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County economic development specialist urges proactive site-selection and municipal collaboration
Summary
Jared Soto outlined a proactive site-selection strategy to attract businesses while protecting open space, proposing targeted outreach to municipalities and landowners, collaboration with Wildlands and Penns Northeast, and use of GIS and outreach videos.
Jared Soto, Carbon County’s economic development specialist, told the Open Space Advisory Board that proactive site-selection and stronger county–municipal collaboration could help the county attract targeted industry while protecting open-space priorities.
"How do we kind of make ourselves more competitive... the more things that we could kind of do to be more proactive with, like, marketing existing buildings, existing land," Soto said, outlining five target industry types and urging better information-sharing with municipalities about transmission, gas access and interstate connections. He said Penns Northeast, a regional marketer, could help amplify local site availability.
Soto and board members urged balancing recruitment with land preservation. Dan Klinkle, an appointed consultant to the board who helped lead the county open-space referendum campaign, said residents wanted growth directed to already developed boroughs: "We're not against development. We want development to be directed at the right places. We don't want our open spaces chewed up."
Board members discussed practical outreach steps: using county GIS to map large parcels, compiling a list of major landowners for targeted workshops, producing and distributing a short video to reach property owners, and leaning on state funding sources to move projects forward. A grant tied to climate-informed conservation was noted as due on December 5, with award decisions expected in February.
Members also discussed financing tools: DCNR funding and the County Open Space Program match were flagged as potential levers to advance willing landowner projects. The board agreed to consider landowner workshops and joint forums for municipal officials to present preservation and economic-development options.
Next steps: staff and partners will refine outreach materials, compile parcel data via county GIS, and pursue targeted meetings with municipalities and landowners.
