The Triangle Community Coalition had another successful Coffee Chat on March 7, 2012 with the Town of Wake Forest.
Joining our members in an informal chat were Commissioner Anne Hines. Also joining the Chat was Town Manager Mark Williams, Deputy Town Manager Roe O’Donnell, Planning Director Chip Russell, Engineering Director Eric Keravuori, IT Director Tom LaBarge and Parks & Rec Director Ruben Wall.

We provided the Town of Wake Forest with a better perspective of the Triangle Community Coalition’s goal to be a proactive and to work with senior staff and elected officials to develop policies, regulations, and procedures to encourage economic development, produce predictable (yet flexible) outcomes for all stakeholders, and protect the community’s interests. The Town appreciated the TCC’s ability to offer objective facts and information to opinion leaders prior to public hearings to better moderate public policy debates and create effective working relationships between the business community and local government.

We had another great turn out from our membership and appreciated the opportunity to talk about the following:
• Ways for the Triangle Community Coalition to be involved in the Unified Development Ordinance review process.
• How the new Unified Development Ordinance will encourage the development patterns envisioned by the new Comprehensive Plan.
• The benefits of the new Unified Development Ordinance to the development community.
• The locations that the Town is encouraging growth, including the downtown area.
• The economic development initiatives spearheaded by the Town, including the defense and wireless industry incubators.
• The ways in which the last drought and the real estate downturn has helped the Town in terms of preserving plenty of water capacity to serve new growth.

If you are interested in participating in future Coffee Chats, check the website at www.tricc.org for notices of upcoming chats and reserve your spot as space is
limited for these events!