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KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON Project Overview Kittitas County (the County) has reached a tipping point. Following three decades of strong population grouh, driven almost exclusively by net domestic migration, the County has experienced accelerated growth in recent years. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating this trend as those who have flexible work arrangements, or who can afford to move out of higher-cost urban markets, choose desirable locations like Kittitas County. The steady influx of people looking to purchase primary residences or vacation homes has placed pressure on an already strained housing market, driving home prices out of reach for many. Managing this growth will require a collaborative approach that brings together those who want to see change and those who dont. This need for consensus building comes at a time when economies around the world are experiencing a lack of confidence in public sector institutions at every level. For Kittitas County, this larger trend was perhaps illustrated most clearly in the resounding defeat of proposals to reestablish a port district in the County in 2016 and 201g. Like many such complex initiatives, proponents faced the difficulty of explaining the role of these tools in promoting and financing economic development, a field that is often poorly understood and which can evoke anxiety in those who fear change. Meanwhile, the County has continued to struggle to raise the funds needed for infrastructure investments that can help manage existing growth and generate quality jobs for local residents. The creation of a transparent, actionable economic strategic plan marks an important first step in addressing these concerns. What County leaders do with this plan will set the stage for Kittitas County's future. Approach Kittitas County and the City of Ellensburg (the City) engaged TIP Strategies (TlP) to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to guide economic development efforts in the region. For this plan, TIP's three-phase Theory tnto practice planning model-discovery, opportunity, and implementation-was combined into two phases to meet project-specif ic objectives. Beyond its value as an organizing structure, the TIP planning model helps reinforce a commitment to getting it right. The discovery phase is designed to emphasize the process of learning what makes a community or region unique. The opportunity phase ensures a focus on identifying the big idea (or ideas) that will contribute to the community's economic vitality and garner widespread support for the planning process. The implementation phase focuses on the desired outcome and the steps needed to translate ideas into action. Figure 1. Project Approach DISCOVERY 1.1 Project Launch 1.2 Planning Context 1.3 Economic Context 1.4 Leadership Workshop 1.5 Stakeholder Engagement 1.6 Network Analysis 1.7 Findings Report 2.5 Final Presentation and Workshop 2.6 Virtual lmplementation Workshops 2.7 Year 1 Scorecard OPPORTUNITY AND IMPLEMENTATION 2.1 Best Practices 2.2 0pportunity Workshop 2.3 Strategic Plan 2.4 lmplementation Matrix With the guidance of a 24-member steering committee, the planning process included a robust analysis of economic, demographic, and workforce data, as well as extensive stakeholder input, and a series of economic development workshops for local practitioners. TIP will also conduct three additional workshops during the plan's first 180 days and provide a one-year scorecard to support the implementation process. o= PAGE 1 I ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN