Title
Review the Economy Chapter of Proposed Comprehensive Plan and Consider Amendments to Implement the Investment Strategy: Olympia Opportunity Areas report
Recommended Action
City Manager Recommendation:
Consider the Economy Chapter of the proposed Comprehensive Plan from the perspective of the Investment Strategy and provide recommendations for Council consideration prior to approval of a public hearing draft of the updated Comprehensive Plan.
Report
Issue:
The City has taken a more active role in economic development over the past two years and should review the Economy Chapter of the proposed Comprehensive Plan for consistency with these efforts.
Staff Contact:
Keith Stahley, Director Community Planning and Development Department 360.753.8227
Presenter(s):
Keith Stahley, Director Community Planning and Development Department
Background and Analysis:
The City added an Economy Chapter to the Comprehensive Plan in 2007 with the addition of the Sustainable Economy Chapter. Since that time, there have been many changes in our global, national, state and local economy as well as changes in the City's approach to economic development. As part of the City's consideration of the creation of a Community Renewal Area in Olympia, the City hired ECONorthwest an economics and planning firm to assist in the preparation of a Community Renewal Area (CRA) Plan. The first component of this planning process was an area-wide scan of economic development opportunity areas. These efforts were summarized in the attached report titled Investment Strategies: City of Olympia Opportunity Areas.
This report identified six opportunity areas including the former K-Mart site at the corner of Sleater Kinney and Martin Way, the area around the I - 5/Pacific Avenue, downtown, the area around the intersection of Division Street and Harrison Avenue, the area around Kaiser Road and Harrison Avenue and the area around the former City landfill.
The report a...
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