Economic Development Strategic Plan

What is an Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP)?

Economic Development Strategic Plans are customized for communities and designed so that a municipality can maximize its economic potential in a sustainable way.  To do this, one must consider what has worked historically, what opportunities are a good fit locally, what potential pitfalls should be avoided, and how to target and encourage economic endeavors.  Equally important is finding an approach that is, over time, endorsed by the public and its representatives so that the plan is relevant and utilized.  The most difficult activity with any EDSP is navigating – and sometimes modifying – the process by which the action steps are finally employed.

The Economic Development Strategic Plan, in conjunction with the Town Master Plan, will serve as a playbook by which the town can mold its economic development strategy.  In crafting the EDSP, the Economic Development Director will garner input from local and regional stakeholders, property owners, developers, businesses, community board members, municipal staff, and other economic development professionals.  The EDSP and suggestions contained therein will be carefully constructed using this input and other information compiled during its production, such as industry data, local and area demography, geographic and topographic challenges, area amenities, economic trends and incentives, and other important stimuli that mesh to distinguish Exeter from its neighbors. 

Economic Development Strategic Plan Community Input Sessions

Location:  Nowak Room, Exeter Town Office Building, 6:00 – 9:00 PM

I realized from the feedback at the first public input session that interested parties are more inclined to engage in discussions regarding Exeter’s existing economic climate in specific sections of town, the business mix and quality therein and most importantly their vision for the future, including the type of development they’d prefer to see.  Ergo, the next six public input sessions will be designed to extrapolate this information and partner it with existing demographic and market conditions; this will help shape the Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP) and determine next steps.

The EDSP will coincide timewise with the Town Master Plan, which was recently approved for $50,000 by Exeter voters.  It is important that the EDSP complement and as much as possible not contradict the Master Plan.  I feel these input sessions will garner valuable information for the Master Plan, particularly the Economic Development and Land-Use sections, and help kick off the process for same.
There will be land-use information (i.e. square-footage of buildings, corridor boundaries, etc.) provided at the public session specific to the corridor discussed.

The Exeter town website will house an electronic input form for each commercial corridor, available after each session, for persons who are unable to attend.

Corridor-specific interested parties, such as land or business owners, who are not Exeter residents but have a stake in the area are encouraged to attend and provide input.

Exeter Commercial Corridors and Input Session Dates:

Sincerely,

Darren Winham
Economic Development Director
Town of Exeter