The leaders of New Smyrna Beach have a
plan, and they have had a stopwatch.
They are striving to enhance the city’s
quality of life through the creation and
preservation of healthy businesses and good
jobs. They want to accomplish this by working
with companies that are looking to start a new
business, expand an existing business, or
relocate a business to New Smyrna Beach.
Over the past few months, city leaders have
been pursuing the 100-Day Economic
Development Plan, underscoring the
commitment and pursuit.
The plan got its name from Mayor Adam
Barringer when he was a candidate. “I saw a
need for a formal economic development plan
and felt this should be a high priority,” said
Barringer. “I titled it the 100-
Day Economic
Development Plan as a
commitment to get the plan
refined and presented to the
city council within my first
100 days in office, which
began back on Nov. 10.With
the help of many people in
city government, county government, the
Southeast Volusia Chamber and the business
community, the plan was completed within
that time. The city council already has held a
workshop to discuss implementation.”
“We applaud the efforts of New Smyrna
Beach in pursuing an organized and aggressive
economic development program,” said Phil
Ehlinger, economic development director for
Volusia County Government. “It’s a great city
with enormous appeal, but its leaders are not
resting on the city’s laurels. They are crafting
strategies that will serve them well in the 21st
century.”
The county provided a $5,900 grant in
support of the city’s process.
Part of the plan calls for cooperation
between New Smyrna Beach officials and
other entities.
“Economic development officials from
New Smyrna Beach and Volusia County often
have worked together on projects,” said Steve
Dennis, Executive Vice President of the
Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce.
“None of us is as smart as all of us.”
The goals of the plan are both qualitative
and quantitative. The first goal is to advance
the image and cultural performance of the city,
which seems to build on its reputation as a
haven for the arts. Other goals deal with
organizational development (such as creation
of the Economic Development Advisory
Board), streamlining permitting and enhancing
the tourism.
The plan calls for careful analysis of
geography and industrial clusters to maximize
growth opportunities while preserving the
city’s charm and character. Support systems are
being developed on behalf of employers
already doing business in New Smyrna Beach,
specifically in the areas of business retention
and expansion. Similarly, incentive and training
programs to benefit new employers are
planned to add to the city’s corporate appeal.
The plan calls for specific measures to
protect and expand cultural, artistic and natural
resources in the area and encourage events that
are in keeping with the city’s character. The
plan identifies the need to consider annexation
opportunities as they arise, in an effort to
perfect city boundaries and manage
infrastructure needs and demands. It also calls
for analysis of growth and expansion
opportunities for the New Smyrna Beach
Airport, seen by many as an important
contributor to the economic vitality of the area.
