Economic Development Element

1.    Use Temecula’s development process as an “incentive”

•    Work with departments City-wide to create Team Temecula, to review the City’s permit process (formally called Process Improvement Team Program). 

•    Create Team Temecula process brochure for the public.

•    Establish formal New Business Ombudsman Program.

•    Conduct ongoing outreach to identify needs of local large employers.

•    Facilitate the growth of higher education in Temecula Valley through continual engagement of higher education institutions. 

•    Attract and facilitate a catalyst project in Uptown Temecula through marketing and public outreach efforts. 

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2.    Encourage Formation of local startups and entrepreneurs

•    Create marketing campaign to promote the City’s startup businesses.

•    Support the establishment of a Small Business Mentoring Program.

•    Promote Business to Business collaboration and sourcing. 

•    Coordinate/promote existing Business Support Resources.

•    Build relationships with new businesses using various social media platforms. 

“Action Plan: 

· Monitoring retail and meeting demand. The City has over 3 million square feet of retail centers including regional centers such as The Plaza and The Commons. Both centers have large value-oriented retailers, such as Lowes, Office Depot, Circuit City and Costco. 

· Maintaining a strong retail position. Taxable sales data from the California State Board of Equalization indicates that the City nearly doubled taxable retail sales in recent decades. Non-retail (business-to-business) taxable sales also increased markedly, reflective of the industrial development trend. 

· Recycling older commercial retail strip centers to mixed use with commercial, office and possibly mixed use residential development. 

· Working to retain, as well as encouraging the expansion of existing businesses with higher skilled employment and wages. 

· Continuing to attract industrial and high-technology businesses with higher skilled employment and wages. 

· Preserving the attractive appearance and design of the Cityªs industrial centers, such as the Ridge View Business Park. 

· Encouraging professional office development in key locations, such as high traffic volume corridors along I-15 and the SR-79 South corridor. 

· Developing solutions to address circulation issues, such as the SR-79 corridor, advocating high speed rail to facilitate better regional transportation solutions, and enhanced use of French Valley Airport. 

· Focusing on new components of the City’s tourism industry including interaction between the wineries, Old Town, and the Pechanga Entertainment Center. 

· Continuing investment in tourism venues, such as Old Town Temecula, the Annual Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival and the winery tours. 

· Developing lodging along the freeway, such as the Extended Stay America at Overland, which interacts well with the professional office and tourism markets and enhances fiscal viability. · Focusing on the interface between French Valley and other adjacent growth areas. 

· Preserving agriculture and wineries/tourist opportunities amidst growth pressures.

· Building better working relationships with key players, including the City of Murrieta, the Pechanga Band, and the County of Riverside. 

· Enhancing existing cultural amenities and encouraging the development of a hospital. · Developing improved telecommunications infra-structure and enhanced telecommuting opportunities.

· Maintaining an efficient product and material distribution system and developing supporting infrastructure such as a brine line. (pages 5, 6, 7, and 8) 

 

“These goals and policies address six major issues: 

1) promoting clean manufacturing businesses within the City,

2) diversifying Temeculaªs economic base, 

3) maintaining the economic base, 

4) establishing diverse education, job training, and placement systems, 

5) promoting local business advantages, and 

6) expanding the local tourism industry.” (page 8) 

 

“Goal 1: A strong base of clean manufacturing activities which employs a skilled labor force and can be successfully integrated into Temecula's community character. 

-Policy 1.1 Attract and retain a diverse range of business and industry that complements Temecula's character, utilizes the local workforce, and takes advantage of Temecula's location. -Policy 1.2 Encourage the growth and expansion of industry by providing high quality municipal services, facilities, and economic development assistance. 

-Policy 1.3 Encourage an environmentally-friendly business atmosphere that maintains local regulations favorable to clean industry and provides technical assistance to industries affected by new regional air quality regulations and other developing regional regulations. 

-Policy 1.4 Encourage the establishment of federal and State agency offices, corporate headquarters facilities, and other white-collar employers in Temecula to expand local employment opportunities. 

