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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/07/2000 EDAC Minutes 1 APPROVED CITY OF LINO LAKES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES DATE: Thursday, September 7, 2000 MEMBERS PRESENT: F. Chase, D. Gorowsky, H. Juni, B. Rehbein, R. Jensen, T. Vacha, J. Schwartz, MEMBERS ABSENT: J. Milbauer OTHERS PRESENT: M. Divine, B. Johnson, B. Wessel, Greg Hayes GENERAL/MINUTES Ms. Schwartz moved to approve minutes of June 1, 2000. Mr. Rehbein seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Ms. Divine notified the board that Mai Haselman had submitted a letter of resignation. The board extended its thanks to Ms. Haselman for her participation. APOLLO BUSINESS CENTER UPDATE Ms. Divine informed the board that two projects—Twin City Fab and Marmon/Keystone have received approvals and will begin construction this year. Summit Fire Protection and Interplastics are negotiating for sites in the park. TOWN CENTER UPDATE Ms. Divine informed the board that staff is continuing to move ahead with the application for Livable Communities funding for the acquisition of the Tagg land. The council must authorize approval of the application. The developers have met with the Taggs. Staff has asked for a letter of intent from the Taggs and developers in order to proceed with the application. This grant will be to help implement the first phase of the infrastructure, which will allow the developers to pay more for the Tagg property. Mr. Wessel stated Lino Lakes is ranked number one to date. City council endorsement of the design standards and ultimately approval of the standards as ordinance, plus gaining 2 site control, are two essential pieces. If the city cannot get commitments from the different parties, it will be necessary to withdraw the application. Mr. Wessel said Rehbein Companies and Dellwood LLC are working through the process toward making a deal for the shopping center site. Mr. Rehbein said they had recently granted Dellwood LLC an extension on their land option. Mr. Juni asked if the McDonald’s project was dead. Mr. Wessel said the developer, JADT, just initiated legal action to get a permit to begin construction. The city is continuing to negotiate, as the city wants to see the project underway as well. The legal action has to do with the road into the site. DENSITY IN THE TOWN CENTER Mr. Wessel said the acceptance of the EDAC plan that was presented at the city council was tabled until October 9 so the council could have further discussions regarding density. The current proposal shows more housing than originally proposed in the Master Plan, and includes townhomes, apartments and senior housing. The EDAC draft plan incorporated the draft comprehensive plan goals and listed some assumptions that had been made to put together the comprehensive plan. The EDAC plan also recommends a specific mixture of density. Mr. Wessel stated the role of EDAC is advisory recommendations based on concerns about quality economic development. The suggestion is EDAC is making policy decisions and this kind of detail in the EDAC plan is premature. Housing as it relates to economic development needs to be addressed, but maybe in a more general sense. Mr. Gorowsky questioned if EDAC’s role is to get into the details of housing. Mr. Vacha thought it should be more a P&Z issue. Mr. Gorowsky said housing issues are relevant, but not details. EDAC could refashion its statement and take the detail out. Ms. Schwartz asked if EDAC is not going to address that issue, were there others groups that have experience and knowledge in the city that would address it. Mr. Johnson said housing density has a direct relationship to commercial success. If the city has a commitment to the Town Center and new urbanism, its success is predicated on higher density housing to support it. The concept of high density goes along with this plan. He added that it is within EDAC’s role to discuss whether this is commercially viable. Ms. Schwartz said value is driven by density in this instance. Mr. Chase said the mayor had requested that the EDAC plan be brought to the council to be endorsed. When the plan was prepared, some of the background was taken from the materials used to draft the comprehensive Plan. If the council changes the comp plan, EDAC may have to revise its plan. Mr. Jensen asked if apartments were ever discussed on the site. Ms. Divine said the Calthorpe plan has always addressed the design standards in terms of diversity and 3 density of housing. The plan shows townhomes, 10-plexes, senior housing, live-work, etc., but is meant to be a demonstration of diversity and density, not a decision about housing type. The Fefercorn plan shows more housing area, plus apartments. This is a concept plan and is open to negotiation. Mr. Wessel described the separate sites owned by the city and the Taggs. Mr. Juni asked if the apartment piece was the issue, and said EDAC shouldn’t be concerned about that detail. Mr. Gorowsky said the market reaches the conclusions about the types of housing. Mr. Greg Hayes said the city has a plan from Calthorpe, a plan from a developer, and suggested an RFP inviting other plans along the guidelines. Then the city can pick and chose who is following guidelines best. Mr. Wessel said the city interviewed six developers and the timing was such we needed to move ahead. It’s always been a consideration to do an RFP and may still happen. Mr. Rehbein said part of the density issue is driven by what the Taggs perceive as the value of their land. If a