ACTION PLAN

TRADITIONAL & NONTRADITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE

To maintain and improve the region’s built environment and services that are requisite for retaining and expanding existing businesses and attracting new businesses

Maintain and improve transportation infrastructure, consistent with smart growth principles and sustainability principles, and utilize the region’s transportation infrastructure as a driver of economic development.

Responsibility	NYS DOT, county governments (including county DPW), local governments (including local DPW), social services agencies, Southern Tier West RPDB
Timetable:	Ongoing
Funding:	Various local, state, and federal funds; foundation funds

Examples of potential initiatives/projects:

Improvement and development of interstate highways I-86 and I-90 as regional economic development corridors
Continued construction of I-219 (Interstate Route 219), a primary north-south limited access highway corridor bisecting the region, as part of a multi-state development corridor. Initial pre-construction phase to include Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Study Project.
Additional investment in other highway trade corridors, including NYS Routes 16, 19, 60, and 62 and other local and State highways and bridges, including complete streets/walkable community projects
Additional investment in railroad infrastructure, including maintenance of and improvements to the existing railroad system to maximum practical FRA standards for freight handling capacity, construction that removes clearance obstructions and/or weight limitations, phased construction of freight transfer transload facility in region, and construction of rail sidings and assistance to businesses to develop rail freight shipping capacity
Additional investment in aviation infrastructure and service
Additional investment in mobility management infrastructure and service (public transportation)
Coordination of mobility management services with employers, social services agencies, and health care providers
Continuously update the Regional Strategic Transportation Plan
Work toward development of an RPO for the region
Continuously develop a current priority transportation investment schedule for the region’s transportation infrastructure that considers economic development issues
Specific topical transportation planning activities

Maintain and improve utility infrastructure, including water and wastewater service, natural gas and electricity service, and broadband and alternative energy infrastructure; whenever possible, such investments should be consistent with smart growth principles, sustainability principles, and green infrastructure principles.

Responsibility	Local governments (utility and energy infrastructure); county governments and Southern Tier West RPDB (broadband); county economic development organizations: various including local and county governments and private sector (energy improvements and energy projects)
Timetable:	Ongoing
Funding:	Various local, state, and federal funds; foundation funds

Examples of potential initiatives/projects:

Municipal water and wastewater systems, access roads, and local roads and bridges
Publicly-owned and privately owned municipal energy system projects, including alternative energy projects and the creation of a regional energy purchasing alliance
Implementation of strategic projects identified in the comprehensive smart growth plan for regional sustainability developed through the five-county Western New York Region “Cleaner, Greener Communities Regional Sustainability Planning Program,” funded through NYSERDA
Regional broadband and communications infrastructure initiatives
Identification and GIS-based inventorying of existing and planned infrastructure
Investigation of incorporation of fuel cell technologies at municipal wastewater treatment plant, to produce three value streams (electricity, hydrogen, and heat)
Enhancement of the region’s infrastructure development finance capacity, including the creation and utilization of innovative infrastructure funding tools and partnerships
Utilization of funding assistance from the Southern Tier West Development Foundation to promote infrastructure planning and preliminary engineering
Technical assistance from County Departments of Planning and Development, County Health Departments, and County Industrial Development Agencies to promote infrastructure planning and preliminary engineering

Improve the region’s “shovel readiness” through activities including site development / industrial park and acreage expansion / infrastructure expansion / permitting / development along rail and highway corridors and broadband backbone corridor / interstate interchange development / spec building development / building redevelopment, all consistent with smart growth principles.

Responsibility	County economic development organizations, local governments, Southern Tier West RPDB
	Ongoing
Funding:	Various local, state, and federal funds; foundation funds

Examples of potential initiatives/projects:

Site development, especially along rail and highway corridors and the broadband backbone corridor, or at site locations identified in broadband study, or in or adjacent to industrial parks or other industrial land uses or compatible land uses
Expansion of existing industrial and business parks and construction of new industrial and business parks, consistent with smart growth principles
Infrastructure expansion, to permit or catalyze business location or expansion, especially within or adjacent to industrial parks or other industrial land uses or compatible land uses, but consistent with smart growth principles
Permitting assistance initiatives
Interstate interchange development, including shovel readiness initiatives at perspective business location
sites, including:

o I-86 Exit 6 (Sherman, Chautauqua County)
o I-86 Exit 13 (Falconer, Chautauqua County)
o I-86 Exit 17 (Steamburg, Cattaraugus County)
o I-86 Exit 23 (Limestone, Cattaraugus County)
o I-86 Exit 24 (Allegany, Cattaraugus County)
o I-86 Exit 27 (Hinsdale, Cattaraugus County)
o I-86 Exit 28 (Cuba, Allegany County)
o I-86 Exit 29 (Friendship, Allegany County)
o I-86 Exit 30 (Amity, Allegany County)
o I-90 Exit 61 (Ripley, Chautauqua County)
o I-90 Exit 60 (Westfield, Chautauqua County)
o I-90 Exit 59 (Dunkirk, Chautauqua County)
o I-90 Exit 58 (Irving, Chautauqua County)

