Issue link: http://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/791946
POLICY DIRECTION In order to respond to the economic challenges and opportuni es facing Cary, including maintaining a strong and diverse local economy and providing a variety of employment op ons in Town, the Town of Cary's employment policies are: Policy Direction Policy Policy Intent Policy 1: Grow A Sustainable and Diversifying Workforce Support the growth of a sustainable and diverse workforce that meets the needs of Cary's businesses over time, and that supports and attracts future economic growth. The intent of this policy is to facilitate the continued growth of the Town's local economy by ensuring that our businesses have access to the type of diverse labor force and professional talent that meets their changing needs over time. An objective of this policy is therefore to create a sustainable workforce for the local economy – one that includes a variety of skill sets, ages, and career stages. Growing a diverse workforce will require housing, transportation, shopping, and recreational options that meet the needs of the 21st century workforce. Policy 2: Enhance Locational Appeal to Businesses and Workers Maintain or enhance Cary's locational appeal to businesses and workers. This includes providing a quality of life and a built environment that appeals to, and attracts, both businesses/employers and the workforce of tomorrow. The intent of this policy is to proactively address the changing nature of the types of workplace locations and environments that are increasingly being sought by office employers, as well as by young professionals. In order to remain a competitive location for 21st Century businesses and workers, a key objective is to provide the types of locations and built environments in our community that will enable us to successfully compete for both the businesses and the workers of today and tomorrow. For example, by encouraging the growth of vibrant and walkable mixed use centers that promote live, work, play environments. This policy is complemented by Policies 8, 10, and 12. Policy 3: Retain and Grow Existing Cary Businesses Focus attention on retaining core businesses that are already located in Cary, and support and encourage the local growth of those businesses. The intent of this policy is to recognize that the presence of existing businesses in Cary is of vital importance to the community, as is the economic growth of those businesses. A key objective of the policy is to retain firms and jobs that are already located in Cary, and to not lose them to other localities. Another objective is to encourage the growth of existing Cary businesses, including local job growth. The Town's role should be based on building partnerships with the local business community and business development partners, to facilitate regular and frequent coordination and collaboration. Such coordination might include things such as: • Collaboratively identifying and prioritizing capital improvements and changes to facilities or services that might have the most positive impact on retention and growth. • Collaboratively evaluating and identifying Town regulations and programs that help support retention and growth. 37