• Objective: Ensure that all citizens within the region have opportunities to benefit from BRAC-related growth.

• Need: Sustainable economic development opportunities that build on existing skills and resources in rural parts of the region and that distributes the benefits of this growth across the socioeconomic spectrum.

• Goals: To strengthen the region’s agricultural economy, keep working lands in production, preserve the region’s rural heritage, and help prevent incompatible land uses surrounding Fort Bragg.

Implementing Regional Growth Planning

Association of Defense Communities20 July 2011

Donald R. Belk, AICPRegional Planner,Fort Bragg Regional Alliance

Federally-owned Lands

State-owned LandsNC

North Carolina’s Military Region

Fort Bragg Regional Alliance

Eastern NC Military Growth Task Force

Partnership of Local Governments 11 Member Counties

930,000+ Population;73 Municipalities

Moore

Lee

RichmondHoke

Harnett

Cumberland

Robeson

Sampson

Bladen

Scotland

MontgomeryCategory One

Category Two

NC

FortBragg

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BRAC Regional Task Force

Dual Mission: • To help our communities deal with the impact of BRAC

actions at Fort Bragg by integrating, coordinating, and leveraging the region’s planning, infrastructure, workforce, education, and economic development efforts so as to improve the quality of life for our citizens

• To serve as the liaison between the military and the communities in the organization; state agencies associated with these efforts; and federal agencies designated to provide community assistance for BRAC impacts

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Setting the Foundation for a Sustainable Defense Community: Balancing the Mission, Community, Environment, and Economic Development

BRAC Regional Task Force:Moving Forward

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Use this Quadruple Bottom Line to enhance the quality of life in our communities, while providing regional support for the long term mission of Fort Bragg.

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Community Impact of Changes at Fort Bragg • Population growth: Projecting more than 40,000 additional people

by 2013• Significant impact on schools, housing, roads, airports, workforce,

infrastructure, public safety, and healthcare• Challenges and opportunities exist for the region and the state

associated with this growth• Regional approach is essential to plan and prepare for the changes;

state and federal support is required• The region views this growth as a transformational opportunity

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Community Impact of Changes at Fort Bragg Growth is good, so what’s the problem…• For local governments, most of the increase in revenue

from growth comes “after the fact”• In cases where the growth is from federal activity rather

than the private sector, the revenue increase may be significantly less, or never materialize; Impact Aid addresses this issue

• Key fact: 50% (~75,000) of military-related population lives outside the gate

Critical Impacts (Gaps) • School Construction Shortfall • Transportation (Road & Air)

• Regional Communications Interoperability (VIPER)

• Workforce/Education • Healthcare Services

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Critical Impacts (Education)

Issue: School Construction Shortfall

– Statement: Funds needed for new schools in the region to accommodate both normal growth and the expected 5,980-student growth related to BRAC (CRGP)

– Successes: Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB); Congressional legislation introduced; Our counties have stepped up – raising taxes and floating bonds

– Gaps: $219.6 million total current need; $68.4 million is military-related; Lottery cuts?

– Ramifications: More mobile units, more kids bused out of district, increased transportation costs, higher risk

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Critical Impacts (Education)

Resolutions• Pass Federal legislation/direct appropriation • Identify/Access other budget lines/funding vehicles• Request Federal assumption of QSCB repayment obligations • Request additional Impact Aid• Fund the $100M+ USDA application (Harnett)• Fund long-term School/Capital Needs Analysis (Hoke - $90,000)• Fund wastewater treatment plant required for new middle school

(Hoke - $18M)

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Critical Impacts (Transportation)

Issue: Murchison Road Widening/Closure of Bragg Boulevard

– Statement: Partial DAR funding was in the President’s 2011 budget and the balance is in the draft 2012 MILCON budget

– Successes: Murchison Road (Phase I) is funded, under construction; – Gaps: Murchison Road – Phase II - Unless the $35 million is allocated as

indicated above, the project cannot be completed– Ramification: There is already a timing issue between when FORSCOM will

need to close Bragg Blvd and when the Murchison Road project will be completed

– Resolutions: Need confirmation that the 2011 Murchison Road funds ($17M) are in final version of the budget and that the FY12 allocation ($18M) is secure

