Transylvania County Product Development Task Force Final Report

1. Transylvania County Product Development Task ForceFinal Report May 21, 2014

2. Product Development Task Force (PDTF) Don Surrette, Chairman Ed Coye, Vice-Chair, Member-at-Large Mark Burrows, TC Planning and Economic Development Director David Dew, Member-at-Large Josh Freeman, City of Brevard Planning Director Kimsey Jackson, City of Brevard Planning Board Member Scott McCall, Transylvania County Planning Board Member Mack McNeely, Member-at-Large Larry Nelson, Member-at-Large

3. County Commissioner’s Charge • Identify a 50-100 acre parcel or parcels as a potential location for a business park. • Develop a plan and recommendation on how to control the property or properties. • Develop a plan to extend utilities to the property or properties, including cost estimates and time frames to construct utilities. • Analyze and recommend the feasibility of a virtual building.

4. PDTF Accomplishments • Reviewed Past Work • City of Brevard • Transylvania County Planning Board and Economic Development Advisory Board • Transylvania Partnership • Met with Tom Johnson with Advantage West • Reviewed work by Land-of-Sky Regional Council and AdvantageWest (Sites & Opportunities)

5. City of Brevard’s Efforts • Collaboration with Community Partners: • Heart of Brevard Restructuring Committee • Market Gap Analysis • Entrepreneurism Support Initiative • Internal Initiatives • Forms/Procedures Update • Reviewed Development Processes/Requirement • Update Existing City Codes • Impact Fees (City Code Chapter 70): Workshop October 7, 2013 • Architectural Design Requirements (Unified Development Ordinance Chapter 05): Workshop March 3, 2014 • Stormwater Management (UDO Chapter 06): Workshop March 3, 2014 • Signage (UDO Chapter 12): Workshop April 7, 2014

6. Transylvania County’s Efforts • Planning Board’s Commissioners Report – June 2013 • 76% of the County has development constraints (Public Land, flood plain, steep slopes) • Lack of water and sewer outside Brevard and Rosman • Subdivisions with restrictive covenants and steep slopes • Planning Board and EDAB’s trip to Pickens County, SC • Existing Certified Industrial Parks • Brevard Commerce Center (Transylvania Partnership) • Jennings Industrial Park (Private with support from Transylvania County) • Ecusta Property and Davidson River Village (multiple efforts) • Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) • Blue Ridge Community College – Business Incubator • Peter Vitalie Building • Other Buildings and Properties

7. Transylvania Partnership’s Efforts • Hired a Realtor to research and evaluate properties • Wood Chevrolet Property • Property off US 64 and Rogers Road • TVS and Jennings properties • Former Coats America building and property • Property around the Old Carr Lumber Company Road area • Provide grants to support Existing and New Manufacturers • Blue Ridge Fiber Solutions • SylvanSport • PharmAgra and Brevard College (Ardeal Research Institute, Inc.) • $10,000 Business Plan Competitions (5 total)

8. Transylvania County Leads • Leads provided from Advantage West, Duke Energy, NC Commerce 2009 = 12 2010 = 24 2011 = 30 2012 = 23 2013 = 19 Total = 108 • Requested Building Sizes (Existing) • Requested Acreage Greenfield (5 acres to 100+ acres)

9. Advantage West Statistics(A Regional Perspective) • Project Leads by Types: Greatest need is for Manufacturing

10. Advantage West Statistics(A Regional Perspective) • Project Leads by Need: Greatest Need is for Existing Building

11. Advantage West Statistics(A Regional Perspective) • Existing Building Requirements: Varies by Project

12. Advantage West Statistics(A Regional Perspective) • Greenfield Site Requirements: 0-25 Acres is the Major Request

13. PDTF Identified Challenges • Lack of Overall Product (Existing Buildings) • Lack of Overall Product (Existing Land)

14. PDTF Challenges Cont. • Desire to Find Creative Solutions for Existing and New Manufacturers and Businesses • Limited Water and Sewer Outside Brevard and Rosman • Need for Greater Resources to meet Commissioner’s Charge • Meetings were Open to Public – Concern about identifying specific parcels

15. Menu Approach Developed a Menu of Options for the County Commissioners and Develop a Request for Qualifications – Focusing On: • Brevard’s Current Land Use Map and UDO • Purchasing Property < 50 acres • Purchasing Property > 50 acres • Designing a “Spec” Building (30,000 - 50,000sqft) • Virtual – Engineering Plans and all costs • Shell Building (cost per square foot) • Designing a “Spec” Building (100,000sqft) • Virtual – Engineering Plans and all costs • Shell Building (cost per square foot)

16. Menu Approach Cont. • Developing a Certified Industrial Site • Design • Utilities • Road • Other Necessary Improvements and Evaluations • Designating a fund or “War Chest” for building/property acquisition

17. Request for Qualifications • Developed and Advertised RFQ: January 2014 • Evaluated Proposals: February 2014 • Selected and Engaged McGill Associates: March 20, 2014

18. McGill Associates, PAScott Burwell and Keith Webb • Reviewed RFQ Scope and Desired Outcomes with the PDTF • Contracted with Doug Harris to better understand the City of Brevard’s Land Use Map and the UDO requirements • Evaluated Properties (A – E) for Manufacturing Development Potential • 53 Acre Site in Transylvania County • 200 + Acre Site in Transylvania County • 9 Acre Site in Transylvania County • 25 Acre Site in Transylvania County • 10 Acre Site in Brevard • Contracted with BL Harbert International, LLC • Building Cost (Metal and Tilt-up Concrete Construction) • Virtual Building Costs • Identified Funding Options • Provided a Menu (Low – High Costs) with Timeframe • Recommended Sites and included observation about water/sewer

19. McGill and Associates ReportLow – High Cost Estimates and Timeframe

20. PDTF Recommendations After reviewing the McGill Associates final report the PDTF at their May 8, 2014 meeting made the following recommendations: • Continue current efforts to streamline County and City Ordinances and Regulations including modifications to Brevard’s Land Use Map and UDO. • Based on the dollars identified in the McGill Associates’ Report, Transylvania County Commissioners should set aside a minimum of $500,000/year for the next three (3) years to acquire or control property, develop virtual building plans and/or speculative buildings.

21. Budget and Financial Report • Total Number of Meetings: 11 • The Product Development Task Force’s Budget: $55,000. • Expenses Incurred: • McGill and Associates, P.A. $ 17,200 • PDTF Secretary (Yvonne Dixon) $ 500 • Miscellaneous (Office Supplies, etc.) $ 121 Total $ 17,821

22. Thank You!