City Council Goal #3

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GOAL #3:  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

Transform local economy through pro-active business retention, entrepreneurial development, and business attraction strategies in a way that enhances community vitality through the creation of jobs, opportunities and revenue.

Objective #1 – Prioritize infrastructure investments that will benefit and attract businesses.

Actions

Timeline

Responsible Party

Measurements

Develop a report that details specific infrastructure investments that have been routinely requested by businesses that are ARPA eligible.

End of 1st Quarter 2022

ARPA Manager, Economic Development Team

Report completed and presented to the City Council for review and/or approval

Develop a report that provides examples of infrastructure investments, ARPA eligible or not, in neighboring communities that clearly benefited specific business districts and corridors.

End of 1st Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

Report completed and presented to the City Council for review and/or approval


Objective #2 – Expand start-up business assistance programs.

Actions

Timeline

Responsible Party

Measurements

Develop a report that evaluates the performance of existing business assistance programs and provides options to improve/expand them.

1st Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

Report completed and presented to the City Council for review and/or approval

The City Council having selected options to improve/expand programs, develop expansions to existing programs and/or develop new programs.

2nd Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

City Council feedback provided; development initiated 

Launch any new programs that have been identified and approved.

3rd Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

New programs accepting applicants 


Objective #3– Determine what kinds of businesses the city should work to attract.

Actions

Timeline

Responsible Party

Measurements

Develop a report that identifies overall market trends, includes a leakage analysis, and identifies specific target industries that are well suited to locate in the City.

2nd Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

Report completed and presented to the City Council for review and/or approval

Develop a proposal for a niche-business attraction strategy that details an approach for encouraging/recruiting destination businesses that draw customers from outside the City.

3rd Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

Report completed and presented to the City Council for review and/or approval


Objective #4– Complete development of business database.

Actions

Timeline

Responsible Party

Measurements

Present on how the Forward Database works to relevant City staff and explore how to develop inter-department functionality within the Database. 

1st Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

Presentation made to relevant city staff

Develop a report on options for creating a business registration process/system that integrates the Forward Database. 

2nd Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

Report completed and presented to the City Council for review and/or approval

Create a business registration process/system and integrate it into the Forward Database.

3rd Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

System established; Ordinance passed by City Council

Develop a report analyzing the data in the business registration system and the Forward Database which corresponds with earlier reports. 

4th Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

Report completed and presented to the City Council for review and/or approval


Objective #5– Expand programs and activities that improve existing housing and promote development of new housing

Actions

Timeline

Responsible Party

Measurements

Develop a report that addresses zoning risks identified in the Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing and make recommendations on how to address them.

2nd Quarter 2022

Planning & Redevelopment Division

Report completed and presented to the City Council for review and/or approval

Establish an Illinois Quad Cities regional land bank in collaboration with neighboring communities to better manage blight and assist with redevelopment.

2nd Quarter 2022

Planning & Redevelopment Division

Intergovernmental agreement adopted

Develop policies and procedures for the existing rental inspection program. 

3rd Quarter 2022

Inspections Division

Policies and procedures adopted

Develop a report that identifies past and present redlining and similar discriminatory housing practices with recommendations on how to address them.

3rd Quarter 2022

Planning & Redevelopment Division

Report completed and presented to the City Council for review and/or approval

Develop concept plans for the Watchtower Plaza site that incorporate varying ratios of residential and commercial development. 

3rd Quarter 2022

Economic Development Team

Concept plans created

Develop a fair housing ordinance that is informed by the redlining/discrimination report.

4th Quarter 2022

Planning & Redevelopment Division, Inspections Division, Human Rights Commission

Ordinance adopted 

Develop a proposal for a rental rehabilitation program similar in scope to the existing owner-occupied rehabilitation programs.

4th Quarter 2022

Planning & Redevelopment Division, Inspections Division

Proposal presented to the City Council for review and/or approval