ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Return economic and business activities (including food and agriculture) to a healthy state and develop new business and employment opportunities that result in an economically viable community.
Branch Lead: Will Cramer
Branch ideas
Business Recovery Center
A business recovery center is a one-stop shop set up to provide local, state and federal resources and services for businesses after a catastrophic event. Because their services are tailored to address business needs, they typically are established separately from the FEMA disaster recovery centers to avoid confusion with individuals needing social services.
Water Transit
Water based mass transit from available locations throughout Bay County. IE – Lagoon Marinas to Tyndall – Eastern- PC Marina – St Andrews – Sun Harbor – Lynn Haven. Local Schools could potentially utilize system.
Downtown Outdoor Amphitheater
An outdoor amphitheater in Downtown Panama City would be a great addition. ??
Farmers Market & community gardens
Farmers Market & community gardens would help the community and local agricultural farmers. One could be developed in each section of Bay county to service the surrounding areas.
Downtown revitalization
Draw chain restaurants in so there are more things open on Sunday.??
NSA Panama City Turning Basin
The proposed turning basin would allow for larger vessels to safely enter and exit NSA Panama City in a designated charted area just outside the entrance to NSA Panama City. Due to channel width and depth constraints, large vessels have to exit fully in reverse or they opt to use the Port of Panama City facilities. As missions continue to expand, a turning basin provides the safe opportunity for Navy and Coast Guard vessels alike to transit safely in and out of Alligator Bayou.
Business Accelerator
Coaching Tool for Emerging Businesses
Lynn Haven Commerce Park
Develop next generation commerce park??
Conference center on PCB
???Develop a conference center to hold major events, take advantage of the large inventory of rooms in the area, and stabalizes local hospitality industry during the down months.
Improve bridges and roads to make drive from Tyndall to the beach easier/visually appealing
?Improve road access between Tyndall, beach and exit road to make evacuation access easier. Make sure bridges may withstand large storm surges.?
Port Industrial Park
Completing the necessary ground work to make the 80 acre industrial site shovel ready for a development partner?
Hurricane Michael Disaster Fund for Charter Captains
NACO, a 501(c) (6) non profit, has partnered with the International Game Fish Association, a 501(c) (3) non profit to raise monetary finds to distribute to those for hire charter and headboat owners who need financial help the most. This effort applies to all for hire charter/headboat owners and crews who live and operate in the affected area from Panama City Beach, FL to Steinhatchee, FL. 461 owners have been identified and we are in the process of notifying them of financial help available.
Business and Employment incubator
The incubator would combine an effort to develop school to work initiatives in the retail/tourism,tech,light industrial,construcion and other high employment demand businesses with efforts to develop a business incubator for new businesses.The school to work initiative would involve partnering business sectors with employment demand with the Bay county schools and Gulf Coast Training to develop students would be provided and half of sudents wages would be coved from the organiization
Water-Front Parks
Create riverfront parks with boat docks, restaurants open green spaces
West Terminal – Bulk Terminal Expansion
Biomass Dome Storage Facility, Conveyance System and Access Roads
To mitigate storm impacts in the future and to support growth of biomassexports, the Port would like to construct a storage dome adjacent to the existing bulk warehouse. The
storage domes are less vulnerable to high winds, providing the port the resiliency of needed to mitigate
future storm or disaster damage.
Reinforced Deeper Bulkheads
Increase size of bulkheads at port to mitigate future damage and prepare for port expansion
City Wi-FI
Development of a city-based WIFI that covers a TBD range
5G demo
Verizon has promised to partner with us and bring 5G to Panama City. We are the ONLY city in the south to be in tat position. Ask/support/pay for Verizon to set up a demonstration of the capability on the PC marina. Once the Navy/USAF/ scientists/student/universities can SEE what 5G offers, the opportunities will appear. Only […]
Deerpoint Lake Cleanup
Deerpoint Lake should be made where it could be “drawn down” so as to kill/destroy the noxious/invasive plant life that now exist. A “drawn down” of at least 4 feet would benefit the entire area. The existing noxious plants (e.g., Lilly pads, lemon bacopa, hydrilla, milfoil, and others) are harmful to the lake and diminish […]
Event Field in Downtown Area
I propose there be an event field with a nice stage for people who would like to have an event Downtown. We need it to be easier to bring events downtown, that are not related to Bay Arts, DIB, or Destination Panama City. I believe that Panama City, particularly the downtown area needs this sort […]
Disaster Subsidized Childcare for Families and Facility Operators
A critical shortage of labor, both skilled and unskilled, currently exists across much of Bay County. Employers across all industries are experiencing difficulty in staffing operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. Childcare and after school care facilities are in short supply as many have closed or scaled back operations as an outcome of Hurricane […]
Downtown Science & Technology Center
Creation of a WORLD-CLASS science center focused on interactive, STEM-based, locally-oriented and educational exhibits. Creation of a truly world-class facility would have far-reaching impacts in our community through job development, significant tourism East of the Hathaway bridge, educational opportunities for local students, and a place for community events. The project would be a catalyst for other […]
Port of Panama City – West Terminal – Bulk Terminal Expansion
The port suffered storm damage on the existing bulk storage warehouse and will be operated at reduced capacity for five months. This causes extraordinary vessel demerge and handling cost related to reduced storage space at the port. To mitigate storm impacts in the future and to support growth of biomass exports, the Port would like […]
Port of Panama City – Container Terminal Expansion
Additional break bulk cargo capacity at the East Terminal provides the Port with the opportunity to expand its container terminal capacity at the West Terminal. The proposed improvements will nearly triple the Port’s container handling and storage capacity adding 903 FEUs of storage including additional support plugs for refrigerated containers. This provides needed capacity to […]
Port of Panama City – Reinforced Deeper Bulkheads
The Port of Panama City’s cargo operations and industrial tenants rely heavily on 2,700 linear feet of bulkheads that are vulnerable to failure from hurricane surge and rapid tidal drawdown. The deepening of the Port in 2003 exposed the existing bulkheads to the danger of failure from hurricane related surge and drawdown. As the bulkheads […]
Satellite Campus for College(s) Downtown
Incorporation of a college campus and potentially dorms in the downtown Panama City area. Both of the local college campuses are limited in space and expanding to a satellite campus would allow for additional growth while infusing student life downtown, creating an economic impact in the community instead of an isolated campus. Savannah accomplishes this with […]
Free Internet for Residents
Have internet providers give free starter internet for residents with the ability to upgrade service for higher speeds. By providing citizens with Internet access, we can accomplish a few different goals focused around the ability to disseminate information. Much of the student population does not have internet access and this could have a significant impact in […]
Family Friendly Music/Food Venue
Creation of a family-friendly venue for music and food for residents to enjoy. Potentially downtown near the marina. Frequented in other locations like 30A, these style of venues offer family-friendly atmospheres where people are able to shop, eat, and hold events creating an economic impact in the community as a source of pride for the area.
City WIFI
Development of a city-based WIFI that covers a TBD range. By providing citizens with Internet access, we can accomplish a few different goals focused around the ability to disseminate information. Much of the student population does not have internet access and this could have a significant impact in the ability of the city/county to reach citizens […]