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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2025/09/22APPROVED PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW EDA CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting September 22, 2025 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Mounds View Boulevard, Mounds View, MN 55112 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER President Meehlhause called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL: President Meehlhause, Vice President Clark, Commissioner Gunn, Commissioner Smith and Executive Director Zikmund. NOT PRESENT: Commissioner Lindstrom. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION/SECOND: Clark/Smith. To Approve the September 22, 2025, Agenda as presented. Ayes – 4 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 4. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve of Minutes: September 8, 2025. MOTION/SECOND: Gunn/Clark. To Approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Ayes – 4 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 5. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS None. 6. PUBLIC COMMENT None. 7. EDA BUSINESS A. Annual Update from the Center for Energy & Environment (CEE) and Home Mounds View EDA September 22, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 2 Energy Squad (HES). Assistant City Administrator Beeman stated the EDA would be receiving a presentation from the Center for Energy and Environment as well as from the Home Energy Squad. Stacy Bootscamp, Center for Energy and Environment (CEE), explained CEE has been around for 40 years addressing energy efficiency in Minnesota. She indicated CEE partners with Mounds View to pay half of the cost for resident Home Energy Squad visits. She reported the HES visits were provided by Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy. She estimated each home visit cost $500. She stated HES is a program under Minnesota’s Energy Conservation and Optimization Act that helps utilities meet their annual efficiency savings goals. The program guidelines were further reviewed with the EDA noting visits were available to homeowners or renters with one to four units. She stated the visit includes the installation of energy saving products and a customized report with recommendations on improving comfort and efficiency within the home. She commented further on the products that are installed during a visit. Commissioner Smith asked how residents can sign up for a home energy visit. Ms. Bootscamp reported residents can visit CEE’s website to sign up for a home energy visit. Commissioner Clark inquired if it was better to complete these tests in the winter or summer months. Ms. Bootscamp indicated CEE conducts the home energy visits any time of year. President Meehlhause stated he had his home energy visit completed sometime ago. He questioned if the CFL bulbs were being changed out for LED’s. Ms. Bootscamp commented she does not see very many CFL bulbs, but noted they would be changed out in a home energy visit. President Meehlhause strongly encouraged residents to have a home energy visit completed on their home. Rebecca Scholl, 2467 Hillview, requested further information on the income verification process. Ms. Bootscamp discussed how incomes are verified through the scheduling system, noting the City was not charged for the residents that are fully covered by the utility companies. Jim Haznick, Lending Partner for Center for Energy and Environment (CEE), commented on the lending programs that were available to Mounds View residents. He explained he has completed 53 loans for residents in Mounds View since January 1, 2018. He reported the City’s lending program was put on hold January 1 of this year because no dollars were budgeted. He indicated State dollars can still be used. He stated the goal for 2026 was to have two new programs move forward. Commissioner Clark asked if the affordable housing funding (LAHA) could be used for these programs. Mr. Haznick reported the LAHA funds could be used for home improvement/lending programs. Mounds View EDA September 22, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 3 Executive Director Zikmund stated the City would be receiving $190,000 in LAHA per year and it was staff’s hope the EDA would be targeting natural occurring affordable housing and mobile home parks in the community with the LAHA funding. He anticipated some of the loans would be forgivable and some would be paid back. He indicated this program would ebb and flow with the economy and the needs of the community. Mark Londoney, Loan Servicing Manager for Center for Energy and Environment (CEE), discussed how he works to collect on the loans that are created. He provided a summary of the loans that have been issued since 2020 and commented on how money has been moving in and out of the City’s account. He described how there was a growing need for affordable housing in the community and how the City’s programs could evolve to help the community. President Meehlhause thanked the CEE representatives for their thorough presentations to the EDA. B. Resolution 25-EDA-378, a Resolution Approving a Sixth Amendment to the Loan Origination Agreement with the Center for Energy and Environment. Assistant City Administrator Beeman requested the Council approve a sixth amendment to the Loan Origination Agreement with the Center for Energy and Environment. He explained this agreement was renewed annually in order to allow the EDA to review the programs that were in place. Staff commented further on the amendment, noting two loan programs would be eliminated and everything else would remain the same. MOTION/SECOND: Clark/Smith. To Waive the Reading and Adopt Resolution 25-EDA-378, a Resolution Approving a Sixth Amendment to the Loan Origination Agreement with the Center for Energy and Environment. Ayes – 4 Nays – 0 Motion carried. C. Redevelopment Update for 2840 Mounds View Boulevard & 7861 Groveland Road. Assistant City Administrator Beeman provided the EDA with an update on the properties at 2840 Mounds View Boulevard and 7861 Groveland Road. He explained the EDA owns one of these properties and was cooperating with a private developer to allow for a potential development to move forward. He indicated the developer would like to address the EDA to further discuss this project. Mike Pearson, Pearson Group, introduced himself to the EDA and reported the best way to move these properties forward was to tear down the existing building and rebuild. He reviewed the proposed site layout and discussed the challenges he was facing with the redevelopment of this property. He indicated he was proposing to build a 4,700 square foot building with a drive thru. He anticipated the building would have two or three tenants. He commented on the easement south Mounds View EDA September 22, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 4 of the building that would have to be moved. He stated it was his hope this project would be able to break ground in the spring of 2026. Commissioner Smith asked how the adjacent business would access Groveland Road. Mr. Pearson discussed how he would like to push the access easement to the south in order to allow for continued access to Groveland Road. Nicole Langer, Commercial Equities Group, explained she has been talking with national coffee shops and fast food restaurants in order to bring some new users into Mounds View. She indicated there were some local restaurants also interested in this space. Sabry Sharara, property owner, explained he originally hoped to put his dental office on this site but this did not work out for financial reasons. He was hoping the EDA would support the proposed development and rezoning. President Meehlhause stated this would be a nice piece of property to have redeveloped in Mounds View. Commissioner Clark inquired if Mr. Sharara would be maintaining ownership of the property. Mr. Sharara stated this would be the case. Sharon Kirscher, 8406 Red Oak Drive, requested one of the Simon’s signs be retained for the Simon’s family. D. Resolution 25-EDA-379, a Resolution Authorizing Sinan Music of SMC Construction, Inc. to Apply for the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezoning on behalf of the Economic Development Authority. Assistant City Administrator Beeman requested the EDA consider a Resolution that would authorize Sinan Music of SMC Construction, Inc. to apply for the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and rezoning on behalf of the EDA. He explained this lot was next to the bank and the next step was to move forward with the rezoning in order to develop this property. Staff commented further on the project and recommended approval of the Resolution. MOTION/SECOND: Gunn/Smith. To Waive the Reading and Adopt Resolution 25-EDA-379, a Resolution Authorizing Sinan Music of SMC Construction, Inc. to Apply for the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezoning on behalf of the Economic Development Authority. Ayes – 4 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 8. REPORTS None. Mounds View EDA September 22, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 5 9. NEXT EDA MEETING: Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. 10. ADJOURNMENT President Meehlhause adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Recorded and transcribed by: Heidi Guenther Minute Maker Secretarial