Economic Development Report Talbot County, Maryland

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Economic Development Report Talbot County,
Maryland

Data Base Resources used for this report 2005 US
Census Tract Updates, Maryland Departments of
Labor, Economic Development, and Assessment and
Taxation, Talbot County Departments of Planning
and Zoning, GIS, and Finance. Compiled September
2007 by the Talbot County Department of Economic
Development Talbot County Economic Development
www.talbotcountymd.gov Director, Paige R.
Bethke 410-770-8058
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Talbot County, Maryland

• Location
• Population
• Demographics
• Workforce
• Housing
• Tourism
• Agriculture
• Commercial
• Industrial
• Business Retention
• Business Attraction

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Talbot County Hub of the Environmental
Peninsula

• Talbot County fronts the Chesapeake Bay and is
  located midway down the Delmarva Peninsula, a
  6,057 square mile area just east of metropolitan
  Washington DC, referred to locally as Marylands
  Eastern Shore or, as we refer to it The
  Environmental Peninsula. Talbot County is 279
  square miles which includes four major river
  systems and over 600 miles of waterfront
  shoreline. Its land and adjacent waters support
  forests, agriculture and seafood processing
  activities which have historically formed the
  County's economic base.
• Development of Talbot County began in the mid
  1600s with the arrival of merchants and explorers
  from England who established the Port of Oxford
  as the first Capital in America. Talbot County
  remains predominantly rural in character, with
  approximately 60 of the total County population
  clustered around the Town of Easton. The Town of
  Easton was established to serve as the County
  seat in the mid 1860s. The 2006 estimated
  population of Easton is 14,666 which now serves
  as a regional hub for financial, commercial and
  medical services to the Mid-Shore area.
• Talbot Countys population of 36,062 has
  steadily increased at 1.4 per year for the last
  25 years. The County economy has remained
  healthy, attributed to revenues generated by real
  estate transfer and recordation taxes. The
  economy reflects a diversified industrial base of
  agriculture, manufacturing production, commercial
  trade, professional services and
  medical/healthcare supported by seven industrial
  parks and an employment base of 19,295 workers.
  The Shore Health System merged with the
  University of Maryland Medical Center in 2005 and
  is the largest employer in the County. The Easton
  Airport, a General Aviation Airport located at
  the north entrance to town, is the second busiest
  airport in Maryland.

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Talbot County is centrally located on the
Delmarva Peninsula, a 6,057 square mile body of
land surrounded on three sides by the Chesapeake
Bay, the Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.
We refer to it as the Environmental
Peninsula. Talbot County is bounded by the
Choptank River and Dorchester County to the
south, Caroline County to the east, Queen Annes
County and the Wye River to the north, and the
Chesapeake Bay to the west. Within close
proximity to the Baltimore/Washington DC
Metropolitan market, Talbot County is accessible
to major Mid Atlantic cities and international
airports and ports. U.S. Route 50 serves as a
major North/South transportation corridor for the
Delmarva Peninsula and bisects Talbot County N/S.
US Route 301 is a major truck transport corridor
linking Wilmington, DE. with points north and
Washington D.C. with points south. Highway
Distances from Easton Baltimore, MD 59
miles Washington DC 73 miles Wilmington, DE 65
miles Newport News 207 miles New York, NY 195
miles
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TALBOT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTExecutive
Overview

• 2007 2006 2000
• County Population 37,000 36,062 33,812
• Civilian Labor Base 20,046 19,128 16,880
• Total Employment 19,749 19,295
• Net Job Gains 450 860
• Unemployment Rate 3.8 3.6
• County Based Employers 1,735 1,700
• Talbot Maryland United States
• Earned Income
• Less than 25,000 26.6 20.3 27.6
• 25,000 to 49,900 33.5 31.3 34.2
• 50,000 to 74,999 19.7 23.3 20.3
• 75,000 and over 20.2 25.1 17.9

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Regional Population Growth
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Distribution of Age and Race
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Talbot County Per Capita Income

• Representation of the distribution of population
  be average wealth in Talbot County.
• The least populated areas of Talbot County are
  also the poorest extreme east area and the
  western area contain one fifth of the total
  population with average income below 20,000.
  The majority of the land is used for agriculture.
  
