WEST MELBOURNE THE HEART OF THE SPACE COAST C O R P O R AT E H E A D Q U A R T E R S F I N A N C E R E S E A R C H H I - T E C H S I M U L AT I O N / S O F T WA R E S M A L L B U S I N E S S
Welcome to our City MAYOR S WELCOME Mayor Hal J. Rose and the West Melbourne City Council thank you for your interest in the City of West Melbourne! West Melbourne has it all: a convenient location in one of the world s top technology hotspots - Florida s Space Coast, low taxes, an excellent quality of life, a top-tier educational system, and a pro-business government committed to responsible economic development. Take a look at West Melbourne and discover the opportunities that await your business. You ll like what you see! The City s economic development priorities are: -Creating value-added job opportunities for our residents; -Supporting our existing industries and recruiting compatible industries; -Diversifying our community s economic base; -Enhancing the overall quality of life in our City. To address these priorities, the City of West Melbourne has established strong working partnerships with State and County agencies, such as Enterprise Florida and the Space Coast Economic Development Commission, as well as the premier educational resources, including the University of Central Florida and Eastern Florida State College. These partnerships and our shared commitment to regional economic development objectives enable the City of West Melbourne and our partners to realize our shared, sustainable, development vision. West Melbourne is a young City maturing into a community driven by the development of technology-industry clusters and capitalizing on our proximity to, and established relationships with, our region s educational and research leaders. West Melbourne s ever-diversifying retail and entertainment opportunities, unsurpassed natural assets, and recreational facilities, make our City one of the best places to live, work and raise a family. Hal J. Rose Mayor Barbara Smith Council Member Pat Bentley Deputy Mayor John Dittmore Council Member Adam Gaffney Council Member Andrea Young Council Member William Mettrick Council Member WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BROCHURE INTRODUCTION 3
THE HEART OF THE SPACE COAST Jacksonville Miami The City of West Melbourne is located in Brevard County, along central Florida s Space Coast, approximately fifty miles south of the Kennedy Space Center. 4 LOCATION WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE
West Melbourne offers educational resources from preschool to post graduate all within five miles of the city! Brevard County schools rank 6th among all school districts in Florida, with a graduation rate of 86.2%. Barry University, Eastern Florida State College, Columbia College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Everest University, Florida Institute of Technology, Keiser University, the University of Central Florida (Southern Region) and Webster University provide readily accessible higher education, research and development opportunities. COMMUNITY West Melbourne is a pro-business city government committed to planned growth and creating job opportunities. The City provides expedited permitting and application assistance, local tax abatement to qualifying companies, and access to brownfield incentives. You can couple these programs with additional State, regional, and local incentives, programs, and services to assist your business' relocation or expansion in West Melbourne. BUSINESSES West Melbourne is home to numerous technology and manufacturing firms including advanced wireless telecommunications, avionics and defense technologies, advanced metallurgy production and electronic circuit board manufacturing and assembly firms. Technically-skilled workforce is readily available for your business in West Melbourne. SCHOOLS West Melbourne combines the friendliness and accessibility of a small town with the excitement and vibrancy of the Florida Space Coast! Located minutes from some of the world s most famous beaches, the City of West Melbourne is also minutes away from other local attractions such as the Kennedy Space Center, the Brevard Zoo, the King Performing Arts Center, Space Coast Stadium and the Brevard Country Club-Melbourne. TALENT 1 2 3 4 5 West Melbourne is strategically-located on Central Florida s East Coast in Brevard County. This location can provide your business with quick access to air, rail, sea, space and over-the-road transportation systems. West Melbourne is minutes away from Interstate Highway access, deep water ports and a space port. Easy access to the northern and southern hemispheres markets make West Melbourne the ideal logistical choice for your company. LOCATION TOP "5" BENEFITS WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE LOCATION 5
