Lowcountry Economic Network & Alliance Quarterly Report to Beaufort County Council Public Safety Committee September 8, 2009

Goals Brand the Lowcountry as a place to live a high quality of life and to do business Increase business prospect traffic by 25% Improve regional government policies and processes to create a business friendly environment

Brand the Lowcountry as a place to live a high quality of life and to do business

Increase business prospect traffic by 25%

Improve regional government policies and processes to create a business friendly environment

Marketing Recognized branding requires aggressive marketing: online GIS system to search available product strategic print and electronic advertising extended media outreach – blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc. planned Pecha Kucha Night – www.pknbeaufort.com - October 8 Strategy is already paying off

Recognized branding requires aggressive marketing:

online GIS system to search available product

strategic print and electronic advertising

extended media outreach – blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

planned Pecha Kucha Night – www.pknbeaufort.com - October 8

Strategy is already paying off

The Network’s annual presentation has been viewed online almost 200 times. http://www.lowcountrynet.org/annualvideo

Prospect Traffic The Lowcountry has been discovered! DOC identified Lowcountry for 4 potential projects in last 2 months: knowledge-intensive (1 prospect) manufacturing (2 prospects) distribution (1 prospect) Actively working 18 serious prospects, plus 3 smaller enquiries Welcomed Kazoobie Kazoos to Beaufort!

The Lowcountry has been discovered!

DOC identified Lowcountry for 4 potential projects in last 2 months:

knowledge-intensive (1 prospect)

manufacturing (2 prospects)

distribution (1 prospect)

Actively working 18 serious prospects, plus

3 smaller enquiries

Welcomed Kazoobie Kazoos to Beaufort!

Prospect Traffic Recent DOC RFI Criteria Local college or university Available water supply of 18 – 25 million gallons per year Within 2 hours of a major urban area with commercial airport Population between 30,000 – 300,000 individuals Progressive – culturally, environmentally, politically, culinary Outdoor centric Environmentally focused Quality workforce Reliable and affordable utilities; progressive utility providers Availability of potential facility locations

Recent DOC RFI Criteria

Local college or university

Available water supply of 18 – 25 million gallons per year

Within 2 hours of a major urban area with commercial airport

Population between 30,000 – 300,000 individuals

Progressive – culturally, environmentally, politically, culinary

Outdoor centric

Environmentally focused

Quality workforce

Reliable and affordable utilities; progressive utility providers

Availability of potential facility locations

Potential Jobs Active enquiries count 1,304 jobs

Active enquiries count 1,304 jobs

Prospect Cultivation Marketing and target industry focus yielding strong prospect interest Ongoing efforts include: site selection conferences education of real-estate community ‘behind the gates campaign’

Marketing and target industry focus yielding strong prospect interest

Ongoing efforts include:

site selection conferences

education of real-estate community

‘behind the gates campaign’

Product Development Prospects need available space or acreage: Beaufort Commerce Park Excavation and construction of master stormwater system underway proposals received to construct outlet structures to complete gateway ponds positioning Park for aeronautics target industry

Prospects need available space or acreage:

Beaufort Commerce Park

Excavation and construction of master stormwater system underway

proposals received to construct outlet structures to complete gateway ponds

positioning Park for aeronautics target industry

Product Development Municipalities Identifying infill opportunities in the City, Port Royal, Bluffton and Hilton Head Target industries: knowledge-intensive and green Jasper Adding available product in County and Hardeeville to GIS Identifying priority areas for economic development Jasper Ocean Terminal and logistics industry focus

Municipalities

Identifying infill opportunities in the City, Port Royal, Bluffton and Hilton Head

Target industries: knowledge-intensive and green

Jasper

Adding available product in County and Hardeeville to GIS

Identifying priority areas for economic development

Jasper Ocean Terminal and logistics industry focus

Business Friendly Environment Objective: assist local and county governments in the development and improvement of policy which directly affects existing business and business recruitment

Objective:

assist local and county governments in the development and improvement of policy which directly affects existing business and business recruitment

Business Friendly Environment Business Licenses review of current proposed amendments to County Ordinance recommend proposed modifications to consolidate and simplify local and county BLF processes and classifications recommend reduced rate schedule for target industries and caps for very high revenue companies

Business Licenses

review of current proposed amendments to County Ordinance

recommend proposed modifications to consolidate and simplify local and county BLF processes and classifications

recommend reduced rate schedule for target industries and caps for very high revenue companies

Business Friendly Environment Green Incentives Objective to position region’s environmental sensitivity and develop incentives to encourage green development, green businesses and green jobs: density & height bonuses, impervious surface (parking) reductions reduced fee/permitting costs expedited permitting Green Overlay District state and local tax credits

Green Incentives

Objective to position region’s environmental sensitivity and develop incentives to encourage green development, green businesses and green jobs:

density & height bonuses, impervious surface (parking) reductions

reduced fee/permitting costs

expedited permitting

Green Overlay District

state and local tax credits

Business Friendly Environment County Level Drafted Comprehensive Plan Economic Development chapter focusing recommendations on target industries and environmentally sensitive, business friendly community Participating in Airports Master Plan data gathering Municipal Level Provided input for economic development sections of City and Hilton Head proposed comprehensive plans Developed proposed set of economic development recommendations for the Town of Hilton Head Island

County Level

Drafted Comprehensive Plan Economic Development chapter focusing recommendations on target industries and environmentally sensitive, business friendly community

Participating in Airports Master Plan data gathering

Municipal Level

Provided input for economic development sections of City and Hilton Head proposed comprehensive plans

Developed proposed set of economic development recommendations for the Town of Hilton Head Island