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Critical Impacts (Transportation)

Issue: Connecting Fort Bragg to I-295– Statement: Fort Bragg lacks direct access to the Interstate system, which

presents obstacles to force security and transport. – Successes: I-295 (Murchison Road to Ramsey Street/US-401) funded by

NCDOT; construction begins in March 2011 ($145M)– Gaps: I-295 (Bragg Blvd to All American Freeway, $83.5 million) connecting

the All American Freeway to I-95 is a priority for the base and the community.– Ramifications: Military convoys traveling city streets to get to the Interstate;

Ft. Bragg has limited capacity to move convoys through the base; Ft. Bragg is also a FEMA staging area.

– Resolutions: Completion of I-295 to All American Freeway in STIP, funding announced by NCDOT, December 2010

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Critical Impacts (Transportation) Issue: Aviation– Statement: Daily direct airline service needed from FAY to

Washington DC to serve FORSCOM/USARC requirements and community needs

– Successes: Aviation Services Study completed; shows market demand is sufficient for economically viable service; negotiations with major airlines ongoing

– Gaps: Significant systemic challenges– Ramifications: Triple the travel time; safety concerns – Resolutions: Fayetteville Airport has applied for a FAA Small

Community Air Service Grant that would provide marketing and other incentives for an airline providing FAY-DC service. FAA/Airlines resolve conflicts re: ‘slot swap’

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Critical Impacts (Public Safety) Issue: Regional Communications Interoperability

– Statement: Regional interoperability of VIPER is necessary to ensure security and continued public safety

– Successes: County EMS agencies have purchased a portion of the VIPER-compatible radios needed; VIPER infrastructure (towers, etc.) is funded by State of NC

– Gaps: $12.5 million estimated cost for equipping BRAC Counties with compatible emergency response radios

– Ramifications: Loss of life and limb due to inability of 1st responders to communicate across jurisdictions/entities

– Resolution: Seek Federal funding to update region’s emergency communications to VIPER

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BRAC Workforce Impact – Issue: The available labor pool in the region cannot support the mission growth at Fort Bragg

• Statement: CRGP found that region will need over 19,000 additional workers due to military growth

• Successes: PipelineNC.com; Enhanced Technology Classrooms; Regional STEM, WDB and Economic Development Collaborations; Lifelong Learning & Literacy Campaign; Energizing Entrepreneurism; Allied Health Sector Regional Skills Partnerships; Kenan Fellows; Military Spouse CAA Program

• Ramifications: Low educational attainment and completion rates means continued skill deficits and the inability to meet local workforce needs

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BRAC Workforce Impact • Resolutions: US DoD, DOL, and DOE assist region in increasing education/training funding and access, and expanding Distributed Learning Network– Request $1.5M in additional WIA funding to augment

training programs in anticipation of job growth impact– Request flexibility in WIA and NEG funding in order to

train/retrain workforce for higher-level jobs due to BRAC growth, i.e., serve broader classifications

– Request $1.1M in additional funding for Enhanced Technology Classrooms @ 2 per regional community college site + 2 technical and instructional staff for 2 years

– Request DoD lift participant restrictions and tuition and degree level limits on the restructured MyCAA Program

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BRAC Health Care Impact • Issue: Shortage of health care providers in the region• Statement: CRGP found that region needs 134 dentists; 64 surgical

specialists; and 24 primary-care providers. We also need additional psychiatrists.

