Norwich - Sections of Mayor Deberey Hinchey's new economic development strategy plan presented to the City Council on Monday echoed themes in her recent State of the City address, but the mayor added specific targets for future development and ways to make Norwich more attractive to new and existing businesses.

Hinchey has been meeting with members of the Economic Development Strategy Committee, formed following her election in 2013, for the past year to identify the city's strengths and weaknesses and how to address them.

Goals in the report range from improving public transportation services to ensuring pending railroad upgrades include Norwich, and working with wireless and Internet providers to fill service gaps in areas of the city.

The group recognized that public incentives to attract businesses to a city or to the state "have become common at all levels of government," including property tax abatements at the local level. The committee recommended surveying economic development incentive programs in other New London County towns to gauge competition and to develop new programs.

One plan would be to establish a Tax Incremental Financing District under state statutes that allow future property taxes to be diverted to cover financing for projects.

The first half of the 41-page report lays out economic and physical conditions of the city, including its labor force and existing industries. The report then linked those conditions with efforts to attract new businesses. For example, the report cites the city's location at the junction of two highways - Interstate 395 and Route 2 to Hartford - as desirable for trucking and distribution industries.

The committee recommended the city pursue a myriad of desirable industries - bioscience, green technology energy businesses, and recreational and commercial marine businesses for the Norwich Harbor area.

Specifically, the report said Norwich is well positioned with both a labor force and market for energy efficiency products aimed at affordable housing.

"Demand for new types of housing components, systems and products that make housing more affordable and energy efficient will increase in the future," the report said. "An available and experienced construction labor force in Norwich makes this industry an attractive opportunity."

The council did not discuss the report following Hinchey's presentation Monday. Hinchey said she already has started working on some of the goals in the report but said she is not yet ready to make specific proposals to the City Council.

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