08-25-1997 EDA - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• EDA Meeting#40 July 28, 1997 UNAPPROVED Page 5 • 1 2 Bill Werner,2765 Sherwood Road,stated it seemed like the options for the EDC are rather limited,that 3 being providing an economic development for some sort of immediate profit for the city. He wondered if 4 that was their total scope of their objectives. Ms.Carlson stated if the EDC was dealing only with 5 vacant land,and not the acquisition costs of$1.2 million,it would be a very different situation. Mr. 6 Werner wondered if the city had considered purchasing the two vacant lots and making the area into a 7 park. 8 9 Commissioner Quick noted that the city is trying to broaden it's tax base. President McCarty stated the 10 public has been lead to believe that the crime rate at the apartment buildings is not badhowever,he has a 11 stack of police reports and a memo from the Police Chief indicating that the Police Department would 12 appreciate any improvements made to the buildings. °Additionally,commercial development will 13 generate a great deal more traffic than residential and in order to make the property salable,the city would 14 need to guarantee that access would be available off Eastwood. The property.is zoned R-3 and the 15 owners today could develop the property at approximately three times the density of what is being 16 proposed by MSP Real Estate. 17 18 Commissioenr Stigney stated the council needs to determine if the city needs and wants this development. 19 He thinks perhaps rather than sell the corner lot,the city should consider purchasing the two adjacent lots 20 and then look at what can be done at the Red Oak Apartments. He strongly opposes this development. 21 The proposed rental rates are low. The developer is asking for a$230,000 deferred loan at 1%. He 22 wondered why the city would want to providethis for a development which he does not believe is good for 23 Mounds View. A discussion followed in regard to the number of police calls to the apartment complex. 24 25 Mary Amirahmadi,8330 Eastwood Rd. stated she just recently found out about the proposed project. She 26 does not feel there has been enough..publicity and that there should be more meetings or better information 27 out to the residents. She thinks the city should investigate other options. 28 29 Cameron Obert,8315 Greenwood Dr.,stated he does not have a problem with the project in general,but 30 does not see this development as fitting in with the big picture of Mounds View. He wondered why the 31 city allowed the apartment buildings to get so bad Where was the code enforcement? 3.2 33 David Jahnke wondered if approval of this could be delayed to allow the council time to look at other 34 alternatives for the site. 35 36 Mr.Pinkerton of MSP Real Estate responded to some of the concerns addressed by the residents. In 37 regard to a management guarantee,he stated they would be willing to make a commitment to have an on- 38 site management for the entire term. 39 40 L W. Stigney stated he does not feel the public was kept well informed of this development. 41 42 With no further comments,President McCarty closed the Public Hearing at 10:35 p.m 43 44 Commissioner Stigney stated he feels the council should look at other alternatives. Perhaps market rate 45 townhouses would be just as marketable as low income townhomes. Another alternative would be to 46 purchase the other adjacent property and put in some additional housing 47 48 Commissioner Trude stated that one report noted that commercial development was feasible if the lands 49 were all combined together. There is a lot of land in the city that has stood vacant for more than two 40 50` years and she feels the city needs to further investigate other options for the site. 'this type of 51 development is not the vision for Highway 10 that she heard from residents involved in the Focus 2000. 52 She believes the site would be better suited for commercial development. More opportunities need to be 53 pursued.