• The central area of the County contains the
  majority of the population with 22,155 people
  who have an average income from 26,450 to
  32,500.

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Wages By Employment Sector for Talbot County
(2006)
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Employment By Industry Sector
1,735 Private Non-Farm Reporting Units
(Businesses) in Talbot County. The majority of
the businesses employ 49 workers or less. The 20
largest employers include health care services,
manufacturing, professional services and national
retail/consumer goods operations. Existing
Manufacturing Base includes Printed Materials
(Cadmus Journal Services) Pharmaceuticals
(Konsyl) Pharmaceutical Packaging (Celeste
Industries) Environmental Sciences (Wildlife
International, Environmental Concerns)
Instruments (Jasco) Technologies (L3/BAI,
SpecTIR, Axis GeoSpatial,) Food Processing
(Allen Family Foods and Seawatch.) Metal
Fabricators (Whalen, Salisbury Pewter and SFA)
Wood Products (Johnson Logging)
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Access To Regional Knowledge-Based Resources

• Cooperative Oxford NOAA Lab National Center
  for Coastal Oceanic Science,
• Center for Coastal Environmental Health and
  Bimolecular Research
• Collocated with the Maryland Department of
  Natural Resources and the US Coast Guard Station
  
• Chesapeake College and Higher Education
  Center AA Degree Program
• Salisbury University, Salisbury 3,500 students
  BA/BS MS Degree Programs
• University of Maryland Eastern Shore 1,700
  students BA/BS Degree Programs
• Washington College 800 students BA Degree
  Programs
• UMMS/SHS Medical Facilities serves the Upper
  Shore with the Memorial Hospital at Easton and
  major medical facilities. Employs 1,700 workers
  with 161 Million in Net Operating Revenues (FY
  06).
• Horn Point Center for Environment Studies
  University of Maryland Research Facility with
  newly expanded Lecture and Conference Facility,
  operates an internationally recognized Oyster
  Incubator and Seed Program for Chesapeake Bay
• CBRTCE Chesapeake Bay Regional Technical Center
  for Excellence
• Promotes technology based business development
  for the Eastern Shore Region. Federal and State
  Laboratory technology transfer resources and
  Higher Education Institution partnerships to
  promote technology development.
• Wye Institute and Research and Education Center
  University of Maryland Agriculture Research
• Center U MD Black Angus Cattle Genetic Research
  Center Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Program

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Town and County Infrastructure

• Easton Utilities Commission
• The Town of Easton, Easton Utilities Commission
  operates as an enterprise and provides
  electricity, water, wastewater treatment, natural
  gas, cable television, internet and advertising
  services for the Town of Easton. Most recently,
  the Town invested 36 Million to provide for the
  expansion to the existing wastewater sewer
  treatment facility expected to support
  development requirements in Easton through 2030.
• Delmarva Power ( PEPCO) and Choptank Electric
  Cooperative provide electric service to Talbot
  County
• Municipal Water/Wastewater Sewage Systems
• The Towns of, Oxford, St. Michaels, Trappe and
  Tilghman have County owned and operated
  wastewater treatment systems. The County
  continues to invest in new technologies and
  programs to reduce nitrogen levels of septic
  systems and to encourage current homeowners to
  maintain septic systems in good operating order.
  
• Natural Gas
• Talbot County is served by Eastern Shore Natural
  Gas Company/Chesapeake Utilities. A major
  expansion to the natural gas service is in
  progress to provide expanded capacity.
• The Mid-Shore Regional Council has teamed with
  the Lower Shore Tri County Council and the Upper
  Shore Regional Council and the Southern Maryland
  Cooperative to form a Broadband Cooperative which
  will connect the Patuxent River Naval Air Command
  (located in Lexington Park, Maryland) and the
  NASA Wallops Space Flight Center (located in
  Chincoteague, Virginia) and provide the backhaul
  for high speed fiber service to much of the
  Eastern Shore, including rural areas of Talbot
  County.

