Committee debates focus on recruiting businesses, constraints from state business licensing and next steps

Members of the Clemson downtown advisory committee debated whether the group should remain focused on downtown merchant issues or take a broader role in active economic development and business recruitment.

Several members said the city needs more clarity about the kinds of businesses it wants to recruit before staff or a subgroup can pursue targeted outreach. One committee member asked whether recruiting professional firms such as engineering, architecture or software consultancies would be feasible; others said those businesses are driven by market thresholds and by state licensing and tax structures.

The committee heard that business licensing in South Carolina is state-mandated and limits how the city can vary license fees; members suggested staff and council work together to identify which policy levers are available. Committee members proposed forming a small working group with staff and council representatives to define target sectors, study nearby jurisdictions’ licensing models and recommend realistic incentives (for example, grants, fees-in-lieu, or other locally allowable tools) to attract desired businesses.

Participants noted the city’s retail vacancy rate discussed in the meeting was roughly 7 percent (about 37 vacant storefronts), a figure used to illustrate local turnover and opportunity; speakers characterized that number as an approximate snapshot rather than a precise, audited count. Members also mentioned local examples of private-sector activity, including the Potbelly Deli relocating to a renovated building and the appointment of local business owner John Shaughnessy to the committee.

Speakers suggested council consider creating a dedicated development director role or authorizing council staff to take a more proactive recruiting stance, but no formal motion or budget commitment was made at the meeting. The topic will carry to the next committee meeting and committee members asked staff to provide more information about statutory limits on business-license structures and examples from peer communities.

Ending: The committee agreed to continue the discussion at a future working session and to ask staff and council members to draft a narrow scope for recruitment and incentives before the next meeting.