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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-17-2017 Minutes of the Economic Development Commission City of Mounds View Ramsey County, Minnesota Regular Meeting February 17, 2017 City of Mounds View, Council Chambers 2401 County Road 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Jim Freichels called the meeting to order at approximately 7:30 a.m. 2. ROLL CALL Members Present: Chair, Jim Freichels, Commissioners, Jason Helgemoe, Gary Stevenson, Jessica Rieland, Dennis Farmer, & Teresa Muckala Members Absent: Vice Chair, Dan Larson Staff Present: Business Development Coordinator, Brian Beeman Meeting Attendees: Gary Meehlhause 3. APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 17, 2017, AGENDA Motion/Second: Commissioner Stevenson moved and Commissioner Helgemoe seconded moving item 5b under item 3 to allow the new Commissioners to be able to vote. Commissioner Stevenson moved to approve the amended agenda and Commissioner Rieland seconded the approval of the February 17, 2017 EDC agenda. Motion Carried: 6 Ayes, 0 Nays 4. ADMINISTER OATH OF OFFICE FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS Business Development Coordinator Brian Beeman administered the Oath of Office to Dennis Farmer and Teresa Muckala. 5. APPROVAL OF JANUARY 20, 2017, EDC MINUTES Motion/Second: Commissioner Muckala moved and Commissioner Helgemoe seconded the approval of the January 20, 2017 EDC minutes, as presented. Motion Carried: 6 Ayes, 0 Nays 6. EDC BUSINESS Resignation of Laurie Shoop Chair Freichels announced the resignation of Commissioner Laurie Shoop. Business Development Coordinator Beeman explained that no formal resolution or motion is needed to accept the resignation. An announcement by the Chair is sufficient. Beeman stated that Shoop enjoyed being in the Commission and it was a way for her to keep up EDC Minutes February 17, 2017 Page 2 of 6 with what was going on in the community and she is leaving the door open in case there is another opportunity to be on the EDC. Review 2017 EDC Priorities Business Development Coordinator Beeman provided the EDC with an overview of the 2016 priorities and reviewed the 2017 suggested changes. The name change from County Rd 10 to Mounds View Boulevard was completed as well as most of the comprehensive trail system. The County Rd H and Mounds View Boulevard intersection was also completed. Added Rydell Auto parcel to the list to monitor as well the Mounds View Boulevard and Woodale Drive east of the Bel Rae Senior Living facility. There are five lots with the outer lots being owned by the same person. The middle three owners would need to be willing to sell. The BR & E program has been a success so will continue with this program. Staff will also continue to monitor the Skyline Motel site for future redevelopment. In 2017 the EDC will be reviewing the business section for the Comprehensive Plan update with the Metropolitan Council. Stevenson expressed his approval of the priorities and felt he could support them. Helgemoe recommended moving some of the items around. A discussion then perused on which items to eliminate, add, and move. Ultimately, it was decided to keep 1. and 2. as-is, 3. Is the website, 4. Monitor Mounds View commercial properties in transition, 5. Skyline Motel redevelopment, 6. Monitor and assist with City-wide housing issues and projects, 7. Meet bi-annually with the Mounds View EDA, 8. Continue business retention program, 9. Support the implementation of the city-wide Street & Utility Improvement Program, and 10. Review Business section of the Comprehensive Plan for 2018 update. Motion/Second: Commissioner Farmer moved and Commissioner Rieland seconded the approval of the 2017 EDC Priorities as amended. Motion Carried: 6 Ayes, 0 Nays Review EDC Bylaws Coordinator Beeman informed the Commission that annually the EDC is to review the bylaw in February. The last change was completed in 2002. The Commission reviewed the bylaws and had no changes. Chair Freichels asked if there were any comments. Hearing none, Freichels called for a motion. Motion/Second: Commissioner Helgemoe moved and Commissioner Stevenson seconded the approval of the EDC Bylaws as written. 