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Key themes from Stakeholder Interviews: <br /> ■ City has great location, access to public transit: build on this strength <br /> ■ Workforce is a key driver in the economic viability of the City and the choice of <br /> employers to locate here <br /> ■ Downtown is a priority. Leverage, activate and connect it to other business districts <br /> ■ Events are an asset for the City, for their impacts to be fully realized, efforts need <br /> to be made to make them more business focused <br /> ■ Business outreach is an important way to know the needs of the business <br /> community and provide important "market intelligence" to the City <br /> ■ All staff are city promoters, integrate the economic development function into <br /> every department <br /> ■ Brand the City and its assets-"tell the story" to business and residents <br /> ■ Leverage assets like the Fox Theater, city events, Caltrain and other assets to <br /> meet city economic development objectives <br /> ■ Project entitlements and the planning process must be flexible, predictable and <br /> practical to achieve the City's vision <br /> ■ Adoption of the Downtown Precise Plan is a positive step towards downtown <br /> development and indicates the City's intentions about economic development <br /> ■ Partnerships between property owners, business owners, the City, local resource <br /> providers, residents and others are important <br /> ■ There must be a facilitator/navigator within the City to make the process faster, <br /> more efficient and more user friendly <br /> ■ Economic Development is a valued component of the City's health—City <br /> priorities need to reflect this in the allocation of staff and resources and a more <br /> visible ED function <br /> ■ The City needs tools to execute and deliver on ED priorities <br /> ■ Connect business districts to each other through events, cross promotions, <br /> outreach and the development of a transportation connection like a shuttle <br /> ■ The City must be a "leader, not a follower" <br /> ■ Vacant and underperforming properties downtown and throughout the city <br /> must be addressed: first in outreach to property/business owners and then with <br /> corrective action, if necessary <br /> ■ The City has many assets but is "under-retailed" and "under-hoteled". <br /> Development strategies must address these deficits. <br /> ■ Planning, creativity and participation in upcoming projects/initiatives like <br /> Saltworks, the Port of Redwood City, Grand Boulevard Initiative, the Ferry and <br /> High Speed Rail are critical to the future of Redwood City <br /> ■ Incompatible uses are a threat to the City's economic vitality (competing uses at <br /> the Port, Downtown and elsewhere have to be thoughtfully managed) <br /> ■ Innovative use of existing space (including incubators and flexible space) will <br /> reinvigorate the City <br /> ■ Parking issues, whether real or perceived, have an impact on the "business and <br /> customer friendly" image of the City <br /> 8 <br />