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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packets - 2026/01/12CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING AGENDA MOUNDS VIEW CITY HALL Monday, January 12, 2026 6:00 p.m. 1.CALL TO ORDER 2.ROLL CALL: President Meehlhause, Vice President Clark, Commissioner Lindstrom, Smith, Gunn 3.APPROVAL OF AGENDA 4.CONSENT AGENDA A.Approval of Minutes: Open & Closed November 10, 2025 5.SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS A.Oath of Office-None 6.PUBLIC COMMENT Citizens may speak to issues relating to economic development and not on the agenda. Before speaking, please give your full name and address for the minutes. Also, please limit your comments to three minutes. As a reminder, public comment is for addressing the Economic Development Authority only. Comments or concerns regarding staff must be submitted in writing to the Mayor or City Administrator. Failure to respect these guidelines will result in the President asking you to cease commenting and asking you to return to your seat. That said, is there anyone here for public comment? 7.EDA BUSINESS A.EDA Resolution 26-EDA-380, Electing and Appointing Officers to the Mounds View Economic Development Authority (EDA) 8.REPORTS A.None 9.NEXT EDA MEETING: January 26, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Mounds View City Hall 10.ADJOURNMENT PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW EDA 1 CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW 2 RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA 3 4 Regular Meeting 5 November 10, 2025 6 Mounds View City Hall 7 2401 Mounds View Boulevard, Mounds View, MN 55112 8 9 10 1.CALL MEETING TO ORDER 11 12 President Meehlhause called the meeting to order at 8:30 p.m. 13 14 2.ROLL CALL: President Meehlhause, Vice President Clark, Commissioner Gunn 15 (attending remotely), Commissioner Lindstrom, Commissioner Smith and Executive 16 Director Zikmund. 17 18 NOT PRESENT: None. 19 20 3.APPROVAL OF AGENDA 21 22 MOTION/SECOND: Lindstrom/Smith. To Approve the November 10, 2025, Agenda as 23 presented. 24 25 A roll call vote was taken. 26 27 Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 28 29 4.CONSENT AGENDA 30 31 A.September 22, 2025, EDA Minutes.32 33 MOTION/SECOND: Lindstrom/Gunn. To Approve the Consent Agenda as presented. 34 35 A roll call vote was taken. 36 37 Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 38 39 5.SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 40 41 None. 42 43 6.PUBLIC COMMENT 44 45 None. 46 Mounds View EDA November 10, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 2 1 7. EDA BUSINESS 2 3 A. OPEN SESSION: 4 1. 2833 Mounds View Boulevard, Skylit Cannabis Proposal 5 2. 2833 Mounds View Boulevard, Eden Endeavors Proposal 6 7 Assistant City Administrator Beeman stated the EDA had two business proposals to consider for 8 the property at 2833 Mounds View Boulevard. He explained the City had two offers on the table. 9 He indicated the first was for a cannabis shop from Skylit Cannabis. 10 11 Justin Merkle, 5660 Groveland Hill Road in New York, thanked the EDA for considering his 12 proposal. He explained he was interested in opening a cannabis shop at the 2833 Mounds View 13 Boulevard property. He stated he currently operates a successful cannabis business in New York. 14 He indicated he began as an adult hemp grower and how had a shop also. He discussed how there 15 was hesitancy with this market when it was just rolling out and commented on how he has worked 16 to hold community events to teach people about the business and safe consumption. He reported 17 the majority of his clients were 60 to 80 years old. He stated he was proposing to open a retail 18 location that would allow him to have a drive-thru lane. He believed the proposed location would 19 be fitting for the proposed use. He indicated he was proposing to have a 3,000 square foot high 20 end cannabis retail shop that was compliant with all State requirements. He stated he plans to move 21 to Minnesota with his 13-year-old son in order to run this shop. 22 23 Mr. Merkle provided further information on his background noting he was a founding member of 24 the Cannabis Farmers Alliance in New York state. He then described how the exterior and interior 25 of the building would be designed. He estimated he would have 15 to 20 staff members that were 26 active daily. He reported his mission would be to operate a business that was rooted in honesty, 27 compliance and community. He discussed how he believed in giving back to the communities that 28 he was involved in. He explained he was the founder of UFOC (United Future of Cannabis) which 29 was an organization that would fight for fairness when it came to cannabis. He reviewed his 30 proposed timeline for the retail shop which he hoped to be in operation in the next nine to twelve 31 months. 32 33 Commissioner Lindstrom asked how Mr. Merkle found the City of Mounds View. 34 35 Mr. Merkle stated he was calling around asking about registration slots after his process fell 36 through in Oakdale, Minnesota. He commented on how difficult the registration process was in 37 the state of Minnesota. He thanked the EDA for considering his proposal. 38 39 President Meehlhause questioned how the drive-thru would be monitored to ensure patrons were 40 21 years of age or older. 41 42 Mr. Merkle explained everyone in the car would have to show an ID and must be over the age of 43 21 or a sale could not occur. He reported he would also be offering curbside deliveries for people 44 Mounds View EDA November 10, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 3 that wanted to put in an order online. He noted that IDs would be verified before the sale would 1 be completed. 2 3 Assistant City Administrator Beeman reported the second proposal was from Eden Endeavors for 4 a boutique hotel. 