Transcript PRESENTATION TITLE 26-30 PT. VERDANA ALL CAPS UP TO …

Littleton Economic Development
Committee
Report to Selectmen
November - 2004
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
2 - Littleton, MA Economic Council
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
3 - Littleton, MA Economic Council
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
4 - Littleton, MA Economic Council
…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
5 - Littleton, MA Economic Council
Issues Facing Littleton
 Commercial revenue has been
shrinking
 Residential growth places
undue strain on services
Percentage of Total Tax - Commercial and Industrial
 Master Plan has detailed goals
that cannot be implemented
under our current bylaw
structure
Percentage
 Under current conditions,
residential taxes will have to
be raised or services will have
to be cut
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Ten year history
 Smart growth initiative with
the state provides potential
opportunities
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Commercial Percent
Industrial Percent
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)
7 - Littleton, MA Economic Council
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.
8 - Littleton, MA Economic Council
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
9 - Littleton, MA Economic Council
Options Considered…
 Adopting state initiatives such as expedited permitting
 Create single–point of contact (Town Planner, Economic
Developer, etc)
 Leverage Chapter 61 and 61A -- first-right-of-refusal,
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
10 - Littleton, MA Economic
Council
Littleton Zoning
11 - Littleton, MA Economic
Council
Recommendations – Short Term
1. Survey the commercial/industrial/retail property owners
2. Conduct zoning innovation technology study
3. Begin immediate review of Smart Growth Districtenabling legislation
4. Create a Web page and marketing plan promoting
Littleton as a site for commercial development
5. Initiate bylaw review by all boards
6. Exploit additional grant opportunities beyond current
work with State Revolving Fund and Commonwealth
Capital
7. Capitalize on Office of Mass Development expertise
8. Continue work of Economic Development Committee
12 - Littleton, MA Economic
Council
Littleton Economic Development
Committee
Report to Selectmen
October-2004