7. REPORTS OF STAFF Crossroad Pointe Redevelopment Project Business Development Coordinator, Brian Beeman provided the Commission with an update on the Crossroad Pointe redevelopment site. Beeman informed the Commission that staff had attended a developer's round table to discuss the Crossroad Pointe site. Each developer specialized in a different area. For example, some were housing EDC Minutes February 17, 2017 Page 3 of 6 developers, others where industrial and still others were retail and senior housing developers. Staff was told that the Rice Creek Commons development. They are afraid to develop in Mounds View until they find out what is being developed in Arden Hills. They felt the Crossroad Pointe site is awkward and irregular shaped and doesn't have good access. The developers mentioned that it would be about 30 years until they would be comfortable developing anything at the site. They offered that in the meantime the site may be able to support a convenience store, gas station, auto sales, affordable housing, and senior housing. They felt that either affordable or senior housing would be able to make it at that site, but none of them felt that they would be willing to put forth the risk to build there. One developer mentioned a restaurant. In general, the Council's vision for this site has not matched the current demand. They Council had mentioned a downtown destination but the developers are not willing to do this and there isn't enough room at the site for this type of development. Helgemoe asked if the Bel Rae Senior Living facility was full. Beeman said it is nearing capacity and the developers for that facility are looking for more locations to build. The developers had expressed some interest in the site in the past, but at that time they weren't ready to build. Now, they are back in the hunt for land. Dominion, another senior housing developer was very interested in Crossroad Pointe, but they were too busy at the time, and missed the deadline to submit their proposal. Instead, they ended up going to Spring Lake Park. Rieland, asked if it would be an extension to what they already have. Beeman said the group is looking to build a four story with underground parking. Freichels said he was part of the joint meeting with the City Council when they were expressing their vision for the property. He has all along been concerned with the Rice Creek Commons and how that will affect Crossroad Pointe. Commissioner Muckala asked if this would be the fourth senior housing facility. If this facility would be built then it was thought that it would become the fourth facility. Muckala said this type of development may spur a demand for another type of need in the community like attracting a medical use. Beeman reviewed the type of developments that have expressed interest in the past. Among those have been daycare, flea market, public storage, restaurant, retail strip mall, senior housing, affordable housing, churches, etc. Many of these uses don't fit the Council's vision for this site and they wouldn't be the desired highest and best use. The demand equation is what drives developers. A person can't create demand. If it isn't there then it isn't there. All that can be done is to create awareness. Having three vacant blighted and substandard buildings isn't the best idea and that is why the Council decided to demolish all three buildings in the past. Rieland asked when the building was taken down. Beeman thought it was around 2008. Three visioning sessions were completed for the site and the first one include community input as well as an engineering report. Council Member Meehlhause offered some history of the site saying the first building demoed was the gas station off of County Road H2 and Mounds View Boulevard in the early 2000's. The City purchased because it was left abandoned and the owners weren't doing anything about it. A wind storm had damaged the canopy and pieces were dangling. They City then decided to purchase the Japanese Sushi restaurant and the Roberts' site in around 2013. So, it has been only about four years since those parcels were acquired. Beeman said a redevelopment TIF could have been used at that time if a project had been imminent. Now the use of TIF would be questionable unless it was a Housing TIF. Beeman said if this was an easy site then it EDC Minutes February 17, 2017 Page 4 of 6 would have been developed a long time ago and that is the reason City's get involved in redevelopment. Farmer asked if the developer had met with the Council. Beeman said staff set up an entire day where every hour a different developer came in and explained what they saw happening with the site as well as other locations in the city. The Bel Rae developer has shown interest in the site, but they haven't been ready to go forward as of yet. Farmer asked if the Councils vision related to the Comprehensive Plan. Beeman said it is more of a hybrid where the Council will allow the site to be rezoned to a PUD and overlay district. The Council has expressed its willingness to work with the developer even to the point of being willing to increase the height to 4-5 stories if needed. Freichels said the Council has expressed several opinions on what they would like at the site, however, it appears that the developers are saying something else. Rieland said a recommendation to the Council may be in order especially since we now have all of the developer feedback. Muckala mentioned that if Mounds View is wanting to