Construction of speculative / non-speculative industrial, logistics, and office buildings and multi-tenant facilities
Adaptive building renovation, rehabilitation, redevelopment, and reuse projects, converting older buildings into modern productive facilities, especially in downtowns or in business districts
Remediation of brownfield acreage and buildings and redevelopment of these assets into productive uses
Marketing of these assets to prospective businesses that might locate in the region

Develop, improve, and expand non-physical or non-traditional infrastructure, including specialized space, dedicated equipment, information and communication technologies, business networks, linkages to the education/research/labor force training system, and logistics; and also including the development of physical facilities geared toward technology-based businesses, including specialized shared-use physical facilities, especially as regards technology development (i.e., prototype development, shared testing and manufacturing equipment, test beds, etc.), shortage of diverse and affordable physical space with specialized amenities (e.g., broadband, shared conference space, shared operating and office equipment, etc.).

Responsibility	County economic development organizations, educational institutions, incubators, business community, cluster network groups, broadband service providers, local governments, WIB’s, Southern Tier West RPDB
	Ongoing
Funding:	Various local, state, and federal funds; foundation funds

Examples of potential initiatives/projects:

Incubator initiatives
Specialized facility development initiatives
Specialized equipment initiatives
Business network development
Technology commercialization initiatives, including prototype development, shared testing and manufacturing equipment, test beds, etc.

Improve communities through initiatives including downtown and neighborhood revitalization and redevelopment; building renovation / adaptive redevelopment / re-purposing and reuse; encouragement of improved sustainability of communities and neighborhoods, complete streets, and walkable communities; brownfield remediation and redevelopment; protection and restoration of water resources, waterfronts, open spaces, and habitats; enhancement of public access to waterfront areas; increasing and improvement of housing stock and building stock; creation and improvement of creative districts and neighborhoods; improvement of wayfinding; and enhancement of recreational / tourism assets (including public parks space, green space, trails, etc.).

Responsibility	County economic development organizations, county DPW’s, local governments, local/community development and housing organizations, Southern Tier West RPDB, NYS DEC
	Ongoing
Funding:	Various local, state, and federal funds; foundation funds

Examples of potential initiatives/projects:

Downtown and neighborhood revitalization and redevelopment initiatives, consistent with smart growth principles
Building renovation / adaptive redevelopment / re-purposing and reuse, consistent with smart growth principles
Encouragement of improved sustainability of communities and neighborhoods, complete streets, and walkable communities
Brownfield remediation and redevelopment initiatives
Protection and restoration of water resources, waterfronts, open spaces, and habitats
Enhancement of public access to waterfront areas (including riverfronts and lakefronts)
Increasing / improving housing stock and building stock
Creation and improvement of creative districts and neighborhoods
Improvement of wayfinding; and enhancement of natural and man-made recreational / tourism assets (including public parks space, green space, greenway/blueway/other trails, facilities, attractions, etc.)

Streamline and reform permitting, development review, and other regulatory processes to provide a predictable legal and regulatory environment for businesses.

Responsibility	County departments, local governments, NYS DEC, business community, Southern Tier West RPDB
	Ongoing
Funding:	Various local, state, and federal funds; foundation funds

Examples of potential initiatives/projects:

Permit and regulatory technical assistance initiatives

Ensure regional and local agencies provide collaborative, seamless, consistent, and timely customer service to business.

Responsibility	County departments, local governments, NYS DEC, business community, Southern Tier West RPDB
	Ongoing
Funding:	Various local, state, and federal funds; foundation funds

Examples of potential initiatives/projects:

Permit and regulatory technical assistance initiatives
Collaborative assistance programs

Develop a business-friendly regulatory and tax system and business assistance/incentive programs.

Responsibility	County departments, local governments, NYS DEC, business community, Southern Tier West RPDB
	Ongoing
Funding:	Various local, state, and federal funds; foundation funds

Examples of potential initiatives/projects:

Permit and regulatory technical assistance initiatives
Collaborative assistance programs

Enhance regional marketing capacity and activities.

Responsibility	County planning departments and economic development organizations, local governments, local/community development organizations, Southern Tier West RPDB
	Ongoing
Funding:	Various local, state, and federal funds; foundation funds

Examples of potential initiatives/projects:

Regional and local marketing initiatives, including:

Internal and external marketing of the quality of life in the region, including rural character, low crime rates, education and health services, recreational and cultural opportunities, etc.

External tourism marketing, including marketing of recreational, entertainment, sporting, and cultural assets

Targeted external marketing directed toward target industry clusters and specific development opportunities, encouraging high-wage, high-skill businesses to develop in the region

Market entrepreneurial and employment opportunities to college graduates, to those who previously had out-migrated from the region, and to displaced workers

Increased participation in global trade shows

Increased use of US DOC International Trade Administration and NYS ESD channels for international marketing

Increased utilization of “smart” and targeted web-based marketing efforts

Increased utilization of social media in economic development marketing activities

Regional and local branding initiatives

Regional ambassador initiatives

Marketing web site development and utilization of social media

Joint marketing and coordination of scheduling