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Attracting Economic Development

If your community is struggling to attract economic development opportunities, it may be time to look at the factors influencing the cost of development and it’s relationship to the local market.

Although released in the Fall of 2016, this SIOR article by Debroah Mickler is an excellent outline of the variables that make or break “feasibility” for new industrial (or any other) development.

By highlighting how an industrial developer determines what it can pay for land, the article also shows how project costs (e.g. impact and permit fees; or off-site infrastructure improvements) impact a project’s budget relative to land cost.

Taking the time to identify these variables in your community can help your city or economic development organization better understand why it may not be attracting the opportunities envisioned.  It is also a great starting point for a conversation on the types of incentives it may take to attract projects (e.g. expedited permitting; offsets to land cost; tax increment financing of infrastructure, etc.).

Got questions?  Contact us

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How We Helped This Business (and Could Help Yours)

We recently helped a small business, The Grayson, resolve a zoning compliance matter that threatened to shut them down because their c0-housing solution to long term rentals for corporate relocation clients was defined as a “hotel” despite the fact it’s a far cry from a hotel.

Since it would be incredibly difficult to walk through the intricate challenges of their situation in a single blog post, we will try to simplify it.

The Grayson was an AirBNB style co-housing rental that the owners live in.  Unfortunately, such uses (businesses) aren’t defined in the County’s code.  When a use is not defined, it’s not allowed except that the County can interpret what use it most closely resembles.

In this case, their undefined use was found to be most closely like that of a “hotels” and hotels are not allowed in the zone where our client is located.

To solve the problem, we tenaciously pursued a code interpretation that argued our client was operating a boarding house.  And upon securing that code interpretation we helped bring the client into compliance with those regulations, saving the business.

Our client was willing to let us share her thoughts on our work. . .

“Toyer’s firm has a great background and working knowledge of regulations, zoning, and code. Toyer was able to navigate the complexity of county planning department and code, succeeding in getting a resolution that kept our business from having to close. More incredible was the fact that Toyer was successful where attorneys had failed to help us with the problem.  Without Toyer Strategic’s involvement, we would have spent thousands of dollars fighting a losing battle!”  Mariam Zinn, Owner, The Grayson

We’re proud of the work our company does and what it means to small business and entrepreneurs.

Got a zoning or zoning compliance issue?  We can help. Contact us

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USPTO Approves MicGrowPolitan® Trademark

A couple of weeks ago we received some exciting news.  The United States Patent and Trademark Office has official approved and registered our trademark for MicGrowPolitan® – a brand of economic development services created and tailored to the needs of the nation’s 551 official Micropolitan Statistical Areas.  Learn more

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What Do You See?

Looking at this picture, what do you see?

You may see a typical suburb.  Or a small town in flyover country.  Both answers would be correct!

However, when we look at the picture we see:

  1. The commuting patterns that are impacted by zoning decisions
  2. The small business that is trying to get a building permit to expand
  3. The school board that is wrestling with rising student populations and the need to adjust enrollment boundaries
  4. The developer that’s facing an angry neighborhood because her project is locating where the city’s decades old comprehensive plan says it should be built
  5. The need for a balance between housing and jobs, as well as housing diversity and affordability
  6. A city that is struggling with the cost of services and the need to grow and diversify it’s economy
  7. The importance of primary sector jobs, as well as sales tax generating commercial/retail business

Why do we see all that?

We’re experts at understanding the importance of economic development and the complexity of land use.

That’s why we’re able to help the public and private sectors solve their challenges and capitalize on their opportunities.

Learn more 

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Approved: Hawks Prairie Logistics Park

Last night the Lacey City Council approved the master site plan and wetland development permits for Hawks Prairie Logistics Park, a 130-acre industrial development that will feature three buildings totaling 1.9 million square feet of industrial space.  The main building on the site will house a new Home Depot distribution center.

Our firm played an instrumental role in the project’s approval, providing the project’s economic impact analysis and performing required land use analysis to address the policies and conditions that limit the granting of wetland development permits.

Additionally, we provided early project management services to support the project’s pre-application site plan review,  the processing of the land use applications, and the facilitation of a meeting with the adjacent residential neighborhoods.