HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda EDAB 071504Economic Development Advisory Board
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9 Likip
PALM BEACH GARDENS
Economic Development Advisory Board — Special Meeting
Thursday - July 15, 2004 - 8:30 a.m.
Council Chambers — City Hall
Meeting Agenda
1. Welcome
Ed Sabin, Chair
2. Review of Minutes from May 20, 2004 Members
3. Consideration of Economic Development Element for the Comprehensive Plan for
the City of Palm Beach Gardens.
4. Distribution of member application for newly sanctioned Economic Development
Advisory Board (new member effective date October 1, 2004).
5. Establish Next Month's Topic Ed Sabin, Chair
6. Next Meeting Date
7. Adjourn
r)nlnraa Kau P —nnmir naval —manf R hAarknfinn Arlminktrafnr
Thursday
August 19th, 2004
8:30 am
Data and Analysis
Economic Development Comprehensive Plan Element
The City of Palm Beach Gardens was founded on March 20, 1959 by John D.
MacArthur, multimillionaire insurance magnate and landowner. Mr. MacArthur
envisioned a city where streets were lined with trees and waterways intertwined
throughout the community — a "garden city" that embraced environmental conservation
and provided an exceptional standard of living where residents could live and work. He
embarked upon turning approximately 4,000 acres of dairy land into this reality.
Since those early days, the City of Palm Beach Gardens has made strides to stay
aligned with that original vision and has safeguarded those desires through the
Comprehensive Plan. Approximately one -third of all development must be dedicated to
green space — a standard that is rigorously enforced. Streetscapes and landscape
buffers are evident throughout the City. Indeed, green space is one of the core values
of the community as a whole and has lured people and companies to Palm Beach
Gardens. Although many people have moved to live in Palm Beach Gardens, data
suggests that most residents must commute out of the city for employment.
Assessment of Need
The City of Palm Beach Gardens has evolved into an upscale bedroom community.
The current tax base of the City reflects a dependence on residential tax assessments.
See Table 1. Data for 2003 indicates that approximately 80% of ad valorem taxes are
generated by the residential component. See Table 2.
Economic trends are shifting away from bedroom communities; therefore, in an effort to
diversify and thus stabilize the economic base, the City of Palm Beach Gardens must
attract industries and employers. Additionally, the City does not assess many of the
traditional taxes that other municipalities use for generating revenue, but rather, it
primarily depends on ad valorem taxes to fund services. See Table 3. Residents are
not assessed additional taxes for utility, solid waste, storm water, or fire rescue; and pay
a minimal amount in communication services taxes. The City has opted to pay for these
services out of ad valorem assessments.
Because the City of Palm Beach Gardens has been fortunate to have land mass that
has been available for residential development, the reliance on ad valorem taxation has
not been a major concern. However, as the City approaches build -out, it is prudent to
diversify the tax base in lieu of the escalating costs of providing services to residents.
The Florida Legislature has come under increasing pressure to increase the homestead
exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 for qualifying homeowners. If passed, the effect on
the City of Palm Beach Gardens tax rolls would be substantial and would necessitate
the exploration of alternate funding mechanisms to maintain current levels of services
and /or budget cuts.
1
$4,500,000,000
$4,000,000,000
$3,500,000,000
$3,000,000,000
$2,500,000,000
$2,000,000,000
$1.500,000,000
$1,000,000,000
$500,000,000
Table 1
Ad Valorem Taxes
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
(Total Residential —M— Business —*—Other
Historical Data Compiled from Tax Rolls - City of Palm Beach Gardens, Finance
Table 2
2003 Ad Valorem Tax Percentages
Commercial Other
20.06% 1.15%
Residential
General Fund (ad valorem) e $52,714,507 78.79%
Data Compiled from Tax Rolls, 2003 - City of Palm Beach Gardens, Finance
4
Table 3
Total Cost Comparison of Area Municipalities
Based on $225.000 Homesteaded Property
Comparative Prepared by Finance Division — City of Palm Beach Gardens, 2003
Balanced and Diversified Economy
Value -added employment opportunities in the City of Palm Beach Gardens can be
provided through the recruitment of new industries to and expansion of existing
companies in the City. The benefits of more diverse employment opportunities include:
■ Citizens with a variety of employment options enjoy a better quality of life.
