Goals and Strategies

Retain and recruit business in the professional service, technology, light manufacturing and health care industries to provide a balanced economic base.

• Deploy economic development resources and tools to targeted industries seeking to locate or expand in Meridian.
• Enhance the City’s online presence for business audiences through improved website pages and social media channels.
• Identify existing businesses in desired trade and local sectors to be used in location conversations.
• Increase visibility with a technology or health care conference in Meridian.

Support business development that increases the number of family wage jobs to allow employees to live and work in Meridian.

• Support property owners in securing tenants that create family wage jobs.
• Assist new and existing businesses seeking to bring or expand family wage jobs.
• Work with the development community to facilitate the creation of business/industrial/research parks.
• Plan and prioritize infrastructure projects to support commercial and industrial growth.

Utilize urban renewal areas and specific area plans to promote business investment in targeted areas to meet community needs.

• Proactively manage floodplain concerns to maximize development potential in effected community areas.
• Evaluate the current urban renewal areas and how best to utilize them during their remaining lifespan.
• Create targeted urban renewal areas to spur investment and needed infrastructure improvements.
• Determine long-term adequacy of commercial and industrial zoned properties throughout the City for employment opportunities.

Pursue multi-story residential and mixed-use projects in downtown that provide an increased quality of live and value to our citizens.

• Support downtown improvements that create a sense of place to draw residents, business and patrons.
• Redevelop 2nd Street as a flexible multifunctional corridor that provides a regional gathering place.
• Develop strategy to address long-term parking needs for residential and commercial areas.
• Maximize space planning needs of City facilities to complement downtown improvements.

Collaborate with impacted parties and agencies in our downtown area to effectively plan economic vitality in alignment with the sun setting of the urban renewal district.

• Coordinate with other public stakeholders to identify and mitigate impediments to private investment.
• Support Meridian Downtown Business Association efforts to establish a business improvement district and achieve Main Street USA accreditation.
• Maximize space usage of current and new facilities built in downtown.
• Outline a Vision for the future of our urban core with community stakeholders.

Outcome Measure

• Improved rating on a place to start/do business and as a city.
• Improved rating on is developing a strong local economy (Citizen Survey Q1, #04, #06).