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Economic DevelopmentAnalysis Team - EDAT

Report to Board ofReport to Board of

SelectmenSelectmen

September 30, 2009

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The Team

Bill Johnson, Chair

Michelle Catalina, Vice Chair

Carrie Fraser, Clerk

Elaine Lazarus

Rick Maiore

Brian Smith

Advisors/Liaisons Craig Bardenheuer

Tim Bragan

Eric OBrien Peter Warren

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Organization and Interfaces

Formal relationship with Board ofSelectmen and Planning Board Integrated liaisons

Regular reporting and coordination Arms-length relationship to key

stakeholder groups to preserveobjectivity

Residents of adjacent neighborhoods Commercial developers

Meet with other town boards anddepartments as necessary

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EDAT Charter 2009 Town Meeting

Identification & cost/benefit analysis of developmentopportunities in Ayer Road Commercial District Community-driven service needs Tax revenue maximization

Recommended solutions to identified barriers/issues Physical infrastructure Administrative infrastructure Zoning ordinances Protect adjacent residential areas Commercial taxation structure

Potential implementation plan Tasks and drivers Projected schedule Estimated costs

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Scope of Task

Focus on Ayer Road Commercial District Will not duplicate or make assumptions based on Town

Center planning and Devens disposition Responsibility of Selectmen & Planning Board to integrate

all three into a cohesive plan

Consider retail and non-retail opportunities Project direction and recommendations will be

driven by concurrent economic assessment Market conditions and demographic analysis

Available real estate Required infrastructure investments

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Proposed Process and Timeline

Identify target businesses: Sep-Dec Town Meeting survey; local neighborhood survey Identify high-tax potential businesses Consult and benchmark comparable towns

Identify available incentives, grants, financing Evaluate market viability: Oct-Jan

Commercial developers Professional market evaluation

Assess potential siting:Sep-Jan

Compile database of existing knowledge Conduct landowner interviews

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Proposed Process and Timeline

Identify physical infrastructure needs: Nov-Feb Road Water Sewer Gas

Define necessary zoning changes: Dec-Feb Model investments/revenues: Dec-Feb

Investigate different assessment models

Define implementation plan: Feb-Mar Write final report: Mar-Apr

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2009 2010

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr

Summary of Timeline

Identify target businesses

Evaluate market viability

Assess potential siting

Define zoning changes

Financial modeling

Project plan

Write report

Identify physical infrastructure

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Progress to Date

Project organization: defined tasks and timeline;created initial sub-teams; identified funding needs andpotential sources

Identify businesses: proposed neighborhood surveyreviewed and in rewrite

Market viability: interviewed one developer &scheduled another; professional analysis firms identified

Siting: Assessor database compiled for all properties;

started landowner interviews

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For the next review . . .

Proposed target businesses Survey feedback

Market viability analysis

Potential siting options Landowner survey results

Market viability analysis

This suggests the next review to be inJanuary