Stuck in the Middle
In a
recent meeting with Bob Tunis, North Port's Director of Economic
Development, a distinct difference of attitude became apparent
between our neighbors to our immediate north and our Charlotte County
community. While many factors must be considered. from impact fees
and permitting, and even access to Interstate 75, one attitude is
immediately and obviously different: North Port considers growth a
good thing.
It's
not that certain segments of Charlotte County don't want growth. We,
unfortunately, have an excess of CAVE people who rail against any
form of progress. In case you're new to our area, CAVE people are
Citizens Against Virtually Everything! And there are still enough
around to cause Charlotte County to lag behind the rest of the state
in average salary and median income!
Perhaps
North Port's lowering of the average age of its residents from the
mid-60s only five short years ago, quite like Charlotte County, to
an average age of mid-40s has something to do with the effort and
attitudes in working to bring in clean, high-tech industries.
Charlotte County's median age, however, has increased slightly in
those five years. It is still the oldest "average age"
county in Florida.
To
complicate matters, our economic development focus tends to emphasize
an alignment with our neighbors some 30 miles to the south instead of
the community a few miles to our north.
Charlotte
County has elected to align with the Lee County Economic Development
Council and not interact with North Port or Sarasota economic
development groups. Janet Watermeier, Lee County's outgoing economic
development director, is well known and highly respected for the
outstanding work she has done for Lee County and the Fort Myers area,
and indeed the benefit of that alliance cannot be disputed. Why,
however, must that alignment be mutually exclusive?
North
Port is closer to the shopping and restaurants in Port Charlotte than
to Venice. That is changing. As planning for hotels, civic centers,
restaurants and shopping areas becomes actual construction, Port
Charlotte will feel the drain of cash flow as traffic remains or even
migrates to North Port. Major name retailers will soon find North
Port. Only a 10 percent growth from its current traffic and
residential numbers will validate a new expansion model that may well
trigger another round of interest and development.
North
Port will also benefit from the planned Murdock town center, which
will be only several miles from there, It would be to Charlotte
County's benefit to communicate and cooperate with not only the city
of North Port, but Sarasota County as well.
North
Port's overall demeanor. not just the economic development office.
has a reputation for bending over backward s to welcome new
businesses and residents to the city. We should look at North Port as
an expansion partner, not as a competitor.
Even
if we did get the new Bob Evans and Carrabas.
George
Mindling ©
2003
