Certified Sites Program Making It Easier for New Companies to Say YES
Cumberland County Improvement Authority has launched a Cumberland YES Certified Sites Program to ensure the marketability of available development sites throughout the county. This economic development effort streamlines the process being practiced in other states to qualify properties so that companies or their site selectors can conveniently identify matches for their property searches.
While definitions vary from state to state, the program certifies that the site has met initial due diligence required for matters such as planning, zoning, surveys, title work, environmental studies, soil analysis and public infrastructure engineering. According to CCIA officials, providing the site qualifying information to site selectors at the beginning of their search enables them to make informed decisions quickly without having to contact multiple sources.
Gerard Velazquez, Executive Director of the CCIA explained, “The new Cumberland YES Certified Sites Program is something to help us in our effort to attract more developers and companies to Cumberland County. Like most business propositions, creating convenience for the end user is critical. This program allows us to promote and market properties that will bring the county and its residents the best tax advantages.”
He added, “Especially when companies are anxious to get their operations up and running, they look first at certified properties. Having all the essential business information about an available location readily available will make it easier for prospect businesses and industries to say ‘Yes.’”
The process that most site selectors pursue to select a new location for industrial use can get quite complicated according to James Watson, Director of Construction & Economic Development at CCIA. “Part of the challenge for Site Selectors is tracking down various reports and other necessary documents to verify a location. Certified sites are often the first locations site selectors and companies search for when seeking a new location and now Cumberland County will be prepared to provide them the information they need,” Watson said.
The new program is an extension of the Improvement Authority’s current economic development titled Cumberland YES or Your Economic Solution. The campaign, which includes CumberlandYES.com, began in 2015 to better market the county as an attractive location to conduct and expand business.