StanN
12-17-2005, 03:43 PM
The following are comments on Cary's strengths and weaknesses made by members of the Economic Development Commission.
Some are worthy of discussion. I've boldened a few that caught my eye.
Strengths:
Racial/ethnic diversity
Education
Location
Transportation
Welcoming atmosphere, open to newcomers; people quickly feel like they’ve been here a long time
Well-planned community – wider streets, upscale amenities
Low crime rate
Water - Cary has a spare capacity for water/sewer; in times of drought, Cary has water when other communities do not
Good place to raise kids, things for them to do
Parks, community centers
Upscale, aesthetics are pleasing
Some room left for development
Somewhat recession resistant – State Capitol nearby, many universities
Stable, highly educated workforce, diversity of jobs – no “trailing spouse”
Strong regional leadership – 2-year turnover is a stabilizing factor; two term cycles creates cohesive Town Council – keeps things issue oriented, not personality oriented
Responsible, professional Town Manager, staff
Ability to work effectively with other communities – Raleigh, Apex – Durham Bulls, Carolina Hurricanes; water authorityw Convenience to airport, yet we don’t hear airplanes
Chamber of Commerce contributes immensely to positive growth; good coordination with private sector
Taxes are third lowest in the county
Weaknesses:
Lack of venture capital, difficult for business owners to grow their business
Infrastructure still remains private – roads (poor quality, excessive potholes, traffic congestion), street lights (not enough)
Lack of upper management positions, corporate headquarters
Strong communities in region, but not all cooperative
RDU Airport – losing ridership, hard to keep airlines serving RDU, difficult to get direct flights, whole area has grown, but airport appears “podunkish”
Difficult to open a business, sign ordinances seem over-restrictive – signs have to look a certain way, difficult for business owners to attract attention, make his business stand out from others, hard for people to find your business
Other restrictions, such as grease trap issues, give impression a business must fit a specific category to survive
Municipal codes may be too restrictive – too long and burdensome of a process to go through the code system to start a business in Cary – too much documentation is unfriendly to attracting businesses
Small downtown area – not big enough to sustain a large corporate headquarters
Still known as a bedroom community
Closes up at dusk; no evening activities or entertainment – not attractive to single people
Lack of affordable housing – even Town employees (i.e., police officers) cannot afford to live in Cary; average home in Cary is $200,000+
Taxes and impact fees drive away potential businesses
stan
Some are worthy of discussion. I've boldened a few that caught my eye.
Strengths:
Racial/ethnic diversity
Education
Location
Transportation
Welcoming atmosphere, open to newcomers; people quickly feel like they’ve been here a long time
Well-planned community – wider streets, upscale amenities
Low crime rate
Water - Cary has a spare capacity for water/sewer; in times of drought, Cary has water when other communities do not
Good place to raise kids, things for them to do
Parks, community centers
Upscale, aesthetics are pleasing
Some room left for development
Somewhat recession resistant – State Capitol nearby, many universities
Stable, highly educated workforce, diversity of jobs – no “trailing spouse”
Strong regional leadership – 2-year turnover is a stabilizing factor; two term cycles creates cohesive Town Council – keeps things issue oriented, not personality oriented
Responsible, professional Town Manager, staff
Ability to work effectively with other communities – Raleigh, Apex – Durham Bulls, Carolina Hurricanes; water authorityw Convenience to airport, yet we don’t hear airplanes
Chamber of Commerce contributes immensely to positive growth; good coordination with private sector
Taxes are third lowest in the county
Weaknesses:
Lack of venture capital, difficult for business owners to grow their business
Infrastructure still remains private – roads (poor quality, excessive potholes, traffic congestion), street lights (not enough)
Lack of upper management positions, corporate headquarters
Strong communities in region, but not all cooperative
RDU Airport – losing ridership, hard to keep airlines serving RDU, difficult to get direct flights, whole area has grown, but airport appears “podunkish”
Difficult to open a business, sign ordinances seem over-restrictive – signs have to look a certain way, difficult for business owners to attract attention, make his business stand out from others, hard for people to find your business
Other restrictions, such as grease trap issues, give impression a business must fit a specific category to survive
Municipal codes may be too restrictive – too long and burdensome of a process to go through the code system to start a business in Cary – too much documentation is unfriendly to attracting businesses
Small downtown area – not big enough to sustain a large corporate headquarters
Still known as a bedroom community
Closes up at dusk; no evening activities or entertainment – not attractive to single people
Lack of affordable housing – even Town employees (i.e., police officers) cannot afford to live in Cary; average home in Cary is $200,000+
Taxes and impact fees drive away potential businesses
stan