CP077 (Economic Development Strategy)CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 77
Page 1 of 4
CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued: 1/11/99
Revised: 3/13/23
General Subject: Administration Effective Date: 3/13/23
Special Subject: Economic Development
Strategy Cancellation Date
Supersedes
Responsible
Dept/Div: Economic Development Office
PURPOSE
Per State Statue 66.1001 – Comprehensive Planning (2)(f), Economic
Development is a required element of a city’s comprehensive plan.
This element provides the framework for the City of Janesville’s
economic development strategy, which builds upon the area’s asset
base, industrial heritage and emerging sector-based opportunities;
promotes and preserves speed-to-market, practices and policies;
and leverages collaborative relationships with Rock County
Economic Development Agency (including Rock County 5.0 and the
Rock County Development Alliance), Forward Janesville, Inc., and
the private sector to further develop, diversify and strengthen
the regional economy.
Where possible, free market forces should determine the location
of private investments. Where business incentives are necessary
to maintain Janesville’s economic competitiveness, the City shall
follow the guidelines set forth in Council Policy Statements No.
61A - Industrial Economic Development Policy and 61B – Commercial
Economic Development Policy.
The implementation of the strategy shall be the joint
responsibility of the City, Forward Janesville, Inc., and Rock
County.
The principles of the Economic Development Chapter of the
Comprehensive Plan promote:
• Reinvention of the City’s economy by promoting economic
diversification, while continuously building from the City’s
industrial heritage and unique place-based assets.
• Enhancing the City’s overall quality of life, to facilitate
the attraction and retention of a talent-rich workforce,
ranging from young professionals, to skilled trades workers,
to Baby Boomers approaching retirement.
• Acknowledging community specific and regional market factors
that connect, as well as separate, the City and the broader
CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 77
Page 2 of 4
CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued: 1/11/99
Revised: 3/13/23
General Subject: Administration Effective Date: 3/13/23
Special Subject: Economic Development
Strategy Cancellation Date
Supersedes
Responsible
Dept/Div: Economic Development Office
region.
• Recognition that a sustainable economy is achieved through
strategic deployment of policies, programs and resources that
encourage entrepreneurship and small business development;
business retention and expansion; and investment and business
attraction activities.
Goals and Objectives
Goal No. 1: Retain existing businesses and facilitate their
growth.
Objectives:
1. Maintain/expand communications and relationships with
local businesses.
2. Identify and address growth-related indicators, as well
as barriers for local businesses.
3. Facilitate workforce and supply chain connections.
Goal No. 2: Facilitate new business and investment
attraction opportunities, by focusing on
industry sectors that enhance, as well as
diversify, the local economy.
Objectives:
1. Maintain/expand opportunities within the economic
development project pipeline.
2. Deploy and/or leverage collaborative targeted
marketing resources, particularly those affiliated
with strategic local and regional partners.
3. Secure attraction and/or investment commitments that
foster employment and career-laddering opportunities.
Goal No. 3: Continue to develop industrial parks to advance
the ongoing industrial development program and
speed to market industrial development strategy.
CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 77
Page 3 of 4
CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued: 1/11/99
Revised: 3/13/23
General Subject: Administration Effective Date: 3/13/23
Special Subject: Economic Development
Strategy Cancellation Date
Supersedes
Responsible
Dept/Div: Economic Development Office
Objectives:
1. Explore/identify real estate expansion opportunities.
2. Construct appropriate infrastructure to prepare
industrial parks for users.
3. Certify industrial sites.
4. Maintain and market site information.
Goal No. 4: Support and facilitate entrepreneurial
activities and small businesses.
Objectives:
1. Continue the relationship with Janesville Innovation
Inc. for the operation of the Janesville Innovation
Center (JIC).
2. Pursue funding opportunities to maintain, as well as
expand, coaching and mentoring activities for non-JIC
tenants.
3. Identify and address the square footage needs of
current, as well as prospective, JIC tenants.
Goal No. 5: Develop, enhance and/or maintain inter-and-
intra organizational networks necessary to
support Janesville’s Economic Development goals.
Objectives:
1. Support collaborative local/regional economic and
workforce development programming and policies.
2. Maintain adequate staff to continue the City’s “one-
stop shop” development facilitation, review and related
speed-to-market practices.
Goal No. 6: Promote commercial/retail development.
Objectives:
1. Promote downtown redevelopment and infill by leveraging
local, state and/or national financial and technical
assistance tools.
CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 77
Page 4 of 4
CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued: 1/11/99
Revised: 3/13/23
General Subject: Administration Effective Date: 3/13/23
Special Subject: Economic Development
Strategy Cancellation Date
Supersedes
Responsible
Dept/Div: Economic Development Office
2. Enhance and build relationships with retail developers
and tenants.
3. Identify and address barriers to real estate
reuse/rehabilitation.
4. Further modify policy 61B - Commercial Economic
Development Policy, as necessary.
Implementation:
This Economic Development Strategy will be implemented through the
combined efforts of the City’s Economic Development Office, Rock
County Economic Development Agency and Forward Janesville, Inc.
The Economic Development Office takes the lead role for the City
Administration in facilitating entrepreneurship and small business
activities; existing business retention and expansion; and
investment and new business attraction efforts. The use of business
incentives shall follow Council Policy No. 61A - Industrial
Development Policy. Commercial and downtown projects shall follow
Council Policy No. 61B – Commercial Economic Development Policy.
Where incentives are used, the industry or business receiving the
benefits of the public incentives shall guarantee the creation of
new property tax base and/or the creation and/or retention of jobs.