Summary
Northwest Connecticut Economic Development Corporation
333 Kennedy Drive, Torrington, CT 06790 - 860.567.2204 - www.nwctedc.com - info@nwctedc.com

Summary of Both Scenario Planning Sessions
(March 28 & April 28, 2008)

Major Focus Areas for NWCTEDC
- Creating a vision of what the region can or will be
- Revitalization of city centers for the benefit of the Region.
- Planning and implementing partnerships among cities and towns in the region for their mutual benefit.
- Workforce Development
Creating better connections between organizations, educators, students, senior citizens, and businesses/employers to prepare the workforce for existing and emerging job markets.
Increase awareness of the region's available jobs and careers.
- Create a legislative strategy on the state, regional, and local levels to encourage business incentives.

{No. 1} Business Incentives and Business Tax Structures = 114 pts.
Proposed Strategies:
Increasing capacity of Bradley Airport
Passenger and Cargo
Tax Moratorium RE: Municipal Tax for improvement to buildings for downtown development, so as not to penalize but encourage investment.
Fix taxes for a set period of years to encourage redevelopment investment.
Town will abate assessment values for improvement on under-utilized properties.
Brownfields Liability Management
Limiting Liability to Purchasers of Brownfields properties to encourage redevelopment
Redraft Brownfields laws to encourage purchasing of those properties.
Redefine remediation needs for properties.
Working with the State Gov't. (Legislature & Administrative Depts.) to make CT more business friendly.
Develop a vision that would create a focus for funding and incentives for the economic corridor.

{No. 3} Are the characteristics of the area able to draw and keep new/relocated employees? Combined Category Score Including Subheadings = 140 pts.
Proposed Strategies:
Smart growth or corridor strategy (from Thomaston to Winsted with Torrington at the center)
Building blocks:
Changes in zoning to encourage repopulation of city centers (residential zoning)
Tax abatements to encourage the right kind of development.
Creating affordable/workforce/accessible housing in downtown centers.
Specific Strategies
Be an influence agent with the state (legislative).
Research influence to restage the corridor to create a cohesive redevelopment plan, based on similar areas throughout the country as models for this area's redevelopment.
Use Route 8 as the defining corridor.
Create a benchmark oriented redevelopment plan for city centers and the corridor.
Encourage the viability of city centers throughout the corridor.
Create a good walking environment and efficient transportation routes to shopping centers and commuting routes to business sites.
Promote safe and convenient living in city centers (control income level and business types), particularly younger people.
Remember to look at the East-West corridor, not just North-South (no specified strategy at this point).
Create partnerships between towns and cities to fulfill population demands and maintain coordinated development.
Tax structure - over reliance on property tax.
Urban pioneering - create incentive for people and businesses to re-urbanize.  Attract artisans to the area to encourage repopulation of urban centers.
Create incentives to develop limited and defined industries.  Look at Silicon Valley as a model.
Build on the region's strengths and attributes as lures to encourage development and investment.
Focus on the fact that this region is the best value for cost of living in the state.
Develop a storyline/cohesive strategy to market the region to attract residents and businesses.

{No. 2} Can there be an acceptable pool of employee talent in the Region based on current residents and their progeny?  Combined Category Score Including Subheadings = 116 pts.
Proposed Strategies:
Build a better connection between educators, students, senior citizens, and businesses/employers.
Identify career opportunities that currently exist in our area.
Link opportunities to high school students who are not leaving the area.
Create training opportunities for senior citizens.
Market career opportunities to all residents.
Cohesive transportation/commuting system.
Improve housing and transportation options in the area.
Campus recruiter from Northwest CT to recruit for various businesses and industries in this region.
Create a more comprehensive four-year university to repopulate the educated workforce in the area.
Create a regional educational institution to train high school students for emerging industry needs. (Part-Time high school working in tandem with existing high schools)
Develop tourism workforce (e.g., professional/highly skilled restaurant staff).
Create a program that reaches out to area alumni to draw them back to the area.
Diversify the industries that exist in the area.

{Nos. 2(c), 3(d), 9} Combined Headings and Subheading Related to Transportation = 55 pts.
Proposed Strategies:
Types:     
Highways
System is not an inhibitor of the region at this time.
Rails
Not economically viable at this time
Seems like a bad use of efforts
Buses
Not well marketed-Must improve public awareness of routes, schedules, and availability.
Create a system that flows between city centers and business centers.
Support creation of a dispatch hub and repair facilities.
Increase buses in commuting to business centers/sites.
Create signage for Northwest Transit District.
Encourage the availability of rental car businesses to maximize tourism.
Coordinate shuttle service with Metro-North and a van line to create increased access for tourism from Danbury or Southbury depots.

{No. 5} Ability to work as a Region in a coordinated effort and influence destiny = 65 pts.
Proposed Strategies:
Promote a partnership concept among the different cities and towns (Sharing of economic benefits)
Identify the special attributes and particular needs of each town or city
Establish four subcommittees through the NWCTEDC, but including members from outside NWCTEDC, based upon the four most important issues.
Establish an inventory of existing regional groups.
Create more awareness and marketing of regional groups dedicated to economic development to improve public awareness and to overcome possible negative perceptions of regional efforts.
Publicize successes in regionalization efforts.
Create an ongoing forum to coordinate regionalization efforts among the different groups.