Background Research Material for Freight Facility Location Selection: A Guide for Public Officials (NCFRP Report 13) (2011)

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113 Appendix A: Public and Private Sector Data Collection Instruments (DCI) NCFRP Project 23 Economic and Transportation Drivers for Siting Freight Questionnaire to Evaluate Current Public Understanding BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP), an initiative of the National Academy of Sciences’ Transportation Research Board (TRB), is conducting a study entitled Economic and Transportation Drivers for Siting Freight Intermodal and Warehouse Distribution Facilities. The purpose of this study is to develop a guidebook to inform public policy makers about the complex issues surrounding the siting of intermodal freight facilities and distribution centers. This web-based data collection instrument (DCI) is the first step in helping the public sector understand how private companies make logistics site selection decisions, understand the issues and constraints, and determine how they can more successfully participate in the process. Additional detail on these issues will be obtained through a literature review, stakeholder interviews and case studies of different types of freight logistics facilities over the next few months. We are separately seeking input from the public sector – economic development staff, elected officials, planners, and private sector stakeholders – to gauge the current understanding of these issues. As a private sector stakeholder (business, trade organization). Your input is very important to the success of this research project and if you would like to suggest a case study for further study or would like to be contacted for a more detailed interview, please indicate that in the questionnaire. Thank you for taking the time to answer the following questions. Please note that we will not publish any individually identifiable information without the respondent’s written permission. QUESTIONS FOR PRIVATE SECTOR FIRMS, STAKEHOLDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 1. How important is access to intermodal freight and/or distribution facilities in selecting a community for successful business operations?  Very Important  Important  Neither Important nor Unimportant  Unimportant  Very Unimportant 2. How important are the public sector zoning and land use policies of a municipality (community, region) as part of the site selection process?  Very Important  Important  Neither Important nor Unimportant  Unimportant  Very Unimportant

114 3. Do you believe a municipality’s (community, region) planning and zoning regulations should include provisions specifically related to intermodal freight and warehouse/distribution facility development and siting?  Yes (explain):  No (explain):  Not certain 4. Have you ever removed communities from consideration because they did not adequately plan for or invest in facilities of this type? (Or their policies were not accommodating to freight facilities?)  Yes (explain):  No (explain):  Not certain 5. In what ways would you recommend municipalities (communities, regions) support the development and siting of freight facilities?  State/local tax incentives for freight distribution businesses (e.g., property tax abatement, training)  Inventory of industrial sites  Industrial rail access program  Expedited permitting processes  Technical development guidance/one-stop shopping  Other financing mechanisms  Other (explain) 6. To what extent are each of the following issues important factors in site selection decision-making by intermodal freight and warehouse/distribution facility users? (scaled response, 1 to 5 scale) 1 2 3 4 5 Proximity to major highways (Interstates, freeways, etc.) 1 2 3 4 5 Shovel-ready building sites 1 2 3 4 5 The ability to operate on a 365/24/7 basis 1 2 3 4 5 The proximity of customers, shippers and/or receivers of goods and freight 1 2 3 4 5 Connectivity to other modes (rail, sea, air) 1 2 3 4 5 Available workforce and labor costs 1 2 3 4 5 Quality of workforce and skills/education 1 2 3 4 5 Taxation and business environment 1 2 3 4 5 Permitting and regulation 1 2 3 4 5 Other operating costs 1 2 3 4 5 Other (describe): 7. When a major intermodal freight or warehouse/distribution facility is proposed for development within a municipality (community, region), what do you believe would be the most important concerns for each of the following groups? (Rank 1-5 for each group, with 1 being most important and 5 least important):

115 POTENTIAL CONCERNS GROUP Maintaining Community Safety Highway Congestion Economic Development & Jobs Environmental Impacts Community Quality of Life (e.g., noise, light, etc.) Residents Elected Officials Planning and Regulatory Officials Business Community 8. What types of suggestions/recommendations do you have for municipalities when considering updating land use and transportation plans/zoning (e.g. integrated freight zones, freight villages, overlay districts, etc)? 9. Are you aware of any “clusters” of related intermodal freight and/or warehouse/distribution facilities in your municipality (community, region), where related businesses have located near each other to facilitate manufacturing, provide access to suppliers and/or market, and assembly or packaging processes?  Yes (please answer question 9.A below)  No  Not certain 9. A. If you answered “yes” to the above question, describe the situation(s) to the extent possible, including the types and/or names of the facilities, their locations, etc.: 10. Has your municipality (community, region) pursued or received interest in any development applications for new or expanded intermodal freight or warehouse/distribution facilities within the last 5 years?  Yes (please answer question 10.A below)  No (please answer question 10.B below)  Not certain 10.A. As part of the development inquiry process for an intermodal freight or warehouse/distribution facility, what were the competitive advantages and disadvantages of your municipality (community, region)? 10.B. What are the competitive factors that have limited your municipality’s (community, region) participation in these development applications?

