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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

PRINCIPLES

Fort Lauderdale embraces its role as a world-class City with a welcoming environment for tourists and businesses alike.

As a diverse City, Fort Lauderdale fosters an environment of opportunity for its residents, workers, and entrepreneurs as they seek success.

As the City grows, it will continue to evolve to ensure a positive and healthy business environment that services the needs of the region.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

GOALS AND POLICIES

GOAL 1: Enhance Fort Lauderdale’s stature as a global, business friendly destination through the development of a business identity, enhanced marketing, branding, and support for enhanced local activities and tourism development.

OBJECTIVE ED 1.1: Enhance City’s Business Identity

Develop a City business identity through branding and marketing.

POLICY ED 1.1.1: The City of Fort Lauderdale shall establish a City brand and business identity, inclusive of considerations for a brand statement, tagline, and visual identity as appropriate, as part of a Citywide marketing strategy.

POLICY ED 1.1.2: Seek ways to utilize enhanced branding and marketing to reinforce local neighborhood and cultural identities.

POLICY ED 1.1.3: The City shall include social and entertainment options, including the nighttime economy, as appropriate, as part of its overall branding to attract both tourists and workers.

OBJECTIVE ED 1.2: Tourism Support

Encourage investment in the tourism industry and encourage the location of trade shows and other special events in Fort Lauderdale.

POLICY ED 1.2.1: Provide business incentive programs for private, tourist-related development projects which offer good employment opportunities with self-sufficiency wages, training, and programs that result in career ladders for employees.

POLICY ED 1.2.2: Support destination attractions and landmark development in Fort Lauderdale that enhance tourism trade in the City, including but not limited to, natural resource destinations such as the beach, commercial recreational attractions, sporting events, convention and meeting facilities, and the cruise ship industry.

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POLICY ED 1.2.3: Support the development of business attractions that are compatible with historic districts and buildings.

POLICY ED 1.2.4: Collaborate with tourism industry representatives to design projects that enhance Fort Lauderdale’s cultural and natural amenities.

POLICY ED 1.2.4a: Promote the development of walking, driving, and bicycling tours that include as destinations, Fort Lauderdale’s historic areas and buildings (such as Himmarshee and Historic Sistrunk) and special environments, including local museums, urban trails, and public art.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

GOAL 2: Enhance the economic competitiveness of Fort Lauderdale through policies that encourage retention and recruitment of business and industry which provide living-wage employment and increased training and competitiveness of the local workforce.

OBJECTIVE ED 2.1: Encourage Business Development

Establish procedures and tools to encourage business development and assist economic development in Fort Lauderdale.

POLICY ED 2.1.1: Develop and maintain programs and services that address the changing needs of the local business community.

POLICY ED 2.1.2: Based on evolving conditions, the City shall explore ways to update business incentive programs to provide incentives to projects and industries which have a demonstrated potential to provide middle-income job opportunities, that contribute to revitalization in the City’s CRA areas, or which contribute to transit-oriented development served by proposed transportation projects within the City.

POLICY ED 2.1.3: The City shall regularly evaluate economic conditions to determine the industries, sectors, and locations that are most significant to regional and local economic growth and creation of quality jobs.

POLICY ED 2.1.3a: Prepare and update an Economic Development Strategic Plan every three years, to report on economic trends, describe targeted industry clusters, identify economic issues for the City, inform infrastructure and land use priorities, develop strategies for addressing near- to mid-term economic issues, support the CRA's, and identify new initiatives with the private sector.

POLICY ED 2.1.3b: Strive to anticipate and lessen the impacts of involuntary job changes through efforts to retain businesses in Fort Lauderdale.

POLICY ED 2.1.4: The City shall maintain a toolbox of information to assist developers and businesses in locating appropriate facilities for their needs and to provide appropriate data to encourage outside investors to locate in Fort Lauderdale.

POLICY ED 2.1.4a: Utilize economic indicators to identify the need for new strategies and establish priorities for public investment.

POLICY ED 2.1.4b: Identify for-profit statuses of businesses, the cluster these businesses support, salaries, number of employees, and related higher learning programs needed to support the business of new and existing businesses, and utilize this information to assist businesses.

