Chapel Hill "Big Picture" Economic Strategy Community meeting

Having a "big picture" economic development strategy will help the Town and other partners in economic and community development shape policy and prioritize investments in a proactive manner. The strategy will serve as a guide for understanding choices and making decisions.

The Council Committee on Economic Development, which includes Mayor pro tem Jim Ward and Council members Mark Kleinschmidt, Bill Strom and Ed Harrison, has drafted an economic development draft strategy with Town Manager Roger L. Stancil and Dwight Bassett, economic development officer. After community input this March, the draft plan will be reviewed by the Town Council for consideration.

Discussions about developing an economic development strategy for the town tie back to the Chapel Hill Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted in 2000. The Council renewed its commitment to developing a strategy when it created the position of economic development officer in June 2006. The position is expected to communicate Town policy and Council expectations to businesses as it assists businesses with understanding processes of Town government.

The draft of Chapel Hill's economic development strategy is available at www.townofchapelhill.org/economic_development. Its summary statement proposes: " The Town of Chapel Hill will work innovatively and proactively to diversify local economic opportunities by retaining and supporting existing jobs, and attracting new, desirable jobs in locations convenient to transit and housing. Our goal is to build a more sustainable economy for the 21st century by creating a healthy balance among employment, housing and commercial development. In all of our development efforts, the Town of Chapel Hill places importance on the built & natural environment, community character, transit orientation, social equity and quality of life for its citizens."