated in the preparation and/or provided information
provided in this plan:
Grand County Council
Moab City Council
Moab Community Development Agency
Grand County Economic And Community Development
Moab Area Chamber of Commerce
Moab Film Commission
Grand County Travel Council
Grand County Convention Bureau
Bureau of Land Management
Utah Power and Light
SEUALG
Grand County Planning and Zoning
Moab City Planning and Zoning
Grand County Department of Education
Moab Job Service
Governor's Office of Planning and and Budget
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G r a n d C o u n t y E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t A r t i n n f l a n - P a g e ?
S u m m a r y o f t h e A c t i o n P l a n
M i S S i o n S t a t e m e n t
A s a f i r s t s t e p i n c r e a t i n g t h e A c t i o n P l a n , t h e E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t C o a l i t i o n f o r m u l a t e d
a n o v e r a l l m i s s i o n s t a t e m e n t , w h i c h i s : " T o b u i l d a s t r o n g c o m m u n i t y t h r o u g h a b r o a d - b a s e d ,
e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y s e n s i t i v e e c o n o m y " .
O b j e c t i v e s a n d ( - 3 n a l ��
W i t h t h e a b o v e m i s s i o n s t a t e m e n t a s a f o c u s , t h e C o a l i t i o n c a m e u p w i t h t h r e e m a j o r
o b j e c t i v e s , e a c h o f w h i c h h a s c o r r e s p o n d i n g g o a l s a n d a c t i o n s t e p s t o r e a c h t h o s e o b j e c t i v e s .
T h e s e o b j e c t i v e s a r e d e s c r i b e d b r i e f l y b e l o w :
T h e f i r s t o b j e c t i v e i n t h e A c t i o n P l a n i s t o e n c o u r a g e a d i v e r s i f i e d y e a r - r o u n d e c o n o m y b y
s u p p o r t i n g e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y - r e s p o n s i b l e i n d u s t r y t h a t p r o v i d e s h i g h e r p a y i n g j o b s , a n d b y
c r e a t i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r s m a l l b u s i n e s s d e v e l o p m e n t . B y r e c r u i t i n g y e a r - r o u n d
b u s i n e s s e s t h a t p a y h i g h e r w a g e s , h e l p i n g e x i s t i n g b u s i n e s s e s g r o w a n d d i v e r s i f y , a n d
c o o r d i n a t i n g a n d f u n d i n g e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t a c t i v i t i e s , t h e C o a l i t i o n h o p e s t o a c h i e v e t h i s
o b j e c t i v e . S u p p o r t i n g o f f - s e a s o n v i s i t a t i o n , b u s i n e s s a s s i s t a n c e a n d t r a i n i n g p r o g r a m s , a s
w e l l a s e s t a b l i s h i n g a b u s i n e s s a s s i s t a n c e a n d a t t r a c t i o n t e a m a n d i n i t i a t i n g p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s
e f f o r t s a r e i n c l u d e d i n t h e l i s t o f s p e c i f i c a c t i o n t o m e e t t h i s o b j e c t i v e .
T h e s e c o n d O b j e c t i v e i s t o p r o v i d e s u f f i c i e n t i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d c o o r d i n a t e i n f r a s t r u c t u r e
n e e d s w i t h d e v e l o p m e n t . S u p p o r t i n g c r e a t i o n o f l a n d u s e p l a n s a n d d e v e l o p m e n t s t a n d a r d s
t h a t w i l l b r i n g a b o u t m o r e o r d e r l y d e v e l o p m e n t , a s w e l l a s i d e n t i f y i n g f a c i l i t i e s , i n f r a s t r u c t u r e
a n d a t t r a c t i o n s t h a t w i l l e n h a n c e e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t a r e s p e c i f i c g o a l s t h a t c o r r e s p o n d
w i t h t h i s o b j e c t i v e . A P r o j e c t L i s t i s a l s o i n c l u d e d i n t h i s p l a n . S u p p o r t i n g p l a n n i n g e f f o r t s ,
p u r s u i n g a l t e r n a t i v e s f o r i n f r a s t r u c t u r e f i n a n c i n g , s u p p o r t i n g a c o u n t y - w i d e C a p i t a l
I m p r o v e m e n t s P l a n , a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g e f f o r t s , a n d s e n s i t i v e l a n d s l e g i s l a t i o n a r e a m o n g t h e
s p e c i f i c a c t i o n s a i m e d a t t h e s e g o a l s .