POLICY ED 2.1.4c: Utilize a GIS-based system to track clustering and examining the location of related businesses.

POLICY ED 2.1.4d: Promote close working relationships between Fort Lauderdale's financial institutions and its business community. Where appropriate, promote the development of new initiatives and innovative programs to lower the cost of borrowing or to assist business growth through increased access to capital.

POLICY ED 2.1.5: The City shall seek opportunities where appropriate to foster partnerships between the public and private sectors to improve business climate.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

OBJECTIVE ED 2.2: Community Investment

Support economic development throughout the City's neighborhoods through infrastructure improvements and investment in development.

POLICY ED 2.2.1: Continue to support local economic development initiatives for the local Community Redevelopment Agency efforts in the Beach, Central City, and Northwest-Progresso-Flagler CRAs.

POLICY ED 2.2.2: Promote a comprehensive approach to strengthening neighborhood business districts through organization; marketing; business and retail development; and clean, safe, walkable, and attractive environments.

POLICY ED 2.2.3: Support independently owned and operated retail and restaurants in commercial districts to reinforce local neighborhood and cultural identity and strengthen the local economy.

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POLICY ED 2.2.4: Seek to coordinate, where appropriate, City investment in utilities, including opportunities for broadband and 5G internet; transportation and other public facilities with business, employment and economic development opportunities.

POLICY ED 2.2.5: Continue to enhance the nighttime economy through the enhancement of safety, encouragement of social and entertainment options, and enhanced service provisions, achieved through coordination with city, county, and state agencies, hospitality and business organizations, educational institutions, and neighborhood districts with active dining, entertainment, and events.

POLICY ED 2.2.6: The City shall support public art considerations wherever possible to strengthen economic development and tourism, enhance sense of identity and transform public spaces.

OBJECTIVE ED 2.3: Small Business Development Initiatives

Prioritize economic development efforts to attract and induce investment in local small businesses throughout the City

POLICY ED 2.3.1: Where appropriate, continue to support efforts to assist small business through technical assistance for business start-up and/or expansion, with programs such as Business Engagement and Mentorships (BEAMs).

POLICY ED 2.3.1a: Retain small business assistance to include direct or referred technical and financial assistance for small emerging technology firms and firms involved in international trade.

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POLICY ED 2.3.1b: Explore opportunities to leverage Fort Lauderdale’s tech industry to expand the network for technology and innovation entrepreneurs to learn about services and jobs, build relationships, and find resources to help enable their businesses to flourish.

POLICY ED 2.3.2: Promote access to working capital and other forms of financial assistance to nurture entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

POLICY ED 2.3.2a: Assist existing business owners through providing information on accessing programs that can provide financial assistance and business consulting services. Such programs include Small Business Administration loans, façade renovation, and redevelopment assistance available within the City.

POLICY ED 2.3.3: Promote the growth of local small or entrepreneurial businesses through support for increased development of co-working facilities and business incubators within the City, as needed.

POLICY ED 2.3.3a: The City will consider, where applicable, public/private partnerships to provide incubation spaces for small business.

POLICY ED .3.3b: The City shall evaluate opportunities to include incentives to encourage property owners and building owners to offer affordable spaces for start-ups and small businesses.

POLICY ED 2.3.4: Enhance funding opportunities for local businesses by supporting community-based lending initiatives and equity programs.

POLICY ED 2.3.5: Recognize that artists can make a significant contribution to the local economy as small businesses, and support efforts, including the FAT Arts Village, to ensure that Fort Lauderdale’s artist communities continue to thrive within the City.

OBJECTIVE ED 2.4: Workforce Development

Support Workforce Development to provide for economic mobility and a diverse labor pool to enhance Fort Lauderdale’s attractiveness for businesses to locate within the City.

POLICY ED 2.4.1: Strengthen the City’s role in workforce development organizations that:

• Provide adult and youth workforce development;
• Adult retraining; and
• Targeted services for unrepresented and under-represented groups.

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POLICY ED 2.4.2: Continue to support programs that address potential job gaps in growing industries, and current gaps throughout all industries, to match job training and workforce development with employment needs.