• Successes: Medical Services Task Force formed to increase and coordinate recruitment and retention efforts; With help from NC DOC/DWD, created the Allied Health Sector Regional Skills Partnership to increase our labor pool of “home grown” providers

• Ramifications: Access to & quality of healthcare will suffer• Gaps: Gaps identified above still remain

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BRAC Health Care Impact • Resolutions: Affordable Care Act (ACA)

• Under HRSA* and the Teaching Health Centers: Expand the community sites eligible beyond FQHCs** for primary care and surgical residencies

• Under Workforce Section: Offer small business tax credits to help get new doctors established

• Add Richmond, Scotland, Cumberland, and Moore Counties to the medically underserved areas which would give doctors and dentists the student college tuition loan repayment program

• Under HRSA Demonstration projects: Pay for doctor and dentist malpractice coverage for a limited number of years

* Health Resources and Services Administration; **Federally Qualified Health Ctr

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BRAC Health Care Impact • Issue: Healthcare providers limiting TRICARE participation due to low reimbursement rates

• Statement: CRGP found that region needs increased participation by providers in the TRICARE system

• Successes: Medical Services Task Force has tried to assess and overcome the reluctance of providers to increase TRICARE access

• Ramifications: Access to healthcare severely limited • Gaps: Remain unfilled - especially for medical

specialties, and behavioral-health

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BRAC Health Care Impact • Resolutions: – Encourage DoD to increase TRICARE payment rates across-

the-board due to these access problems in region• Under the Workforce Section of the Affordable Care Act

(ACA), request a TRICARE fee schedule waiver to increase payments for a designated period such as five years to help get new doctors established

– Eliminate ‘lag-time’ for TRICARE provider payments– Request that DoD extend TRICARE coverage to Physical

Therapy Assistants

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Regional Planning Program

Regional Planning Program

Regional Planning: Foundations & Timeline

Joint Land Use Study

Comprehensive Regional Growth Plan

Working Lands Protection Plans

Land Use Suitability Model

Green Growth Toolbox

CRGP Project Recommendations

Completed

2007-2009 2009-2010 2011-2012

Regional, Integrative Planning;

Local Implementation

Goal: Regional Sustainability for the ‘Quadruple Bottom Line’ – Environment, Economy, Community,

Mission

Ft. Bragg Regional Alliance Regional Planning Program

2011-2012 Goals:

Strengthen regional collaboration on the integrative planning strategies developed from CRGP implementation

Provide a unified voice before State and Federal funding agencies on proposals that address urgent regional infrastructure requirements

Develop relationships with other organizations who have the potential to provide resources or other attributes that will better enable us to address regional needs now and in the future,

Work with our communities to develop innovative proposals that respond to mission growth and provide long term ‘win-win’ solutions for the region’s local governments and our military neighbors

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Feed & Fuel the Forces: Renewable Energy, “Local” procurement of NC’s agricultural resources (biofuel feedstocks, fiber, foods)

Transportation Planning: Reducing VMT is the ‘holy grail’: less fuel consumed, higher quality development, quality-of-life benefits

Collaborative Corridor Planning/TOD Projects with City of Fayetteville, Town of Spring Lake, and Counties

Opportunities for Collaboration

Regional Planning Program

– Feed & Fuel the Forces– Land Resource Base for

Sustainable Economic Development

– Key to Achieving Compatible Use Goals

– Sustainable Agriculture will create entrepreneurial energy and foster Rural Economic Development

NC’s Military Region:

The Role of Agriculture in Regional Planning

• Objective: Ensure that all citizens within the region have opportunities to benefit from BRAC-related growth.

• Need: Sustainable economic development opportunities that build on existing skills and resources in rural parts of the region and that distributes the benefits of this growth across the socioeconomic spectrum.

• Goals: To strengthen the region’s agricultural economy, keep working lands in production, preserve the region’s rural heritage, and help prevent incompatible land uses surrounding Fort Bragg.

Regional Planning Program: Rural Development Initiative

– Rationale: Increasing demand in NC for locally and sustainably grown food is expanding high-value markets for high-quality agricultural products. If 10% of food consumed in the region was sourced from the region, ~$360 million would be retained in region’s economy that is now siphoned out of the region.

• Strategy: Targeted projects and partnerships to help farms expand capacity, and development of services to link producers to institutional and direct markets.

Rural Development Initiative

BRAC RTF/FSU/UNC-P Economic Impact Study:

• Promote agriculture and agribusiness as a means to increase income levels among disadvantaged populations.

• Develop training strategies to provide skills needed by the disadvantaged by specializing in activities that maximize a county’s comparative advantage.

• Develop a systematic and comprehensive entrepreneurship program.

Rural Development Initiative