CRESTVIEW — Gulf Power Company has enacted an economic development plan that prepares large sites for business growth and expansion.
Potential industrial sites will be submitted to McCallum Sweeney Consulting, which will evaluate the proposals, make site preparation recommendations and then certify the site once improvements have been made.
The utility is paying for program design costs and will pay one-half of consultant costs for publicly owned parcels submitted by cities or counties. Consultant fees are about $20,000 per site. Private developers can participate, but must pay the whole consultant fee.
The utility will not pay for site improvements.
Sites must be at least 50 acres and within the utility’s service territory to qualify for the program.
Certification can bring peace of mind to businesses that know permitting, drainage work, engineering for utilities and other vital steps have been handled, a Gulf Power spokesperson said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Gulf Power furthers plan to certify business sites