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Optional Plan <br /> Elements <br /> is section includes discussion of three optional elements: <br /> • ,Economic development <br /> • Intergovernmental cooperation:and <br /> • Critical Area/Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA)plan- <br /> ning guidelines. <br /> Economic Development <br /> Many communities now have an economic development department <br /> or commission— or are thinking about creating one. It is important <br /> that the economic development and long-range planning efforts of the <br /> community be integrated with each other, so that both work well <br /> together to a common end. <br /> Regional Blueprint policies specifically encourage communities to <br /> become more proactive in working to retain and support existing <br /> businesses by building a business climate that improves their competi- <br /> tiveness, and to avoid raiding businesses from neighboring communi- <br /> ties in the region. <br /> The following is a list of relatively common issues that could be <br /> addressed in an optional economic development section: <br /> 1. Community Economic Goals <br /> • Creating new jobs; <br /> • Stabilizing or enhancing the community's tax base; <br /> • Ensu-ring convenient goods and services for community resi- <br /> dents; <br /> • Addressing changing needs of community consumers; <br /> • Meeting changing needs of local businesses; and/or <br /> • Improving employers' access to employees and employees' <br /> access to jobs. <br /> 2. Current Business Activity and Business Climate <br /> Description of existing business activity in the community and <br /> those business elements that are expected to be retained or expand- <br /> ed. The information included in this optional section could also be <br /> used for supporting material in a grant review under the Livable <br /> Communities Act. <br /> Local Planning Handbook May 1997 5.1 <br />