Vision 2020 +

Economic Development Subcommittee

Mission Statement

Economic development in Cache Valley through 2020 and beyond will promote and encourage a sustainable regional economy with a high quality of life. This should be accomplished through business, education, government, and cultural activities that increase income consistent with local resources and environmental considerations.

To attain this vision it is imperative that counties and cities collaborate to develop an Economic Development Strategy that includes goals and objectives that will 1) maintain and enhance the quality of life; 2) increase income for valley residents; 3) keep the valley's agricultural economy vital; and 4) increase cultural, heritage, and outdoor recreation tourism.

Goal #1 – Maintain the Quality Of Life. The high quality of life in Cache Valley is our greatest economic asset and we must maintain it if we are to prosper.

Objective 1.a. – Counties and cities must collaborate and coordinate their land use policies to foster smart growth, maintain open space, and protect environmental quality. Action 1.a.1. Implement land use policies and economic development activities that discourage sprawl, reduce vehicle miles traveled, reduce traffic congestion, and reduce air pollution.

• Encourage in-fill and use of existing buildings for future commercial and industrial development.
  
• Identify lands most appropriate for commercial and industrial development.
  
• Promote the most efficient utilization of existing infrastructure.
  
• Consider acquisition of development rights along major corridors to limit access and maintain traffic flow.
  
• Support changes in the sales tax distribution, to allow either through inter-local agreement or change in state statute, that would promote sound planning and growth.
  
• Encourage mixed use and commercial neighborhood, and community centers to decrease need to drive long distances for what have traditionally been neighborhood/community services.
  
• Encourage “clean” business development that will not degrade air or water quality.
  

Action 1.a.2. – Implement land use policies and programs to maintain the valley’s open space.

• Adopt policies that encourage higher density residential development in communities with infrastructure and away from agricultural lands and other critical open lands.
  
• Consider acquisition of development rights in high priority agricultural lands and other critical open lands.
  

Action 1.a.3. – Coordinate and implement development requirements that assure protection of water resources.

• Ensure appropriate management of storm water.
  
• Maintain water rights to assure continuation of agriculture.
  
• Protect quality of culinary water supplies.
  
• Ensure adequate water for commercial and industrial development.
  
• Ensure adequate water for fire protection.
  
• Protect and maintain natural water ways and wetlands for flood management, filtration of pollutants and preservation of wildlife habitat and corridors.

Objective 1.b. – Counties and cities must collaborate and coordinate the development of programs to assure the effective delivery of Police, Fire, and Emergency Services.

Action 1.b.1. – Encourage cooperative agreements with police protection similar to what has been accomplished with the Cache County-Wide Emergency Medical Services Inter-Local Agreement and the Mutual Aid Inter-Local Agreement that describes dispatch protocol for fire protection.

Action 1.b.2. – Encourage all Cache Valley jurisdictions to participate in the mutual aid inter-local agreement for fire protection.

Objective 1.c. – Counties and cities must collaborate and coordinate the development of programs to assure that there is an ample supply of affordable housing in the valley.

Action 1.c.1. – Efforts should be made to ensure that each community adopts and implements affordable and fair housing plans that are appropriate to their community and the mix of the valley.

Action 1.c.2. – Appropriate housing mix should be located near services, employment opportunities, and public transportation.

Goal #2 – Increase Income and Wages. Valley communities need to collaboratively engage in an effort to increase income and wages to enhance the quality of life and well being of our citizens. This is to be achieved by encouraging the creation of quality jobs, resulting in higher wages and incomes (measured by state and local indicators), greater job satisfaction and the reduction of underemployment.

Objective 2.a. – Increase Income and Wages. Encourage businesses that provide above average wages.

Action 2.a.1 – Incentives

• Provide incentives to businesses that provide higher wages.
  
• Set wage criteria for awarding incentives consistent with state and local policies.

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