Kudos to Erie Mayor Andrew Moore for trying to make more clear the plans and intentions for his town's economic development strategy. This type of outreach just stands out - I can find the main pieces and general statements of support in various communitites, but this is a bit more intentional in its message. Here's the news from Mayor Moore:
As many of you know Erie is working with a Board appointed adhoc committee to ensure our Economic Strategy is sound, thorough, and fits the needs of our community for the long term. Trustee Tina Harris and I are participants along with members from the Chamber of Commerce, Erie Economic Development Council, Planning Commission, development community, business community, and members at large. The group is lead by Upstate Colorado President, Larry Burkhardt.
Through my participation on the economic adhoc committee I came to realize that Erie's current economic strategy was not broadly understood. Although I've written and presented on this topic many times, up until now I had not put the pieces of Erie's economic strategy together in one easily accessible document.
With that in mind I dusted off a paper I started many months ago but never published because of the length, concerns with sharing our competitive plans, and complexity of the message. With input from the Board of Trustees and members of the adhoc group the document was refined for readability and to ensure the message was clear. The document on our strategy can be found here: http://www.mooreinfo.us/EconomicDevelopment.html
You can read more of his message and related comments at http://www.mooreinfo.us/. I'm curious what the readers of this blog think of the scope of the info presented, and its more layman's terms.
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4 comments:
Yawn.
Erie has missed its residential building permit targets for the past two years and now is getting hammered by the subprime foreclosure mess.
It is also sandwiched between Lafayette's retail development on 287 and Thorton/Broomfield's on I-25/287.
Moore can talk about future potential econ dev but the rubber meets the cash register now and for the next couple of years.
I wish them luck.
Kerry, I always look forward to your positive, constructive comments. When will you post those?
Lafayette's retail development on, or near, 287 is mostly vacant, in case you've forgotten. And, the development at I25/Hwy7 is impacting Lafayette more today than it is Erie.
Can you direct me to a similar vision document from the City Council of Lafayette?
The Erie doc is very rough. But, I applaud the effort to identify the economic vision for the town.
Interlochen started as a vision nearly 30 years ago, and became an exceptional commercial development. With primary employers, hotels, and strong retail, Interlochen is a prize for Broomfield, and the surrounding area. It took a vision and patience to see this development to fruition.
In the same thirty years, Lafayette's seen a WalMart and an Albertson's open, close, and open again, leaving empty boxes in their wake. Lafayette's seen another retail site transform from a grocery store, to a Country General, to a church. During the same time downtown Lafayette has put in new street lights, sidewalks, and planters. What an economic engine!
To be fair, Exempla is a huge plus for Lafayette. But, you may be surprised how many employees in that building are not at all aware of the offerings just a mile or so north of them.
Erie's efforts don't deserve to be scoffed at. Especially by a Lafayette politician.
Kerry,
Erie missing its permit targets is an excuse for Lafayette not to have a vision? I don't get the connection.
Lafayette has such a document, dated 1994. We had a workshop on it (don't ask me why). It also has an Urban Renewal Plan posted on the web site. There is also the URA Redevlopement Plan for Countryside, which I also have been highly critical. And to date, the Urban Renewal Authority is moving at a snail's pace in thinking about rejuvanating Public Road.
Two years ago I proposed at a goal setting that we set up some sort of an Economic Development Commission to get things going. I got shot down by the counter argument of the city admin with the council supporting him.
I would like nothing better than to have a reality check on what is going on in town and an updated vision/plan.
D-B, you are the first to agree with my assertion that I25/7 is impacting Lafayette more than Erie. When I ask folks who live on the west side of town have they shopped at Larkridge Mall, I am astonished how many have. Two couples this weekend. It is also a simple fact the pro-Lowes folks denied.
As for WM and Albertsons moving to new sites at 287, can you blame them? The city getting stuck with $3.6M worth of tax rebates and lousy real estate, call city hall.
Until we have a city council that will ride herd over the city gov and hold it accountable, expect no improvement. (Note is was an elected Erie mayor putting out the vision, a businessman, and not the city manager.
As for my Erie building permit discussion, check their web site. In 2006, they forecasted over 500+ permits increasing 5% the following year. In 2007 they budgeted 400+ increasing 5% the following year. The 100 drop didn't seem to impact their forecasting ability. YTD they are around 140.
My point is that both cities these days aren't that great at doing realistic plans. The city admin/mgr don't want to alarm the city council and the residents with the harsh reality checks.
By the way, here is the link to the city council goals:
http://www.cityoflafayette.com/files/2006-07goals.pdf
Read A-4-06. Note the wording is NOT "update" or "revise". It is "create". (You should have seen the first watered down draft.)
So D-B:
1. Get the long range plan done.
2. Form a commission that has the wisdom. experience, and motivation to move forward on it.
3. Halt "seat of the pants" economic decision making at city hall.
4. Put some money and life into Public Road asap.
So start writing e-mails to the other council members. It takes four.
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