116 Questionnaire to Evaluate Current Private Understanding BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP), an initiative of the National Academy of Sciences’ Transportation Research Board (TRB), is conducting a study entitled Economic and Transportation Drivers for Siting Freight Intermodal and Warehouse Distribution Facilities. The purpose of this study is to develop a guidebook to inform public policy makers about the complex issues surrounding the siting of intermodal freight facilities and distribution centers. This web-based data collection instrument (DCI) is the first step in helping the public sector understand how private companies make logistics site selection decisions, understand the issues and constraints, and determine how they can more successfully participate in the process. Additional detail on these issues will be obtained through a literature review, stakeholder interviews and case studies of different types of freight logistics facilities over the next few months. We are separately seeking input from the public sector – economic development staff, elected officials, planners, and private sector stakeholders – to gauge the current understanding of these issues. As a private sector stakeholder (business, trade organization). Your input is very important to the success of this research project and if you would like to suggest a case study for further study or would like to be contacted for a more detailed interview, please indicate that in the questionnaire. Thank you for taking the time to answer the following questions. Please note that we will not publish any individually identifiable information without the respondent’s written permission. QUESTIONS FOR PRIVATE SECTOR FIRMS, STAKEHOLDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 11. How important is access to intermodal freight and/or distribution facilities in selecting a community for successful business operations?  Very Important  Important  Neither Important nor Unimportant  Unimportant  Very Unimportant 12. How important are the public sector zoning and land use policies of a municipality (community, region) as part of the site selection process?  Very Important  Important  Neither Important nor Unimportant  Unimportant  Very Unimportant 13. Do you believe a municipality’s (community, region) planning and zoning regulations should include provisions specifically related to intermodal freight and warehouse/distribution facility development and siting?  Yes (explain):  No (explain):  Not certain 14. Have you ever removed communities from consideration because they did not adequately plan for or invest in facilities of this type? (Or their policies were not accommodating to freight facilities?)

117  Yes (explain):  No (explain):  Not certain 15. In what ways would you recommend municipalities (communities, regions) support the development and siting of freight facilities?  State/local tax incentives for freight distribution businesses (e.g., property tax abatement, training)  Inventory of industrial sites  Industrial rail access program  Expedited permitting processes  Technical development guidance/one-stop shopping  Other financing mechanisms  Other (explain) 16. To what extent are each of the following issues important factors in site selection decision-making by intermodal freight and warehouse/distribution facility users? (scaled response, 1 to 5 scale) 1 2 3 4 5 Proximity to major highways (Interstates, freeways, etc.) 1 2 3 4 5 Shovel-ready building sites 1 2 3 4 5 The ability to operate on a 365/24/7 basis 1 2 3 4 5 The proximity of customers, shippers and/or receivers of goods and freight 1 2 3 4 5 Connectivity to other modes (rail, sea, air) 1 2 3 4 5 Available workforce and labor costs 1 2 3 4 5 Quality of workforce and skills/education 1 2 3 4 5 Taxation and business environment 1 2 3 4 5 Permitting and regulation 1 2 3 4 5 Other operating costs 1 2 3 4 5 Other (describe): 17. When a major intermodal freight or warehouse/distribution facility is proposed for development within a municipality (community, region), what do you believe would be the most important concerns for each of the following groups? (Rank 1-5 for each group, with 1 being most important and 5 least important):

118 POTENTIAL CONCERNS GROUP Maintaining Community Safety Highway Congestion Economic Development & Jobs Environmental Impacts Community Quality of Life (e.g., noise, light, etc.) Residents Elected Officials Planning and Regulatory Officials Business Community 18. What types of suggestions/recommendations do you have for municipalities when considering updating land use and transportation plans/zoning (e.g. integrated freight zones, freight villages, overlay districts, etc)? 19. Are you aware of municipalities, counties or regions that encourage/plan for “clustering” of related intermodal freight and/or warehouse/distribution facilities in which related businesses locate near each other to facilitate manufacturing, assembly or packaging processes? (Examples on a large scale are EU freight villages, Watsonville, Centerpoint, Alliance in Texas, wholesale food markets, etc.)  Yes (please answer question 9.A below)  No  Not certain 19. A. If you answered “yes” to the above question, describe the situation(s) to the extent possible, including the location(s), types of facilities, etc.: