Bay County Chamber Underscores Importance of Airport
In a truly insightful op-ed published in the News Herald today, Bay County Chamber President Carol Roberts reminded us all of the really big idea for Bay County's future - of which the airport is just one aspect. In part, her op-ed said:
"Airports also are powerful drivers of economic development. Our community hasn’t talked about this important part of the Sector Plan much. The new airport will be the gateway for business, commercial and residential development for the immediate site and the entire region. There is ample room to locate businesses on the airport property or on adjacent land. No other area in the region has this combination. This concept is an exciting tool for attracting new industries and businesses and the jobs they create.
"As the recognized agency by the State of Florida to recruit new industry to Bay County, our Economic Development Alliance will finally have the tools it needs to create high paying jobs for our citizens.
"But, the big idea within a big idea is the 40,000-acre conservation area. Back in 2001, when the West Bay Sector Plan was being discussed at dozens of public workshops, a constant theme was the need to protect the Bay. Local environmentalists and environmental groups saw the potential, participated in the planning, and now lend their support the Sector Plan.
"The result is extraordinary. An area roughly the size as all the cities in Bay County combined will be protected forever. The conservation area won’t be off limits to all of us. Just the opposite is the truth. It will be there to enjoy for generations to come. That is why Audubon Florida, one of the biggest and most effective environmental groups in the world, is looking at the possibility of creating a Nature Center in the area – a “portal” to West Bay.
"Creating the plan was the result of need, good timing and intelligence. The Airport authority was looking for a new site. The St. Joe Company had turned in a new strategic direction and had land it was willing to donate. New state laws allowed for large-scale planning and development. Visionary people throughout our community connected the dots and created a masterpiece. The plan is complex, coordinated and totally interdependent. The plan and its component parts are so compelling that every reviewing body has agreed that it is the best solution for our needs.
"It is unlikely that all these pieces will ever come together again. Big ideas and great opportunities don’t come along very often. All of us in Bay County are confronted with one now – the West Bay Sector Plan. Building the airport is the first step; then the other steps in the plan will follow. It is time to get on with it and build our future."
