INTRODUCTION

Hey fellow land nerds,

This week we're unlocking what I call the "hidden economy" of land development: economic incentive zones that can boost your project returns by 15-30% through strategic stacking of county programs. While most investors scramble for the same overpriced deals, informed players are discovering that counties are literally trying to give away money through enterprise zones, TIF districts, and tax abatement programs—they're just terrible at marketing these opportunities.

Our fourth installment reveals how to decode comprehensive plans for buried incentive programs and, more importantly, how to strategically participate in the planning process to influence what gets included. We're talking about real money here: property tax abatements worth hundreds of thousands, expedited permitting that cuts months off your timeline, and infrastructure support that turns counties into your development partners.

Whether you're planning your first development project or looking to optimize returns on existing deals, this week's methodology shows you exactly where to find these programs, how to calculate their true value, and the systematic approach to building relationships with Economic Development Officers who hold the keys to these benefits. The best part? Everything we're covering is publicly available—you just need to know where to look and how to ask.

Let's turn county comprehensive plans into your personal profit roadmap!

Cheers,
Sean

• This Week's Idea

• AI Assistance

  • Action Plan & Workbook

    • Around the Horn - News & Updates

IDEA

Economic Incentive Zones: Your Gateway to 15-30% Better Returns

The best land deals aren't found—they're created through strategic participation in the planning process.

The final issue in a four-part series on leveraging county planning documents for profitable land investments

Why Give a Hoot?

Here's what most investors miss: counties are actively trying to give away money through economic incentives, but they're terrible at marketing these programs. The investors who discover and leverage these opportunities are seeing 15-30% improvements in project ROI by stacking multiple incentive programs.

The Hidden Economy of Development Incentives

Every county has economic development goals they're struggling to achieve. They've created incentive programs to attract the exact type of development you might be planning, but most investors never discover these opportunities because they're buried in comprehensive plans that few people actually read.

Consider this real example from our research:

This wasn't a special deal or insider connection. Every benefit was publicly available and clearly documented in the county's comprehensive plan.

The Four Types of Economic Incentives Worth Pursuing

Through extensive analysis of comprehensive plans across different regions, four categories of incentives consistently offer the most value to land investors:

1. Property Tax Abatements: The Consistent Winner

These programs reduce or eliminate property taxes for qualifying projects, typically offering 25-100% reductions over 5-20 years. The value scales with your property's assessed value and local tax rates.

What to look for: Language like "property tax abatement programs," "tax incentive districts," or "economic development tax benefits."

Qualification triggers: Job creation, investment thresholds, specific industry types, or development in targeted areas.

2. Tax Increment Financing (TIF): Shared Growth Strategy

TIF districts capture increased property tax revenue from improvements and reinvest it in the area. Your development helps fund infrastructure that benefits your project—it's like having the county as your development partner.

What to look for: "TIF districts," "tax increment financing areas," or "special improvement districts."

Key advantage: Infrastructure improvements funded by collective growth rather than individual developers.

3. Enterprise Zones: Layered Benefits

These specially designated areas offer multiple stacked benefits: property tax reductions, sales tax exemptions on construction materials, and sometimes income tax credits for job creation.

What to look for: "Enterprise Zone designations," "economic opportunity zones," or "distressed area incentives."

Bonus: Often located in areas primed for revitalization, offering both incentives and appreciation potential.

4. Expedited Permitting: Time Is Money

Accelerated permit processing might not seem like a financial benefit, but faster approvals reduce carrying costs and accelerate revenue generation. Some programs can cut permitting timelines by months.

What to look for: "Expedited review processes," "priority permitting," or "streamlined approval procedures."

Qualification triggers: Affordable housing components, sustainable development features, or infill development projects.

Decoding Comprehensive Plans for Hidden Incentives

Counties bury economic incentives throughout their comprehensive plans, often in sections most investors skip. Here's where to look:

Primary Locations:

Secondary Locations:

• SWOT Analysis Components: Economic assessments that inform incentive design

• Future Land Use Elements: Area-specific development incentives

• Capital Improvement Plans: Infrastructure-related development benefits

The ROI Calculator Every Investor Needs

Before pursuing any incentive program, calculate the actual financial impact. Here's the framework successful investors use:

Base Calculation Components:

1. Property Tax Savings: Present value of abatements over the applicable period

2. Permitting Time Savings: Carrying cost reductions from expedited processes

3. Fee Reductions: Direct savings from waived or reduced impact fees

4. Infrastructure Support: Value of publicly provided improvements

5. Operational Benefits: Ongoing advantages like utility rate reductions

Simple NPV Formula:

Calculate the present value of all incentive benefits using your required return rate as the discount rate. If the NPV of incentives exceeds 10% of your total project cost, the opportunity merits serious consideration.

