4A - Economic Development (part 2)

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1 Provide appropriate housing options for the local workforce.The ability to live and work in the same community 2 is important. Local housing polity that provides for workforce housing options is critical to maintaining a viable 3 work force. Housing that is enticing to all members of the workforce from the top executives to the unskilled 4 laborers must be made available. Pequot Lakes needs to be a desirable place to live for the entire work force, 5 meaning recreational opportunities and diverse buying prospects need to be advanced. 6 Provide and maintain adequate infrastructure for businesses in Pequot Lakes.It is essential that the City maintain 7 solid infrastructure. Having two telecommunications leaders in town provides the City with an opportunity to keep 8 pace with advances in telecommunications and to plan and facilitate their continual upgrade locally. Roads and 9 streets need to be maintained, and sidewalks and other walkways provided in areas where pedestrian access is 10 critical. Adequate parking must be planned to support a downtown business environment. Water and sewer 11 expansions should be planned so that businesses can anticipate future availability. All new developments must 12 have adequate right-of-way for telecommunications infrastructure. Storm water management is also an essential 13 component of any downtown redevelopment strategy and is needed in Pequot Lakes. 14 Protect Pequot Lakes' natural, scenic, and recreational amenities. Pequot Lakes amenities including its natural 15 resources, scenic beauty, and recreational opportunities - need to be protected. Much of the economic growth 16 Pequot Lakes has experienced is due to population growth, and the rest is at least partly due to increased tourism 17 and recreational opportunities. Much of the tourism in Pequot Lakes can be attributed to the Paul Bunyan State 18 Trail.The City needs to recognize the primary reason why people are moving to the area and the importance of the 19 environment as an economic development engine.As such,the City must work to protect the local environment as 20 a long-term economic development strategy. It must take a balanced approach to ensure that long-term 21 environmental quality and beauty are not sacrificed for short-term economic gain. 22 Maintain the downtown area as the center for economic activity in Pequot Lakes.As many cities struggle to keep 23 their downtown areas strong and vital, Pequot Lakes has an advantage in that its downtown has a mix of retail, 24 professional, transient, and industrial businesses clustered together.The City must keep the agglomeration of its 25 businesses and seek to infill and redevelop commercial properties as they become available. 26 Promote businesses that enhance Pequot Lakes'unique community character.Pequot Lakes needs to continue to 27 celebrate its community character. Many rural areas have a rich history that is often lost in the name of economic 28 development.As a result, many towns become indistinguishable from each other as they grow. Defining the rural 29 culture and small-town heritage can act to benefit Pequot Lakes' local economy. Pequot Lakes has several sites in 30 close proximity to each other that can be used as part of a tourism initiative. Heritage tourism efforts have 31 succeeded across the country due to the fact that so many people want to travel back to their roots and preserve 32 the aspects they love about rural life. Maintaining a sense of place to keep Pequot Lakes a great place to live and 33 work is also critical for attracting employees, employers and customers. Many employers may make the decision 34 to locate in Pequot Lakes based initially on the impression they get of the city from the street—aesthetics can be a 35 huge factor in instilling confidence in the long-term viability of the town. Cultural events should continue to be a 36 priority and important community assets should be preserved. 37 Support and streamline the permitting process to provide developers with advance knowledge of permitting 38 requirements and assist them in obtaining permits in a timely manner. 39 High standards become impossible standards when the process to obtain a permit is unclear or is systematically 40 resisted by the bureaucracy.The permitting process should be easily understandable and free from unnecessary 41 obstacles. Timelines for obtaining approvals and standards for review need to be known and adhered to by City 42 Staff. 141 Page