■ Municipalities with a diverse range of corporate citizens reap a broader financial
base and more stable economy.
■ Regardless of an individual, public, private, or non - profit perspective, revenue
flow is vital.
A value -added employer is defined as a company with an average (median) employee
compensation package of 10 - 15% higher than Palm Beach County's average salary
and /or neighboring communities. Traditionally, the actual salary paid to the employee
should be 10% higher than the county average, but there are cases where the entire
employee package (life and health insurance, benefit program, IRA or retirement
package, etc.) may be considered if a company is in a specific target industry sector
that is desirable for economic growth in a municipality.
4
Ad
Utility
Solid
Storm
PBC
Valorem
Tax
CST
Waste
Water
Fire
Total
Palm Beach
Gardens
1,208
0
24
0
0
0
$1,232
Wellington
600
300
63
106
120
610
$1,799
Jupiter
906
300
80
83
46
380
$1,795
Royal Palm
Beach
1,2061
300
63
841
0
0
$1,653
North Palm
Beach
1,360
300
84
80
0
0
$1,824
West Palm
Beach
1,6961
300
651
1921
561
0
$2,309
Riviera
Beach
2,000
300
66
134
54
0
$2,554
Comparative Prepared by Finance Division — City of Palm Beach Gardens, 2003
Balanced and Diversified Economy
Value -added employment opportunities in the City of Palm Beach Gardens can be
provided through the recruitment of new industries to and expansion of existing
companies in the City. The benefits of more diverse employment opportunities include:
■ Citizens with a variety of employment options enjoy a better quality of life.
■ Municipalities with a diverse range of corporate citizens reap a broader financial
base and more stable economy.
■ Regardless of an individual, public, private, or non - profit perspective, revenue
flow is vital.
A value -added employer is defined as a company with an average (median) employee
compensation package of 10 - 15% higher than Palm Beach County's average salary
and /or neighboring communities. Traditionally, the actual salary paid to the employee
should be 10% higher than the county average, but there are cases where the entire
employee package (life and health insurance, benefit program, IRA or retirement
package, etc.) may be considered if a company is in a specific target industry sector
that is desirable for economic growth in a municipality.
4
In 2000, the average (median) salary in Palm Beach County was $41,007. Therefore,
the City should seek employers that pay an average salary of at least $45,107 if based
on County's average. Based on an analysis of the demographic data contained in
Table 3, one may ascertain that residents in Palm Beach Gardens have the necessary
skill sets to attract companies that pay an annual salary of $45,107 (value -added
employer for Palm Beach Gardens).
Additionally, the small gap between median household and per capita income in Palm
Beach Gardens seems to indicate that there is one "breadwinner" or primary wage
earner per household. Typically speaking, the larger the gap between household and
per capita income, the more likely it is that there are two or more people contributing to
the household income. By contrast, the smaller the gap, the more likely it is that the
monies are derived from other income sources (investments in real estate, stock
markets, etc.).
Table 4
El
Data Compiled from US Census 2000 — DP 3
The official economic development organization for the county, the Business
Development Board of Palm Beach County, Inc., has identified several economic cluster
areas that are targeted for economic growth in Palm Beach County. Based on a study
conducted by the Stanford Research Institute International (SRI) in the late 1990s,
cluster areas in the county for economic growth included: Technology; Business &
Financial; Medical & Pharmaceutical; Aerospace & Engineering; Agri-Business-; and
Median Household Income vs Per Capita Income
$80,000
$54,766
$70,271
$70,000
$59,776
$60,248
$45,
$60,000
$39,845
4
Indicator of Dual
$30,726
Family Income
$50,000
$22,573 $
628
23,188
1
$40,000
$30,000
520,000
$10,000
$0
Palm Beach
Boca Raton Boynton Beach
Royal Palm
Wellington
West Palm
Gardens
Beach
Beach
El
Data Compiled from US Census 2000 — DP 3
The official economic development organization for the county, the Business
Development Board of Palm Beach County, Inc., has identified several economic cluster
areas that are targeted for economic growth in Palm Beach County. Based on a study
conducted by the Stanford Research Institute International (SRI) in the late 1990s,
cluster areas in the county for economic growth included: Technology; Business &
Financial; Medical & Pharmaceutical; Aerospace & Engineering; Agri-Business-; and
$54,766
542,975
$45,
$39,845
4
$30,726
$22,573 $
$21,875 2
23,188
1
Data Compiled from US Census 2000 — DP 3
The official economic development organization for the county, the Business
Development Board of Palm Beach County, Inc., has identified several economic cluster
areas that are targeted for economic growth in Palm Beach County. Based on a study
conducted by the Stanford Research Institute International (SRI) in the late 1990s,
cluster areas in the county for economic growth included: Technology; Business &
Financial; Medical & Pharmaceutical; Aerospace & Engineering; Agri-Business-; and
Tourism. Source: Cooperating to Compete in the 21St Century: An Industry Cluster
Development Strategy for Palm Beach County, Jan. 1998.
