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<br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Corrin Wendell, Community Development Director <br /> <br />DATE: August 9, 2023 <br /> <br />RE: Metropolitan Council – Livable Communities Act (LCA) Pre-Development <br />Grant Application <br /> <br />ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED: <br />The City Council is asked to consider approval of a Resolution of Support to submit an <br />application for Livable Communities Act (LCA) Pre-Development grant funding from the <br />Metropolitan Council. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The Metropolitan Council administers the Livable Communities Act (LCA) grant program that <br />provides funding to developers, cities, counties, and housing authorities for various <br />development-related initiatives. The LCA Pre-Development program is currently accepting grant <br />applications for early-stage development initiatives such as design workshops, financial studies, <br />project impact analyses, community engagement, among many other eligible activities. <br /> <br />City staff has reviewed the application criteria and feels that the city-owned property located at <br />2750 Rice Street (the former Pawn Shop site) would be a strong candidate for pre-development <br />grant funding through this program. The program does not require matching funds and caps <br />individual awards at $300,000. Staff recommends an application in the amount of $37,000 to <br />support preliminary site planning, environmental sustainability planning, and financial modeling. <br /> <br />This proposal seeks to intensify land uses on the site to take advantage of the connections <br />between housing, jobs, services and amenities across the region. The existing use of the site is a <br />one-story closed and vacant Pawn Shop. Through redevelopment and capitalizing on the new <br />zoning district, Corridor Mixed Use, this site can maximize and intensify its use to incorporate <br />both housing and commercial uses, up to 5 stories in height, take advantage of universal design <br />practices, and direct access to the future Purple Line BRT so that residents can live, work, and <br />access transit all from this location on Rice Street. This site can become an integral part of the <br />City’s Strategic Plan that states, “In 2025, Little Canada has revitalized key commercial <br />corridors.” Rice Street is a key corridor within the City, and with our neighboring partners, <br />Ramsey County, Roseville, Saint Paul, and Vadnais heights, making this regional connection is <br />absolutely attainable. <br /> <br />The proposed project team includes the City of Little Canada, the Little Canada Economic <br />Development Authority (EDA), Ramsey County, and Roseville Independent School District 623. <br />Each of these partners have been involved with this project area at some level for at least twenty <br />years due to the creation of a Housing Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District. This housing