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Comprehensive Plan Economic Development Element <br />6.4 <br />Maintain and/or improve county characteristics <br />PD <br />Ongoing <br />No <br />7.1 <br />Provide speakers to educate private citizens regarding <br />EDD/PD <br />Ongoing <br />No <br />economic development <br />7.2 <br />Maintain and increase funding for economic development <br />EDD <br />Ongoing <br />No <br />BCC = <br />Board of County Commissioners COC = Indian River County Chamber of Commerce <br />CVB = City of Vero Beach EDC = Economic Development Council <br />EDD = <br />Economic Development Division of Chamber of Commerce <br />PD = County Planning Department <br />IRCC <br />= Indian River Community College PUD = Purchasing Division <br />OMB <br />= Budget Office <br />TDD = <br />Tourism Division of Chamber of Commerce <br />As designated by the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners, the Economic <br />Development Division (EDD) of the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce functions as the <br />official economic development agency for the county and is recognized as such by Enterprise <br />Florida, Inc. (EFI) the state's economic development agency. Therefore, marketing activities <br />identified in the Economic Development Element are the responsibility of the EDD. The EDD has <br />developed promotional materials designed to attract prospective companies that are relocating or <br />expanding operations and maintains a strong business retention program. <br />Recently, the EDD has focused its efforts on developing stronger relationships with site location <br />consultants. Site location consultants represent firms that are actively searching for new locations to <br />accommodate an expansion or relocation of their operations. These professionals also provide <br />valuable insight into the site selection process and can offer communities advice on promoting an <br />area for business attraction. A familiarization tour was recently conducted inviting a group of <br />consultants to visit Indian River County to see the benefits our area offers their prospective clients. <br />During the site visit, the EDD meets with the prospective company or its representative to determine <br />which sites in Indian River County are most suitable and to discuss incentive programs that could be <br />available to the company. EDD walks the prospective company through the local site location <br />process and facilitates the incentive application process once eligibility is determined. The <br />company's due diligence process in evaluating all sites under consideration often takes months. <br />EDD has assisted several local businesses in securing incentives and training grants which enabled <br />them to expand their local operations thus creating jobs for local residents. The EDD has developed <br />material, such as the promotional thumb drive, the Enterprise Zone brochure, and revised incentives <br />brochure, and revamped its website, offering information needed to assist businesses in making their <br />relocation and expansion decisions. <br />Specific projects implemented by the EDD of the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce <br />include maintaining a business assistance team to help local businesses in dealing with state, <br />regional, and local government agencies; maintaining a list of available commercial/industrial sites <br />in the county, which is also available on the EDD website; and a business visitation program. <br />Community Development Department Indian River County 55 <br />