Economic Development items:
Econ Devl – Strategic Plan metrics:
Update on Monthly Tracking numbers: The transition to License Registrar is now complete. While $39 late fees were assessed at the beginning of March for those that had yet to renew, Monday, April 1st was the ultimate deadline for businesses to renew their business license without receiving a fine. Staff is delighted to report that, after making extraordinary efforts to contact all of the businesses that were on our “failure to renew” list, there were no existing Sandy businesses operating without a license on the deadline date. Kudos to Development Services staff who reached out to personally contact dozens of businesses to help make this happen.
Now that we have accurate numbers, the “Total Business Establishments” number listed in the header above is changing to a more useful number. Instead of listing all businesses with a City of Sandy business license, we are going to show “Total In-Town Business Establishments”. This will eliminate all out-of-town businesses that get business licenses due to our local requirements but are not based in Sandy, leaving only businesses that reside within city limits. Rental properties will no longer be included in this number either – only brick and mortar establishments and home-based businesses.
Econ Devl – Strategic Plan progress:
Action 6.1.2 – Retail market analysis: Underway! This report will take ECONorthwest somewhere between 3 and 4 months to complete. ECONorthwest’s Nicole Underwood will be providing our first update with regard how this report is progressing at the May 1st meeting of the Economic Development Advisory Board.
Action 2.2.1 – Assess SandyNet as a resource in business and talent attraction: Total number of SandyNet customers broken down by speed tier is now included in the monthly tracking data in the header of this report. As citizens start adopting more multi-gig connections, we will update this tracking data to include the higher tiers.
Action 5.3.3 – Meinig Memorial Park: Requests for estimates on specific wayfinding signage for both Meinig Memorial Park and the Pioneer Parking lot have been sent to Ambrosini Designs in McMinnville. Currently standing by for quotes.
Econ Devl – Commercial Properties (vacancies, new businesses, reports, etc.):
23-001 FAC Sandbar BBQ façade project: Complete! In addition to increasing the proper number of ADA parking spots to the required minimum (2), this project was able to bring the following additional items into code compliance:
- Addition of an ADA loading zone, proper ADA signage & striped ADA path to the primary entrance of the building
- Entire parking lot has been restriped.
- Addition of nine (9) street trees planted along north side of parking lot (these trees will be watered daily by the AntFarm flower basket watering crew during the 2024 season to establish the trees and help them grow healthy)
- Muddy area at the end of blacktop in parking lot filled with pea gravel for stability.
21-010FAC Tollgate Inn Covered Structure: Work has begun on this project – the work area has been cordoned off, and excavation for the post holes has begun. There will be a moderate change order for this project due to the cost of some upgrades to the structure made by the architect that were not accounted for – primarily metal beams. Contractor is pricing these out now, but this should not significantly delay the project. Standing by for now…
Sandy Marketplace – major improvements: In addition to all of the improvements made in the last 60 days at this location, we were contacted by the complex owners in March in preparation for a complex wide, tri-tone paint job. Colors have been confirmed to be Sandy Style and are earth-tones – this will be a clean new look for the complex. Complex owners will also address any remaining minor issues with the building surfaces at this time. UPDATE: The piece of siding that fell off of the front façade of the Dollar Tree Store during the winter storm has been replaced.
To achieve total code compliance, the last remaining item that still needs to be completed is the monument sign — there are sign panels advertising two tenants (K’s Clothing Boutique, Cricket Wireless) that no longer reside in the complex that must be removed, and the lighting for several of the sign panels on both sides of the sign have failed.
Econ Devl – Downtown Events:
There were no downtown public events in March. The Sandy Senior Center will be celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary on the 18th of April from 2-4 PM.
Econ Devl – Internal Projects:
Bignall Pool/Cedar Ridge demolition: Bignall Pool and the front Cedar Ridge Building are now removed, and demolition work seems close to being complete. Unfortunately, SandyNet has not been provided with information as to when the work in front of their building will finish up, so the completion date cannot be stated here with any accuracy.
Sandy Comprehensive Plan/EOA:
There were no Comp Plan or EOA updates from ECONorthwest in March.
There were no EDAB meetings in the month of March. Next meeting: May 1st, 2024, at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers.
Econ Devl – Conferences/training:
2024 Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism (March 11-13, Salem Convention Center) – Oregon’s annual conference for all things tourism, hosted by Governor Kotek and Travel Oregon. This event was mostly a networking event for tourism professionals, but did include some interesting programming around accommodating tourists and travelers with autism (a market with specific (but not difficult) needs to serve, but also a potential gold mine for businesses willing to serve those needs)
The results of TO’s resident sentiment survey were also shared, showing what locals think of tourism (1. Pride is strong, 2. Outdoors are greatest asset, 3. Quality of life is a concern, 4. Oregonians are optimistic) and tourism employment (1. Tourism is a key employer, 2. Tourism is a year-round employer, 3. (Tourism) employment satisfaction has room for growth). The key takeaway from this survey was: “The benefits of tourism currently outweigh the negatives, however increasing pressure on traffic, housing and jobs may have long term impacts on resident sentiment. Oregonian’s value the state’s natural resources and feel a personal responsibility to protect and share them.”
Interestingly, the 2023 Oregon Governor’s Award for Tourism went to the Oregon Outback Dark Sky Network (based in Lakeview) providing dark sky certification for south-eastern Oregon for everything from general stargazing to serious astronomy. After official certification in 2023, the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary is now the largest dark sky sanctuary in the world.
Special shout-out to Jim Austin, Assistant Director of Clackamas County Tourism & Cultural Affairs, for providing a “scholarship” to Sandy’s Economic Development Manager for this conference so that he could attend GovCon24 entirely on the County’s dime.