SKY ROCKETING ECONOMY With one of the lowest tax rates in Brevard County, West Melbourne has taken great strides in improving the City s business climate. The City has established: an economic enhancement district (WAVE District) to allow access to state and federal job creation incentives, a tax abatement program to reduce overall operating expenses for companies, and redevelopment/capital improvement programs to focus public infrastructure improvements on its commercial corridors and business parks. Capitalizing on the close proximity to an established technology and aerospace industry cluster, the City of West Melbourne is aggressively pursuing technology-oriented manufacturing, warehousing/distribution and professional service companies seeking a competitive advantage in the marketplace. West Melbourne is home to corporate headquarters, manufacturers and technology-oriented companies such as RELM Wireless, Lockheed Martin, Confluent RF Systems, and Mack Technologies. These companies represent a rage of specializations including advanced wireless telecommunication, avionics and defense technologies, advanced metallurgy production and electronic circuit board manufacturing and assembly. Find out what these industry leaders already know and make West Melbourne the launching pad for your company s success! 6 ECONOMY WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE
T S E W E H E T N R U O B L ME NTAGE A V D A Highway Accessibility Proximity to Major Markets Tax Exemptions Availability of Skilled Labor Available Land & Utilities Fast-Track Permitting West Melbourne stands out among other cities in its readiness to provide assistance to help existing businesses expand and to attract new businesses that bring additional jobs opportunities, investment and services to the community....and our local businesses agree: We're happy to be in West Melbourne. We've been here 27 years, in this business friendly area. The Space Coast is a great place to find a highly technical workforce and our customers love to come visit us. KARL KETTNER Senior Program Manager Lockheed Martin DAVE CHRISTIANO President USSI Telecommunications We chose to expand in West Melbourne because of the economics and the broad talent base and technicians. WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE ECONOMY 7
CHECK OUT OUR TALENT Fast Facts Demographics: Age 21,375 POPULATION 2.4 23% 17% 20% 29% 11% AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE $53,401 4,295 3,125 3,771 5,352 2,135 0-19 20-34 35-49 50-75 75+ MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME Demographics: Gender Educational Attainment NO HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA (6%) HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE (29%) SOME COLLEGE (32%) BACHELOR S/GRADUATE/ PROFESSIONAL DEGREE (34%) 48% MALE 52% FEMALE 8 QUALITY OF LIFE WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE
Employment Statistics 5.3% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 13% 70% 18% + + = 10,711 EMPLOYEES SERVICES WHITE COLLAR BLUE COLLAR Cost of Living Statistics $173,900 68.8% $1,140 MEDIAN HOME PRICE HOME OWNERSHIP MEDIAN RENT Quality of Life Index WEATHER RESTAURANTS MEDICAL EDUCATION AMUSEMENT QUALITY OF LIFE WEST MELBOURNE UNITED STATES THE UNITED STATES REPRESENTS THE AVERAGE, AT 100 POINTS. ANY RESULTS EXCEEDING 100 MEANS WEST MELBOURNE IS "ABOVE AVERAGE" IN THAT CATEGORY. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 JANUARY HIGH-LOW JULY HIGH-LOW 131 40 F 50 F 60 F 70 F 80 F 90 F 100 F 234 WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE QUALITY OF LIFE 9
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE West Melbourne is a member of the Economic Development Commission of Florida s Space Coast and the Melbourne Regional Chamber of East Central Florida. Both of these organizations provide extensive guidance and assitance to new businesses or those looking to expand in South Brevard County. The City also has affiliations with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the Melbourne Brevard Community College and the My Region organization in Central Florida. The Small Business Development Center offers a wealth of information about starting a new business or expanding existing businesses. The following pages provide a summary of business incentives offered at the local, regional, and state levels, for qualifying industries and companies that seek to relocate or expand within the City. The breadth of available local incentives make the relocation or expansion of your business in West Melbourne a profitable and business-savvy decision! 10 INCENTIVES WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE
West Melbourne CRA & WAVE Districts Community Revedevelopment Area (CRA) The City of West Melbourne and Brevard County established a CRA over portions of the City and County to stimulate economic development and provide funding for community-improvement projects. The CRA area is generally located along the three (3) primary commercial corridors serving and passing through the City. These corridors are: the New Haven commercial corridor, the Wickham Road mixed-use corridor and the Ellis industrial corridor. The City of West Melbourne and Brevard County government are committed to stimulating economic development, job creation and private-sector development within the CRA. Operating as a multidecade cooperative partnership between the City and County, the CRA s long-term development objectives include roadway and infrastructure improvements to enable a sustainable commercial utilization of parcels within the CRA. CRA & WAVE District Map LEGEND WAVE Area CRA West Melbourne Area Voluntary Enhancement District (WAVE) The WAVE area consists of 291 properties that can benefit from economic development incentives for job creation or financial assistance for the assessment and clean-up of polluted sites. The WAVE area designation enables access to State, Federal and Local brownfield incentives and programs for eligible properties. This enables the stacking of incentive programs that may be available through the West Melbourne/Brevard County Joint Community Redevelopment Agency and the WAVE program. These stacked incentives may include potential tax increment fund rebates coupled with enhanced corporate tax refund incentives from the State s Qualified Targeted Industry (QTI) Tax Refund program. WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE INCENTIVES 11
