To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Vin Smith, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Neal Harrison, Development Project Coordinator
TITLE:
Title
Creative Space and Local Manufacturing Action Plan (Make It In Napa Initiative)
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Receive an overview and recommendations from the Creative Space and Local Manufacturing Action Plan.
Body
DISCUSSION:
In 2021, the City of Napa was awarded a federal grant from the Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to advance the City’s local manufacturing and creative sectors. Engaging two nonprofit consultants and developers, Artspace and PlaceMade, the EDA grant allowed for “The City of Napa’s Creative Space and Local Manufacturing Action Plan” report (“Action Plan”). From March to November 2021, the aim was to develop an Action Plan to make Napa a place where the manufacturing, maker, and creative sectors and their workforce can thrive. This initiative was named “Make It In Napa” and had a unique webpage: www.makitinnapa.com <http://www.makitinnapa.com>.
Representatives from Artspace and PlaceMade, alongside the City’s Economic Development team, will provide an overview of the Action Plan for retaining and attracting individual artists, creatives, makers and their making and manufacturing business.
Background and Purpose of the Action Plan
In 2019, the Bay Area Council Economic Institute delivered the “City of Napa Economic Action Strategy”. This study concluded that there was a significant opportunity to sustainably grow the City of Napa’s creative and local manufacturing sectors. Investing in, and building thriving, local manufacturing and creative ecosystems will provide living wage jobs for diverse, local residents. This investment would also advance the prosperity of Napa and provide much-needed resiliency and economic diversification to help weather disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic and local wildfires. The result would be a stronger, more diverse economy, complementing Napa’s notable tourism, agricultural, and healthcare industries.
Following the Action Strategy, the City of Napa engaged Artspace and PlaceMade in late 2019 to assess the potential for a jointly developed facility that would offer affordable manufacturing and production space, creative work and studio space, and housing for the people who create and make things in Napa. The final notes and recommendations found that the project concept had strong potential and that it was an innovative way to capitalize on its creative sector, to create jobs, address affordable housing concerns, and spur economic development. These encouraging findings set the stage for the City’s next step.
Brief Summary of Action Plan Recommendations
The Creative Space and Local Manufacturing Action Plan (Attachment 1) is a roadmap for the City of Napa and its partners to attract, retain, and grow the manufacturing, maker, artist, and creative sectors. There are 8 Action Items divided into short-, mid-, and longer-term tactics for the City of Napa and partners to pursue. All are based upon the needs and ideas the team heard from the local creative and manufacturing sectors. Several of the items City and partners are already working towards.
Below is a summary of the 8 Action Items and implementation tactics recommended by Artspace and PlaceMade. These are described in greater detail in the Action Plan and Action Plan Presentation to City Council (Attachment 2).
ACTION ITEM 1
Form a Steering Committee to Launch a Maker-friendly, City Initiative.
The purpose of this committee is to help further Napa as a maker-friendly city and to support and grow the artisan maker, small-scale manufacturer, and artist/creative sectors within the City of Napa. The “Make It In Napa” Initiative name is a placeholder, and can be changed to one the committee decides upon.
Recommended Implementation Tactics:
Short term “ST” (six months - one year):
• ST1 - Find local champions that can carry this initiative forward. Reach out to the individuals met during this yearlong study and respondents to the Make It In Napa survey.
• ST2 - Form a Steering Committee with representation from the City of Napa, local chamber(s) of commerce, business and workforce support organizations, the arts/cultural sector (e.g., Arts Council Napa Valley and maker/artist collectives), educational institutions, maker/artist collectives, as well as the champions identified in ST1. Attention and care should be paid to including age and racial diversity to the Steering Committee.
• ST3 - Prioritize which Action Items and tactics the steering committee members can help implement and identify partners and begin conversations.
Mid term “MT” (one-two years):
• MT1 - Support an external partner organization, nonprofit, or city staff through funding and other resources so that they can continue to champion the Make It In Napa initiative.
ACTION ITEM 2
Improve Communication and Raise Visibility of the Creative Sector
This step is the kick-off of the initiative following steering committee formation. It pertains to improving the flow of information between creative sector individuals and businesses and between the creative sector and the broader community. Better communication can raise the visibility of existing makers, manufacturers, artists, and creatives and improve access to resources.
Recommended Implementation Tactics:
Short term “ST” (six months - one year):
• ST1 - Either continue the Make It In Napa Initiative name or choose a new one moving forward. For clarity purposes in this Action Plan, the Make It in Napa Initiative name remains.
• ST2 - Create a way for creative businesses and artists to connect and network. This was the highest identified need by Make It In Napa survey respondents.
