HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.21.23 Minutes
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CITY OF LAKE ELMO
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MINUTES
November 21, 2023
Call to Order/Roll Call
Waldoch called the meeting to order at 6:01pm.
PRESENT: Charles Cadenhead, Ninna Waldoch, and Tony Manzara
ABSENT: Paul Ryberg and Jeff Holtz
Staff Present: City Planner Sophia Jensen and City Administrator Handt
August 15, 2023 Minutes:
Motion by Waldoch, seconded by Manzara to approve. Motion carried.
Discuss Sale of Fire Station 1 and Parks Building
Handt provided an update on Planning Commission recommendation to re-guide the city
parcels comprising fire station 1 and the parks building on Laverne Ave to VMX. That
recommendation will go to the city council tonight. Handt shared the evaluation criteria
used previously in the RFP for the sale of the 180 acres. Additional feedback and
discussion occurred around a minimum price and whether or not to sell the parcels all as
one or break into two. Commissioners agreed with the criteria used before and the
minimum price of $100,000 with sale of all parcels at once.
Annual Review of EDA Work Plan
Handt presented an updated plan removing the previous goal on labor market supply and
demand data but keeping BRE and Increase Number of Commercial and Industrial
Businesses. Discussion and consensus to remove the BRE goal as it was getting harder to
get business feedback. Manzara provided information about 3M Settlement Priority 2
grants coming next year and suggested three projects-(1) funds to pay off the GO Bonds on
the city land that was a landfill so that it could be further explored and developed for a
solar farm, (2) trail/boardwalk connections in Sunfish Lake Park, and (3) a fish study in
Sunfish Lake Park. The commission focused discussion on the first option as the second
two related more to parks than EDA. Manzara agreed to provide updated language to be
included in the work plan and to write the grant proposal. Cadenhead mentioned
improving business opportunities listed on the city’s website. This could be accomplished
under new goal 2. Discussion about meeting with or hearing a presentation from Connect
Lake Elmo. That is something they could do at a council meeting to gain more awareness
for their efforts.
Motion by Cadenhead, seconded by Manzara to recommend the EDA work plan to include
the 3M grant project related to a solar farm, removing the BRE and focusing efforts in 2024
on goal 2. Motion carried.
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Future Agenda/Reports
The next meeting of the EDA is scheduled for February 20, 2024. City Planner Jensen will
begin the review and discussion of the sign ordinance with the commission at that meeting.
Adjourn
Meeting adjourned by Waldoch at 6:44p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kristina Handt