10-16-17 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Nay: None The Chair ruled the motion had been adopted unanimously. H. Request to Build a Permanent Metal Storage Building at the McSwain Center Ryan Faulk with the Lee Soil and Water Conservation District presented a request for approval to build a permanent metal structure at the McSwain Center for the storage of two no till grain drills and tools. Commissioner Oldham moved to authorize building of the permanent metal structure at the McSwain Center. Upon a vote, the results were as follows: Aye: Dalrymple, Dodson, Knecht, Oldham, Reives, Sharpe, Sloan Nay: None The Chair ruled the motion had been adopted unanimously. A. Economic Development Update from the Sanford Area Growth Alliance Sanford Area Growth Alliance CEO Joy Thrash provided an update regarding economic development activity. The Chamber of Commerce has received growth in membership with 575 members, exceeding expectation for 2017. Project inquiries are up fifty-five percent since last year. Lee County is home to the 4th largest certified site in the state with Central Carolina Enterprise Park soon to be able to provide public water and sewer access along with high speed fiber. Challenges include having available buildings for prospective industrial developers and further refinement of economic marketing to a national audience. The audit is expected to be complete by mid- November. The Sanford Area Growth Alliance Board's bylaws have been reviewed and modified to add 5 seats to the Board to represent small business. No action was taken. B. Spec Building Policy and Process Presentation Sanford Area Growth Alliance CEO Joy Thrash provided the Board with information on a proposed spec building. The Product Development Committee met on September 8, 2017 and discussed the subject of constructing a speculative industrial building at Central Carolina Enterprise Park. The committee reviewed previous local history with spec buildings and discussed lessons learned. The committee also reviewed the policies, challenges and successes of other communities. In the past three years, between 70-80% of projects requested an existing building. Up until now, SAGA has been able to respond affirmatively to these projects because existing buildings were available on the private market. Nearly all of these buildings have now been sold, leased or taken off the market. It is the recommendation of the Product Development Committee that SAGA endorse and recommend to all stakeholders the construction and aggressive marketing of an industrial building at CCEP on a speculative basis as the best method of creating opportunities to recruit new business to our community. The hope is to have concept approval from all stakeholders by December 31, 2017. County Manager John Crumpton stated that our competition is out there providing this type of inventory. Enterprise Park, LLC would provide the land while the County and City would help with the holding costs for a 24 - month period. After 24 months, if the building doesn't sell, the owners are on the line for everything going forward. We are asking for permission from the Board to put a contract Page 618