TOWN OF TONAWANDA EMPIRE ZONE

Development Plan

Draft: January 1, 2006

Zone Director:

Robert L. Dimmig

Town of Tonawanda Development Corporation

169 Sheridan Parkside Drive

Tonawanda, NY 14150

Phone: (716) 871-8072

Email: rdimmig@tonawanda.ny.us

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section	Page
Introduction
1. Overview
1.1. Economic development analysis	5
1.2. Major findings and conclusions	7
1.3. Directions and priorities	12
2. Goals and Strategies
2.1. Increase supply of new building products	16
2.2. Increase investment in existing properties	17
2.3. Strengthen local and regional economies	19
2.4. Community well-being & environment	20
2.5. Not-for-profit participation	21
2.6. Marketing	22
3. Target Areas
3.1. Description of potential target areas	28
3.2. Selection of contiguous areas	33
3.3. Previously designated areas	35
3.4. Regionally significant projects	38
3.5. Inventory of public lands	40
4. Target Businesses
4.1. Wealth-generating businesses	42
4.2. Support industries	43
4.3. Captive businesses	45
5. Business Development Assistance
5.1. IDA and other financing agencies	48
5.2. Local tax incentives	49
5.3. Permits and licenses	50
5.4. Small business and MWBEs	50
5.5. Local zone administration	51
5.6. Regional economic development council	53
5.7. Local economic development	54
6. Human Resources Development/Training
6.1. Utilization of One-Stop Centers	56
6.2. Facilitation of Job Listings	56
6.3. Other Services	56
6.4. Workforce Development Consortium	56
6.5. Educational Institutions and Other	57
7. Community Development
7.1. Community Dev. Projects - local criteria	58
7.2. Displacement of Zone residents	60
7.3. Childcare Facilities	61
8. Certification/Cost-Benefit Analysis
8.1. Enhancing economic climate of zone	65
8.2. Cost-benefit analysis	67
9. Program Performance Evaluation
9.1. Program evaluation methods	71
9.2. Performance measures	71

Introduction

Chapter 63 of the Laws of 2005, (the new Empire Zones law), requires that existing zones shall submit a new zone development plan (ZDP) for approval by ESD.

The contents and substance of a development plan, [GML § 962 – Empire Zone Development Plan], are extensive and include all of the elements that were required when the plan was first submitted with the original application for zone designation. Specifically, there were 25 separate items that had to be addressed [GML § 962 paragraphs (a) through (y)]. Three additional elements were added pursuant to the new Empire Zones law:

§ Paragraph (aa) – the development plan established pursuant to this section shall be resubmitted by the local zone administrative board as economic as economic conditions change within the zone, or when other factors trigger a need for a change in the development plan as determined by the local zone administrative board;