With 2007 upon us, the city of Kirkland's economic development program has landed on several themes that will shape the city's approach to pursuing the city council's goal of a sustainable Kirkland - a city on sound financial footing with an array of job opportunities, products and services convenient to its residents.
❚ Kirkland has a reputation for great customer service. Better outreach to new businesses and maintaining good communications with the business community to provide more proactive business retention services will only enhance Kirkland's reputation for good service and attract and keep business here.
❚ Another theme is marketing Kirkland to diverse audiences - business and development interests, tourism interests, and the 'creative class,' the talented employees that leading businesses need to remain competitive.
❚ Introducing new visions is another theme. In downtown, through the current Downtown Strategic Plan Update, Kirland can launch strategies that make downtown an attractive destination and neighborhood. In Parmac, southwest of Totem Lake, now an assortment of office buildings and warehouses with limited access and amenities, we can create a suburban office park and premier address for businesses that now must leave Kirkland in order to grow.
❚ Going green is good business. With more than 120 green businesses in Kirkland who provide a product or service that results in greater resource efficiency or reduction of negative environmental impacts, and many more businesses incorporating green practices in their operations, Kirkland is an acknowledged leader in an area that is critical to all of us.
The Kirkland Chamber of Commerce, Lake Washington Technical College and the city will sponsor "Sustainable September," a month-long celebration of green businesses, green building and landscaping, more efficient transportation and an opportunity to educate ourselves about the things that can be done do to help the world grow old gracefully.
2006 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Over the past year the economic development program has worked to implement the strategies that were outlined in the 2006 City Council retreat memorandum. Economic development has become part of city business practices, and major decisions now better incorporate consideration of the impacts on business.
❚ The economic development program took an active role in soliciting comments from businesses before and after capital projects. We convened a post-completion business focus group to discuss impacts of the Central Way project on business and collected several best practices to employ as mitigation for future projects.
In preparation for the revitalization of the Transit Center, the program advocated for the needs of current businesses as well as future developments (i.e., the Antique Mall) that will be affected by the design of this major public improvement.
❚ New businesses are greeted by a personal letter from the Mayor and receive a follow-up phone call from the business retention consultant asking if they would like assistance with city processes or referrals to other economic development resources.
❚ Businesses that are renewing their licenses also receive a letter from the mayor, noting the city's business retention services. Kirkland has instituted the practice of providing information and other benefits to businesses as a take-away at license renewal time.
❚ The business retention consultant (Duncan Milloy), a part-time position that represents a partnership between the chamber and the city, helped individual businesses navigate city processes and provided relocation assistance.
Ellen Miller-Wolfe is the city's economic development manager and can be reached at emwolfe@ci.kirkland.wa.us.[[In-content Ad]]
