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10/20/2015 04:30 PMThe Clinton Economic Development Commission (EDC) hosted a seminar on Oct. 13 on choosing the best approach to municipal economic development.
“This is a very important time for our town,” said Clinton EDC commissioner John Allen, referring to major projects such as the construction of a new high school; a proposal to build a hotel, retail center, and restaurants on the existing school site; and plans to turn the vacant Unilever site into a sports/recreational facility with skating rinks.
“Big things are happening in Clinton,” said Allen. “A lot of people will be looking at moving here and investing here, so we have to get our house in order. We’re a very under-marketed town. We need to develop a marketing plan, ask for a marketing budget, and get professional about it.”
To help get that house in order, Allen invited Robert Santy, president of the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC), to discuss best practices.
Santy explained that foremost on people’s minds is growing a town’s grand list, so the focus is often on transactional development: activities like pulling permits and selling real estate. A more long-term strategy for economic development, he said, concerns itself with a town’s look and feel, how it brands itself, what it sees as its assets, how it plans and designs public and open spaces, and the services it provides for community members.
This approach, he said, is known as transformational economic development.
“Know who you are and what you want to be,” he said.
Who’s Here?
While much emphasis is placed on attracting entrepreneurs and recruiting new companies, 80 to 90 percent of growth in a local economy comes from existing businesses, said Santy.
“They’re here and producing revenue for your town already. Understand your economic base. Know who’s here and who they want to be close to,” Santy said. “Think about the supply chain for your existing businesses.”
His recommendation for Clinton? Turn the focus downtown.
“Do a business visitation program. Ask business owners what they like and dislike about operating a business in Clinton. I think Main Street is your real, great development opportunity.”
A survey distributed to attendees before the seminar overwhelmingly showed a pro-growth attitude and a desire for a better balance between commercial and residential properties on the town’s Grand List. More than three-quarters of Clinton’s Grand List is residential real estate; the commercial component is viewed as disproportionately low. The majority of survey respondents were unsure whether the town has a clear economic development strategy.
“You haven’t branded Clinton,” said Santy. “You need to ask yourselves, ‘What do we want our community to be?’”
To get to the answer, he recommended a self-assessment. CERC offers a 70-question survey that guides towns in determining their best assets, biggest obstacles, and top priorities.
Alissa DeJonge, vice president of research at CERC, suggested that a market feasibility study, which CERC provides for a fee, could also examine such factors as what industries are growing in and around Clinton and what industries the workforce can support.
Citing 2009-2013 Census Bureau statistics, she said retail jobs represent approximately 30 percent of Clinton’s total employment by industry. While that surprised no one at the seminar, considering Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets attracts four million visitors a year, what did surprise the group—and the presenters—was that government jobs (including jobs in public education) account for another 30 percent of total employment in town.
A Question of Resources
Terry Elton, economic development manager for the Town of Branford, added that the right infrastructure and regulatory environment—as well as good relationships among building officials, town planners, fire marshals, and state commissioners and resources—are critical. Branford is home to the 30,000-square-foot Stony Creek Brewery as well as numerous retailers, manufacturers, bioscience companies, and Mount Sinai’s new genomics research center. The town was well-positioned to receive these various enterprises, said Elton, because of its proximity to Yale, an existing sewer system, a biotech industry established decades earlier, and easy access to rail transit.
One of the obstacles to a clear economic development strategy for Clinton, audience members pointed out, is the absence of a town planner. Another, they indicated, is the relative lack of enforcement power that the town’s design review board has.
Santy granted that architectural review boards in wealthier towns tend to have a greater “negotiating posture.” They are able to establish ground rules for retailers moving in—for example, adhering to a certain building style that fits with the town’s character and vision.
He reiterated, however, that job one for Clinton is defining itself.
Anyone interested in participating in the town’s self-assessment questionnaire should contact John Allen at 203-550-0526 or jva315@gmail.com.