§ 22-2. Office of economic development.
(a)
Establish an office of economic development with the following duties and responsibilities.
(b)
As a means of encouraging growth in our local economy, financial success in the community and promoting a sustainable economic environment, the mayor and council hereby establish an office of economic development (OED) led by the economic development director/manager, who shall report to the city manager. The OED will be guided by the city's strategic action agenda.
(1)
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
a.
"Redevelopment area" means any redevelopment area defined in the urban redevelopment plan or located within the boundaries of a community improvement district (CID), or tax allocation district (TAD).
b.
"Development permits" means any and all land disturbance permits, including clearing, grubbing, and grading permits, buildings permits, and sign permits.
c.
"Targeted business" means a preferred business or industry type, as identified by an economic sustainability strategy.
(2)
The office of economic development shall have the following responsibilities:
a.
Establish and execute an economic sustainability strategy and keep current the strategic action agenda to guide the implementation of economic development activities in the following areas, including, but not limited to, small business development and support, workforce development, business attraction and recruitment, growth company development, and entrepreneurship at all ages;
b.
Work with the planning and development department to encourage diversification of the city's tax base, and assist in redevelopment of commercial and residential areas;
c.
Coordinate with local, state and federal agencies and other business organizations to encourage new business development, recruitment and retention of existing businesses. Specifically, the City of Snellville Office of Economic Development shall maintain a relationship with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and with the Georgia Economic Developers Association;
d.
Coordinate with the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce, Partnership Gwinnett, Gwinnett County, and the Development Authority of Gwinnett County on activities related to business recruitment and retention and on issues of parcel and area redevelopment.
(3)
The economic development director/manager, with the city manager's approval is hereby authorized to sign confidentiality agreements with prospective businesses in the furtherance of official duties so long as such confidentiality agreements are made subject to the provisions of the Georgia Open Records Act.
(4)
City personnel shall conduct a review of city ordinances and administrative processes on a periodic basis to identify barriers and impediments to quality, efficient development and business activity, in accordance with the following principles:
a.
The City of Snellville will always seek to procure goods and services from locally established businesses and professionals to the extent allowed by law.
b.
The City of Snellville will create and maintain a procurement practice to register vendors and providers who will be allowed to bid, quote and conduct businesses with the city government, subject to all the requirements of Georgia law.
(5)
The mayor and council may undertake any other lawful actions, including the offering of inducements to targeted businesses for purposes of improvement of economic vitality, economic development, redevelopment, and revitalization. Targeted businesses will be identified through an economic sustainability strategy and strategic action agenda and may be informed by a competitive profile.
a.
The city, at its sole discretion, may provide certain economic development assistance or incentives to grow, retain, or attract businesses within the city limits. These standards and criteria will be reviewed on a semi-annual basis to assure compatibility with current city goals and needs.
1.
Any economic incentive or inducement must achieve city goals as described in an economic sustainability strategy.
2.
Must result in the relocation, expansion, or retention of a targeted business with the city.
3.
Target business must demonstrate financial and management capability to implement and sustain the business.
4.
Must support the creation of a vibrant, unique towne center as a "destination" place, and/or constructive improvement in a redevelopment area.
5.
May encourage and support tourism, entertainment, arts, and culture as an important contributor to the city's overall economic health.
6.
Must sustain the long-term economic well-being of the city and its citizens through redevelopment and revitalization efforts.
b.
Inducements that may be offered to targeted businesses are as follows:
1.
Acceleration of all aspects of the development review process;
2.
Acceleration of public hearing dates for rezoning, special use permits, variance requests, and requests for changes in zoning conditions;
3.
Reduction of fees for development permits;
4.
Reduction of application fees for rezoning requests, special use permits, variances requests, and requests for changes in zoning conditions;
5.
Reduction of business occupation taxes;
6.
Inducements authorized by the Redevelopment Powers Act (O.C.G.A. § 36-44-1 et seq.);
7.
Inducements authorized by the Development Authorities Act (O.C.G.A. § 36-62-1 et seq.).
c.
In order to be eligible for inducements, a targeted business shall meet the following criteria:
1.
No inducement shall be offered to any targeted business outside designated redevelopment areas;
2.
A targeted business must add at least five new jobs under a negotiated timeframe;
3.
A targeted business must pay an average salary at least 1.25 times the (NAICS) county average wage for that industry; or
4.
Have an estimated fiscal impact with a net present value to the city of at least $100,000.00, as determined by Gwinnett County analysis.
d.
A targeted business shall be required to contract with the city to meet the fiscal impact requirements of this section.
e.
In determining whether the City of Snellville should offer inducements to a targeted business, the city manager may consider whether the targeted business has received a funding commitment from the State of Georgia contingent upon the business' relocation or expansion within the State of Georgia.
f.
The final determination whether to offer inducements to a targeted business will be made by the mayor and council after a recommendation by the city manager and economic development director/manager, and a legally binding contract shall be drawn between the city and targeted business.
(c)
Any targeted Business which receives any inducement under the provisions of this section shall agree not to relocate outside the City of Snellville for the entire period during which the inducement is granted. Should the targeted business relocate outside the City of Snellville during the inducement period, the targeted business shall immediately reimburse the city or issuing authority for the full value of any and all inducements received pursuant to this section.
(d)
Should the targeted business fail to meet its fiscal impact requirements, income requirement, or employment requirement, any economic inducement offered to a targeted business shall be reduced by 20 percent for the first such year. In the event the targeted business fails to meet its requirements pursuant to this agreement for more than one year, any economic inducement offered to the targeted business shall be reduced by 50 percent for the second year. The third year of non-attainment of its requirements pursuant to this agreement shall result in termination of all inducements pursuant to this section.
(Ord. No. 2013-05, 4-8-2013)