5 6 Venita Pateel, Eden Endeavors representative, explained she lives in Champlin, Minnesota and 7 was proposing to construct a boutique style hotel that is three stories with 60 to 80 keys with a 8 high-quality design that was inviting and part of the community. She discussed how she wanted 9 this building to be a part of the community with the ground level of the building being retail. She 10 stated the property could be used by both visitors and members of the community. She reported 11 this was a great location that has high visibility. She noted her project meets all City zoning code 12 requirements. She indicated the building would be about 55,000 square feet, 90 parking stalls with 13 a café, bar, fitness center, meeting room and patio for guests. She explained she would be open to 14 having pedestal parking under the building, but this would increase the project costs. She believed 15 Mounds View was ready for a boutique hotel given the property’s close proximity to downtown 16 Minneapolis and St. Paul. She commented on how there was a need for hotels in this market and 17 discussed the jobs that would be created from this use. 18 19 Commissioner Smith questioned how 35 to 40 jobs would be created by the boutique hotel. 20 21 Ms. Pateel reviewed the types of jobs that would be created by the hotel which included a manager, 22 front desk staff, housekeepers, bartenders, landscapers, and caretakers. 23 24 Commissioner Lindstrom inquired if the boutique hotel would be interested in partnering with the 25 cannabis dispensary. 26 27 Ms. Pateel indicated she would be interested in this partnership and was proposing a mixed-use 28 development. She stated she greatly appreciated how Mr. Merkle wanted to be a part of the 29 community. She anticipated it would take slightly longer to construct the hotel than nine to twelve 30 months. She explained she was interested in having a coffee/wine bar on the main level and 31 wondered if this would conflict with the cannabis shop. 32 33 Mr. Merkle stated these uses would not conflict and noted the customer base was the same. He 34 noted there would have to be a separation between the two uses. 35 36 Commissioner Clark inquired if Ms. Pateel has any other business experience in Minnesota. 37 38 Ms. Pateel reported she was a licensed real estate broker and has been in this industry for the past 39 five years. She explained she has a business partner that has 30 years of experience in the 40 hospitality market. She indicated she has started her own development firm in order to pursue her 41 own projects. 42 43 Commissioner Clark questioned if Ms. Pateel would be willing to hold a community meeting in 44 Mounds View EDA November 10, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 4 order to discuss the proposed boutique hotel with the neighboring property owners. 1 2 Ms. Pateel stated she would be willing to attend this type of meeting. 3 4 President Meehlhause asked if Ms. Pateel had heard of the Twin Cities Gateway Visitors Bureau. 5 6 Ms. Pateel indicated she was familiar with this organization. 7 8 President Meehlhause discussed how hotel taxes benefit the member cities and noted the visitor’s 9 bureau recently added two new communities. He thanked Ms. Pateel and Mr. Merkle for their 10 detailed presentations. 11 12 B. CLOSED SESSION – Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Sections 13D.05, 13 subdivision 3(c) and 13.44, subdivision 3, to conduct a closed EDA meeting 14 concerning real property located at the address noted below, to consider 15 strategies and to develop or consider offers or counteroffers for the sale of such 16 property and to review confidential appraisal information for such property, 17 as follows: 2833 Mounds View Boulevard Mounds View, Minnesota PIN: 18 06.30.23.31.0014 19 20 MOTION/SECOND: Smith/Clark. To move into Closed Session pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 21 Section 13D.05 Subdivision 3(c) and 13.44, Subdivision 3 to discuss real property located at 2833 22 Mounds View Boulevard. 23 24 A roll call vote was taken. 25 26 Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 27 28 C. OPEN SESSION: (to follow immediately after the closed session, if necessary) 29 1. General Discussion/Issues regarding the above-referenced property. 30 2. Other matters. 31 32 There was nothing further to discuss. 33 34 8. ADJOURNMENT 35 36 President Meehlhause adjourned the meeting at 8:45 p.m. 37 38 Respectfully submitted, 39 40 Recorded and transcribed by: 41 Heidi Guenther 42 Minute Maker Secretarial 43 Item No: 7A Meeting Date: January 12, 2026 Type of Business: EDA City Administrator Review: ______ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Economic Development Authority From: Brian Beeman, Assistant City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Resolution 26-EDA-380 Electing and Appointing Officers to the Mounds View Economic Development Authority (EDA) Background Article 3, Section 3.1 of the EDA by-laws state that the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected annually at the first meeting of the year. The EDA officers for 2025 were as follows: President: Gary Meehlause Vice President: Julie Clark Treasurer: Kathryn Smith Secretary: Sherry Gunn Discussion January 12, 2026, is the first EDA meeting of the year. In accordance with the EDA Bylaws, the EDA is required to appoint its officers at this meeting. Recommendation Staff recommends that the EDA appoint officers and approve attached EDA Resolution 26-EDA-380. Respectfully submitted, ________________________ Brian Beeman Assistant City Administrator Attachment(s): 1)Resolution 26-EDA-380 Electing and Appointing Officers to the EDA EDA RESOLUTION 26-EDA-380 CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW COUNTY OF RAMSEY STATE OF MINNESOTA RESOLUTION ELECTING AND APPOINTING 2026 OFFICERS TO THE MOUNDS VIEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes Section 469.096 addresses officers, duties and organizational matters relating to an Economic Development Authority; and WHEREAS, the Mounds View Economic Development Authority (the “Authority”) has adopted Bylaws that govern the operation and function of the Authority; and WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes Section 469.096 require the Authority to annually elect certain officers of the Authority – the President, Treasurer, and Secretary; and WHEREAS, the Authority Bylaws require the Authority to annually elect certain officers of the Authority - the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary - at the first meeting of the year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mounds View Economic Development Authority hereby elects the following individuals to serve as the officers of the Authority for 2026 as noted below: President: _________________ Vice-President: _________________ Treasurer: _________________ Secretary: _________________ Adopted this 12th day of January, 2026. ________________________________ Gary Meehlhause, President ATTEST: ________________________________ Nyle Zikmund, Executive Director (SEAL)