by Brett Bishop
EDC Team Jefferson is partnering with the University of Washington through Livable City Year, a program that pairs UW students and faculty with communities to work on real planning projects. This quarter, undergraduate students are helping us identify the areas best suited for early development in the Irondale-Port Hadlock Urban Growth Area (PHUGA).
The students are working with their faculty under the direction of David Ballif, Executive Director at the EDC, and Brett Bishop, Economic Development Associate at the EDC. The Jefferson County Department of Community Development will provide relevant information as needed.
We are in the early stages of identifying catalyst sites: locations where new investment could spur further growth nearby. The students are building a mapping inventory of key sites that tracks current zoning, sewer access, known environmental constraints, and other information relevant to economic development.
The partnership benefits both sides. Students gain real-world experience in planning and economic development, and the EDC receives preliminary site information and data aggregation. After this academic quarter, graduate students will build on the undergraduates' work, expanding what we know about the PHUGA and giving the EDC a stronger foundation for future projects.
This groundwork will help the EDC understand where investment in Port Hadlock could do the most good for local businesses and residents alike. We'll share what we can as the work progresses. Business owners and property owners in the area who have questions, or who are interested in what's coming, are welcome to reach out to the EDC at brett@edcteamjefferson.org.