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| Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department | |
|---|---|
| Name | Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department |
| Formation | 20th century |
| Jurisdiction | Franklin County |
| Headquarters | County Seat |
| Chief1 name | Director |
| Parent agency | County Administration |
Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department is a local public agency responsible for coordinating economic development activities, land use planning and regulatory review within Franklin County. It works with municipal governments such as County Seat councils, regional bodies like the Metropolitan Planning Organization, state agencies including the Department of Transportation, and federal programs such as the Economic Development Administration to implement strategic plans and manage capital projects. The department interfaces with private-sector actors including Chamber of Commerce, regional development agencies, and nonprofit institutions like community development corporations to achieve growth and land-use objectives.
The department traces its origins to postwar planning reforms that mirrored initiatives in places influenced by the New Deal and the Interstate Highway System. Early predecessors coordinated with state-level entities like the State Planning Office and federal programs such as the Public Works Administration and later adapted to policy shifts from the Community Development Block Grant program. During the late 20th century, responses to deindustrialization informed collaborations with agencies modeled on the Economic Development Administration and philanthropic partners akin to the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. Recent decades saw alignment with regional efforts led by organizations similar to the Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Regional Transportation Authority.
The department's mission aligns with statutory frameworks exemplified by the Local Government Act and the Comprehensive Planning Law to promote investment, coordinate infrastructure, and guide land-use decisions. Core functions include administering incentive programs comparable to tax increment financing and enterprise zones recognized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, managing zoning review analogous to municipal planning commissions, and preparing comprehensive plans in the spirit of the Smart Growth movement and the Sustainable Communities Initiative. It supports workforce strategies linked to state labor boards such as the Department of Labor and regional workforce development boards modeled after the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act structures.
Leadership follows a model similar to county departments in jurisdictions overseen by an elected Board of Supervisors or County Council with a professional director accountable to an County Administrator or Chief Administrative Officer. Internal divisions typically mirror functional units found in large agencies: Planning Division, Economic Development Division, Community Development Division, and Redevelopment and Housing Division. Advisory bodies include a Planning Commission, an Economic Development Authority, historic preservation commissions akin to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and stakeholder committees resembling business improvement districts.
Programs reflect common practice in local development agencies: small business loan funds comparable to the Small Business Administration loan programs, façade grant initiatives like those promoted by the National Trust Main Street Center, and brownfield remediation programs aligned with the Environmental Protection Agency brownfields program. Housing initiatives echo efforts from agencies similar to Housing and Urban Development and nonprofit partners such as Habitat for Humanity. Transportation-oriented development projects use principles advocated by the Federal Transit Administration and regional entities like the Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Project portfolios include industrial park developments inspired by models from economic development corporations, downtown revitalization projects similar to Main Street Program interventions, and logistics facilities aligned with corridors like the Interstate Highway System and rail initiatives coordinated with Amtrak and regional freight operators. Public-private partnerships are structured like agreements seen in cases involving urban renewal and transit-oriented development exemplified by projects associated with the Federal Transit Administration.
Land-use policies are framed by comprehensive plans modeled on provisions from the American Planning Association and zoning codes influenced by precedents such as the Euclid v. Ambler case. Policy tools include form-based codes used in places like Seaside, Florida, historic district regulation informed by the National Register of Historic Places, and environmental review processes comparable to those mandated under state equivalents of the National Environmental Policy Act.
Funding streams combine local revenue measures similar to property tax frameworks, state grant programs analogous to the State Infrastructure Bank, and federal grants from agencies such as the Economic Development Administration and the Department of Transportation. Partnerships extend to regional councils of governments like the Council of Governments, philanthropic foundations modeled on the Kresge Foundation, universities analogous to land-grant universities for research collaboration, and private developers organized through public–private partnerships.
Performance metrics follow practices endorsed by organizations like the International Economic Development Council, tracking indicators such as job creation comparable to Bureau of Labor Statistics metrics, permit throughput akin to municipal permit offices, capital investment measured in ways consistent with BEA regional accounts, housing unit production comparable to Census Bureau counts, and brownfield acres remediated measured against Environmental Protection Agency standards. Evaluation employs benchmarking with peer counties and uses economic modeling approaches found in studies by institutions similar to the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution.
Category:County agencies