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Single Family Improved Residential
ParcelsTalbot County reports 30,273 acres of
residential land use out of a total 171,000 total
acres (November 2006). Maryland Department of
Planning demonstrates that over a 13 year period,
Talbot County contained growth within PFAs
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• Mid-Shore Homebuyers
• Talbot County has enforced restrictions on
  residential development in the rural and
  environmentally sensitive areas of the County
• Most of the housing demand to the Priority
  Funding Areas (PFAs) or Towns.
• This has resulted in an inflation of land prices
  throughout the County. Given the amount of
  waterfront land
• The attraction to waterfront properties and small
  villages on the west side of Route 50 cater to
  the affluent while the east side of Route 50
  offers affordable housing product with all the
  amenities that the Town of Easton and other
  small towns offer. Relatively low tax rates and
  public investments in infrastructure supports a
  desirable place to live.
• Talbot County Housing Status
• 2006 Talbot County Housing 17,100 SFR Units
• 2000 Occupied Households 14,307 SFR Units
• Vacant 2,193 SFR Units

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Easton Downtown Development

• Historic Easton has contracted AKRF and Street
  Works to provide a Downtown Revitalization Plan.
  Much of that infill is expected to be occupied
  with young people entering the job markets, two
  income relocating families and early retirees.
• Several mixed use projects are in the planning
  stages for Downtown Easton. The Stewart Building
  will offer mixed use office retail and Harrisons
  Flower Shop will become retail and market.
• Historic Tidewater Inn, located in downtown
  Easton recently experienced a 10 Million
  investment in restoration and renovation
• The Avalon Foundation promotes live venues at
  the historic Avalon Theater. The St. Michael's
  Maritime Museum hosts traditional maritime
  related events.
• Events bring thousands of visitors to the area
  every year.
• Waterfowl Festival November
• Academy of Arts Plein Air July
• Easton Population Growth
• 2000 Census 11,708
• 1/1/06 Easton Population 14,666
• 1/1/07 Easton Population 14,863
• Growth Rate
  1.34 per year

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Talbot County Land Use.

• Talbot County records a total 171,000 acres for
  use in the 279 square miles of its jurisdiction.
• Agriculture land use
• 102,358 Acres
• Operating Farms 280
• Average Farm 367 acres
• Total Ag Parcels 2,150
• Talbot County Agriculture Production Contributed
  55,611,000 to the County economy (2005)

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Talbot County Agriculture Vision

• Talbot County Agriculture Visioning Plan
• A draft plan has been compiled by the Talbot
  County community that addresses the sustainable
  requirements of Talbot Countys agriculture base
  including large grain farms, poultry and mid size
  farm operations, small niche farms and resources
  based agriculture.
• Sustaining a working landscape of grain and
  specialty crop farming that continues to define
  our quality of life and serves as an asset
• Expand marketing efforts with regional brands
  that identify our agriculture products with
  quality, freshness, health and food safety
• Diversify grain agriculture with alternative
  crops for bio-fuel and energy production
• Provide community support, economic assistance
• Enhance environmental quality by expanding cost
  share programs

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Industrial and Commercial Land Use

• Total Acreage in Commercial Use
  3,185 acres
• Total Commercial Parcels
  1,332 parcels
• Total Acreage in Industrial Use 485 acres
• Total Industrial Parcels
  68 parcels
• 6 Industrial Parks in Town of Easton
• 1 Commercial /Industrial Park in Talbot County
• Easton Technology Center
• Phase I complete Phase II/III 65 acres
  available
• 1.46 to 2.65 acre sites _at_ 141,500 per acre
• Clifton Industrial Park is the most recent
  annexation into the Town of Easton.