Incentives LOCAL West Melbourne Tax Abatement Program The City Council of the City of West Melbourne is authorized to grant property tax exemptions to qualifying new industrial business and expansions of existing businesses with ten or more employees and capital facility improvements. West Melbourne Permit Assistance and Expedited Permitting The City provides permit assistance and expedited permitting to targeted industries and companies seeking to expand or relocate within the City. West Melbourne Incentive Partnering The City has established partnerships with Brevard County and the State of Florida and will participate with County and State incentive programs (local matches, etc.) on a case-by-case basis. Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) In addition the City has created a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) in cooperation with Brevard County and a West Melbourne Voluntary Enhancement (WAVE) District within its borders. Both of these areas increase the opportunities for business incentives. The CRA has been established in portions of the City and County to stimulate economic development and provide funding for community-improvement projects. The CRA area is generally located along three (3) primary business corridors. The City and the County governments are committed to stimulating economic development, job creation and private sector development within the CRA. Operating as a 30 year cooperative partnership between the City and County, the CRA s long-term development objectives include roadway and infrastructure improvements to enable a sustainable commercial utilization of parcels within the CRA. West Melbourne Area Voluntary Enhancement (WAVE) District The WAVE District, consists of properties that can benefit from economic development incentives for job creation or financial assistance for the assessment and clean-up of polluted sites. Sites located within this District may be eligible to receive State, Federal and local incentives. (1) Tax Refund - Tax refunds up to $2,500 per new job created in the WAVE area. Refunds apply to taxes paid, including corporate income, sales, ad-valorem, intangible personal property, insurance premium, and certain other taxes. (2) Loan Guarantee Program - - 50% loan guarantee on site rehabilitation and development - 75% for affordable housing - Sales/use tax exemption on building materials - Applicable to any property within a designated brownfield area provided eligibility criteria for each incentive is met (3) Voluntary Site Clean Up Tax Credits (VCTC) - Florida Corporate Income Tax refunds up to $500,000 for entities meeting the eligibility criteria established under the applicable Sections of the Florida Statutes and entering into either a Voluntary Cleanup Agreement (VCA) for Drycleaning Solvent Cleanup (DSC), or a Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement. CONTACT Christy Fischer Planning and Econominic Development Director 321-837-7778 cfischer@westmelbourne.org 12 INCENTIVES WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BROCHURE
Programs & Services REGIONAL Florida High Technology Corridor Created in 1996, the Florida High Tech Corridor Consortium focuses on attracting, retaining, and growing high-tech industry in the 21-county region of the Corridor by utilizing university research initiatives, workforce development projects, and joint marketing of the region with economic development, community college and industry partners. Florida Virtual Entrepreneur Center The Center is a web portal, developed in partnership with the Florida High Tech Corridor Consortium, designed to provide a robust and easy-touse resource for local entrepreneurs to find information and services to support their new or growing business. It provides links to service providers, local governments, and other agencies to support starting businesses, expanding businesses, or relocating businesses to Central Florida! GrowFL The Florida Economic Gardening Institute, funded through the University of Central Florida, uses its host of partners, committed to delivery of statewide services, to help second-stage companies achieve their potential. GrowFL provides, a suite of high-end, high-speed technical assistance and business resources to companies that have grown beyond the startup phase and need access to information and decision-making tools typically available only to larger companies. A team of highly-trained and experienced analysts will be deployed to identify the areas of opportunities for business expansion or refinement. Site Selection Assistance From large high-tech manufacturing facilities to small office buildings, the EDC has access to current market availability and can help you choose the ideal location for your business. Financial Assistance The EDC will work to ensure all avenues to lower operating costs including state and local incentives, grants and other support applicable are known and applied for the benefit of new projects. Access Through partnerships with the state, county, cities and our coalition of 55,000 strong, the EDC ensures your company receives access to the people you need, from elected officials to companies doing business in your industry. Recruitment and Training The EDC can assist your company in finding and training employees by coordinating involvement with appropriate educational institutions and government entities. CONTACT Gregory J. Weiner Space Coast EDC 321-638-2000 gweiner@spacecoastedc.org WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE INCENTIVES 13
