With the economy still in the tank, there has been some talk by my friend Mayor Linda Johnson about “streamlining” and deconflicting the complex processes of economic development projects that build jobs in Suffolk. It is well understood that over eighty percent of the jobs created in this country are done by the small businesses that struggle mightily with ever mounting demands and hurdles from our friends in the planning and engineering offices on “Market Street”. We really do need to see some real changes in the processes and a much more simplistic method to the “planning-review-permitting” process to encourage good economic development. Another community tried it and to good cause and effect:
Maryland To Ease Storm-Water Pollution Requirements On New Building Projects.
The Washington Post (3/10, B6, Fahrenthold) reports Maryland is set "to make developer-friendly changes in a law that requires new building projects to reduce the pollution that rain washes off their roofs and parking lots." Those changes "provide a loophole for some incomplete projects" and "are the result of a compromise between environmental groups, developers and local government officials," and according to the Post appear to be designed "to head off attempts in Annapolis to weaken the rules even further." The Post notes, "The battle over storm-water pollution opens a potentially critical year for the Chesapeake Bay." The changes will only apply to projects that "already have been given preliminary approval by local authorities." According to a builders trade group, "the exemption for projects in development would save money, since developers wouldn't need to redo expensive site plans."
These ideas and more that streamline the many complex demands that raise costs and dissuade projects seems like a good idea that should be encouraged. We need to encourage and help small to mid-sized commercial developers, step forward and create jobs that will drag us all out of the malaise of this “Spartan” economy. I applaud Mayor Johnson’s call to reduce development hurdles and issues on commercial projects, which do slow the attached job growth we need. I hope she will continue to push this good idea further and hard. This is an idea whose time has dearly come!
Roger A. Leonard, MPA
Suffolk…
6 comments:
Anytime the yoke of municipal permitting is lifted the more attractive a project becomes. The focus for real paying jobs must be those that import dollars into the community instead of merely recycling from one hand to another. Suffolk must aggresively promote economic-industrial development better than our neighbors.
We keep hearing from our elected representatives the boom is coming without any specific information like who, what, where and when. Do we want to be another city of strip malls with big box retailers surrounded by sub-divisions. Is that the type of economic development we need or can we do better? Does the city administration want Suffolk to look like Greenbriar Chesapeake?
Maybe the city can follow the example of the Democrats and Republicans in Washington. Create entitlement programs and new government entities. Big government means there will be jobs for all of us.
Government can do the best for all if as roger say's they get out of the way of the real economy and people that work. The many charges the government now takes is too much and they should reduce the costs to get the economy going. Thanks for another good idea Roger!
The SNH's opinion of the SCCA being the cultural backbone of Suffolk can be likened to SPSA's dump site being the tailbone of Suffolk. Since they are such fans of the arts the Editor should put his money where his keyboard is and stroke them a donation.
Culture: In Suffolk it is a verb; to spend someone else's money! If this turkey can't stand on it's own drum-sticks it is time to send it to the hatchet-man for dinner! Time to stop spending our money on this foolishness and get back to real core government services funded by our taxes!
More like red herring, and this one has been stinking for a long time. Still nothing what and where the real or imaginary SCCA cuts have been made to give us such great news. Maybe one of the SNH's experienced investigative reporters could share what they learned before the next SPS "Listening Session" at King's Fork High School.
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