Littleton Economic Development Committee Report to Selectmen

1
Littleton Economic Development CommitteeReport
to Selectmen

• November - 2004

2
Our Charge

• To create an economic development strategy in
  support of the community goals of the Master Plan
• Review Master Plan
• Examine Assessor data
• Use LELD data
• Investigate policies of successful towns
• Investigate the role of tax rate as a factor
• Examine the role of regulatory process
• Map current commercial climate
• Investigate State Programs
• Create Recommendations for Town Consideration

3
The EDC Members

• Representatives from various boards
• Ron Caruso, Paul Glavey Board of Selectmen
• Gregg Champney Planning Board
• Brian Tarbox (appointed in Oct) - Finance
  Committee
• Pamela Campbell Board of Assessors
• Savas Danos and Kevin Goddard - Light and Water
• Representatives from the community
• Joe Presti
• Jeanine Wood
• Jay Cross resigned in August

4
Activities to Date April to October 2004

• Document reviews
• Assessor data
• LELWD GIS (maps and data)
• Master Plan
• Massachusetts Economic Development Handbook
• Created a map of undeveloped or under-developed
  parcels
• Commercial and Industrial
• Chapter lands
• Large residential parcels

5
Activities to Date April to October 2004

• Speakers on relevant topics
• Lexington, Mass Mary Jo Bohart, Director,
  Chamber of Commerce, previously Economic
  Development Director
• Development experience Littleton vs. other
  communities -- Jim Coull
• Office of Mass Development -- Kelly Arvidsen,
  Claire ONeill
• Review of organizational options
• Survey of surrounding communities
• Drafted survey for commercial property owners

6
Issues Facing Littleton

• Commercial revenue has been shrinking
• Residential growth places undue strain on
  services
• Under current conditions, residential taxes will
  have to be raised or services will have to be cut
• Master Plan has detailed goals that cannot be
  implemented under our current bylaw structure
• Smart growth initiative with the state provides
  potential opportunities

7
What is Economic Development?

• What do we mean by Economic Development?
• What it is NOT
• randomly lowering our standards to attract any
  kind of development, any where, at any cost
• What it IS
• methodical
• pro-active
• enacting the town's development goals as
  expressed in the Master Plan (and other places)

8
How do we Develop Proactively?

• Active promotion of the town's assets
• Cooperation with property owners and businesses
• Creative thinking about our possibilities
• Compete with other communities for the best end
  uses
• Taking advantage of available opportunities,
  especially state aid
• Streamline and update our regulatory processes to
  stay current
• Above all it is the recognition that the choice
  is not between development and no development, it
  is between good development and poor
  development.  It is between choosing your future,
  or just letting it happen.

9
Options Considered

• Smart Growth district/Village Centers initiative
  (40R)
• Including infrastructure initiatives such as
• Sewerage
• Sidewalks
• traffic calming
• TIFFs DIFFs
• Financial incentives
• Pursue state grant programs for consulting,
  infrastructure upgrades, marketing
• Tax classification considerations
• Linkage possibilities

10
Options Considered

• Adopting state initiatives such as expedited
  permitting
• Create singlepoint of contact (Town Planner,
  Economic Developer, etc)
• Leverage Chapter 61 and 61A -- first-right-of-refu
  sal, transfer of development rights
• Involve all boards in a review of bylaws for
  consistency with Master Plan recommendations
• Create a proactive marketing program including
  website outreach
• Work proactively with property owners,
  developers, real estate brokers to promote
  Littleton
• Use innovative technologies to maximize economic
  potential within zoning requirements

11
Littleton Zoning
12
Recommendations Short Term

• Survey the commercial/industrial/retail property
  owners
• Conduct zoning innovation technology study
• Begin immediate review of Smart Growth
  District-enabling legislation
• Create a Web page and marketing plan promoting
  Littleton as a site for commercial development
• Initiate bylaw review by all boards
• Exploit additional grant opportunities beyond
  current work with State Revolving Fund and
  Commonwealth Capital
• Capitalize on Office of Mass Development
  expertise
• Continue work of Economic Development Committee

13
Littleton Economic Development CommitteeReport
to Selectmen

• October-2004