Nearly 20 people attended an open format-style meeting last Wednesday afternoon that highlighted recommendations compiled by Gloucester County’s Business Development Focus Group over recent months.

County staff along with members of the group attended the meeting, which was held in the Main Street Center conference room.

The focus group was formed by county administrator Brenda Garton to come up with ways to make Gloucester more business-friendly.

Informational exhibits were set up providing more information on areas that were included as preliminary recommendations—the highway corridor overlay district ordinance, site plan approval process, public utilities, modification of zoning ordinance, General Assembly lobby efforts, Chesapeake Bay preservation ordinance, and other broad, long-range efforts.

"While the attendance was low, I think there were a lot of good discussions and conversations held in the informal setting," said Gloucester planning director Anne Duce...