T h e f i n a l O b j e c t i v e i s t o r e c o g n i z e t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f G r a n d C o u n t y ' s d u a l i t y c o m m u n i t y
l i f e a n d a n d s c e n i c a s s e t s i n p r o m o t i n g e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t , a n d t o p r o t e c t a n d
e n h a n c e t h e s e v a l u e s a n d r e s o u r c e s . S p e c i f i c a c t i o n s t e p s i n c l u d e s u p p o r t i n g a n d
e n h a n c i n g c o m m u n i t y a m e n i t i e s a n d s e r v i c e s s u c h a s p a r k s , r e c r e a t i o n , o p e n s p a c e ,
e d u c a t i o n , h e a l t h c a r e , c u l t u r a l a n d f i n e a r t s , s p e c i a l e v e n t s , a n d c o m m u n i t y b e a u t i f i c a t i o n .
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Grand County Economic Development Action Plan- Page 3
Section 2: Mission Statement
To build a strong community
through a broad -based,
environmentally -sensitive economy.
Grand County Fconomic Development Action Plan- Page 4
Section 3: Community Vision
Grand County Planning Workshops
Over the past few years, a number of public workshops ascertaining public opinion on the
future of Grand County have been held. Most recently, the Sonoran institute conducted a
community workshop to help Grand County residents move beyond discussing issues to
setting forth a framework for solutions.
Eighty-eight residents —representing a cross-section of the community— attended the all -
day workshop. From the discussions, participants formed seven citizen groups to carry out
identified actions beyond the workshop. In addition, for three days prior to the workshop,
Grand County residents had the opportunity to voice their opinions on local issues and
courses of actions through citizen drop -in centers. From the results of the drop -in centers
and the workshops, a set of actions and priorities was developed into a plan.
Among those items most important to residents of Grand County was economic
development. Diversification of the economy to provide higher paying jobs was listed among
the top priorities, as was attracting clean and compatible industries to Grand County, and
finding ways to finance growth that recognize the impact that tourism has on our
infrastructure. This Economic Development Action Plan is intented to reflect the
community's vision with respect to economic development.
,Grand rrninty Frrmnmir. Dmvelopment Action Plan- Page 5
Section 4: Goals, Objectives, and Action Steps
Objective 1
Encourage a diversified, year-round economy by supporting environmentally responsible
industry that provides higher paying jobs, and by creating opportunities for small
business development.
Goal 1. Create employment opportunities for local people by attracting new year round
jobs that pay higher wages.
Responsible Information
Action Stepg Benchmarks Agency Needed
a. Identify target
business/industry
b. Recruit new year round jobs
by targeting business/industry
that will increase per capita
income
c. Establish job creation number
d. Develop a best case profile of
the type of business we want to
attract
"Quarterly per capita wages (based
on tax withholding or social security
remittances) to develop an index
showing differences between peak
quarters and non -peak
quarters —reducing the index would
be progress toward year-round
employment
" Net new jobs each year for the
past 10 years
" Average wage of new jobs and
total wages per job
" Unemployment rates compared to
state averages(5-10 years)
"Measure growth by specific
industry by sic codes
EDC
EDC
AOG
Job Service
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G r a n d C o u n t y F c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t A c t i o n P l a n - P a g e 0
G o a l 2 . H e l p e x i s t i n g n o n - p o l l u t i n g i n d u s t r y / b u s i n e s s a n d l o c a l n e w b u s i n e s s e s g r o w a n d
d i v e r s i f y .
A c t i o n S t e p s
a . S u p p o r t e f f o r t s t o i n c r e a s e
v i s i t o r t r a d e t o M o a b a n d e x t e n d
t h e a v e r a g e l e n g t h o f s t a y
b . S u p p o r t e m p h a s i s o f o f f -
s e a s o n v i s i t a t i o n
c . C r e a t e n e w y e a r - r o u n d j o b s i n
e x i s t i n g a n d n e w l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s
b y s u p p o r t i n g e d u c a t i o n a n d
t r a i n i n g p r o g r a m s
d . I n c r e a s e p r o f i t a b i l i t y o f
e x i s t i n g b u s i n e s s e s b y s u p p o r t i n g
e d u c a t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g p r o g r a m s
e . A s s i s t e n t r e p r e n e u r i n n e w
b u s i n e s s s t a r t - u p
f . D e v e l o p b u s i n e s s i n c u b a t o r
g r o g r a m
B e n c h m a r k s
* A v e r a g e l e n g t h o f s t a y f o r
v i s i t o r s
* P e r v i s i t o r s p e n d i n g
R e s p o n s i b l e I n f o r m a t i o n
A g e n c y N e e d e d
G r a n d C o u n t y
T r a v e l C o u n c i l
* O c c u p a n c y b y m o n t h T r a v e l C o u n c i l
* M e e t i n g a n d c o n v e n t i o n d a t a
* Q u a r t e r l y p e r c a p i t a w a g e s E D C
* N e t n e w j o b s
* U n e m p l o y m e n t r a t e s
* A v e r a g e w a g e o f n e w j o b s a n d
t o t a l w a g e s p e r j o b
* B i r t h s o v e r d e a t h s o f l o c a l
b u s i n e s s e s
* B u s i n e s s l i c e n s e f e e r e v e n u e
* N e t i n c r e a s e s a n n u a l l y i n
b u s i n e s s e s l i c e n s e d i n t h e
C o u n t y
E D C
A O G
* N u m b e r o f n e w b u s i n e s s e s E D C
s t a r t e d l o c a l l y A O G
* E s t a b l i s h m e n t o f f a c i l i t y E D C
A O G
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Grand County Fconomie Development Action Plan- Page 7
Goal 3. Organize, coordinate and fund economic and community development activities.
Action Steps
a. Identify grants and other
financial resources for economic
development activities
b. Establish Business
Assistance Team under
Economic Development Coalition
c. Develop a reporting
mechanism for the public and
local government agencies
d. Review and update the
economic development action
plan at 30-90-180 days and 1
year
e. Organize public relations
effort to promote economic
development efforts
Benchmarks
Responsible Information
Agency Needed
*Tracking and quantification of EDC
in -kind services and resources
*List of resources
*Grant funding obtained
*Program outline
*Community Profile
*Public Meetings
*Meetings with City Council,
County Council and Chamber
Board
*Updated Plan
*Evaluation of Results
*Press Releases
EDC
AOG
EDC
EDC
EDC
Process/mechanism
for gathering data
AOG
Draft Plan
Input from
community, City and
County
Grand County Fconomic Development Action Plan- Page 8
Objective 9: Provide Sufficient infrastructure and coordinate infrastructure needs with
development.
Goal 1. Support the creation of general land use plans and development standards that will
bring about more orderly and sustainable development in Grand County and its
municipalities, and create or modify legislation as appropriate.
