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Sustainable Small Town Economic Development
Della G. Rucker, AICP, CEcD
JACOBS | Urban Design + Planning
Wise Economy Media
American Planning Association National Conference
April 11, 2010
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
What is our conventional approach to economic development?
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
What are the assumptions?
If you build it they will come Shoot what flies and claim what falls Bigger is better Success is one size fits all Basic requirements aside, most communities are
interchangeable The key driver of economic development = low
site costs. The lower the costs, the more business
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
What is sustainable economic development?
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
What is this?
Constantly looks for new and unexpected opportunities Embrace differentiators and values assets Focus on cultivating its native species, rather than
investing everything it has in transplants. Cultivate consciously and according to a plan. Bewares one-shot solutions and magic pills. Maintains bravery in the face of setbacks. Fertilizes the soil. Maintains a healthy environment. Understands the unique role that it can play in that world.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
What keeps us from doing sustainable economic development?
Hanging on to hope for obsolete industries Unwilling to make investments/take risks Looking for one-shot solutions There’s no obvious solution paralysis. Chasing after anything that comes along,
whether it fits or not Who’s gonna do it?
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
How to grow a sustainable economy:
1. Know thyself.
2. Focus on your assets.
3. Make a plan.
4. Retain your healthy businesses, especially small ones.
5. Recruit and grow small businesses in healthy segments.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
How to grow a sustainable economy:
6. Prune your retail.
7. Brand and use it consistently.
8. Use your hidden resources.
9. Keep your focus.
10.Be in it for the long haul.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
1. Know thyself.
What does your community need?Jobs for residents?
Property taxes?
Improved reputation/ appearance?
Income/earnings taxes?
What parts of town need attention?
What needs to happen? Growth
Change in quality Improved appearanceNew jobs
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
An Example
Our community will offer a variety of opportunities for
employment, education, shopping, dining and culture.
Wapakoneta’s residents will expect and support high standards for the appearance and efficiency of our business sites.
Our major corridors, public areas and key entry points will demonstrate that Wapakoneta is a place people want to be.
Wapakoneta will cooperate with surrounding communities to attract businesses and industries strategically and responsibly, enhancing the community’s total quality of life.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
2. Focus on your assets.
What are these? Provide/do/support better than others.
Unique to your community.
How do you find them?Analysis - high growth/high share sectors.
Examine successful, similar places.
Ask your business owners, leaders, residents.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
What are assets?
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
3. Make a Plan to Get What You Want
Ambitious … visionary … impossible?
Identify a small number of prime sectors to target (and the
businesses that support them).
Build buy-in.
Put it in writing.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
Remember:
Not all economic development is good economic development.
Not all short-term gains are worth the long-term costs.
Sometimes it’s best to let it go.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
4. Retain your healthy businesses (especially the smaller ones)
Who is healthy?
Growing --sales, employment, site
Fits target sectors (or has synergy with them)
Benefits the community (double/triple net)
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
What’s so great about small businesses?
Biggest source of job growth More likely to be locally
owned (and stay when they get bigger)
Often better able to adapt to economic changes
Your target industry sectors may be dominated by small businesses.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
4. Retain your healthy businesses
How do you retain them?
Talk frequently and honestly. Take their concerns seriously Fix them if you can. Help them find other things they
need (e.g, loans). Make sure they know you value
them. Encourage them to participate. Thank them.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
5. Recruit and Grow Small Businesses
How do we find them?Word of mouth Next doorPotential entrepreneurs Business incubator tenants
How do we help them grow?Talk to themListen to themKnow where to find helpHelp them talk to each other
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
6. Prune Your Retail
Why? Most markets have too much New retail vacant old retail Obsolete retail depresses market
demand & values Much obsolete retail has a better
potential use Use your zoning to move that way
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
7. Brand, but do something with it.
Brands are valuable. A cool brand won’t do the job alone. What else can you do with it?
TraditionalInternet / Social MediaRelationships/loyalty
Stick to the story.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
8. Use your hidden resources
Non profit organizations Charities and Foundations Service Groups Schools What can they do?
Community ImprovementsWisdom/ExpertiseEntrepreneursAmbassadors
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
9. Keep your focus
Hard decisions are a fact of life.
A wobble may cost you the ability to use the plan
Communicate to everyone (and refer to the plan)
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
Again….
Remember: You can’t change the past. Not all economic development is
good economic development. Not all short-term gains are worth
the long-term costs. Sometimes it’s best to let go.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
10. Be in it for the long haul
Quick solutions usually don’t work, or not for long
Celebrate every small success Communicate the Vision Stay the course!
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
Where does the garden metaphor break down?
This garden is too big for any one gardener – we can’t do it alone.
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
Questions? Insights? Good ideas?
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”
- Calvin Coolidge.
Parting thought
American Planning Association National ConferenceApril 11, 2010
Thank you!
Della G. Rucker, AICP, CEcD
JACOBS | Urban Design + Planning
1880 Waycross RoadCincinnati, OH 45240
Phone: 513-288-6613
[email protected]: @dgottrucker