Editor’s Note: “The Economic Development Side” originally appears in the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce’s weekly member e-newsletter. It is written by Rhonda Dishner, the Economic Development Alliance’s executive assistant.
Give me land. Lots of land.
Members of certain Western cultural generations (those named before groups were referred to by letters of the alphabet) will recognize the words above as being from a song titled “Don’t Fence Me In” that was especially popular in the 1940s and 50s.
It’s obvious from the song’s lighthearted lyrics that an earnest search is on for a lot of land, preferably in the open countryside out West for the purpose of wandering about on horseback. Other desired amenities: starry skies and evening breezes that stir some cottonwood trees. But definitely no confining fences.
For local economic developers, there is a need for lots of land (pun intended) in Jefferson County and the hunt is underway. Perhaps calling it a search for real estate might make it sound more important. Regardless of designation (lots, plots, parcels or tracts), the potential location here of industrial projects may depend on identifying places now to put them in the future.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
This desirable land is not needed for wandering; it’s vital for industrial building sites. As in the song, starry skies and wind in the trees would be acceptable, and impeding fencing could easily be removed. But a chief rejection factor in this search would be an identified floodplain. Acreage with a flood-hazard chance doesn’t rate more than a quick glance on a floodplain map. The presence of wetlands are generally knock-out factors as well.
What does get a second or third look (and maybe an environmental assessment or survey) is land with access to mainline railroads and heavy electric infrastructure, which includes existing transmission and distribution lines and excess-capacity substations. Frequently, large volumes of natural gas are required, so again location near existing transmission and distribution lines are key. Industrial clients routinely demand sites with almost immediate access to interstate highways or nearby major U.S. highways that quickly connect to interstates. Zoning and residential proximity are considerations for manufacturing plants.
Ongoing, large-tract, land searches within the county are mostly north-westerly and south-easterly because that’s where the primary highway infrastructure is located. That’s the “track” of the railroad.
Although drones are now a tool in the tree-top search for developable sites, “Googling” simplifies initial “exploration” and provides a bird’s eye view of raw land anywhere in the county. No more driving through timberlands and agricultural land to judge their physical characteristics. No more tramping around on no-road tracts, enveloped in summer’s humidity and mosquitoes. At least, not at first.
Land acquisition AND development costs are other major factors in identifying suitable sites. Not only the price for which a piece of ground can be purchased but also total costs to turn that raw land into a connected site ready to support a new plant or business. But no matter what a community has to offer, project specifications ultimately define a company’s decision.
The singer above croons, “Give me land.” For community development purposes, a gift of land would be a serendipitous contribution indeed.