HomeMy WebLinkAboutEcon Dev Advisory Board minutes 111318ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD
November 13, 2018
The Hickory Tavern
Carrboro, NC
MINUTES
Members Present: Jim Kitchen, John Morris, Mark O’Neal, Anthony Carey, James Watts,
Barbara Jessie-Black
Orange County Staff: Steve Brantley, Yvonne Scarlett, Mike Ortosky, Amanda Garner
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Jim Kitchen, Chair at 12:07 pm.
Old Business
Economic Development Advisory Board Annual Report - achievements of the Advisory
Board were discussed
Directors Report - Steve Brantley
• LAUNCH - Orange County, Town of Chapel Hill and UNC are expected to renew
a 3 year contract
• Project update
• BOCC Retreat - will take place in January with a focus on transportation, housing
and economic development
• Staff Update:
o Amanda Garner is currently enrolled in the IEDC Certification program
o Mike Ortosky was chosen to be part of The Wallace Center’s Regional
Food Economies Fellowship program.
The Wallace Center’s Regional Food Economies Fellowship Program established a cohort
whose individual projects and professional expertise help provide models for successful
engagement between regional food systems and community and economic development
stakeholders. Through this program, The Wallace Center is supporting a cohort of 8
Fellows demonstrating innovative approaches to using regional food systems as a
driver of community and economic development. Fellows are working to build bridges
between regional food and stakeholders that have not traditionally been engaged with the
sector, including Economic Development, Public Health, and Finance and Investment.
New Business
SWOT Sub-Committee Recommendations:
• Encourage economic development goals
• Develop a 5-10-20 year plan (draft of long term economic development strategic
plan to be completed next year)
• Encourage the use of land outside the EDDs
• SWOT Analysis - ensure plan is not shelved and forgotten
Additional discussion included:
o Outline recommendations and direct staff to organize
o Zoning
o Align rules and regulations (under auspection of what we are doing)
o Set economic development goals to meet our future financial needs
o Align Planning and Economic Development (all should be doing the same)
o Use of Article 46 funds
o Spec buildings
o Defining type of industry we want
o Infrastructure
Discussion of Orange County Plann & Inspection proposed “Buckhorn-Mebane Access
Management Plan” - Steve Brantley and Amanda Garner informed the group of the
proposed management plan that the Planning Department will present to the BOCC at its
February meeting. Proposed plans include roads through the Buckhorn Economic
Development District (Economic Development staff were unaware of proposed plans and
have not been included in any discussions with the Planning staff). Recommendation:
invite Planning staff to the January Advisory Board meeting for further discussion.
Adjournment - Chair Jim Kitchen adjourned the meeting at 1:20 pm.