Joint Strike Fighter
Earlier this month Major General Charles Davis, Executive Officer F-35 Lightning
II Program was hosted by the
Okaloosa County EDC and presented business and community leaders a briefing
regarding the state-of-the-art military fighter the F-35 or Joint Strike
Fighter. His fascinating and very detailed presentation is available
HERE, but you will need to know your military acronyms to understand
much of it. The presentation has plenty of data about the various aircraft
involved in the program, as well as the capabilities, timeline of events,
branches of services, countries involved, and more.
Because this program and other defense initiatives are so integral to Navarre
businesses and citizens, as well as our overall regional economy, the
information and links are provided below so that you might understand a little a
bit about the aircraft and what is taking place locally. NW Florida is now
recognized as an area with global potential. As such, your SR County
leadership has decided to invest in what is being described as The
World’s Newest Aerospace Hub, and have initiated a coalition whose
mission is put out the welcome mat for defense related businesses.
The group is composed of economic and political leaders from a tri-county area
in Florida: Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa and is known as GCAD:
Gulf Coast Aerposace and Defense. From the GCAD website:
"There is a great vision and
excitement along the Gulf Coast: We are poised to become the next thriving
aerospace corridor...Our premier research facilities, access and infrastructure,
trained workforce, the low cost of doing business, combined with an unbeatable
quality of life make the Gulf Coast region an unmistakable asset to aerospace
and defense companies looking to take the next step and expand or relocate. GCAD
formed a coalition in 2008 to help turn this exciting vision into a
reality."
GCAD is looking at the F-35 program, the KC-45 Tanker project in Mobile, and
much more.
Coming Soon:
The F-35 will
be replacing the current F-15 stationed on Eglin with the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter Integrated Training Center (ITC) bedding down where the 33rd Fighter
Wing is currently located on the main base. The community will loose
approximately 4,000 in population by year 2010 when all of the F-15s are gone
along with the personnel that fly and work on them. This is an
international collaboration and personnel will include approximately 811
government, 248 contractors, 120 pilots, and 800 maintainers. The influx of
personnel is expected to begin in 2008. The F-35 will start arriving at Eglin
in 2010 and will repopulate our communities with a net gain of approximately 800
by 2016.
Adding to this forward momentum is the ongoing initiative to bring the tanker
contract to Mobile, AL., and finally, the imminent move of the US Army’s 7th
Special Forces Group, which should bring another 2,200 soldiers and 2,800
dependents in 2009. These programs mean an influx of assets and
opportunities for Navarre, Santa Rosa County and the entire region. It’s
up to us to educate and empower ourselves through innovation and proactivity.
The landscape of NW Florida is changing fast, and we want to be on the leading
edge, not the tail end.
For more on the JSF/F-35 Program at the Pentagon, Click
HERE
The Navarre Pass
For over 40 years, various citizens and volunteer groups have organized and
lobbied for efforts to see a navigable public "pass" developed for purposes of
access to the Gulf of Mexico from the sound. Leaders of the Chamber of Commerce
have served in various roles in these efforts. While the Chamber does not
currently have a formal role, we do support the concept of a public pass and
will continue to have our "eyes and ears" on this effort. Currently, there is
grass-roots committee that meets occasionally to further pursue this initiative.
Although the committee is not a Chamber committee, it is known as the "Navarre-Pohlmann
Pass Committee ". Any information provided here is provided by the committee as
a service to the general public. POC/Committee Chair: Chuck Pohlmann, Phone #:
803-7780 or e-mail
cpohlmann@bellsouth.net.
www.navarrepass.com
Incorporation Study
The Navarre Chamber of
Commerce funded Phase I of a feasibility study on Incorporation of Navarre.
Phase I only concluded that Navarre is "eligible" or "qualifies" legislatively
to consider pursuing a "Phase II" study and what incorporation may or may not
entail for Navarre. Phase II would investigate what services Navarre citizens
would like to have and whether or not the citizens of Navarre think
incorporation would be the answer to the need for those services.
While the Chamber of
Commerce supports the effort for a Phase II study on the issues associated with
incorporation, we will not officially take a stand on an issue that has yet
to be fully researched. We ask our members to form their own opinions based
on the facts, until such time as we can decide as an organization whether or not
it would be good for Navarre. In essence, we are waiting to see if incorporation
would help "Make the Navarre Area the Best Environment to Live, Work and do
Business!"
Phase II is being
organized by a separate organization (still under the organizational phases)
with outside funding, however, as an "issue of interest" for Navarre citizens
and businesses, we will stay involved, and publish information here from time to
time. By virtue of being volunteers in our community, some participants in Phase
II may form their own opinions and make comments for/against the issue.
Please know that just because they are members of the Chamber, their opinion is
not necessarily that of the Chamber's.
Navarre Town Center
Commissioner Gordon Goodin
initiated the Navarre Town Center Planning Process in 2004. As the Commission
representative for and a resident of the Navarre Area, he recognized the need to
move on an idea that had been discussed for several years. The need for a
targeted plan for Navarre was recognized during the South End Special Area Plan.
This plan was a broad plan for the entire peninsula encompassing both land use
and transportation. It recommended a small area plan focusing solely on the
community of Navarre.
The Navarre Town Center
Plan is a response to growth demands in the area and a desire for some
redevelopment. The Navarre community has a rich history and a strong, involved
community, but lacked clear identity. This plan helped Navarre define itself and
create standards that will guide development to reinforce that identity. The
purpose of the Plan is to:
- Develop a Vision for
the Future of Navarre
- Determine how and
where growth and development can/should occur
- Establish Guidelines
for Development such as Overlay Districts
- Recommend Priorities
and Financing Alternatives
CLICK
HERE for more information, or to download the complete plan.
Navarre
Architectural Advisory Board
The Navarre Architectural Advisory Board is a citizen board tasked with
approving development in the Heart of Navarre and the Navarre Town Center. The
board meets the second Tuesday of the month at 3:00 p.m. at the Navarre
Community Center, 1917 Navarre School Road, Navarre, FL.
CLICK
HERE for more information (committee members, deadlines, etc.).