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KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />PAGE 18 | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN <br />5.2.1.3. Develop internship programs for students. <br />5.2.2. Identify all programs that might support the County’s agricultural industry and identify ways these <br />programs can serve and connect with the local agricultural businesses/farmers. <br />5.2.2.1. Support CWU’s agribusiness program. <br />5.2.2.2. Educate residents and students about the importance of land for agriculture through hands-on <br />experiences and marketing. <br />5.2.2.3. Encourage relationships between educational providers (middle and high school through <br />community college or trade school) and employers to expose young people to career options in <br />agriculture and create an understanding of pathways to those jobs. <br />5.2.2.4. Prioritize research and innovation that prepares this sector for the future. <br />5.3. Use community planning to preserve the County’s character while addressing its growth needs. <br />5.3.1. Engage the County and cities in joint long-range planning efforts to address Countywide land use and <br />other needs. <br />5.3.1.1. Incentivize mixed-use developments that create density while offering proximity to retail and <br />amenities (see actions detailed in strategy 3.1). <br />5.3.2. Engage the Yakima Nation as a partner in economic development efforts. <br />5.3.2.1. Engage the Yakima Nation in community-building activities. <br />5.3.3. Advocate for, and invest in, resiliency and sustainability efforts, including addressing the community’s <br />water needs and implementing wildfire mitigation strategies. <br />5.3.3.1. Support the wildfire risk mitigation strategies, such as vegetation management. <br />5.3.3.2. Continue investing in water needs to support the County’s growth. <br />5.3.3.3. Explore pilot programs to enhance energy alternatives, such as geothermal energy, for grid resilience. <br />5.3.4. Allocate resources to preserve the County’s historic buildings and housing stock. <br />5.3.4.1. Continue working with the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. <br />5.3.4.2. Continue facade improvement and Main Street programs in Roslyn, Cle Elum, Thorp, and Ellensburg. <br />5.3.4.3. Leverage the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and the USDA Multifamily <br />Preservation and Revitalization funds for the preservation of the County’s affordable housing stock.