• ST3 - Increase web and brand visibility of the Make It In Napa Initiative.
• ST4 - Identify and amplify existing business, real estate, arts, funding resources that the creative/manufacturing sectors and survey respondents may not know about.
Mid term “MT” (one- two years):
• MT1 - Participate in the Bay Area Urban Manufacturing (BAUM) and SF Made’s Manufacturing Week that is held annually in October.
• MT2 - Promote City of Napa-based maker/manufacturers, artists and creative businesses through a searchable directory. The Arts Council of Napa Valley has a great Creative Directory that might be expanded upon rather than starting from scratch.
• MT3 - Convene a meeting with leaders from the area’s educational institutions to explore partnership opportunities for increased support of these sectors.
• MT4 - Host a conversation about DEIA and access to space with diverse creative leaders. Elevating new makers and underserved communities is important to raising the profile and connecting all the artists in the community.
• MT5- Solicit private partner sponsorships to promote local makers and artists.
Longer term “LT” (two - five years):
• LT1 - Host site visits to maker/manufacturer and artist/creative workspaces and studios with cross-sector stakeholders, funders, and influencers.
• LT2 - Determine a partner organization or new non-profit organization where the Make It In Napa Initiative can flourish and assist artists, makers, creatives, and manufacturers. Look for seed funding opportunities.
ACTION ITEM 3
Enhance City Infrastructure and Policy to Support the Initiative
With some small but important changes and programs the City can be better equipped to support the maker/artisan and small manufacturers and artist/creative led small-businesses in the City of Napa. Codifying what it means to support the “Make It In Napa Initiative” will be important to incentivize creative space development.
Recommended Implementation Tactics:
Short term “ST” (six months - one year):
• ST1 - Update and streamline the business license database to easily sort and extract makers/artisan manufacturers, and arts/creative businesses.
• ST2 - Work with Parks and Recreation and the Arts Commission to broaden the messaging around arts and culture to include makers and creatives.
• ST3 - Cultivate city policies that value the maker/creative sectors and help advance this initiative and its objectives such as zoning that allows for live/work housing, cottage industry rules and regulations, and economic development policies.
Mid term “MT” (one- two years):
• MT1 - Assign a City staff liaison as the go-to staff person for artisan/maker manufacturers and arts/creative/maker businesses to help them start, stay, and grow in Napa.
• MT2 - Create a “working with the City of Napa” handbook.
• MT3 - Develop and codify the goals of this initiative and put criteria around how businesses and developments can assess their alignment and in turn support this initiative. (e.g., long-term affordable space, job creation, below market spaces, reaching underserved communities)
• MT4 - Preserve and expand industrial land opportunities.
Longer term “LT” (two - five years):
• LT1 - Include temporary, program-based, and creative spaces in the next Public Art Master Plan update to access percent for art funding for creative space.
• LT2 - Develop a cultural plan for the City of Napa.
ACTION ITEM 4
Adopt Incentives that Leverage Investment and Advance Opportunities
Incentives in this context may be conventional, financial based incentives (for example, density bonuses and tax abatements), or non-financial incentives that simply make Napa an easier and more attractive place for artists, creatives, makers/manufacturers to locate and grow their businesses.
Recommended Implementation Tactics:
Short term “ST” (six months - one year):
• ST1 - Develop and promote a menu of incentives that reward development projects and businesses that advance the Make It In Napa goals laid out in Action Item 3.
• ST2 - Reduce event-related permit, license and rental fees for applicants who are serving or who contract local makers/artists.
Mid term “MT” (one- two years):
• MT1 - Modify the “percent-for-art” ordinance and policy that is part of the Public Art Master Plan to support new creative spaces.
Longer term “LT” (two - five years):
• LT2 - Develop a certification program for developments that align with goals of this initiative and exemplify excellence.
ACTION ITEM 5
Create New, Affordable Space Opportunities
Makers, manufacturers, artists, and creatives need affordable, safe, and functional spaces where they can make, create, conduct business, and sell, display or share their work. They need private and shared spaces, large and small, industrial and non-industrial and incubator/accelerator spaces. The Make It In Napa Space Needs Survey data should be reviewed by any developer interested in creating this type of space. Affordability and availability of space is the foremost need and one of the most complex to address.
Recommended Implementation Tactics:
Short term “ST” (six months - one year):
• ST1 - Use the Make It In Napa Space Needs Survey Findings Report to make the case for new space.
• ST2 - Call out the immediate need for housing and space that creatives are facing in city plans, advocacy, and other Make it in Napa communications.
