Published November 2001

EDC groups begin task
of finding solutions

Snohomish County has a promising future to attract new businesses and the jobs that come with them. An important part of that future is to fine-tune our community infrastructure to make sure we can accommodate the arrival of new business and the growth that will inevitably result.

How to accomplish this change has been under intense discussion by many business, government, citizen and environmental group leaders within our communities, and already much progress has been made.

In an effort to leverage and continue this good work, the Economic Development Council of Snohomish County is bringing this diverse group of experts together to further measure where we stand on providing businesses a positive and compelling community structure.

Businesses want to feel welcomed and supported in their communities. Yet we’ve learned that some businesses considering a move to areas within Snohomish County, despite having found a generally favorable business environment, have encountered impediments that caused them to look past us in their planning process. We’re listening and are addressing these issues in preparation for a new millennium of building quality communities.

That’s why we have created four new important EDC groups. The Comprehensive Plan and Regulatory Reform subcommittees will recommend important new initiatives to our Land Use Committee, and separate task forces on transportation and energy will endorse solutions to challenges we face in those areas.

These new groups, composed of select community leaders, began work in September under a one-year timetable to arrive at their recommendations. Their efforts are being guided by our Policy Analyst, Diana Dollar, and supported by the entire EDC staff.

The state’s Growth Management Act requires all counties and cities within Washington to update their comprehensive plans in 2002 to reflect population and employment projections within their jurisdictions.

The inclusion of an economic development component in these plans is becoming increasingly recognized as an important and critical addition, and one that some of our cities and the county already have taken the steps to include.

To help facilitate and streamline such efforts among cities throughout the county, the Comprehensive Plan subcommittee is drafting a set of guiding principles that will enumerate the important economic development issues to be included in the updated comprehensive plans.

For instance, in areas zoned for business development, comprehensive plans can support the development of adequate infrastructure that will better accommodate growth. Each plan can address whether there are sufficient sources of energy, adequate sewers and ground-water systems, fiber-optic and telecommunication capacities, and roads that will effectively serve the needs of businesses as well as the community as a whole.

We’re aware that some businesses have encountered governmental permitting processes that are complex and sometimes conflicting to business interests.

The Regulatory Reform subcommittee is charged with examining the current state of the permitting process throughout Snohomish County. The end result will be a set of recommendations for changes that will allow for more seamless processes and positive experiences for businesses desiring to move or expand here.

It’s no secret that Snohomish County, along with the entire Puget Sound region, faces challenging transportation issues that can adversely affect economic development.

The new Transportation Task Force is studying both short- and long-term solutions to local challenges, from freight mobility to transit-oriented development. Collaborative work with other existing transportation organizations also will enhance efforts toward building and sustaining a high-quality business environment.

The availability and cost of power is also of vital importance to the county’s future growth.

The Energy Task Force is responsible for making policy recommendations to the EDC Board that will address the impact of energy issues on business development and define appropriate and effective responses for the promotion of economic growth.

Meanwhile, the EDC’s critical Urban Centers Project, detailed in this column last month, will gain important support and guidance from the work of these groups.

We look forward to their recommendations, which will lead to a future of quality development that we can all anticipate with pride.

Deborah Knutson is President of the Snohomish County Economic Development Council. She can be reached at 425-743-4567 or by e-mail to dknutson@snoedc.org.

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