POLICY ED 2.4.3: Support efforts to provide labor market information from data sources and industry sectors to local educational institutions, training agencies, and the public.

POLICY ED 2.4.4: Continue to enhance and promote arts and culture activities that raise the quality of life, in order to continue to attract creative-class workers, living wage employers, and tourists.

POLICY ED 2.4.5: Support employability development, including internship, apprenticeship, and entry-level and career employment efforts for economically disadvantaged youth and adults, historically disadvantaged groups, women, individuals with disabilities and the homeless.

POLICY ED 2.4.6: Work with employers, nonprofits, educational institutions and social service agencies to create opportunities for people in training, retraining or working to meet their dependent care needs.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

OBJECTIVE ED 2.5: Career Technical Education

Coordinate with Broward County Public Schools and local institutions of higher learning to encourage Career Technical Education training opportunities and research and development within the City and region.

POLICY ED 2.5.1: Encourage the provision of appropriate educational opportunities, programs, and facilities to meet business and industry needs.

POLICY ED 2.5.2: The City shall explore opportunities to encourage the development of Career Technical Education programs, including those which support the marine, life sciences, and high-tech industries.

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POLICY ED 2.5.3: Encourage education and training programs that encourage high-tech and research and development businesses and industries to locate in Fort Lauderdale.

POLICY ED 2.5.4: The City shall explore opportunities to encourage the collaboration of business, labor, civic and social service agencies, libraries, and educational institutions to develop and expand education, training, and industry certification programs targeted to business needs, especially for high-demand science, including life sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills.

POLICY ED 2.5.5: Encourage institutions of higher education toward commercialization of research innovations to fuel the growth of start-ups.

POLICY ED 2.5.6: The City shall seek opportunities to improve linkages between industry clusters and research institutions, hospitals, educational institutions, and other technology-based businesses, including the encouragement and support of research and development opportunities to enhance and support marine, tourism, and high-tech and life sciences industries.

POLICY ED 2.5.7: Encourage, where feasible, the location of institutions of higher learning within the City, including entrepreneurship satellite programs, to provide increased access for local residents and businesses.

OBJECTIVE ED 2.6: Planning for a Resilient Economy

Ensure that Fort Lauderdale is prepared to deal with positive and negative changes in conditions with the potential to impact its economic health and to initiate sustainable urban development and redevelopment strategies that foster business growth and build reliance on local assets.

POLICY ED 2.6.1: Fort Lauderdale shall regularly evaluate and ensure planning for post-disaster recovery includes provisions for economic recovery.

POLICY ED 2.6.2: The City shall continue to plan for fiscal sustainability through the implementation of a balanced land use mix that considers long term costs of providing desirable levels of public services to residents, business owners, and visitors with tax and user-fee revenue generated by those uses.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

POLICY ED 2.6.3: City plans shall ensure that areas with high job density are accessible to employees are provided with a wide range of commuting options, and consider jobs to housing balance within the commuter sheds of it employment centers in land use planning decisions.

POLICY ED 2.6.4: The City shall regularly monitor and maintain an understanding of at-risk, distressed, and disadvantaged neighborhoods, and neighborhoods with high potential for population displacement due to economic growth, and seek to provide resources to assist in planning for these communities and assist low-income areas in implementing physical, environmental, and economic development strategies.

POLICY ED 2.6.4a: At-risk neighborhoods are defined as those experiencing falling property values, high real estate foreclosure tees, rapid depopulation, or physical deterioration.

POLICY ED 2.6.4b: Distressed neighborhoods are defined as neighborhoods suffering from a combination of disinvestment, physical deterioration, high unemployment or poverty, aging building stock, or the relocation of anchor institutions.

POLICY ED 2.6.4c: Disadvantaged neighborhoods are defined as neighborhoods where residents have reduced access to resources and capital due to factors such as high poverty and unemployment or low levels of educational attainment.

POLICY ED 2.6.4d: In areas of the City where the potential for population displacement and gentrification is occurring, the City shall evaluate and seek to implement as appropriate programs for maintaining the ability to stay in one’s preferred residence and age in place.

