[Durham INC] New Small Business Startup Roadmaps Make Navigating Durham’s Regulatory Process Easier

[PublicAffairs]

[Title: City of Durham Office of Public Affairs logo]

News Media Contact
Amy Blalock, Public Affairs Manager
919.560.4123 x11253 | 919.475.7735 (mobile)
Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov


News Release
For Immediate Release: February 5, 2019



New Small Business Startup Roadmaps Make Navigating Durham’s Regulatory Process Easier

Nine New Guides Now Available on the City’s Small Business Services Webpage


DURHAM, N.C. – Durham entrepreneurs looking to start or expand their businesses now have a new tool to better understand their regulatory requirements, conveniently located in one place.

The City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the Durham City-County Planning Department have collaborated on a set of new guides for small businesses called Startup Roadmaps. The roadmaps were created to remove barriers and build capacity for small businesses by providing an easier way to understand all of the regulatory and permitting requirements in the beginning of the planning process.

For example, an entrepreneur wanting to open a new restaurant must get building licensing from the City of Durham, food service permits from Durham County, alcohol and sales tax approvals from the state, and overall tax ID registrations with the federal government. The new roadmaps take regulation information from each of the relevant regulatory agencies and consolidate them into a single, easy-to-follow process document with direct links to the forms required for each agency.

According to Office of Economic and Workforce Development Director Andre Pettigrew, these new guides will ultimately be a money-saver for Durham businesses. “Time is money, especially for small businesses. The more guidance we give businesses about the steps they will need to take up front, the more we save that business in both time and money.”

There are nine roadmaps based on some of the most popular small business types started in Durham. Those nine roadmap categories are: Catering;  Contractor; Convenience Store; Daycare Facility; Food Truck; Restaurant; Salon, Barber & Nail Salon; Vehicle Sales; and Vehicle Services. The roadmaps are now available on the City’s Small Business Services webpage<https://durhamnc.gov/3799/Startup-Roadmaps>.

According to Durham City-County Planning Director Patrick Young, the goal for these guides is to make starting a business in the Bull City even easier. “Starting a business can be a confusing, even frustrating experience for those navigating the regulation process. We are actively working on making the development environment more inclusive, effective, and cost-efficient, and the small business guides are one of our new tools to help make that possible.”

The guides were funded through the Office of Economic and Workforce Development’s general fund. The Office of Economic and Workforce Development will continue to work with the Durham City-County Planning Department to ensure the guides stay up-to-date as policies and regulations change.

Businesses that would like additional assistance with regulatory support, or other technical assistance, should visit the City’s Small Business Services webpage<https://durhamnc.gov/2947/Small-Business-Services> or contact Senior Economic Development Coordinator Brian Smith at (919) 560-4965, ext. 15205 or by email<mailto:Brian.Smith at durhamnc.gov>.

About the City of Durham Office of Economic and Workforce Development
Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan<https://durhamnc.gov/183/Strategic-Plan>, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development<https://durhamnc.gov/446/Office-of-Economic-Workforce-Development> helps ensure that Durham has a strong and diverse economy by increasing the city’s tax base through several revitalization initiatives, including new development efforts in the central city area. The department also plans and promotes cultural awareness and events, identifies and recruits target industries as well as assesses and trains Durham residents to fill new jobs.

About the Durham City-County Planning Department
The Durham City-County Planning Department<https://durhamnc.gov/338/City-County-Planning> is the planning agency for the City and County of Durham. The department works with the community to develop long-range and special area plans containing policies to direct growth. Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan<https://durhamnc.gov/183/Strategic-Plan>, the department helps to make Durham a great place to live, work, and play by working to create a strong and diverse economy, and thriving and livable neighborhoods.

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[Title: City of Durham Office of Public Affairs contact information]


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