In analyzing the SRI study and considering demographic data on workforce skill sets,
education levels, average age, and lifestyle factors compiled about the City's residents,
the City's Economic Development Advisory Board (comprised of private sector
members) made recommendations for the appropriate target market(s) that the City
should pursue in order to diversify the tax base.
Additional factors that were considered in identifying target markets for the recruitment
of value -added employers were: the void created by the down - sizing of Pratt - Whitney
and Sikorsky (aerospace and engineering) that created a "brain- trust" available in the
county population; growth in local business aviation (Belcan and Embraer), not to be
confused with commercial aviation industry; stability of the pharmaceutical industry;
growth of local companies in medical device manufacturing (3i — Implant Innovations
and Anspach); and cross application of skill sets in the workforce (i.e., aerospace
technical engineering skills are cross applicable in a myriad of industries — specifically
medical device design).
Identified industry sectors that should be targeted in order to diversify the economy of
the City of Palm Beach Gardens are:
■ Medical & Pharmaceutical
■ Aerospace & Engineering
■ Information Technology
■ Research & Development
■ Business & Financial Services
■ Education
■ Corporate Headquarters
A historical analysis of business sector growth based on Occupational Licenses issued
by the City of Palm Beach Gardens from 1987 through 2003 further emphasizes the
need to diversify the economy with value -added employer options. See Table 5.
Currently, since the manufacturing and industry sectors are insignificant in Palm Beach
Gardens, they have been consolidated into a "commercial" category for evaluation
purposes. The heavy emphasis on service and retail is typical for bedroom
communities. Service and retail components of the economy, by definition, "spin"
wealth rather than create wealth. In normal circumstances, both the service and retail
sectors are dependent upon monies that already exist in a geographic region.
By contrast, the commercial, industrial, and manufacturing sectors export goods and
therefore are not dependent on local money for survival. There are exceptions to the
rule. Information Technology, for example, is usually considered a service sector
industry, yet, is not dependent on the local customer base. Thanks to the capabilities of
the World Wide Web and Internet connection, the transfer of intellectual knowledge or
technology services is a simple click of a button.
E
Increasingly, commercial, industrial, and manufacturing companies are opting to utilize
the Internet for marketing purposes to expand their customer base, thereby cushioning
the impacts of a specific geographically -based revenue stream. According to the
Strategis Group, the number of US households with Internet access has grown from
14.9 million in 1995 to a projected 90 million in 2005. Internet marketing expenditures
are projected to grow from $1 billion in 1998 to $9 billion in 2003. Source: CE
Unterberg Towbin. The Internet opens international marketing to another customer
base and makes it possible to reach overseas markets as easily as if they were next
door.
Table 5
Growth Trends of Business Sector
3500 - ------ �T
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
-,*,-Commercial -;- Retail -!-Service
2001 2002 2003
City of Palm Beach Gardens, G/S Division and Occupational Licenses Division
It is, therefore, important to create new money in the community by seeking value -
added employers that can contribute to the stability of the local economy, provide
sustainable high - paying employment opportunities to residents, and ensure a tax
revenue stream not dependent merely on land development. Equally as important is
retaining and assisting companies that are already located in Palm Beach Gardens to
expand. Based on data collected by the Occupational Licenses Department, in Fiscal
Year 2003 -2004, the City maintained an 84% retention rate of operating businesses.
This seems to indicate that monies in the local economy for the service and retail
sectors are strong; otherwise, the retention rate would be less.
0
Inventory of Assets
In order to attract companies that are an appropriate match for the residents of Palm
Beach Gardens, it is necessary to quantify the skill sets and number of people in the
local workforce. Generally speaking, the Palm Beach Gardens' workforce is comprised
of professionals who are in the middle of their career cycles and are more stable and
educated than surrounding areas in Palm Beach County. See Tables 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9.