Mid term “MT” (one- two years):
• MT1 - Identify and maintain a list of potential locations for new space.
• MT2 - Connect individual artists, makers, and small businesses to organizations with existing space opportunities. The survey respondents are an immediate starting point.
• MT3 - Work to ensure DEIA measures are in place to include diverse populations in any conversation about new affordable space.
• MT4- Reward mission-driven development projects through incentives that include below market-rate creative spaces.
Longer term “LT” (two - five years):
• LT1 - Create a long-term affordable, mixed use, artist and maker live and work facility or campus.
• LT2 - Pilot new projects through public/private partnerships.
ACTION ITEM 6
Explore Partner and Funding Opportunities
While the City may not be flush with funds to advance recommendations in the Action Plan, it can leverage existing programs and work in partnerships with the private sector and Napa County to usher in new opportunities.
Recommended Implementation Tactics:
Short term “ST” (six months - one year):
• ST1 - Tap into American Rescue Plan Act funds.
• ST2 - Connect with local organizations to advance the goals of Make It in Napa. Partnering with existing organizations and individuals is a great way to leverage resources in the community or pursue joint funding. Appendix XX has the list of all the individuals and organizations who participated in the study.
Mid term “MT” (one- two years):
• MT1 - Support efforts to bring more regional resources to Napa city businesses.
• MT2 - Explore district-specific revenue opportunities.
ACTION ITEM 7
Establish a Maker-Focused District
A maker-focused district should be a city approved geographic area that could apply for California state certification as a Cultural District. More than one district may be appropriate in Napa. Benefits include increased tourism and visibility for makers and artists within the district and economic development. The City of Napa has a unique opportunity to stand out in the valley with such a district.
Recommended Implementation Tactics:
Short term “ST” (six months - one year):
• ST1 - Identify potential geographic boundaries for a future district and determine the best location and goals for the district(s). Pay attention to any issues of gentrification or displacement that this may bring up. Preserving affordable space should be of the highest priority.
Mid term “MT” (one - two years):
• MT1 - Form a stakeholder working group for the district that includes younger voices and diverse representation of makers and creatives.
ACTION ITEM 8
Strengthen Regional Connections
Many of the ecosystem challenges stem from intractable issues (land costs, traffic, wildfires, etc.) faced by multiple municipalities in the region, as well as other issues outside of the City’s jurisdictive control. While Napa is limited in what it can do on its own to improve these types of conditions, it can work collaboratively with Napa County and regional municipalities and agencies to address concerns of mutual interest.
Recommended Implementation Tactics:
Short term “ST” (six months - one year):
• ST1 - Conduct “Business Retention Visits” in partnership with Napa County.
Mid term “MT” (one - two years):
• MT1 - Expand opportunities for job-creating maker/artisan manufacturers in the County’s manufacturing-zoned land at the airport.
• MT2 - Encourage Napa County to join BAUM (Bay Area Urban Manufacturing) Initiative to form more regional connections.
• MT3 - Create more opportunities for exchanges with Bay Area artists and creatives to work and show in Napa, potential key partners would be the Arts Council of Napa Valley and other regional arts councils.
Longer term “LT” (two - five years):
• LT1 - Initiate a regional dialogue on how to keep maker/artisan manufacturers, artists and creatives in the area and how to be welcoming to emerging artists.
Partners
Artspace Consulting is a division of Artspace Projects Inc., a nationally regarded non-profit development and consultancy organization that uses the tools of real estate development to create self-sustaining, long-term affordable living and working spaces for the individuals, businesses and organizations that make up a region’s creative sector. Artspace Consulting has advised over 300 communities on their space developments. As developer, owner and operator, Artspace Projects Inc. has completed 58 real estate projects in 22 states, the District of Columbia, and one tribal reservation, over the last four decades. Artspace Projects, Inc. has supported artist-led community transformation, representing a nearly $750 million investment in America’s creative-sector infrastructure.
PlaceMade is the Bay Area’s leading non-profit real estate consultancy and developer for affordable and functional industrial space. PlaceMade, together with its parent non-profit organization SFMade, Inc, brings more than a decade of experience helping manufacturers start, stay, and grow in the Bay Area. Together, PlaceMade and SFMade advance shared prosperity in cities across the region by helping them build thriving local manufacturing ecosystems that sustain living-wage jobs for diverse local residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
N/A
CEQA:
The Community Development Director has determined that the Recommended Action described in this Staff Report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060c
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Creative Space and Local Manufacturing Action Plan
ATCH 2 - Action Plan Presentation to City Council
NOTIFICATION:
N/A