Responsible Information
Action Steps Benchmarks Agency Needed
a. Support Completion of the
County Master Plan
b. Support adoption of
appropriate County -wide
development standards
c. Pursue more sophisticated
Geographic Information
Systems for more integrated
planning efforts
d. Support means to ensure
equitable financing for
infrastructure development
e. Support means to achieve
environmentally sensitive
development
f. Support municipal annexation
of 'urbanized"areas
g. Support update of City
Master Plan
h. Support/initiate state
legislation regarding
infrastructure financing
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* Draft Plan available for County EDC
Master Plan review
Executive 5ummary
* Review of proposed legislation EDC Proposed
Legislation
* Statement of EDC position
* Inter -local agreement among EDC
various local agencies
* Review of proposed legislation
* Statement of EDC position
EDC
* Review of County Master Plan EDC
* Review of Sensitive Land Group's
work
*Statement of EDC position
Canyon Country
Partnership, State,
BLM, Park Service,
City and County
City, County,
Special Service
Districts
City, County,
Sensitive Lands
Group
* Review of proposed annexation EDC City
plan
*Statement of EDC position
* Review of proposed updates EDC City
*Statement of EDC position
* Review of legislation
* Local Agency cooperation
* Statement of EDC position
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Grand County Fconomic Development Action Plan- Page 9
Goal 2. Identify facilities, infrastructure and attractions needed to enhance and/or sustain
economic development, then determine steps to provide them
Responsible Information
Action Steps Benchmarks A9enow Needed
a. Support county -wide Capital * Review of Plan
Improvements Plan * Statement of EDC Position
b. Support efforts to link into
information highway
c. Support recommendations of
*Review of Recommendations
affordable housing group *Statement of EDC Position
d. Research feasibility of a
business park
e. Support Business Assistance
Team in creating a list of available
facilities for business location
*Creation of List
EDC City
EDC
EDC
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Grand County Fconomic Development Action Plan- Page 10
Objective 3; Recognize the importance of Grand County's duality community life and scenic
assets in promoting economic development. Protect and enhance these values and resources.
Goal 1. Maintain and enhance community amenities.
Responsible Information
Action Steps Benchmarks Agency Needed
a. Enhance Moab's positive image
by emphasizing our duality of life
b. Support opportunities to
create and enhance parks and
open space
* Development of Picture
Brochure
*Travel Council Video
* Acres of open space/parks
Goal 2. Support and enhance community services
Action Steps
a. Enhance Recreation
Programs
b. Support post -secondary
education programs
c. Support School District
Master Planning Process
d. Encourage development of
coordinated school and County
library system
e. Support enhancement of
health care facilities and
services
f. Enhance cultural activities
and opportunities e.g. eupport
expaneion if Old Spanieh Trail Arena; Support
Winter Festivals; Support current activitiee
and events; inventory current activities and
events; inetall publicity street oigne; eupport
community beautification projecte
Benchmarks
" Number of Programs
* Recreation Program Revenues
*County residents enrolled in higher
education institutions and programs
• Attendance and placement through
applied technology center
*Review of Plan
*Statement of EDC Position
• Hospital beds/ doctors per
capita
* Comparison of rates
• List of events
EDC
EDC
City County
City/County
Responsible Information
Agency Needed
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Grand County Fconomic Development Action Plan- Page 11
1. La Sal Mountain winter recreation
2. Green River residential/ industrial park
3. Low interest revolving loan for business
expansions and new business starts
4.Programs providing business technical
assistance for persons wishing to start a
new business and those in business
needing help
5, Technical assistance to refine the
Grand County General Land Use Plan
6. Continued support of value added
agricultural products projects
7. Environmentally responsible exploration
and development of natural resources
8. Scenic Way (Highway 128) Recreational
and Safety Improvements
9. Canyonlands Airport Improvements
10. Improve Access Roads into Moab
11. Master planning of Dalton Wells
Utahraptor project
12. Canyonlands Community Recycling
Center
13. Landfill and solid waste management
facilities and programs
14. Downtown parking programs and
facilities
15. Water and sewer system upgrades and
expansion
16. Wastewater treatment plant upgrades
Section 5: Project List
13. Golf course upgrades
19. Bike Trail System
20. Moab downtown arts and cultural
development
21. Historic preservation projects
22. Multiple use facilities at Equestrian
Center
23. Millcreek Flood Control & Parkway
24. Upgrades facilities at City Park and City
Pool
25. Moab mini -parks
26. Improvements to recreation programs
27. Improvements to Lion's Park
28. Lower Millcreek and Power Dam
Recreational Management
29. Museum Development
30. Grand County Schools Master Plan
Projects
31. Library upgrades
32. Health care system and facility upgrades
33. Youth Center
34, Recreational programs and facilities for
seniors
35. Coordinated GIS system and equipment
36. Access to "Information Highway"