Strategic Participation: Influencing the Process

Here's where most investors miss the biggest opportunity: you can actually influence what gets included in comprehensive plans. Counties want private sector input, but most investors never participate in the planning process.

The Review Cycle Advantage

Comprehensive plans undergo major reviews every 5-10 years, with predictable phases:

• Initial Assessment (3-6 months): Data gathering phase

• Stakeholder Engagement (3-6 months): Public input period

• Draft Development (3-4 months): Plan writing phase

• Public Review (1-3 months): Comment period

• Revision and Adoption (3-5 months): Final approval process

Key insight: The stakeholder engagement phase is when your input has maximum impact. Counties are actively seeking private sector perspective during this window.

Effective Participation Strategies

1. Build Relationships Early: Connect with planning department staff and Economic Development Officers (EDOs) before formal review periods begin.

2. Data-Driven Comments: Present market research and economic impact analysis that demonstrates benefits of your suggestions.

3. Solution-Oriented Approach: Offer specific language modifications rather than general criticisms.

4. Community Alignment: Frame proposals within established community objectives like economic development or housing diversity.

Working with Economic Development Officers

EDOs are your most valuable allies in navigating incentive programs. They administer these programs, but they're often underutilized by private investors.

What EDOs Can Do for You:

• Guide you through application processes for various incentives

• Provide insight into county development priorities

• Facilitate introductions to key decision-makers

• Help identify funding opportunities beyond standard incentives

How to Build Effective EDO Relationships:

This Week's Action Steps

Here are four specific steps to start leveraging economic incentives immediately:

1. Download and Analyze: Get your target county's comprehensive plan and highlight all economic incentive programs mentioned.

2. Create Your Incentive Matrix: Use the template below to track available programs, qualification criteria, and potential benefits.

3. Make Contact: Email the county's Economic Development Officer using the template provided below.

4. Check Review Schedules: Find out when your target counties are conducting their next comprehensive plan reviews.

⬇️ EDO Contact Email Template

Subject: Exploring Development Opportunities Aligned with [County] Economic Goals

Dear [Name],

As an investor interested in contributing to [County]'s economic development, I've been studying your comprehensive plan, particularly the economic initiatives outlined in the [specific section].

I'm exploring a potential [brief project description] that appears to align with several of your stated objectives, including [specific goals from the plan]. Before proceeding with site selection, I'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss:

1. Current priority areas for development within the county
2. Available incentive programs relevant to this type of project  
3. Upcoming comprehensive plan reviews that might affect the project

I'm available to meet at your convenience and can provide additional project information if helpful.

Thank you for your consideration,

[Your Name]
[Contact Information]

Red Flags to Avoid

Not every incentive program is worth pursuing. Watch for these warning signs:

• Vague qualification criteria that leave too much to interpretation

• Programs without clear funding sources or administrative processes

• Incentives tied to unrealistic job creation numbers for your project type

• Benefits that require long-term commitments beyond your investment timeline

Implementation Gaps: Hidden Opportunities

Comprehensive plans often contain aspirational language that fails to translate into action, creating opportunities for strategic investors to propose solutions that benefit both parties.

Common gaps: Resource constraints, political changes, market misalignment, bureaucratic complexities

Your opportunity: Propose public-private partnerships that help counties achieve their goals while sharing risks and rewards.

Psst…Want access to action plans, workbooks, sample scripts and more? Our PRO content offers you everything you need to take action on these strategies and make more money in your business. Subscribe using this link and get 25% off for life!

AI Prompt 

AI Prompt: Comprehensive Plan Economic Incentive Analysis

How to Use This Prompt

Upload your target county's comprehensive plan document to your AI assistant (Claude, ChatGPT, etc.) and use this prompt to extract all economic incentive opportunities. This systematic analysis will save you hours of manual review while ensuring you don't miss any valuable programs.

The Prompt

I need you to analyze this comprehensive plan document as a land investor seeking economic development incentives and opportunities. Please provide a thorough analysis organized into the following sections:

**1. ECONOMIC INCENTIVE INVENTORY**
Identify and catalog ALL economic incentives mentioned in the document, including:

For each incentive found, provide:
- Program name and description
- Benefit type (tax abatement, fee reduction, expedited permitting, etc.)
- Benefit amount/percentage (if specified)
- Duration of benefits
- Qualification criteria
- Geographic limitations (if any)
- Page number reference

Look specifically for:
- Property tax abatements or reductions
- Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts
- Enterprise Zones or Economic Opportunity Zones
- Expedited permitting programs
- Fee waivers or reductions
- Infrastructure assistance programs
- Density bonuses
- Job creation incentives
- Affordable housing incentives
- Sustainability/green building incentives
- Brownfield redevelopment programs

