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Growth Study
– Why Growth is Certain in our Area/How this Benefits You
  
 
The Suncoast Parkway
connecting us to Tampa – although it ended to our south in 2007, its final
construction phase is underway and it will extend through Citrus County
and end just north of Seven Rivers RMC by 2016
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According
to Randy Welker, 2008 Executive Director, Citrus County
Economic Development Council, the growth of Citrus County over the
next 20 years is certain and predictable. As a medical professional
looking to the future, this is important as you will be moving to a
community that is growing – for physicians this means the ability to
grow your practice, and for future employees this means SRRMC will grow
along with growing opportunities for you.
  
New retail
centers, and road expansions throughout Citrus County (SR 44 to Lecanto
and SR 41 South, outside Floral City)
 
Randy Welker
and the Crystal River Commons project, a 300,000SF Town Center
“This community is changing and growing – the Suncoast Parkway has grown
population to our south over the last decade and the final stages of its
development will be at our front door. Job growth, retail and commercial
real estate growth, population growth – all will be up in the coming
decades.”
- Randy
Welker, Citrus CDC
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Major
Reasons for Growth into the next decade
Running time (1:26 minutes)
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Projects,
Plans, and a message to candidates
Running time (1:41
minutes)
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Key Growth Factors for
Citrus County:
1.
The Suncoast Parkway,
which has
already been proven to grow the populations and development in counties to
our south, is marching into and through our area, with its scheduled
completion in 2016 just a couple miles north of our hospital!
2.
Progress Energy,
the #2
supplier of energy in the US and major supplier to the state of Florida,
has applied for 2 nuclear power stations north of us in Levy County,
with plans to be online in 2016 – this will secure thousands of new jobs
through their construction and operation.
The current Crystal River Energy Complex consists of five
power-generating plants on a 4,700 acre (1,900 hectare) site near the
mouth of the
Crystal River.
Crystal River 1 and 2 are
fossil fuel power
plants.
Crystal River 3
is the sole
nuclear power plant
on the site, while Crystal River 4 and 5 are also fossil fuel power
plants. The complex is now owned and operated by
Progress Energy Inc.
With a summer generating capacity of 3,140
megawatts
(as of April 2002), the complex was the seventh largest electric power
generating site in the
United States
in 2006-2007.
3. EDC
Initiatives/Projects:
“Experienced Minds” program, promotion of area to new companies (Sidex,
Clear Springs), business and retail parks at Inverness Airport and towne
center retail development, Black Diamond Shoppes (at 491/486)
4.
Continued Population Growth:
Florida internal migration (Florida residents moving to our area from
elsewhere) and retirees from outside Florida will also continue to grow
Citrus County faster than the national average.
1.The Suncoast Parkway
The
Suncoast Parkway has been singularly responsible for dramatic growth into
what was formerly undeveloped lands immediately north of Tampa. The
population growth and development since it was begun back in 1994, has
been remarkable, and it continues. Immediately north of Tampa has
boomed as the undeveloped land was dramatically less expensive, and it
made for better real estate values and a “commuter lifestyle” into the
city via the parkway (that’s called suburbs).
Tampa is in
Hillsborough County. Going northward, the next 2 counties before
our Citrus County are Pasco, and then Hernando,
respectively. Particularly southern Pasco, because it is immediately
north of Tampa, is now, for all practical purposes, a “suburb” of Tampa.
Hernando County has grown less but has experienced population growth.
Citrus County may grow much faster than Hernando County has in the last
decade However, with 3 proposed intersections, along with its final
exit along US Highway 19 two miles north of Seven Rivers RMC – all
which are existing cities/population centers, we expect there to be
significantly more growth in Citrus County than Hernando – not just due to
coincidental exits along already-existing population centers, but also due
to the amazing quality of life of Citrus County.
Important Notes on
Brochures:
The Suncoast Parkway 2 report
is specific
