Following a roundtable discussion, the teams broke out into sessions with LOCUS’ policy experts to begin crafting and tailoring the scope of technical assistance they are going to receive from LOCUS. The four Massachusetts teams represent a diversity of geography and urban form, and each face unique development challenges.
“I think the Opportunity Zone Academy session brought to light the fact that each community has its own unique needs and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach on how to take advantage of the [opportunity zone] designation,” said Landry.
Marta Goldsmith, Director of the Form-Based Codes Institute, worked with Barnstable and Yarmouth. “The two communities on Cape Cod—Barnstable and Yarmouth—are quite different, but share some of the same challenges for creating walkable urban development. Barnstable is the economic center for the Cape and, as such, has areas within their Opportunity Zone that have the potential for new development that improves the urban form and strengthens the year-round economy. Yarmouth is seeking strategies to encourage the consolidation of small lots in the Opportunity Zone to reposition dated seasonal hotel stock to create more year-round economic activity.”
Kyle Pedicini, Economic Development Coordinator for the Town of Yarmouth, is excited about the prospect of learning from other communities. “The 2019 LOCUS National Leadership Summit was an excellent opportunity to learn about what other cities and towns around the country are doing to attract smart growth development in their communities. Examining those communities’ policies, practices, and leadership strategies was very insightful, and we are excited to use what we’ve learned this past weekend to catalyze prosperity, equity, and resilience in Yarmouth and Barnstable for generations to come.”
Mary Jo Bohart, Director of Economic Development for the City of Fitchburg, appreciated the opportunity to interact with experts from the development community.
“Scheduling the Massachusetts Opportunity Zone Academy kick-off to coincide with the ‘Opportunity Rising’ conference was a brilliant move by the LOCUS team,” Bohart said. We were able to interact with dozens of seasoned developers as well as countless thought leaders in the area of ‘triple-bottom-line’ impact investing. I found the two-day experience to be very inspiring and also empowering as the City of Fitchburg prepares to make full use of its two designated Opportunity Zones. I strongly believe that this new economic development tool will become yet another reason why our community is attractive to new commercial development.”