have more people move into the City then it seems relevant that these types of housing projects seem to make sense. Stevenson said he doesn't want the City to give up on market rate housing stating that right now the City doesn't have any. He would like the City to pursue both market rate and senior housing. Stevenson clarified that having 20% affordable would be acceptable as long as the rest of the development is market rate. Motion/Second: Commissioner Stevenson moved and Commissioner Rieland seconded the motion making recommendation to the City Council that the EDC prefers to see a market rate and/or senior housing development at Crossroad Pointe. Motion Carried: 6 Ayes, 0 Nays Business Retention & Expansion Visit (BR&E) Updates Next Beeman updated the Commission on the business retention and expansion efforts. Beeman informed the Commission that he is putting together the visit data over the past couple of years in order to identify trends. He will try to have that ready at the next meeting. Rice Creek Commons Beeman informed the Commission that with winter, the projects have slowed but it is expected that with the spring, more activity will occur. A representative from Ramsey County will be speaking at either the March 21 or 27 in order to provide an update on the project. Website Beeman reported that staff had met to review the details for the new City website. The company REVIZE will be conducting a kick off meeting March 13 to review the color scheme, logo, branding, analytics, etc. It is recommended that websites be upgraded every three years and the last upgrade on the City's current website was done about eight years ago. EDC Minutes February 17, 2017 Page 5 of 6 Newsletter Beeman also informed the EDC that the City is in the process of deciding upon a new newsletter company to print and distribute the City's Mounds View Matters. Staff is comparing bids and services and it is hoped to have a decision made in the next few months. North Metro Business Council The next North Metro Business Council meeting will be held at the Mermaid Event Center March 8 starting at 7:30 a.m. The theme for the meeting will be Community Policing and Engagement. Mounds View's Police Chief Nate Harder is already confirmed and Commissioner Helgemoe announced that the Director of the Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce resigned and Helgemoe is coordinating to get other speakers in attendance. MWF Developers Beeman said MWF developers held a neighborhood meeting recently in New Brighton at one of their existing facilities. This will be a 52 unit facility. They are looking at the tax forfeiture properties and Cynthia Johnsons properties. Commissioner Farmer said he was intendance at the neighborhood meeting. He said about 11 people showed up and they developers had a site plan and there were questions about access from those coming from the south as well as privacy questions. This will be a three story building. Some wanted balconies and wanted to know the requirements to be there. Commissioner Stevenson said these were similar questions that were asked of the previous developer. Rieland asked if workforce housing was the same as affordable housing. Beeman said that it was. The building will look the same on the outside as any other apartment building. The finishing on the inside is what is different. The developers are going after tax credits to help fund the project. The tax credit allows the developer to reduce the rent according to income levels of the tenants. Atlas Staffing Council Member Meehlhause provided an update to the EDC on the new temp agency that will be operating next to the liquor store and Dollar General. The company takes on the screening process for businesses. The temp becomes an employee of Atlas then they outsource the employees to various businesses. They hope to be here a long time. Meehlhause also thanked Laurie Shoop for resigning to allow the two new members 8. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS Helgemoe encouraged members to attend the next Twin Cities North Business Council. Agreeing with Meehlhause, Freichels thanked Laurie Shoop for resigning when she didn't have too in order to allow the two new members. Hearing no further reports, Freichels moved to the next agenda item. EDC Minutes February 17, 2017 Page 6of6 9. NEXT REGULAR EDC MEETING Chair Freichels reminded everyone that the next EDC meeting will be held March 17, 2017 at 7:30 a.m. if needed. Freichels informed the new members that the EDC may not meet if there are not enough agenda items etc. Beeman and Freichels will decide and let the rest of the Commissioners know. 10. ADJOURN There being no further business, Chair Helgemoe adjourned the February 17, 2017, meeting at approximately 8:08 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Brian Beeman Business Development Coordinator