to our area on pages 12-18
12-15: Map of proposed continuance of Parkway ending just north of
Seven Rivers RMC
16: Bypass over Lecanto and SR 44 (a few miles southeasterly of
Crystal River)
17-18: Design and Development schedules
The Suncoast
Parkway will come north through Lecanto and then curve northwest
and connect with US 19 just north of Crystal River
The Suncoast
Parkway, which connects us to Tampa in under an hour, ended here in
2007-2008 on the southern border of Citrus County. The map above shows
its final development stages which will be completed in 2016.
The “Suncoast Parkway 2”
Map
is lying on
its side – the right side is North and the left of the map is our South,
which is where the final development stages are to begin in 2009. When
you open the PDF map, “right click” and turn the image counter clockwise.
Or you can PRINT the map.
More Photos from
the Suncoast Parkway
2.Progress Energy Applies
for 2 additional nuclear-power generating plants in Levy County.
Let’s talk
about nuclear power for a moment:
it powers 75% of France’s power needs. Britain has just approved 8 new
power plants. The German government is working to include nuclear power
into its immediate future.
Here’s a
dose of reality:
in 2006 the United States got just 2.3% of its net electricity generation
from “renewable” energy sources (solar, wind power, and bio fuels), and
according to the US Energy Information Administration, by 2018 our need
for electricity needs will be 4.4 trillion kilowatt hours per year and the
total share of renewable will be just over 4%. It’s obviously not
enough. It’s abundantly clear with concerns about global warming,
caused by pollutants from fossil fuels and sulpher emitting coal-fired
power plants, that the near zero emission nuclear energy and hydroelectric
power – where available, are the best and cleanest sources of power. New
“recyclable nuclear waste” technologies are making nuclear power
more promising, as less waste will be the result. There are more than 20
applications for new nuclear power plants submitted to the NRC.
Progress Energy’s projects
in our region starts with the plant upgrade at the current CR plant, which
will result in 300-700 more jobs with full gear up starting in 2009 on
that project. 3,000 acres have been purchased in Levy County and after
winning approval from the state of Florida to build two new plants,
Progress Energy will be at “the center of a ‘nuclear renaissance’ in the
United States.” The Nuclear Regulatory Commission received the proposal,
and will take three to four years for review.
·
The new
plants will generate up to 2,200 megawatts of electricity, enough to power
1.4 million homes – and Progress energy hopes to have them online by 2016.
What does that mean for our economy?
From the initial due diligence and geological planning work, through
construction and then plant operation, thousands of jobs will be created,
with a final tally of as many as 1,000 permanent, high-paying jobs will
have a major impact on Crystal River – which by then will have the final
exit of the Suncoast Parkway.
3.EDC Initiatives/Projects
While
residential growth and new jobs are coming due to Progress Energy and the
Suncoast Parkway coming into our area, the Economic Development Council is
focused on diversifying our economy. A pilot program called
“Experienced Minds” has been successfully launched, which provides
employers of Tampa with “remote agents” made up of formerly retired,
educated professionals who want to do more in retirement. The percentage
of retirees in Citrus County ranks #2 in Florida and the EDC’s focus in
the program is to tap into the resources that former executives and
business people can provide – right from their homes. From call center
work to technology consulting, Randy Welker argues that a retired
professional has as much or more to offer than a young professional
without experience, who may be “too mobile” to be counted on for long term
production.
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Retail and
Commercial Initiatives:
Scheduled for completion in 2010, The Shoppes at Black Diamond, planned
for the intersection of SR 491 and SR 486, as well as the Crystal River
Commons, a 300,000 SF Town Center south of the Inverness Airport, are
symbols of how we will grow into the future.
Business
Park/Incubator Program:
With expansion planned at both the Crystal River and Inverness airports, a
Business Park is being proposed, and supported by the University of
Central Florida, to support tech-related support services – the
incubator/business park is proposed to be built on county land adjacent to
Inverness airport.
 
