Some
of the fastest growing communities in the United States did not earn
that label due to market conditions alone. Communities like Phoenix and
Las Vegas are known throughout the international real estate community
as "development friendly" because they have streamlined their
entitlement processes to ensure that projects move forward quickly and
efficiently. The presence of a "fast track" or similar tool can easily
sway a developer's decision when all other things are equal. As a
result, development friendly communities are having more success
attracting new business and real estate development.
Wayne
County has reviewed best practices in several communities that have
adopted such processes, and has created a pilot program based on the
results. "
Development Ready Communities"
(DRC) is designed to facilitate development by bridging the gap between
different levels of government, providing critical resources, and
managing the expectations of the development community.
Among
other things, the DRC program includes the assignment of a development officer to each project. This development expert champions all aspects of the project from
design to completion. This person
also coordinates efforts with the local unit of government, as well as
state and federal agencies involved in providing various entitlements
and environmental approvals.
Other components of the DRC program
include access to a third-party engineer for value-added services, and
access to the County's on-line permitting system, which will allow
local government officials to track permits under review in their
jurisdiction. This real time information portal is designed to keep all
parties informed about the status of permits and issues associated with
the approval of the permit.
Through DRC, and regional efforts
such as Aerotropolis and the Life Sciences Research & Innovation
Center, we are diversifying our economy by making Wayne County more
attractive to businesses of all kinds. It is this vision, and Wayne
County EDGE's holistic approach to economic development, that will give
our region a competitive edge in attracting and creating new jobs for
our citizens.
Turkia Awada Mullin is Wayne County Assistant CEO
and Chief Development Officer of Wayne County's Economic Development
Growth Engine (EDGE).
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