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Motion expressing the Sense of Council of Allegheny County supporting economic development in the Allegheny Valley region by requesting that the Chief Executive and Allegheny County Department of Economic Development meet and work with Rock Airport of Pittsburgh to develop the Rockpointe Business Airpark and, further, protect the investment of public funds already committed to projects and economic revitalization in the Allegheny Valley.
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WHEREAS, Rock Airport of Pittsburgh consists of over 210 acres and is a public use, general aviation airport that currently provides hangar space for fifty-three aircraft and serves 144 pilots; its neighbor, the Rockpointe Business Airpark, is an intermodal park offering access to air, rail, and highway, features that are attractive to companies looking for corporate headquarters, manufacturing companies with a wide-distribution range, and research and development companies; and
WHEREAS, Rock Airport and the Rockpoine Business Airpark are located within a Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ), offering businesses the opportunity to relocate to the area with long-term tax incentives and priority status on government grants and government loans; the KOZ status has already enabled the Airpark to preserve at least two major businesses that were planning to leave Allegheny County; and
WHEREAS, the Pennsylvania Statewide Airport System Plan, developed for the State Department of Transportation to provide tools necessary to allow the preservation, enhancement, and promotion of the state's air transportation system, has identified aircraft storage deficiencies in Southwestern Pennsylvania and recommended that Rock Airport be upgraded to an intermediate airport functional level to improve access to this area of the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, the Administration has frequently noted its commitment to developing new economic opportunities, emphasizing its vision for a better Allegheny County that utilizes a coordinated, collaborative approach in which the County is an effective partner to businesses, residents, and communities across the region; and
WHEREAS, existing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money invested in the region and specific projects at Rockpointe should be protected and further developed in order to spur continued interest and development in the Allegheny Valley, an area that the Administration has indicated that it would like to attract investors to and alleviate blight from; and
WHEREAS, the development of the Rockpointe Airport and Business Park would complement the ongoing development at the Frazer Mills site and foster businesses that produce careers in technology, manufacturing, research, and development; further emphasizing educational and economic opportunities in Allegheny County thus creating a renewed interest in the Allegheny Valley and this region;
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS MOVED, AND IT IS THE SENSE OF THE COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, that this body supports economic development in the Allegheny Valley region and requests that the Chief Executive and Allegheny County Department of Economic Development meet and work with Rock Airport of Pittsburgh to develop the Rockpointe Business Airpark and, further, protect the investment of public funds already committed to projects and economic revitalization in the Allegheny Valley.