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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/02/2011 EDAC Minutes 1 Approved CITY OF LINO LAKES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES DATE: June 2, 2011 MEMBERS PRESENT: M. Keller, B. Combs, D. Johnson, L. Salzman, J. Stranik, L. Masonick, L. Thor MEMBERS ABSENT: J. Schwartz, B. Combs OTHERS PRESENT: M. Divine APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of April 7, 2011 were approved. INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS New member Lane Thor was introduced. REVIEW/UPDATE OF 2010 ACTION PLAN Members reviewed changes and updates of the One-Year Action Plan. Updates include: 1. Hodgson Road/Cty. Road J: Focus of change was on the window of opportunity to use TIF to get an anchor grocery tenant to be able to assist with extension of utilities and road improvements needed for the corner to develop. As a part of that assistance package, explore ways to work with landowner to get the 49 Club site pad ready. Mr. Stranik suggested adding a strategy to include the full road improvement plan for the 49/J intersection area as part of a development process. 2. Legacy at Woods Edge: Recognizing this a priority economic development issue, the city requested special legislation to use the increment from TIF District 1-10 to help pay of 35W interchange and Legacy bonds until development occurs. The legislation passed June 1. 3. Lake Drive Development: EDAC and Council to use the Redevelopment Task Force Report to develop strategies for reuse or redevelopment of nonconforming uses and buildings on Lake Drive. 4. Apollo Business Park: Target marketing to small, growth oriented business to fill empty leased space. 5. Marshan Industrial Park: Use increment from extended TIF district to assist with bond payments for 36W and Legacy projects 6. 35E Corridor: Interchange complete. Feasibility study is underway for extension of Otter Lake Road North. Consider opportunity to TIF retail to begin construction of Otter Lake Road North. 7. Local BRE program: Consider partnering with DEED and U of M for a Business Retention and Expansion Program 2 8. Promotional Program: Marketing materials are completed and are being targeted to a wide variety of development, including retail, manufacturing, and technology. 9. Economic Development Evaluation: EDAC completed evaluation criteria in 2009. BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION (BRE) Ms. Divine passed out materials regarding the program sponsored by the U of M Extension Service and DEED. Due to the time, she asked that members read the sample of a completed program that was done in Hugo, and see if it feels like something EDAC wants to participate in. One issue is the time commitment and the number of volunteers needed. OPPIDAN PROJECT Ms. Divine informed members that Oppidan plans to submit a formal application. At that point the project and the public assistance package will be brought forward for further EDAC review. BRAINSTORMING Members discussed what directions the city should be concentrating its marketing efforts. Ms. Divine will look into the data privacy issues of having a list serve for EDAC members to communicate. Mr. Thor suggested contacting St. Thomas College Professor Dr. Tom Musil regarding a business and marketing plan. Discussion of uses included restaurant and micro- brewery and focusing attention on home based business to grow into leasing space in the business park. Mr. Salzman offered suggestions (see below) and members will discuss further: 1). Start marketing campaign targeted at Lino Lake home businesses. I know it's customary to court big enterprises with dozens of employees and lots of machinery but with all our inventory, maybe it's time to consider mom+pop. For instance, here is a map of all the businesses that are within just a mile or two of my place and most of them are 1-2 employee shops. My contention is there might be quite a few of our own citizens who jump at the chance to upgrade office space if the incentives were right. Maybe host an open house or two this year aimed just at them. 2). Polish up our development plan. I've noticed that quite a few of our goals and objectives don't sync up with our mission of "maintaining, encouraging and promoting" businesses. For instance, while enhancing the natural environment, raising the tax base and redeveloping blighted areas might be pro-municipality, they certainly aren't pro-business. Once we change our goals to reflect our mission (or vice versa), perhaps it will illuminate some prospective areas we have been missing. 3). Start holding monthly meetings. I don't know about you, but when my business is not meeting goals, it usually means I have to put in more work not less. I think the same should be said for our group. I suggest going from bi-monthly to monthly meetings to help get us out of our dilemma. 4). Move our conversations online to a Google group. This would allow everyone's ideas and feedback to be shared in a single centralized repository. I don't know, maybe this is a privacy- issue or something. I just thought I'd bring it up because right now, I have to dig around for everyone's emails and often I lose the thread of the conversation. Meeting adjourned.