Companies can get help with licensing, permits and development through a new service offered by the town of Marana.
The town's Business Development Center, or BDC, opened Jan. 12 on the second floor of the Marana Municipal Complex, 11555 W. Civic Center Drive.
The town has further streamlined services by forming teams at the center to help businesses in the development process from start to finish.
Teams will consist of a project coordinator, two planners, a permits clerk, an engineer and a plans examiner.
"It's a very innovative, new way to deal with projects," Town Manager Gilbert Davidson said at the center's grand opening last week.
Northwest Fire/Rescue District also has a representative assigned to the Business Development Center to make opening a new business in Marana as seamless as possible.
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The fire district performs business inspections related to certificates of occupancy, fire code and other requirements.
The Marana Chamber of Commerce applauded the town's decision to transform development services to better meet the needs of existing businesses and new businesses.
"It will definitely enhance the experience with the town and the business community," Chamber President/CEO Ed Stolmaker said. "It's like a one-stop shop. It will save time, which in turn saves money for the businesses."
The town has developed several brochures, including ones that address licensing, certificates of occupancy, liquor license information and other topics, that are available at the center.
The town's former Development Services Center was remodeled to strip it of its bureaucratic look. Photos of private development in Marana decorate the walls. Signage also was added and additional customer-service stations were built to help customers.
Vice Mayor Patti Comerford said she's proud of town employees for the work they put in to make Marana business-friendly.
"We are absolutely going to be ahead of the game … in all of the region in being able to help businesses survive and strive," she said of the new center.
Davidson told a crowd gathered for the center's grand opening that it's incumbent upon the town to look after its businesses.
Sales tax generated by Marana businesses are a major source of revenue for the town. Marana has a 2 percent sales tax.
Infrastructure, parks, public safety and other services are funded from sales-tax collections.
Davidson said he wants the development process to be as effortless as possible because the community knows how important local businesses are to the town.
"We want to get them through that as quickly as possible so they can get their doors open and start serving their customers and generating money, which all goes back to the community," he said.
If You Go
• What: Business Development Center
• Where: 11555 W. Civic Center Drive
• When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
• Info: Go to www.marana.com or call 382-2600
Contact reporter Andrea Rivera at arivera@azstarnet.com or 807-8430.