Table 6
City of Palm Beach Gardens
Population Totals
45000
40000
35000
u
30
(Left to Right)
■ Palm Beach Gardens x p
OBoca Raton
20.7 207
IjBoynton Beach t5
§Royal Palm Beach 0
%Wellington
30000
25000
■ West Palm Beach 5
0 t :
US Census 2000 - DP2
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
1990
1991
1992
1993 1
1994
1995 1
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
—1 -Total I
22990 1
24447 1
27553 1
28635 1
30048
31011 1
31909
33229
33824
34577 1
35058 1
35463
36498
39423
Bureau of Economic and Business Research - 2004
Table 7
Population 25 & Over With Bachelor's Degree or Higher
m
u
30
(Left to Right)
■ Palm Beach Gardens x p
OBoca Raton
20.7 207
IjBoynton Beach t5
§Royal Palm Beach 0
%Wellington
■ West Palm Beach 5
0 t :
US Census 2000 - DP2
Data Compiled from US Census 2000 — DP 2
7
Table 8
Percent Distribution of Occupations in the City of Palm Beach Gardens
10.
123
30.3
16.9
■ Management, Professional & Related 46.9%
■ Sales & Office 30.3%
0 Government workers 10.9%
■ Manufacturing 6.5%
■ Production, transportation & material moving 57%
■ Construction, extraction & maintenance 4.6%
0 Farming, fishing & forestry 0.2%
■Agriculture, forest fishing & hunting 0.2%
Source: GCT -P13 Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker of Employed Civilians 16 Years and Over
Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) — Sample Data
Table 9
Data Compiled from US Census 2000 — DP 1
Median Age of Population
42.9
4'.8
40
}
c
37
S 3
.7
36
30
I
26
Palm
Boca Boynton Royal Wellington West
Beach
Raton Beach Palm Palm
Gardens
Beach Beach
US Census 2000 - DP - t
Data Compiled from US Census 2000 — DP 1
Governmental Policies
Other items bearing on successful economic development from a governmental
perspective are growth management policies, the regulatory environment, approval
processes, licensing, taxation, and other items that affect a company's ability to conduct
business, and by extension, its profitability in Palm Beach Gardens.
Dedication of land space to the value -added business sector is critical, especially as the
City approaches build -out. Developers, by nature, would rather build high -end housing
because it typically has a faster return on investment in Palm Beach Gardens. Growth
management policies that provide incentives for nonresidential, value -added land uses,
therefore, are an integral component of a successful economic development strategy.
The City must resist the temptation to convert land space that has been dedicated to
non - retail commercial activities to other uses. See Tables 10 & 11. Additionally, current
vacant land should be examined and perhaps rezoned to allow space for value -added
employers that provide new and sustainable dollars in the local economy. Again, it
needs to be emphasized that the retail component of the business sector does not
qualify as a value -added employer in the City of Palm Beach Gardens by definition, and
therefore the focus should be on land uses that promote the City's objective of value -
added employers.
As mentioned earlier, nearly 50% of land space is dedicated to residential and
approximately 80% of ad valorem tax revenues are derived from the residential
component in Palm Beach Gardens. See Table 10. Trends indicate that bedroom
communities are failing — people want to be able to live, play, learn, and work within a
15 — 25 minute commute, thereby raising their own quality of life. These trends can be
documented in the recent phenomena of the number of mixed -use land communities
that have been popping up throughout the United States.
Equally as important are addressing infrastructure requirements that may affect
economic growth. These issues include: road networks, public transportation,
workforce availability, education, and a myriad of other issues that enable businesses to
remain competitive. Perhaps the most critical, and not so obvious, is anticipating the
trends in technology. Value -added industries, particularly the scientific community, rely
heavily on computers for running models and for communication. Increasingly, trends
are shifting to wireless technology. As the protocol for wireless communications and
related security issues are refined, the City of Palm Beach Gardens must remain
cognizant of the changing trends to ensure that companies have access to the tools that
make them competitive.
9
Table 10
Future Land Use within Existing City Boundaries - 2003
1%— ■ Residential 46%
1%
1% SConservation 35%
4% 2% 2% 2% 46°!
❑Golf 6
6%
❑Commercial Recreation 4%
• Commercial 2%
■Public 2%
■Industrial 2%
35 0 0 ❑Mixed Use 1 %
■Professional Office 1%
■Recreation Open Space 1%
City of Palm Beach Gardens — GIS Division, 2004
Table 11
Land Allocation in Palm Beach Gardens - 2004
Work
Learn 4%
1% Play
25%
Live
70%
Note: "Play" element does not account for green space within the
residential or "Live" component.
City of Palm Beach Gardens — GIS Division, 2004
10
The City of Palm Beach Gardens does not currently offer financial incentives to
expanding or relocating companies; therefore, working with the officially sanctioned
State and County economic development organizations that offer financial incentives is
paramount. Forming strategic alliances with Enterprise Florida and the Business
Development Board of Palm Beach County will strengthen the City's reach to prospects.
The City of Palm Beach Gardens will work with the State Office of Tourism, Trade and
Economic Development (OTTED) when appropriate to facilitate expedited review of
qualifying projects. Additionally, the City of Palm Beach Gardens offers a targeted
expedited permitting program.
Targeted Expedited Permitting Program
The Targeted Expedited Permitting Program expedites the planning, zoning, and
building permitting process. The Targeted Expedited Permitting Program is available to
companies that are expanding operations or moving into the City so that value added
employment may be created at a faster pace. Companies must meet specific criteria in
order to qualify for the Targeted Expedited Permitting Program.
The Targeted Expedited Permitting Program provides qualifying projects an efficient
process to resolve issues in a timely manner through face -to -face meetings with a City
representative without sacrificing any requirements as established by the City's Code of
Ordinances. As with any project, the City of Palm Beach Gardens reserves the
authority to deny a proposal that does not meet the City code or City comprehensive
plan requirements.
Qualifiers for the Targeted Expedited Permitting Program
• Appling companies must fall into specific industry clusters as recommended by
the Economic Development Advisory Board. Industry areas include:
o Aerospace / Engineering
o Medical / Pharmaceutical / RD
• Business / Financial Services
• Information Technology
• Education
• Corporate Headquarters
■ Companies must create at least fifty (50) new positions in the City of Palm
Beach Gardens within the first two (2) years of operations OR expand
operations as a result of creating same amount of positions in the past two (2)
years OR a combination of the two.
■ Positions created must be considered value -added employment based on the
average wages and /or compensation paid by the employer.
■ Value -added employment is defined when the average compensation package
of positions created is at least 10% higher than the current per capita income
11
W-
level in Palm Beach Gardens. This equates to $47,272 / year as of September
2003.
■ Positions must be sustainable for a five (5) year period of time.
■ Companies must pass the City's due diligence process to establish solvency
and credibility prior to acceptance into the program.
■ Due diligence may include a Dun & Bradstreet report.
■ Due diligence reports must be reviewed by the Economic Development
Advisory Board, City Manager, Economic Development Administrator, and /or
Financial Administrator for the City of Palm Beach Gardens.
■ Companies must receive an endorsement from the Economic Development
Advisory Board to qualify or qualify for State of Florida or Palm Beach County
economic incentives as administered by the official economic development
agencies.
■ Company must appoint a Project Manager for communication purposes.
■ Start date for filling newly created positions will be considered within six (6)
months after company receives a Certificate of Occupancy.
■ Companies may qualify for Targeted Expedited Permitting Program if the
company is a sanctioned project by the State of Florida or officially sanctioned
economic development organizations (OTTED, Enterprise Florida, or Business
Development Board of Palm Beach County).
Benefits of the Targeted Expedited Permitting Program
Companies that have been accepted into the Targeted Expedited Permitting Program
shall receive:
■ A single Point of Contact for the approval process as appointed by the City
Manager or Economic Development Administrator.
■ Establishment of necessary steps required for project approval in pre - application
meeting with the Growth Management Department.
■ Itemized completion timetable.
■ Priority at every phase of the review process by City staff and contracted
engineering firm, including face -to -face meetings.
12
■ Review by City staff and engineering firm conducted within five (5) business days
of submission.
■ If problems are identified, a face -to -face meeting of all concerned parties will be
called within two (2) business days so that a resolution may be found in a timely
and efficient manner.
■ City- appointed Point of Contact will be kept apprised of all developments
regarding a project by City's Engineering, Growth Management, and Building
Departments in order to trouble -shoot and keep sanctioned projects on track.
■ City's Point of Contact will provide a weekly status report (minimally) to
Company's Project Manager.
■ An economic impact report that will be included with the staff reports to the
Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.
Seasonal Employment Fluctuations in the Retail and Service Sectors
South Florida has had the reputation of the perfect vacation spot during the winter
months. This has resulted in a large percentage of seasonal employment options and
has contributed to drastic swings in locally generated tourist dollars. PGA National
Resort and Spa, The Marriot of Palm Beach Gardens, DoubleTree Hotel, all have vast
swings in "tourist" bookings between the winter and the summer months, and therefore
employment. Indeed, many of the local hotels and tourism - related industries
(restaurants, marinas, etc.) offer special packages during "off season" in order to
generate business.
Additionally, the estimated number of hotel guests and the associated revenues derived
from the tourism industry have not fully recovered from the aftermath of September 11,
2001. In the Report on Palm Beach County Tourism, Fiscal Year 2002/2003 prepared
by Profile Marketing Research for the Tourist Development Council of Palm Beach
County, the area is slowly recovering in attracting tourists. See Table 12.
The City of Palm Beach Gardens can leverage its "destination spot" reputation with the
recent announcement of Scripps - Florida to minimize the fluctuations in seasonal
employment.
13
Table 12
Table 1
SUMMARY OF RESEARCH STATISTICS
FISCAL YEAR 1997198 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2002103
FY 02iO3
1997198
1998199
1999/00
2000101
2001102
2002103
CHANGE
Estimated Hotel Guests
_.42.3.215
2 26E.429
2,152.682
_ ' 12,423
?'E 493•
=,220 391.1
24' °G^
stor,'Guest Mull.plier
2
'-
2
-'
-
2
Estimated Number of
4.656,436
4 531..E58
4,305.364
4 224,;46
3;3!2.9981
4 440.7 90
487,764
s tor;
Estirn3ted-o.e Guest
S1 336
$1,!04
S' 541
$1.438
S1,352+
5' 628-
27E•
Expenditures • n Mil ionsi
Money Soent Per Hotel
5551.
SE64
S 7'6
$6 °_1.
5684+
S 733-
-
Guest
Bed Tax Colectors
515294,515
5'6.41.6273
516.090.738
5'8 583.531
$16,E2' 35E
S1 ?.330,1.95
?0 °• =»
iGrossi
Occupancy Rate
68.2%
66 7%
688%
67.3%
64 %
E571,5
1 E
Average Caily Room Rate-'
$102.43
$11.? 42
S118.08
S'21 13
511997
S'25. =`
-_
Availabe Room Night
x 516,661
564E.734
5,E81,973
5595,178
5,313,330,
5. 703.912
391.,!62
nventory
Cec.rpied Roon•
3 761,332
3763.083
3,835,65E
3753,127
3,41.E 645•
? 742-427
33E, °82
r�ightsi F STD?;
:erage Party Sze
3.1
E.
1.1
2.6
2.31
ghts in �-OteWotel
4.6
- 7
47
5.1.
3.9
3.3
•Properties well oe ow 51. rooms are only inc , cied n room count and total inventory.
1 ?he TDC estimates that the tots number of visitors to Pa n• Beacn County s two t n•es the numcer o` note guests
This estimation ratio has oeen in use since 1995iS6
"Star. ng r fiscal year 2001102 f parry s ze' s greater than 8 or'number of roon•s occupied' s greater thar 3 tier data •within 'party
s ze' and nun•ber o' rooms occup ec' s deleted. Prior to fiscal year 200111.2 if party size or rumcer o'roorls occupied ,pas
greater tear 10• oc•th were recoded to r , f party size was greater than 25, oany size and number of rooms occuo ed were
botn recoded as miss rg data. if oarry size was greater than 1 and number o'rooms occuciea was ulank f or vice versa)
botn were recoded as miss ng data.
- Ci'rerence in notel guest spend ng'or FY21.01i02 - FY20=.103 as compared to FY1997i98 - FY2001. +0' reflects revision to the
manrer in wh cn side tr p expend tares are computed
2..ACR = .Average rate per occupied room.
3. Room nights occupied = tf# total rooms'occupancyt • annua room n ghts i
Report on Palm Beach County Tourism
Fiscal Year 200212003 (Oct 2002 — Sept 2003)
Prepared for: Tourist Development Council of Palm Beach County, Inc.
Prepared by: Profile Marketing Research, December 3, 2003
Small Business Enterprises
The City of Palm Beach Gardens values its small business enterprises and understands
that much of the character of the City is dependant on the uniqueness and customer
service that is provided by small business. It also recognizes the important contribution
that small business plays in expanding the workforce. Both the North Palm Beach
County Chamber of Commerce and the PGA Corridor Association play a vital role in
representing and assisting the small businesses in the City; as a result, the City has
developed strategic alliances with both groups.
14
Public Education
The State of Florida lags behind in the field of educational excellence when
benchmarked against other states. Although a child can receive an excellent education
in Florida, much needs to be done to raise the standards for all children. Education is
one of the most important factors that a relocating company wants addressed. Whether
it is for employees' children, continuing education for the employees themselves, or for
the area's workforce at large, educational opportunities are a critical element in the
private sector.
Results of the FCAT- 2002/2003 indicate that the City of Palm Beach Gardens needs to
take an active role in trying to raise the educational standards of the City's youth. An
analysis of area school scores indicates that area students are not competitive in
today's world. See Table 13. Average SAT scores of high schools students located
with Palm Beach Gardens are in the low 1,000 range which, when compared to the
average SAT scores for Florida universities, are not competitive. See Tables 14 & 15.
Additionally, graduates are only "somewhat qualified" to attain entrance into universities
across the United States in regards to SAT scores. See Table 16. When compared to
SAT entrance requirements for the top ten universities in the United States, the average
high school graduate in Palm Beach Gardens would not be considered for admission.
See Table 17.
Table 13
FCAT Results in Palm Beach Gardens Schools
PBG High D
I
i
Dwyer High B
Watkins Middle C
Duncan Middle A
Timber Trace Elementary A
PBG Elementary A
Lake Park Elementary c
i
Grove Park Elementary c
Eisenhower Elementary B
I
Allamanda Elementary
A
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
Grade
Florida School Grades: 2002 -2003 Accountability Report - Florida Department of Education
15
Table 14
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
Number Percent of 12th Mean
School Name Year Tested Graders Tested Score
PALM BEACH GARDENS HIGH
SCHOOL 2002 -2003 261 60.8 1015
WILLIAM T. DWYER HIGH SCHOOL 2002 -2003 256 55.7 1014
Florida School Indicators Report, Florida Department of Education 2003
Table 15
Sample of Florida Universities
SAT Scores for Admission
Barry University
880-1080
Eckerd College
1020-1250
Florida A & M University
900-1110
Florida Atlantic University
930- 1130
Florida Gulf Coast University
910-1110
Florida International University
960- 1140
Florida State University
1040-1240
Jacksonville University
940-1170
New College of Florida
1230-1410
University of Central Florida
1030-1230
University of Florida
1130-1340
University of Miami
1160-1320
University of North Florida
1000-1190
University of South Florida
950-1150
University of West Florida
990-1190
Data Source: CollegeBoard.com, Side -by -Side Comparisons - 2003
16
Table 16
Who is Prepared for College?
Students were classified in two -stage process. The initial classification was determined as follows:
• Very highly qualified: those whose highest value on any of the five criteria would put them among the top 10
percent of 4 -year college students (specifically the NELS 1992 graduating seniors who enrolled in 4 -year
colleges and universities) for that criterion. Minimum values were GPA =3.7, class rank percentile =96, NELS
test percentile =97, combined SAT= 1250, composite ACT =28.
• Highly qualified: those whose highest value on any of the five criteria would put them among the top 25
percent of 4 -year college students (but not the top 10 percent) for that criterion. Minimum values were
GPA =3.6, class rank percentile =89, NELS test percentile =90, combined SAT =1110, composite ACT =25.
• Somewhat qualified: those whose highest value on any of the five criteria would put them among the top 50
percent (but not the top 25 percent, i.e., in the second quartile) of 4 -year college students for that criterion.
Minimum values were GPA =3.2, class rank percentile =75, NELS test percentile =76, combined SAT =960,
composite ACT =22.
• Minimally qualified: those whose highest value on any of the five criteria would put them among the top 75
percent (but not the top 50 percent, i.e., in the third quartile) of 4 -year college students for that criterion.
Minimum values were GPA =2.7, class rank percentile =54, NELS test percentile =56, combined SAT =820,
composite ACT= 19.
• Marginally or not qualified: those who had no value on any criterion that would put them among the top 75
percent of 4 -year college students (i.e., all values were in the lowest quartile). In addition, those in vocational
programs (according to their high school transcript) were classified as not college qualified.
National Center for Education Statistics — Note 9: The College Qualification Index
Access to Postsecondary Education for the 1992 High School Graduates
Table 17
US News & World Report - 2004: America's Best Colleges
Collegeboard.com: College Search, side -by -side comparison results
17
Top Ten Universities in United States
SAT Scores for Admission
1.
Harvard University
1400-1570
Princeton University
1380-1560
3.
Yale University
1370-1560
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1420-1560
5.
Duke University
1320-1510
California Institute of Technology
1470-1580
Stanford University
1350-1540
University of Pennsylvania
1330-1500
9.
Dartmouth College
1330-1520
Washington University in St. Louis
1310-1480
US News & World Report - 2004: America's Best Colleges
Collegeboard.com: College Search, side -by -side comparison results
17
Palm Beach Gardens' high school students enrolled in public schools fail to meet the
national average on SAT scores, too. The College Board reported that the average
math SAT score reached a 36 -year high in 2003 with the average cumulative SAT score
in the U.S. being 1,026. Source: CNN. com /2003EDUCAT ION /08 /26sat.scores.ap
Quality of Life Balance
Quality of life issues weigh heavily into recruiting a company to a specific geographic
region. As mentioned earlier, trends are shifting away from bedroom communities as
people desire to live, play, learn, and work within a 15 -25 minute commute. People,
simply put, are weary of the stress that is induced by a long commute to and from work.
Therefore, in optimal circumstances, planners and economic development professionals
would consider all four critical elements in designing a sustainable community.
The City of Palm Beach Gardens is in the enviable position to create a sustainable
community that upholds the principles of live, play, learn, and work in The Gardens
Scientific Village DRI. See Table 18. As the applicant, the City has adopted a vision
statement and philosophy that integrate sound economics and the cluster approach of
economic development with quality -of -life issues that attracted The Scripps Research
Institute to Palm Beach County.
The City has adopted the following vision statement and philosophy for the Gardens
Scientific Village DRI:
To create a scientific village that combines the physical infrastructure and
community support systems necessary to facilitate the exchange of intellectual
knowledge and enable the efficient transfer of scientific theory to marketplace,
while fostering strong community and family relationships to achieve a balanced
quality of life.
Analysis of critical growth management principles benchmarked against other
internationally known scientific parks indicate that the City of Palm Beach Gardens can
truly build a scientific village unlike any known in the world today. Building on the
successes of other parks and addressing the elements that are lacking, the Gardens
Scientific Village may incorporate lessons learned and be the international leader in
scientific and research parks. See Table 18.
Taking the larger view of the project, the entire spectrum of live, learn, work, and play
may be addressed in the City's model. Understanding the interrelationship between
social (live and play) and economic (learn and work) structures is paramount for quality
of life issues as related to the business and residential community. Sound planning and
building an entire village centered on the adopted "philosophy" enhances the economic
opportunities for the City and integrity of the scientific community as a whole. Straying
from the philosophy will diminish the project and not capture the bio -tech cluster as
envisioned by economic development professionals and officials from The Scripps
Research Institute during the recruitment process.
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The City of Palm Beach Gardens has adopted strict guidelines to preserve green space.
All development must dedicate 1/3 of land space to green. This, too, has a huge impact
on quality of life for our residents. See Table 19.
Table 19
Land Density Comparative of Municipalities in PBC
People Per Acre
West Palm Beach Palm Beach Gardens
8 329
Wellington 733. Boca Raton
475.4
1381
Royal Palm Beac
817.2
Boynton Beach
1930
City of Palm Beach Gardens — GIS Department, 2004
Not only does the City of Palm Beach Gardens seek to recruit and /or expand employers
with a median salary of $47,272, but also develop strategies to create an environment that
combines the live, play, learn, and work components in land development. It is only
through carefully balancing these solid growth management principles with economic
diversification that the City will shift from a traditional bedroom community to a sustainable
municipality.
20