This presentation was delivered at NADO's 2018 Annual Training Conference, held in Charlotte, NC on October 13-16. For more information, visit: https://www.nado.org/events/2018-annual-training-conference/

1. BROADBAND PLANNING TO
SUPPORT RURAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNING FOR
BROADBAND ASSETS
2018 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS ANNUAL
TRAINING CONFERENCE
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA OCTOBER 15 - 2018
SARAH KACKAR, AICP – TOUCHPOINT CONSULTANTS, LLC

2. AGENDA
• Introductions
• Leveraging Existing
Broadband as an Economic
Development Asset
• Integrated Broadband and
Planning Case Example
• Planning for Future
Broadband in Your
Community
• Q/A

3. LEVERAGING EXISTING BROADBAND
CREATING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSET

4. ENTREPRENEURS DRIVE ECONOMIES
•An environment where
entrepreneurs can thrive.
•Coworking, incubator, and
maker Spaces
•Director of Business Innovation –
shared position between City and
Chamber
•Code developers communities

5. MAIN ST., THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY
•Placemaking -
Gathering of the
People
•Brew Pubs
•Farmers’
Markets and
Local Foods
•Downtown Wi-Fi

6. LEVERAGING BROADBAND FOR ECONOMIC
GROWTH
• Help consumers and small
businesses directly through
incentives or grants
• Develop marketing identity;
Market communities as
“connected”
• Ensure downtown development
authority is working with
utilities and planning
department in coordinating
long-term goals

7. INTEGRATED BROADBAND AND
DOWNTOWN PLANNING
SELECTED CASE STUDY COMMUNITY

8. Case Study - Montrose, CO
• Small city on western slope of Rocky Mountains – about 20,000
population
• Founded in 1800s, now tourist gateway to places like Telluride, Moab,
and Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
• Primary assets are outdoor recreation, climate, small town atmosphere,
and education
• Satellite campus of Colorado Mesa University in downtown

9. Case Study - Montrose, CO
1. Research best practices efforts
2. Find supportive local elected and business leaders –
Champions
3. Form local technology taskforce with regional players
4. Envision goals of broadband network functionality and
breadth in community
5. Ensure jurisdictional authority to provide local telecom
services; if not, rule changing at state level needed
6. Apply for state and federal grants and funding
opportunities through regional planning body
Broadband Planning Process (2011-
15)

10. Public/Private Partnerships
• Downtown ring of 1GB fiber present
in ring around Main St and gov’t
buildings
• Public WiFi zone in downtown and
app to attract tourists
• Public/private partnerships use an
incubator space on Main St as a
platform for attracting teleworkers
and high skilled jobs
• City provides businesses economic
incentives to connect to fiber
Case Study - Montrose, CO

11. Increasing Community Capacity
• Maximizing benefits of outdoor
amenities for residents and tourists
• Courting expansion of local
university satellite campus
downtown to grow community
• Expanding broadband capabilities
for connecting community to local
foods sources
Case Study - Montrose, CO

12. Smart Planning Initiatives
• Extensive bike/ped network of
trails to foster alternative
transportation
• Robust bus system connecting
downtown with outlying City areas
• Recently modified zoning code to
allow accessory units in
office/residential zone
• Ongoing renovation of loft style
apartments in downtown area
• Dig Once Policy – any time trench is
opened for utility work, a conduit
for carrying fiber is installed at that
point. Fiber may actually be put in
conduit at later date.
Case Study - Montrose, CO

13. PLANNING FOR FUTURE BROADBAND IN
YOUR COMMUNITY
KEY ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER

14. INTEGRATING
BROADBAND INTO
PLANNING
• Include broadband development
in community development
vision
• Coordinate broadband with
development potential identified
in Downtown Development
District or Main Street Program
planning
• Broadband can be a growth
predictor, like water and sewer.
Treat it like other critical utilities

15. FIRST STEPS
• Investigate best practice communities
using broadband to enrich their
physical and economic wealth.
• Create Downtown Development
Authority (if applicable) and local
planning taskforce to forge
relationships with Local govt, Chamber,
ISPs, and key citizens
• Coordinate vision for how broadband
should define economic and physical
growth goals and policies
• Develop roll-out plan with Internet
Service Providers prioritizing areas with

16. INCLUSIVE PROCESS
• Broadband is a critical ingredient of
a vibrant, diverse, and resourceful
community.
• Find or develop champions who
understand the importance of
broadband.
• Think regionally!
• Entrepreneurs are best suited to
lead. Governments are best suited
to support.

17. CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS
• Engaged elected members, citizens, and
staff who recognize importance of
broadening definition of economic
development and planning
• Presence of innovative thinker who
creates results
• Willingness of citizens to accept
taskforce responsibilities and deliver
results
• Strong regional framework of partners
• Strong relationship between local ISP
and Economic Development leaders

18. SELECTED RESOURCES FOR BEGINNING A
BROADBAND JOURNEY
• Organizations
• Connected Nation
• Institute for Local Self-Reliance
• Resilient Communities Program at New America
• Broadband Communities Summit Annual Conference
• Federal Grants
• USDA Community Connect
• NTIA - Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and the State
Broadband Initiative (SBI) (formerly called the State Broadband Data and
Development Grant Program)
• EDA - ACC (Assistance to Coal Communities)
• Federal Auction
• FCC – Connect America Fund II – Providers bid on established rural areas -
$2billion over next 10 years

19. CONTACT INFORMATION
Sarah Kackar, AICP
Principal, Touchpoint Consultants
sarah@touchpointconsultants.us – 703-855-5919