Agenda - Council - 05/11/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Economic evelo m n Plan Goals and Objectives The following goals and objectives are general statements of intent that focus on the economic development issues identified through the planning process. Goals are broadly worded, while objectives define major themes under each goal. Stearns County set a number of economic development goals in its 1998 Comprehensive Plan. Many of these goals are still valid and have been reaffirmed by the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). Some goals have been modified or simplified, and the CAC has identified some new priorities for economic development. Goal I. Maintain and strengthen economic diversity. Objective 1. Promote and retain agriculture in areas with highly valued agricultural land or economically viable animal agriculture operations. Objective 2. Encourage industrial development within existing communities, including redevelopment of existing sites and filling of industrial and business parks. Objective 3. Acknowledge tourism's economic value and the prospective contribution of this industry to both the diversity of the County economic base and the potential for growth. Objective 4. Protect tourism and related resources from detrimental development activity and conflicting land uses. Objective 5. Enhance the regional role of the St. Cloud metropolitan area by strengthening economic connections between the metropolitan area and other Stearns County cities and towns. Objective 6. Provide for the continued viability of the rural small town as an agricultural service center and to provide opportunities for jobs and housing where consistent with infrastructure and natural resources carrying capacity. Objective 7. Enhance the ability of local retail and commercial businesses to sustain small city and town center commercial areas. Goal 2. Update, diversify and expand the manufacturing sector of the economy. Objective 1. Assist businesses with job retention and expansion opportunities. Objective 2. Secure new manufacturing enterprises, including opportunities to create value-added operations to the County's agricultural and natural resource base, and to take advantage of Stearns County's access to other regional and national markets. Objective 3. Integrate eco-industrial and sustainable design concepts into commercial/industrial areas. Goal 3. Strengthen and diversify the agricultural economy. Objective 1. Strive for and support higher farm profitability and family farm stability, including encouraging creative agricultural diversification of crops and products, vertically integrated operations with direct access to local markets, and certified production that has a higher market value.