City of Gainesville - File #: 160396.

• File #: 160396.
• Version: 8
• Name: Enterprise Zone Policies & General Infrastructure Economic Development in other Parts of the City
• Type: Discussion Item
• Status: Passed
• File created: 9/15/2016
• In control: General Policy Committee
• On agenda: 12/7/2017
• Final action: 1/18/2018
• Title: Reform of Enterprise Zone Program (B) The City Commission to provide feedback on changes to the existing Enterprise Zone Program.
• Related files: 170209.

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
12/7/2017	8	City Commission	Approved, as shown above	Pass
11/2/2017	7	City Commission	Approved, as shown above	Pass
9/28/2017	6	General Policy Committee	Approved, as shown above	Pass
8/24/2017	5	General Policy Committee	Approved, as shown above	Pass
1/26/2017	2	General Policy Committee	Heard
9/15/2016	1	City Commission	Referred	Pass

Title
Reform of Enterprise Zone Program (B)

The City Commission to provide feedback on changes to the existing Enterprise Zone Program.
Explanation
Over the past several months, the City Commission, within the General Policy Committee (GPC), has reviewed the status of the Enterprise Zone program and various proposals to reform it in such a way that it is more robust in promoting economic development.

At the September 28th GPC meeting the Committee endorsed the following components of the EZ program:

? Retain the existing 50% EZ development fee reduction;
? Modify EZ geography to properties east of 6th Street as indicated (add in SW 13th Street commercial corridor south of SW 16th Avenue);
? Fold program into the “Gainesville East” CRA campaign;
? Generally, replicate CRA incentives in EZ geography emphasizing assistance to existing retained/expanded businesses and include additional assistance for soft costs associated for retained/expanded business;
? Direct appropriate staff to review broad infrastructure needs in various areas of the modified EZ geography and report back to the Commission on identified needs;
? Implement a limited approach to commercial utility rate assistance;
? Provide initial funding depending on the scope of proposed incentives, to be made effective mid-year; and,
? Direct staff to bring the modified EZ map and program back to the City Commission for final approval.

This direction was partly based upon staff’s work with a focus group of business owners and development representatives in two sessions during the months of May/June, 2017 and is designed to make the CRA and Enterprise Zone programs more seamless and thus, citizen centric.

In addition, due to the fact that potential participation in the above program components is unknown, staff is recommending that the progr...