Looking at the county's numbers for viable solutions

The 32-citizen volunteer steering committee met last Thursday, Aug. 6, discussing two of many key elements regarding Chesterfield County Comprehensive Plan. McDuffie “Mac” Nichols, a consultant from the Washington D.C.-based Economic Research Associates that is part of AECOM, reviewed two reports based on Economic Development and Revitalization before the steering committee broke out into a brain-storming session last week. The reports are available here.

Several committee members requested data that compared Chesterfield County to the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area to be narrowed to each of the counties in the MSA. “Chesterfield is more like Henrico than the city of Richmond,” Nichols said. “A split to some is more helpful to understand the issue.”

Nichols cautioned the group to look at the statistics earlier in the decade rather than the last few years to get a better understanding of normal levels regarding housing, real estate and industry rather than the bubble that existed in later years. “The problem is that we have been in the bubble for a long time,” Nichols said.

The report noted that the county’s unemployment rate had remained “consistently lower” than the nation, state and the MSA as of last year. The construction and retail industry had a strong concentration as well as the arts industry which saw growth over the decade. However, management positions in the county saw a decline.

“There are a lot of [Chesterfield] families working those industries, but the jobs are not located in this county,” Nichols said explaining that county’s household income data reflect people work in those positions as well as commute to other counties. “The county is not getting the benefit of the job, but having the benefit of the people who have those types of jobs.”

Nichols added that the office campuses located in Henrico County is one type of economic development strategy to encourage those types of jobs within Chesterfield County. The county, in its considerable size, shifts from an urbanized space to rural east to west which can be challenging as well as provide good opportunities.

He also cautioned that economic development is not just for job creation and opportunity, but to help local businesses expand and continue to be successful.

The Chesterfield County Comprehensive Plan focuses on more than how land is used within the county. Nichols noted it can identify real opportunities for economic growth. “These are things to be done for policies or programs to encourage what you want to have happen in the jobs industries,” he said.

Besides infrastructure, development, education and housing for all types of homes are shaped by policy, Nichols explained. Although there are economic forces beyond a localities control, the plan can set a direction for current and future leadership. The steering committee and public input expands beyond the scope of county staff. “Getting citizens involved represents other interests including private business and community organizations who see problems in a different way and come up with different solutions,” he said.

The steering committee’s brain storm session focused on economic development and revitalization problems, goals and actions to consider in developing the proposed plan. The next committee meeting will focus on environment, public facilities, and water & wastewater will be held on Monday, Aug. 17.