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Commercial Development

• Project Total sq ft Completion
• Easton Commons
• Panera Bread 20,000 sq. ft. June 08
• Country Inn and Suites 60,000 sq. ft. October
  08
• Gillis Gilkerson Projects
• MU Office/Res Dover St 7,600 sq.
  ft. October 07
• Medical Office Space 22,000 sq. Ft. June
  08
• Talbot Commerce Park
• Building Supply 16,000 sq. ft. February 08
• Soil Conservation Building 20,000 sq ft June 08
• Orthopedic Center 5,000 sq. ft. December 07
• Expansion SHS/UMMS
• Emergency Pavilion 20,000 sq. ft. New
• 30 Million Project 20,000 sq. ft.
  Reuse January 08

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Retention of Major Manufacturers and Employers

• Cadmus Journal Services, publisher medical and
  scientific journals merged with Cenveo (Mar 07)
  3rd largest graphics company in N A. Expansion
  of new web press and retention of 260 workers
• Konsyl Pharmaceutical Inc., manufacturer of
  prescription digestive system products owned by
  ICC Industries, Inc. has agreement with the 2nd
  largest drug store chain in China
• JASCO North America, NA Headquarters for Japanese
  parent, JASCO International, Assembly and
  distribution of spectrometers and analytical
  equipment
• Wildlife International, expands operations to
  accommodate European requirements for endocrine
  disruption testing. 15,000 sq. ft of lab space
  and 30 Biologists/PhDs Retains base of 97
  workers
• SFA, Defense Products Division, an ISO 9001 2000
  certified manufacturer of rugged mobile support
  systems for US Government,
• Awarded an 8 year, 145 Million Department of
  Defense Contract with Aberdeen Proving Grounds
• Allen Family Foods, 3rd largest producer of
  poultry products in the nation retains 550 job
  sat the Cordova facility
• UMMS/SHS, largest employer in Talbot County, has
  completed 40,000 sq ft Emergency Pavilion for
  Memorial Hospital at Easton. Considering a 200
  Million Regional Medical Facility to be built in
  the next 10 years.

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Easton Airport

• Second busiest airport in the State of Maryland
  (behind Thurgood Marshal/BWI) with an average of
  438 operations per day.
• Revenues of 52 Million (FY 2006).
• Easton Airport supports 13 businesses with an
  employment base of 150 employees.
• 12 Million in infrastructure improvements and
  upgrades made available from FAA/MTA and Talbot
  County. The projects construction of an Air
  Traffic Control Tower completed October 2007.
• Several dignitaries and government officials fly
  into Easton Airport weekly to spend time at
  residences in Talbot County. This mandates that
  the airport, the County and the Town maintain the
  highest levels of security in keeping with
  Homeland Security requirements and specifications.

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Conclusions Regarding the Talbot County Economy

• Talbot County serves as the Regional Hub for the
  Mid-Shore,
• an area five times its population located in a
  25 mile radius from downtown Easton.
• Talbot County provides regional commercial,
  financial and medical services to the Mid-Shore
  area serving a population of approximately
  160,000 which is expected to reach 170,000 by
  2010.
• Through progressive zoning legislation and
  comprehensive planning,
• Talbot County has directed development to the
  Priority Funding Areas and retains the majority
  of its land use for agriculture, sustaining an
  environmental balance.
• Talbot Countys economy is supported by a
  diverse industry sector base which provides for
  near full employment currently 3.8 unemployment
  and a growth in technology jobs.
• Economic drivers include
• a major General Aviation Airport,
• a Regional Hospital with medical services
• an industrial base attracting an in migration
  of workers
• 280 large grain farm operations
• Resources and opportunities exist to expand the
  industrial base of the County with investment in
  additional infrastructure and the support of
  workforce development programs.

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Bring your Science Projects to our Back Yard.
Talbot County, Maryland . . . HUB of the
Environmental Peninsula

• Environmental Technologies Toxicology,
  Sensors, Modeling, Simulation, GIS applications
• Medical Services Pharmaceuticals, secured
  Biotech, Pharmaceutical Packaging, Medical
  Devices
• Information Technologies Data Analysis, Network
  Design, Software Applications, Logistics,
• Agriculture Production Plant and Animal based
  products and technologies
• Aviation General Aviation Services