AREA OVERVIEW  

PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES  

RESOURCES  

REGIONAL NEEDS  

VISION AND GOALS  

EVALUATION PLAN  

ABOUT GCEDD

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Regional Needs
The region has benefited from a dynamic economy and active planning efforts; nevertheless, the region has several unmet needs. Every year, GCEDD staff surveys the region to determine the underlying barriers and constraints to economic development. This process is performed in order to focus strategic planning for future economic development activities. The results described below have been prioritized based on perceived need, as identified by the completed surveys. This survey was electronically distributed to local Economic Development practitioners. The results were then compiled and are reflected in Table 9. In addition to traditional development tools, ancillary needs have been identified. Improved Air Quality, single family housing and telecom expansion and development serve as major factors to economic development, and will be prioritized in future planning initiatives.

District Wide Needs in Priority Order

Identified Needs	Last Yr.
1. Small Business Retention and Expansion	3
2. Job Retention and Expansion of Major Employers	4
3. Community Development and Revitalization	1
4. Improved Air Quality	5
5. Sewer and Waste Water Treatment Improvements	10
6. Telecom Expansion and Development	11
7. Road Improvements or Expansion	2
8. Job Training and Workforce Development	7
9. Tax Abatements and other Incentive Strategies	12
10. Affordable Housing	9
11. Single Family Housing	6
12. Flood Control Improvements	8
13. Agricultural Conversion and Diversification	15
14. Solid Waste Improvements	13
15. Industrial Park Development	14
16. Temporary Housing	16
Table 9a summarizes the needs identified of each of the region’s counties. These needs are primarily infrastructure related: water, sewer, drainage, and roadways. Housing is another need, both low- to moderate-income housing and, in the rural areas, middle-class residences. The other listed needs are more general in nature.

County Needs/Issues

County	Identified Needs
Austin	County road improvements; Sewer for low-income households; Improved coordination among economic development entities in county; County-wide development plan
Brazoria	Flood control issues; Sewer and roadway improvements; Additional hotels and temporary lodging facilities; improved air quality
Chambers	Lack of organized sewage treatment on west side of county; additional dredging in Cedar Bayou; Improved roadways and roadway drainage; Agriculture conversion/diversification; tax abatements; community development and revitalization; housing
Colorado	Improved sewer and waste treatment facilities; feeder roads along IH-10; Industrial park development
Fort Bend	Improvements to US 59, US 90, and SH 6; Extension of SH 99; Flood control; Workforce development; Improved air quality; Telecom expansion and development
Galveston	Middle Income Housing, Water, sewer, public transit service, commuter rail service into Houston, port improvements, road improvements; improved air quality; telecom expansion
Harris	Water, sewer, road improvements (especially radial highways) necessary; Need industrial waste management facilities; Improved Air Quality; Redevelopment/revitalization needed in older urban areas, telecom expansion and development
Liberty	Being a part of the non-attainment zone for air quality is hurting the county; More affordable housing is necessary; Sewer treatment facilities nearing maximum capacity; Agriculture conversion and diversification
Matagorda	Improvements to water distribution lines, sewer plants, sewer lines, and streets; Expanded capacity along SH 35; Need variety of single-family housing; Need regional waste treatment facility; Industrial park development; New aquaculture industries
Montgomery	Local road improvements; Expanded capacity along IH-45; Water/sewer upgrades
Walker	Industrial Park development, water distribution system expansion, wastewater collection system expansion, water treatment plant capacity expansion, creation of housing lots/subdivision, improvements to state/US highways 30, 190 and 19, TxDOT signal light synchronization on SH 30 and US 75, and economic development leadership training.
Waller	Expanded water/sewer infrastructure; feeder roads along US 290; improved telecommunication systems; Industrial park development; Housing standards
Wharton	Lack of affordable housing; Loss of rail, Roads in need of improvements; Job retention and expansion of major employers; sewer and waste water treatment improvements; flood control improvements

In general, the counties also have general funding needs, such as for business retention, infrastructure, small business expansion, start-ups, and workforce development. For the purposes of this document, workforce development will be defined as any activity related to the development of an employee. This includes but is not limited to, training, transportation, child care, job search activities, continuing education, and any other activity enabling or contributing to an individual or groups professional development.

Growth Centers
The existing centers of commerce and population will continue to require new and upgraded infrastructure, and the City of Houston will continue to be at the heart of the region’s economy, but the majority of the future new infrastructure needs will be in the “fringe cities” in the suburbs and exurbs. Like many metroplexes, the Gulf Coast economy no longer centers around a single hub, but rather around a series of hubs across the region. These activity centers often began as residential areas housing workers for the Central Business District; their inception facilitated by improved transportation and communication facilities. Retail and service industries were soon drawn to these population concentrations, and eventually other businesses followed as well. The new regional service-based economy provides fertile ground for such decentralized growth.

Residential and retail formed the seed for many of these future growth centers. The FM 1960 corridor, Kingwood, and The Woodlands are examples of areas that began with residential development, while the Galleria and Greenspoint areas are examples of areas that began with retail development. The Energy Corridor and Westchase, both in western Harris County, are also growing, as is Clear Lake in southern Harris County. Perhaps the greatest promise can be found in the more rural areas: Conroe, Katy, Missouri City, Pearland, Richmond/Rosenberg, and Sugar Land. All of these areas are experiencing growth pains in the form of insufficient infrastructure. For the most part, transportation is the current need, in terms of both access and mobility. Soon, however, population growth will exceed current water and waste water capabilities. Housing shortages may arise in certain areas, and many suburban schools are already suffering from overcrowding.

The existing need is great and the future need will be even more so. The GCEDD will need to collectively identify these potential problems and work towards preventing and solving them. The next chapter, “Regional Goals,” is the first step in achieving this purpose.

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