POLICY ED 2.6.4e: Coordinate with Broward County and other regional partners as appropriate to promote regional approaches that better link individuals in distressed communities with job resources and living-wage job opportunities in growing employment sectors.

POLICY ED 2.6.4f: Attempt to gain state and federal special area designations for lower-income Fort Lauderdale communities where such designations can confer tangible benefits.

POLICY ED 2.6.4g: Target programmatic resources, including small business capital access and entrepreneurship training programs, as well as new infrastructure investment toward the economic development objectives of distressed areas.

POLICY ED 2.6.4h: Support the role of community-based organizations in planning and implementing economic development activities in distressed communities.

OBJECTIVE ED 2.7: Land Use

The City of Fort Lauderdale shall maintain a variety of land uses with sufficient land capacity for base sector industries to sustain a strong economic base.

POLICY ED 2.7.1: Protect base sector uses that provide quality job opportunities including middle income jobs; provide for secondary employment and supporting uses; and maintain areas where smaller emerging industrial uses can locate in a multi-tenant setting.

POLICY ED 2.7.2: When updating community plans or considering plan amendments, commercial and industrial land use designations contained in the Land Use Element should be appropriately applied to protect viable sites for base sector and related employment uses.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

POLICY ED 2.7.3: Encourage large regional employers to locate and expand in the Regional Activity Centers.

POLICY ED 2.7.4: Retain the City's existing neighborhood commercial activities and develop new commercial activities within walking distance of residential areas, unless proven infeasible.

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POLICY ED 2.7.4a: The City shall strive, as a regional destination, to identify commercial retail and service areas in community plans to serve markets beyond the community. Where applicable, it will encourage development of unique shopping districts that help strengthen community identity and contribute to overall neighborhood revitalization.

POLICY ED 2.7.4b: Promote economically vital neighborhood commercial districts that foster small business enterprises and entrepreneurship.

POLICY ED 2.7.4c: The City shall strive to include policies which encourage the development of retail development that provide a wide range of goods and services to residents and businesses in urban centers and transit-oriented developments.

POLICY ED 2.7.4d: The City shall evaluate measures and techniques, including but not limited to flexible use and universal design, which will allow for conversion of uses in response to changes in online and brick-and-mortar retail market conditions.

POLICY ED 2.7.5: The City shall determine the appropriate mix and form of residential and commercial uses along Transit Corridors based on the unique character of the community, considering: the types and mix of uses that will complement adjacent neighborhoods, parcel size and depth, and the need to revitalize economically obsolete uses.

POLICY ED 2.7.6: Promote and facilitate shared parking facilities including parking structures as part of commercial revitalization activities.

GOAL 3: Recognize and include in economic development planning the role of Port Everglades and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Fort Lauderdale Executive Airports.

OBJECTIVE ED 3.1: Marine Industry Support

Provide support to marine based industries to enhance local job growth for working waterfronts, the pleasure boat industry and to support tourism.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT

POLICY ED 3.1.1: By 2025, develop and adopt a Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, including working waterfront policies in order to preserve and support continued use of suitable shoreline areas for water dependent and related businesses including boat manufacturing and repair and supporting industries.

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POLICY ED 3.1.2: Support further development of marine industries in Foreign Trade Zone No. 241 as administered by the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.

POLICY ED 3.1.3: Protect and promote good working-waterfront or water adjacent jobs that provide self-sufficiency wages.

POLICY ED 3.1.4: The City shall regularly evaluate and implement programs and necessary support for the development of the pleasure boat industry.

OBJECTIVE ED 3.2: Airport

Support future development and connections to the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

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POLICY ED 3.2.1: Maintain industrial warehouse uses as appropriate within the City to foster freight and supply chain connections for local businesses.

POLICY ED 3.2.2: Support the maintenance and expansion of air cargo capacity in the greater Fort Lauderdale area.

POLICY ED 3.2.3: Support increased connections between the airport and destinations within the City of Fort Lauderdale.

POLICY ED 3.2.4: City shall support and promote the further economic development of Foreign Trade Zone No. 241 (Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport).

POLICY ED 3.2.4a: The City shall encourage the relocation and development of aerospace, high-tech, and life sciences industries and available areas around the airport, including the Foreign Trade Zone.