HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009 07 23 Business Community Visioning Workshop Date: July 23, 2009
This document was distributed and referenced
by City Manager Kevin L. Smith during the July
23, 2009 City Commission Workshop.
1,
I
City of Winter Springs
BUSINESS COMMUNITY
VISIONING WORKSHOP
June 9, 2009
Facilitated by
Marilyn E. Crotty
The John Scott Dailey
Florida Institute of Government at the
University of Central Florida
I
INTRODUCTION
After a successful community visioning workshop in February, the Winter Springs City
Commission asked the John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government at the
University of Central Florida (IOG) to conduct a similar workshop to engage the business
community in a discussion of the future of the City from their perspective.
On June 9, 2009, a diverse group of approximately 30 people gathered to describe their
vision for the City of Winter Springs in the year 2020 and to identify needs and
opportunities that should be addressed. Professionals, small manufacturing firms, retail,
service, and at -home businesses were represented.
The Mayor, four members of the City Commission, and city staff attended the workshop
to listen to the ideas of the attendees. This report is a summary of the discussions and
conclusions of the Business Community Visioning Workshop.
WINTER SPRINGS 2020
Participants were divided into three groups and asked to imagine it was eleven years in
the future (2020) and to describe their vision for the business community at that time.
Several themes were identified and are listed below:
Business Community
Known as "the" place to start/grow /diversify with appropriate incentives
Target 80/20 (residential/business) vs. current 90/10
Increase non service industry business base
95% occupancy
Industrial district
Historical district
Sidewalk sale
Something for everyone (businesses)
Walking district
West Winter Springs will be a desired location
Historic district
Increased tax revenues
Facelift
Businesses that cater to seniors
Day care
Assisted Living Facilities
Business in clusters
Medical clinics
More office -type buildings vs. strip malls
Successful incubator programs
Access to businesses
Points of access created
Facilities
Large entertainment/hospitality /conference center/ restaurant/dining
Town center and surrounding open land filled with quality development
Significant aquatic complex/center
Enhanced trail /Jesup water taxi/bike usage /use of lake
Signage for Town Center
Customers can see /notice my business
Electronic billboard
Aesthetic signage
Activities
Local festivities /meet and greet/food/drinks /music
The Mardi Gras of Central Florida
Hotels are full
Businesses to purchase Gasparilla floats
25 participating high school and college bands (FAMU)
60,000 hungry people, restaurants
"Winter Park" walk/shop /eat/park in style
Cultural arts
Government
Strive to do business with each other- government/private cooperation/local preference
New businesses are able to come
Design criteria of town center allows more flexibility based on business needs
Form follows function
Personally assigned city staff to help any business person obtain their approval/permit
City adequately staffed to support the community demand
Positive police /fire presence
Government small, serve the business community- what can we do to help you, offer
incentives
Economic development office for business development
Business friendly startup processes
Multi -modal transportation system
Education
Keep /enhance Winter Springs public schools high reputation with additional amenities
and activities
Encourage business /community /school volunteer cooperation
IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS
The small groups next were then asked to identify things that are not now in place in
Winter Springs that would improve the business environment or quality of life in the city.
The following suggestions were made with the asterisked items considered the most
important:
*Promote and advertise Winter Springs as the place to do business
*Economic development council
Bring businesses to community
*Incentive programs to bring business
Tax cut
Reduce impact fees
Credits /grants
*Quicker permitting process
*Aquatic /entertainment center
*Historical district
Flowers /flags
Lamps with landscaping
Walking path
*Maintain quality aesthetics
Solid anchor restaurants in town center
*Medical offices
*Assisted living near medical offices
Transportation
monorail with parking
east to west
Send businesses the Winter Springs newsletter
Signage
More businesses
Regional Economic Development Commission to target Winter Springs
Recycling support services
Transportation
Expand reclaimed water opportunities
Purified water
IDENTIFICATION OF OPPORTUNITIES
The final activity of the workshop was the identification of opportunities that have the
potential to contribute to a better quality of life or business environment in the city. The
following suggestions were made with the asterisked items considered the most
important:
*Opportunities at Lake Jesup (water taxi, recreation, boardwalk, boat rentals)
*Better utilization of water /lakes /rivers /wetlands /trail /parks
*Expand amphitheater concept- create a real destination or recurring event
*Seminole Way
*Town Center
*Technology/ communication /process /permit/online service
*Growth appears, people are pleased
More tax revenue
More police
More security for residents
Lower tax burden on individuals
Lower crime
*Increase east -west traffic flow- create new business
*Can hire more employees can grow business to next level more work less crime
Wine and art museum or gallery
City website /expand links to local business
General Comments
Don't wait- move up these priorities
Include businesses on city website
Newsletter available for businesses
Town Center business visibility
Promote events to draw people to Winter Springs- develop a slogan