Expansion of
Love Honda Dealership in Crystal River, and continued big-time growth
along the Suncoast Parkway
Target
Industries:*
-
Distribution Companies – among the highest paying non-professional
employers
- Incoming Call Centers –
service organizations and customer support, not outgoing call centers
- Small Manufacturing and
Assembly – Owner-operated contributors to local economy
- Boat Manufacturing
- Software
Developers/Providers – are already located in Citrus County
- Seafood
Processing – target for local cottage producers, and potential
relocating business moving to Citrus County from areas where their
property value has made the business less profitable
“Actions
Identified from the Planning Process”**
- Expansion
of
Inverness and Crystal River airports
- Expansion
of the
local roads and Suncoast Parkway
- Establish
additional degree programs at Community College
- Efforts
to improve
employment in healthcare, health technology, information technology,
medical products manufacturing and other green industries
EDC
Strategies also include
Improving Labor Availability and Productivity, Improving Existing and
Future Transportation Needs and Working to Improve Quality of Life in
Citrus County.
  
Images Courtesy
Sibex and Clear Springs
Sibex, and electronic chip
maker for electric signs, and Clear Springs, a resource reclamation
corporation,
are new to Citrus County in 2008 – photos of circuit boards and a
blueberry field – more money than strawberries; it also has a subsidiary
focusing on manufacturing alligator hide products here as a more
profitable venture than shipping the raw product to France.
Sibex will build a new
plant with plans to grow to 150 jobs, while Clear Springs opened Black
Diamond Tannery in Citrus County.
Major Employers in Citrus
County:
Healthcare (Hospitals,
medical caregivers): 1500
Progress Energy: 1,100
Citrus County School Board: 1,000
Sunshine Materials Corporation: 267 employees
Pro-Line Boats: 250
County Sheriff’s Department: 250
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53% of the land in Citrus County is
either state or county-owned land, designated as parks and preserves –
we can promote our area as a place with vast undeveloped nature lands
which make our quality of living so special.
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What May Hinder the Growth of
Population in Citrus County: According to the EDC, perhaps the most
significant challenge facing the primary sector employment is the lack
of developed industrial property and sites in the area, which is a major
focus into the future to address. Development at Inverness and Crystal
River airports are nascent, although this will not necessarily impact
continued population growth.
4.Continued Population Growth
With the dramatic recent increases in property values in south Florida and
the major metropolitan areas, and retirees pouring into Florida seeking
warm winters and the associated quality of life, it seems logical they
will avoid congestion and high prices. In fact, Citrus County already
ranks #1 in the nation in per capita in residents with unearned
(principally retirement) income at 72.3%. With the Suncoast Parkway, a
direct access toll road ending at Crystal River, providing extremely easy
access to Tampa, we should continue to be a “preferred” spot for retirees.
We will continue to attract retirees as the United States inches to the
top of the “baby boomer retirement bell curve.”
·
Every 60 seconds a baby boomer turns 60 in America. (Jurvetson, below)
·
1 in 5 citizens of Florida is over sixty-five, more than in any other
state, and by 2025, all America will fit that same profile. (Moses,
below)
·
Citrus County is well-known as a “retirement Mecca” with a large
population of retirees – this is a good thing as this reputation
promotes continued growth from that demographic.
This growth
of baby boomers tom Citrus County represents enormous opportunities for
healthcare services
relating to aging, as well as economic opportunities to serve a growing
population continuing to move here for retirement and leisure activities.
More than 4,000,000 people in the US
turned 50 in 2006
Bill Geist, The Big 5-Oh: Fearing, Facing, and Fighting Fifty
(William Morrow & Company, Inc., 1998)
Vital
Stats/Citrus County
– we’re a growing County!
Population: 114,068
Median age: 52.8
New citizens: 2,560 annually
New job creation: NA
Unemployment rate: 4.8 percent in August, 1999
Cost of living: 92.66 on Florida Price Level Index (weighted state
average=100)
Per capita income: $17,653 in August, 1998
Median household effective buying income: $25,402
 
Seven Rivers
Regional Medical Center’s campus is growing, and its services are
expanding to meet County growth!
Resources:
Suncoast2online.com
Wall Street Journal,
July 22,
2008
http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB121668313890771925.html
Tampa Tribune, August 2, 2008 http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/02/bz-nuclear-plant-plan-filed-with-nrc/
* From “2005 Economic Development Council’s Strategic Plan” provided by EDC
** From “Citrus County EDC Strategic/Action Plan 2005-2006” provided by
EDC
Citrus County ranks #1 in the nation in per capita in residents with
unearned (principally retirement) income at 72.3%.
EDC, 2006
“Today, one in five citizens of Florida is over sixty-five, more than in
any other state. By 2025, all America will fit that same profile. We'll be
a nation of Floridas....In 2030 all of the Boomers will have reached
sixty-five (and we will be a nation that is living longer and healthier).”
Pigs, Pythons, and Politics: How to Survive the Aging of the Baby
Boomers, Chicago, Illinois: March 22, 2000
Stephen A.
Moses
“Every 60 seconds, a baby boomer turns 60.” Steve Jurvetson, VC Fund
Manager commenting his testimony at the White House Conference on Aging
Menlo Park, California, United States
BLOG entry, Saturday, October 29, 2005
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