Programs & Services STATE Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax Refund Program Available for companies that create high wage jobs in targeted industries. This incentive includes refunds on corporate income, sales, ad valorem, intangible personal property, insurance premium, and certain other taxes. Quick Response Training (QRT) Program Training program that provides existing Florida businesses with the necessary training for expansion. Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) Program Provides training to currently employed workers. The program is available to all Florida residents that have been in operation at least one year. Skills upgrade training is required for existing employees. Economic Development Transportation Fund Also known as the Road fund, offers up to $2 million in grants to alleviate transportation challenges that impact the location or expansion of headquarter operations or manufacturing/recycling facilities. The grant must serve as an inducement for the company s location, retention or expansion in Florida and create or retain jobs. High Impact Performance Incentive Grant (HIPI) Used to attract and grow major high-impact facilities. Must operate within designated high-impact portions of selected sectors (biomedical technology, financial services, silicon technology, and transportation equipment manufacturing), create at least 50 new full-time-equivalent jobs in Florida in a three-year period; and make a cumulative investment in the State of at least $50 million in a three-year period. Capital Investment Tax Credit An annual credit against the Florida Corporate Income Tax for up to 20 years. Eligible projects are in designated, high-impact sectors (silicon technology, biotechnology, biocertain transportation-equipment manufacturing or certain information-technology facilities), create at least 100 jobs and invest at least $25 million in eligible capital costs incurred in the acquisition, construction, installation and equipping of a project from construction to operation. Expedited Permitting Assistance/Streamlining Process Achieved through a commitment among the State s regulatory agencies to provide quicker, less-costly and more predictable permitting processes for significant economic development projects without reducing environmental standards. Qualified Defense and Space Contractor Tax Refund A program to preserve and grow Florida s high-technology employment base by encouraging defense contractors to consolidate defense contracts, acquire new contracts, or convert to commercial production. Pre-approved projects receive tax refunds of up to $3000 per job created or saved in Florida. Jobs for the Unemployed Tax Credit Program (JUTC) Provides incentives to hire qualified employees who were previously unemployed. Sales Tax Electricity Exemption Allows for sales tax exemptions on electricity and boiler fuels used to operate machinery and equipment for manufacturing, pollution control equipment, recycling equipment, maintenance equipment or monitoring/control equipment. Aviation Industry Tax Exemptions These industry tax exemptions include the maintenance or repair of aircraft, equipment used in aircraft maintenance or repair, and fixed wing aircraft sales or leases. Space Industry Tax Exemptions Semiconductor, defense and space-technology facilities, exemption of sales and uses taxes that would otherwise be paid by the qualifying business on machinery and equipment used in production and research and development. Certified businesses may also elect to designate one or more State universities to receive up to 100% of the amount of the qualifying exemption. In return, the university must match the funds equally and provide research and development projects for the certified business. CONTACT Gregory J. Weiner Space Coast EDC 321-638-2000 gweiner@spacecoastedc.org 14 INCENTIVES WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BROCHURE
Programs & Services STATE Additional State Incentives No State personal income tax; no State-level ad valorem tax; no inventory tax; exemptions from sales tax on manufacturing machinery and equipment used in production; sales and use tax exemptions for research and development costs; sales tax exemptions for the motion picture, television and recording industries; and International transactions exempted from documentary stamp tax and international banking transactions from intangible tax. WEST MELBOURNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDE INCENTIVES 15
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