CSTC Recommendations

Action Steps

a. Ensure that individual county economic development plans are compatible with the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council.

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b. Develop a formula to ensure that communities equitably share in the costs and benefits of economic development associated with the region’s planning decisions.

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c. Use GIS-based techniques to map the assets of the region and match those assets to the weaknesses across county lines to create a regional picture, strengthen the region, and support individual counties’ economic development efforts.

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d. Formalize and fund the Florida Research Coast Economic Development Coalition, an organization that addresses the full range of economic development in the region and that currently includes the three coastal counties and Okeechobee County.

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e. Educate the public and decision-makers so that they understand sustainability and the need for economic development across the region to maintain and improve the quality of life in the Treasure Coast.

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f. Partner with the economic development efforts of surrounding or adjacent counties.

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Action Steps
For Supporting Existing Business

a. Assess existing businesses and industrial sectors for expansion opportunities.

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b. Identify what services and supports are needed and assemble the community resources necessary to meet the needs.

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c. Sustain, expand and diversify agricultural activities throughout the region through an extended agricultural season, expanded agricultural activities, and a sufficient agricultural land base.

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d. Develop financial and regulatory incentives to retain businesses.

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e. Create a criteria-based approach to identify businesses to retain.

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f. Create a regional revenue source that supports economic development efforts, including flexible up-front funds and tax deferrals.

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Action Steps
For Supporting Attracting Business

a. Seek legislative funding to increase closing incentives for the region.

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b. Create competitive financial and regulatory incentives programs that attract clean, high/skill-high/wage industry.

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c. Partner to attract middle income jobs paying living wages to the region.

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d. Continue to promote the Treasure Coast as the “Research Coast” in economic development efforts.

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e. Fully fund current economic development programs.

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f. Develop a streamlined permitting review process for those contributory businesses that meet the criteria for sustainability.

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Action Steps

a. Develop educational programs based on the principles of smart growth to help the public understand the value of smart growth.

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b. Use livable smart growth efforts in the region to attract new businesses to the region.

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Action Steps

a. Create in inventory of all types of property in the Treasure Coast, including regional inventory of available properties with appropriate land use and infrastructure approvals to attract industry.

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b. Include in comprehensive plans sufficient appropriately zoned land and infrastructure for sustainable expansion and diversification of contributory businesses.

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c. Include a cost/benefit analysis in all recruitment/expansion projects.

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d. Create a regional strategy for developing and funding industrial sites.

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e. Continue to provide funding options in support of contributory businesses.

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f. Consistent with local government comprehensive plan, develop an inter-modal transportation system that focuses on hubs, e.g., port and airports, as well as corridors and facilitates public transit to support economic diversity.

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Action Steps

a. Create a regionwide Community Land Trust that would use public and private funds to purchase or finance property for affordable housing and insure affordability over time.

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b. Create a planning/regulatory climate that is conducive to the production of affordable housing.

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c. Create and expand public/private partnerships among entities involved in the provision of workforce housing.

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d. Ensure all areas have a reasonable mix of housing, employment opportunities, and services.

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e. Find ways to preserve workforce housing and rehabilitate substandard housing.

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f. See that the special housing needs of the elderly are adequately addressed in the EARs of local government comprehensive plans.

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g. Address workforce housing in comprehensive plans.

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h. Educate the public about the need for workforce housing.

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i. Develop incentive programs to include density bonuses for workforce housing.

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j. Amend land development regulations to speed up processing of workforce housing.

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k. Encourage the inclusion of a percentage of affordable units as a part of new projects.

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l. Fully fund the State Housing Initiatives Program (SHIP) trust fund for affordable housing.

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m. Develop a workforce housing indicator to measure progress toward increasing the availability of workforce housing in the region.

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n. Explore and implement means of increasing income available for housing by reducing income needed for transportation.

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