recommended strategies - Hardee County

19. Additional Strategies Positioning Hardee County for Economic Growth include:
a. Expanding Business and Industry in Hardee County
i. Continue to identify desirable business and industry targets
ii.
iii.
iv.
Continue to market Hardee County to new business and industry
Provide outreach to existing business and industry, business retention and expansion
opportunities
Establish an effective interlocal coordination framework between the County, Cities,
EDC/IDA and Chamber; other agencies as identified should be involved.
b. Improve internal road access and internal circulation.
c. Build on communications infrastructure including Hardee County’s broadband capacity.
d. Continue to promote development of existing industrial properties, including identifying the potential
state and local incentives available.
e. Identify and plan new business and industry locations through the continued use of the Enterprise
Zones, as well as identifying areas for infrastructure and improvements and development of minimum
standards, including drainage, parking, access, traffic lights, sidewalks, landscaping, and new signage.
f. Leverage grant and funding opportunities, including programs such as the City of Wauchula’s
Brownfields program, to aide business retention, expansion and relocation.
20. Similar to Hardee County, many communities in similar situations are designating growth areas to better phase
or manage their future development and public investments. Based on these ideas, the community sees these
areas as an opportunity create value in private holdings, improve underdeveloped or underutilized properties,
create valuable public spaces, where applicable, that are both walkable and sustainable and an overall
improvement in civic activity. The success of these areas may take several years to fully develop; however, this
will allow for the public, property owners, developers and the County to come together.
a. The County should continue to review and amend the land development codes to promote mixed-use
developments, streamline development review procedures and provide flexible development standards
within the targeted growth and mixed use development areas. Identify and consider incentives for
development bonuses to capture market demands, and aggregate parcels along the corridors,
particularly if shared public or private infrastructure (i.e., stormwater management, transit, pedestrian
connectivity, public access and open space, and landscapes/entry features) are enhanced or included.
b. Within the urban style development areas, the respective jurisdiction should focus on the 4 D’s
(density, diversity, design and destinations), to promote compact, mixed use corridors and areas that
have an outward orientation of buildings and uses facing the streets rather than parking areas that
create more inviting spaces for residents and visitors.
c. Apply architectural and site design guidelines to promote a style or quality of new construction that
would maintain the desired theme and scale of development in the community.
d. Target and strengthen code enforcement efforts to handle initial “clean-up” of the areas, as needed.
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