What can the City of Kinston do to attract new businesses?
If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve seen—and maybe even been a part of—numerous discussions related to the new Dollar Tree and Dollar General locations that have opened in Kinston this year. While some members of our community have welcomed these stores for the cheap and convenient retail option they provide, others have asked the question—why can’t we get anything else?
Well, there’s no simple answer to that question. Because, if you’ve followed along with the Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce, you would see that we have had a number of other new businesses open in our community in the last year—from locally owned small boutiques like Restored Hope to large retail companies like Petco. But the ever-growing presence of dollar stores leaves much to be desired for those in our community who’d like to see even more retail, restaurant, and entertainment options. For a community of our size and socioeconomic status—an aging population with a median household income of $32,094—we can’t necessarily compare ourselves to neighboring cities like Greenville, Goldsboro, or Jacksonville who grow with the scale of their university and military anchors. However, we absolutely should strive to not fall behind.
As a Kinston city councilmember, I’m passionate about fostering growth and development in our community. I particularly want to see this growth happen in a way that is accessible and affordable for those of us who already call Kinston home, but also attractive to newcomers and tourists who play a big part in driving our local economy. A thriving local economy enhances the overall quality of life of our community members, creates a sense of place and belonging, and allows our city government to provide a higher level of services (e.g. road improvements, water/sewer infrastructure, police & fire, parks & recreation, etc.) due to increased revenue. But how do we get there? What should we be demanding of our local decision makers? What can regular citizens do to help?
There are a few strategies I’d like to highlight that I think could have a positive impact in attracting new businesses and growing our local economy. If you read my previous blog post on Who determines what businesses come to Kinston?, then you know that the responsibilities prescribed to local government are limited in this process—particularly to the area of planning and zoning—but below I’ll propose four other ways that also fall within the purview of city government and ask that you work with us to bring these ideas to life.
Offer Incentives and Support
There are a lot of start-up costs that new businesses incur when opening a location. By providing incentives and support, our city government can help make Kinston a more attractive place for companies to invest in. Last spring, the city council voted to implement an economic development utility incentive program to make Kinston more attractive for industries to start operations here and utilize our electric system. This incentive will make our electric utility more competitive with Duke Energy and help attract new large industrial businesses to utilize the City of Kinston for electric power.
There are other initiatives we can explore and advocate for at the city, county, and state level such as tax breaks, fee reductions, and other financial incentives to entice entrepreneurs to invest in our area. Some communities, such as the City and County of Durham, have created small business grants or loan programs to provide initial support to startups. Additionally, we could provide resources and assistance through offering or promoting business development training programs—such as those offered at the Lenoir Community College Small Business Business Center. This support will demonstrate our commitment to helping businesses thrive.
Enhance Infrastructure and Public Spaces
Investing in infrastructure and public spaces is crucial in creating an appealing environment for businesses and residents alike. Businesses want to know that a community can provide the adequate level of infrastructure and services needed for their operations—such as access to safe roads, reliable garbage and waste pickup, broadband and internet access, and affordable utilities. The City of Kinston has made a number of investments in our local infrastructure since I joined the city council. Last year, we allocated more than two million dollars to improving the infrastructure under Vernon Avenue (which will pave the way for the North Carolina Department of Transportation to resurface that major roadway!).
We can also beautify streetscapes, improve walkability, and develop attractive public spaces such as parks, plazas, and community centers. In 2019, the City of Kinston invested more than $2.2 million into the streetscape and landscaping improvements on Queen Street. It’s important for our city government to invest funds in maintaining these improvements, as well as explore other avenues to make Kinston more vibrant. One idea is to create a pedestrian plaza by temporarily closing a street block in downtown, an effort other communities implemented and continued to promote outdoor dining during the COVID-19 pandemic. These enhancements not only make the community more visually appealing but also encourage foot traffic and create a sense of place that attracts businesses.
Increase our Economic Development Capacity
One way that we can attract new businesses and grow our local economy is to have someone on our staff dedicated to working on it. We have a very talented city manager, who participates in and leads economic development projects as they arise, but right now, there isn’t anyone in city hall specifically focused on economic development. One idea I propose is that the City of Kinston create an Economic Development Director position (and Economic Development Department), or an Economic Development Planner position to work in our Planning Department. This person would have a professional background and skillset in the recruitment of new businesses, expansion of existing industries, and building public-private partnerships to grow our local economy.
Before embarking on any business endeavor, it is essential to gather data and insights about the local market. A dedicated economic development professional could work on an ongoing basis to understand the needs, preferences, and demographics of our community and identify gaps in the market where new businesses can step in. Additionally, the City of Kinston owns several vacant commercially-zoned lots that this person can promote to retailers and developers for them to build on. Currently, Lenoir County and the City of Kinston primarily rely on the North Carolina Global TransPark Economic Development Region’s staff for economic development efforts.
Solidify a Brand and Image for our Community
We know that Kinston is one of North Carolina’s premier arts and cultural destinations—our rich legacy as the birthplace of funk, deep Civil War history, and popular food scene all attract people near and far to visit our community. But have we figured out how to brand ourselves consistently and effectively to capitalize on those assets? In 2019, the City of Kinston worked with Electricities to create an Economic Development Strategic Plan. Two of the goals emphasized in this plan focused on utilizing branding, placemaking, and communications to strengthen our local economy. From creating a tagline or positioning statement for Kinston (e.g. the City of Winston-Salem calls itself “The City of Arts and Innovation”) to consistently pushing out positive news to local media outlets, there are simple and low-cost ways that the City of Kinston can build a consistent brand and better image for our community—we’ve already created the plan, we just need to follow it.
I believe that in addition to the four strategies I highlighted above, there are other things our community can collaborate on to garner more private investments in their city. We can work together to increase participation in local government, make the zoning and permitting process more transparent and accessible, promote the work of the Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce and VisitKinston, and, especially, support and invest in our local entrepreneurs.
Our locally-owned businesses are the true driver of Kinston and Lenoir County’s economy. Government officials and residents alike must do our part to patronize their businesses, nurture local entrepreneurial talent, and ensure that we remain a community known for supporting its own.
Kinston City Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, at 5:30PM and 7:00PM, respectively. If any of the ideas I shared in this post resonate with you, I invite you to join us at a future meeting and share your thoughts or feedback. It will take residents of our community, like you, showing up and advocating for your priorities in order for them to be reflected in our decisions. More importantly, it will take us collaborating and working together to achieve our shared goals.
Yours in community,
Chris
Chris J. Suggs was elected to the Kinston City Council in November 2021 and is currently the youngest elected official in North Carolina. The Kinston City Council hosts its Regular Meetings on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 5:30PM and 7:00PM, respectively.