**2. PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT AREAS**
Identify locations the county is actively trying to develop or redevelop:
- Specific geographic areas mentioned for growth
- Areas designated for economic development focus
- Locations with planned infrastructure improvements
- Zones targeted for specific types of development
- Areas mentioned in "implementation" or "action item" sections

**3. INFRASTRUCTURE TIMELINE ANALYSIS**
Extract information about planned infrastructure improvements:
- Water and sewer expansion plans with timelines
- Transportation improvements and schedules  
- Broadband/utility expansion plans
- Timeline classifications (immediate, short-term, long-term)
- Funding status (funded, planned, aspirational)
- Specific areas that will be served

**4. IMPLEMENTATION GAPS & OPPORTUNITIES**
Identify areas where the plan shows:
- Goals without clear implementation strategies
- Funding needs that aren't fully addressed
- References to needing "private sector partnerships"
- Aspirational language without concrete timelines
- Mentions of "barriers" or "challenges" to development

**5. KEY CONTACTS & DEPARTMENTS**
List all relevant contacts mentioned:
- Economic Development Officers or departments
- Planning department contacts
- Specific program administrators
- Phone numbers, email addresses, or websites provided

**6. REVIEW CYCLE INFORMATION**
Find details about:
- When this plan was last updated
- Scheduled review or update timelines
- Public participation requirements mentioned
- Planning commission meeting schedules
- Amendment or update processes described

**7. ACTIONABLE NEXT STEPS**
Based on your analysis, recommend:
- The 3 most valuable incentive programs for a land investor
- Specific areas that appear to offer the best combination of incentives and opportunity
- Timeline recommendations for when to pursue opportunities
- Suggested contacts to reach out to first
- Any time-sensitive opportunities or deadlines mentioned

**8. RED FLAGS & LIMITATIONS**
Note any:
- Incentive programs that appear inactive or unfunded
- Overly restrictive qualification criteria
- Programs with unclear administration
- Contradictory information between sections
- Vague or aspirational language without substance

**FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:**
- Use clear headers and bullet points
- Include specific page references for all findings
- Highlight the most actionable information
- Provide direct quotes for key incentive details
- Create a summary table of all identified incentive programs

Please be thorough and systematic - I want to ensure no economic development opportunities are overlooked in this analysis.

Pro Tips for Best Results

Before Using the Prompt:

• Ensure your comprehensive plan document is text-searchable (not a scanned image)

• If the file is too large, break it into sections focusing on economic development chapters first

• Have the document's table of contents ready to reference specific sections

After Getting Results:

• Cross-reference findings with the county's website for updated program details

• Verify contact information and program status with a quick phone call

• Create your own tracking spreadsheet based on the AI's organized findings

• Use the identified page numbers to return to source material for deeper analysis

Follow-Up Analysis:

• Run the same prompt on the county's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for infrastructure details

• Analyze neighboring counties using the same prompt for comparison opportunities

• Use findings to craft targeted outreach emails to identified contacts

Expected Output Quality

This prompt should generate a comprehensive 3-5 page analysis that transforms hours of manual reading into actionable intelligence. The systematic approach ensures you capture opportunities other investors miss while organizing information for immediate use in your investment decision-making process.

Time Savings: 4-6 hours of manual analysis reduced to 10-15 minutes of AI processing plus your review time.

IMPLEMENTATION 

AROUND THE HORN
New & Updates

Post Falls’ 2025 Comprehensive Plan update, launched in March 2025, directly ties zoning changes to a Housing Needs Assessment identifying a 1,200-unit deficit for middle-income households.To address this, the plan offers density bonuses for projects dedicating 15% of units to modular or panelized homes. Developers in single-family zones can increase lot yields by 30% if using factory-built components, significantly improving per-acre ROI.

The plan also simplifies approvals for plat-exempt subdivisions in areas with existing water/sewer access, reducing approval timelines from 90 to 45 days for parcels under 10 acres. This benefits investors aiming to quickly parcel land for tiny home communities or prefab developments.

Virginia Beach’s draft 2025 Comprehensive Plan, under review as of May 2025, proposes Coastal Adaptive Reuse Districts (CARDs) in flood-prone areas. These districts permit the conversion of underutilized commercial properties into elevated micro-resorts or RV parks, bypassing standard setback requirements if projects incorporate stormwater retention systems.

For land investors, CARDs offer a unique value proposition: acquiring distressed waterfront parcels at lower costs and repurposing them for climate-resilient recreational uses. The plan’s emphasis on public-private partnerships for infrastructure upgrades further de-risks such investments.