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<br />2) Conduct regular "Economic Development Forums" <br /> <br />. Invite local banks, commercial property owners, developers, business owners, <br />city staff, and council representatives <br />. Give progress report on the status of economic development in U. City. <br />· Solicit feedback <br />· Facilitate cooperative efforts between attendees <br /> <br />3) Provide technical assistance to business districts through an annual seminar or workshop <br /> <br />. Draw upon experts in our own community and the wider St. Louis area <br />· Provide assistance to encourage special business districts, community <br />improvement districts, and other tools that increase the capacity of local business <br />associations <br /> <br />4) Pass resolution instituting "Local Procurement Preferences" <br />. In the municipal bidding and contracting processes, give extra weight or <br />preference to proposals from businesses that are locally owned. The preferences <br />should be additive, not substitutive, in relation to preferences already established <br />for women or minority ownership <br />· Encourage staff to require that discretionary municipal spending go to local <br />businesses whenever possible <br /> <br />5) Pass resolution instituting a "Formula Store Cap" <br />· Place a cap on the number of formula stores that can operate in University City, <br />or a designated geographic subsection, through zoning ordinance. This cap will <br />ensure that University City commercial districts do not become homogenized and <br />loss their sense of unique community character. <br />· Formula store definition: Formula businesses include retail stores, restaurants, <br />and other establishments that are required by contract to adopt standardized <br />services, methods of operation, decor, uniforms, architecture or other features <br />virtually identical to businesses located in other communities. Formula Store <br />Caps do no prevent a chain store from coming in, but they do require that the <br />incoming chain not look or operate like any other branch in the country. <br /> <br />6) Provide the resources necessary for a dedicated economic development professional <br />within City government focused entirely on economic development activity. This <br />development person would coordinate the programs and policies identified above, in <br />addition to: <br />· Ensuring business recruitment and retention <br />· Serving as an advocate and facilitator for businesses and developers pursuing <br />sustainable economic development <br /> <br />Supplemental research, economic impact studies, and sample resolutions from other <br />municipalities around the country are available on request. <br /> <br />8 <br />