developer purchases the property, his decision of density is based on the cost of the land. The council is saying they don’t like the density and that’s their decision to make. If the council doesn’t like the density then maybe nothing happens on the Tagg site right now. Mr. Wessel said there is likely to be negotiation regarding the density. Mr. Gorowsky said the options are affected by the value to the Taggs. If an offer is made and it’s less than what the Taggs want, then there’s no deal. Ms. Divine read the policy recommendation regarding housing that stated an 80/20 mix of market rate and affordable and a 50/50 owner/rental mix was encouraged. Mr. Chase recommended removing the specific numbers. Ms. Schwartz questioned whether EDAC should be taking direction from the council regarding what EDAC should recommend, rather than thinking for themselves. Mr. Gorowsky said he didn’t believe the specificity is needed, but the concepts are needed. After that the city can work with the market to find the right mix. Mr. Wessel said crime in connection with apartments has surfaced as a concern. The police chief said he liked the Traditional Neighborhood Development concentration of density because it fits with his community policing philosophy, with eyes on the street and community involvement. Mr. Gorowsky said if for economic development purposes this committee believes we need a minimum of units of rental units, then it is part of EDAC’s charge to get more specific about numbers. Mr. Johnson said a lot of employees within the area couldn’t afford the median single family home in Lino Lakes. Ms. Divine said employers moving into Lino Lakes can’t find employees and usually ask about population growth and housing. Mr. Rehbein asked if rental housing was an important part of the Livable Communities application. Ms. Divine said the city scored well because of numerous issues, including 4 the completion of the Calthorpe plan, the diversity and density of housing, and the mixed use. Second phase application will need more substantial progress toward ability to implement the project. Mr. Juni asked if it is appropriate to solicit other developers. Ms. Divine said staff will work with Metropolitan Council staff to allow proposals from other developers so that the city gets what it wants.. Mr. Gorowsky said direction needs to be given to any developer if the city wants to see rental units. Mr. Chase said it is within EDAC’s realm to recommend rental housing, and to encourage it in the Town Center. Mr. Jensen said time could take care of this since this is a good location and some rental is necessary; it’s an evolutionary process. Ms. Schwartz said high quality rental is an asset. Ms. Divine said the 80/20 mix for affordable is a financial incentive to developers. Mr. Hayes said developers can lose the opportunity of building high end products with certain housing incentives. It might be better to get to a finance proposal using the Calthorpe design and let the market, rather than financing mechanisms, dictate the mix. Mr. Chase suggested the EDAC recommendation call for “a diverse mixture of high density homes, including affordable and rental.” Mr. Rehbein suggested that EDAC encourage a density range. Calthorpe’s range was 10-30 units. Members discussed the need for affordable and agreed that it is a necessary ingredient in the Town Center. It will assist with the completion of the retail, commercial development. Ms. Schwartz moved that the policy recommendation state that “a diverse mixture of high density multi-family homes, including rental and affordable units, will be encouraged in the Town Center in order to help ensure the principles of Traditional Neighborhood Development are met.” Mr. Juni seconded the motion. The definition of affordable according to the Metropolitan Council guidelines will be included as a footnote. Motion carried unanimously. Ms. Schwartz moved that the density of a minimum of 22 units/acre overall for residential acreage in The Village. Mr. Rehbein seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Gorowsky moved that the policy support the goal of EDAC to provide necessary housing for the expanding labor force in Lino Lakes commercial development. Ms. Schwartz seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Ms. Schwartz moved that the policy state that an affordable component is necessary to ensure economic and social success of The Village development through financial incentives. Mr. Gorowsky seconded the motion. EDAC requested that staff write the recommendations and allow members to review it. 5 Meeting adjourned at 8:50 a.m. Policy recommendation as reviewed by members: A diverse mixture of high density multi-family homes, including rental and affordable units, with an 80/20 mix of market rate and affordable, and a 50/50 owner/renter mix, will be encouraged in the Town Center to help ensure the principles of Traditional Neighborhood Development are met. Specifically, this recommendation:  Supports the EDAC goal to provide necessary housing for the expanding commercial and industrial labor force in Lino Lakes;  Identifies the Town Center as an ideal location for high density multi-family development, including rental and affordable housing;  Supports a minimum housing density of 22 units per acre for residential land in the Village;  Recognizes that an affordable component to the housing is critical to receiving financial incentives that will help ensure the success of the Village development.  According to Metropolitan Council guidelines for 2000 (See attachment E)