-Policy 1.5 Encourage the expansion and attractive appearance and design of professional office environments and industrial centers while maintaining the diversified manufacturing base. Policy 1.6 Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Corporation, and other organizations that encourage the establishment of high-paying jobs in the area.”

 

Goal 2 A diverse economic base including a range of manufacturing, retail, service, and knowledge-based professional activities. 

-Policy 2.1 Provide for industrial land uses which facilitate a variety of user types, including biomedical and high technology operations, manufacturing, business office, and research and development. 

-Policy 2.2 Plan for land use and development patterns that allow succession of use, adapt to Temecula's economic conditions, and promote development of properly located and well designed commercial centers meeting the diverse service needs of the City.

-Policy 2.3 Use redevelopment powers and opportunities to enhance development, including the revitalization of older commercial areas through the development of mixed use projects. 

-Policy 2.4 Encourage professional office development in key locations, such as high traffic volume corridors along I-15 and the SR-79 South Corridor. 

-Policy 2.5 Promote retail and other support activities that provide a broader selection of high-quality goods and services for residents, workers and tourists, including apparel, general merchandise, home furnishings and appliances.

 

Goal 3 A sound economic base providing a fiscal foundation for the City, quality community facilities, and high service levels. 

-Policy 3.1 Encourage a pattern of development that balances revenue generating land uses in phase with other uses that have negative fiscal impacts. 

-Policy 3.2 Encourage the growth or relocation of industries that generate local tax and employment advantages. 

-Policy 3.3 Evaluate fiscal impacts of new development on an ongoing basis and provide appropriate mitigation strategies. 

-Policy 3.4 Take advantage of Temecula's regional capture of taxable sales and continue to establish Temecula as a retail center. 

-Policy 3.5 Promote recycling and revitalization of older retail/commercial corridors within the City, including Jefferson Avenue, and potential increases in mixed use residential and commercial projects.

 

Goal 4 A diverse education, job training, and placement system which will develop and maintain a high quality work force in Temecula. 

-Policy 4.1 Support economic development goals through a range of education and training activities. 

-Policy 4.2 Establish a proactive, continuing dialogue between the City and educational institutions, including school districts, community colleges and universities on the phasing of development, service standards, and the needs of the work force. 

-Policy 4.3 Encourage development of a comprehensive higher education center in conjunction with interested private, community and state colleges or universities.

 

Goal 5 Promote the advantages to businesses of locating in Temecula, including cost advantages, amenities, housing, community activities, cultural amenities, and civic services. 

-Policy 5.1 Continue to develop and maintain the marketing program to publicize the advantages of relocating to Temecula.

-Policy 5.2 Monitor economic conditions in Temecula in comparison to other locations in California and throughout the nation to determine relative advantages. 

-Policy 5.3 Monitor and maintain the supply of diverse housing types and price ranges in relation to the supply of jobs to balance area-wide jobs, households, worker earnings and housing expenses throughout the City. 

-Policy 5.4 Monitor existing businesses and support small businesses and the business retention program to encourage local employment and growth of local businesses. 

-Policy 5.5 Continue to attract industrial and high-technology businesses that require higher skilled employment to take advantage of Temeculaªs skilled workforce. 

-Policy 5.6 Encourage the provision of cultural arts and amenities with the development of cultural facilities that enhance the Cityªs image and the local quality of life.

 

Goal 6 A comprehensive, recognizable tourist destination, offering a range of attractions throughout and beyond the Planning Area. 

-Policy 6.1 Encourage and enhance cooperative efforts with the wine-making industry and other tourism organizations in the Temecula Valley to promote Temecula as a destination resort.

Policy 6.2 Support tourism venues, including commercial recreation, convention, resort, and wine-making activities, that spotlight the desirability of, and bring visitors to, the Temecula Valley. 

-Policy 6.3 Continue to expand Old Town’s role in local tourism and improve its attractiveness, accessibility, and economic vitality, as well as it’s interaction with other local attractions. Policy -6.4 Encourage development of lodging along the freeway which interacts well with the professional office and tourism markets and enhances fiscal viability.