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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes • March 16, 1999 Page 7 1 for the City, but that would ultimately be the decision of Mr. Mornson who is responsible for 2 staffing issues. 3 4 An audience member asked whether the shopping center's new owners are interested in 5 developing sites around the center and if so, will they be residential/rental or retail, and whether 6 the sale of the property is contingent upon the upgrading of sewer and amenities. 7 8 Bergstrom stated the Commission does not have answers to these questions and has not been 9 involved in discussions with regard to the sale of the property. Ms. Moore-Sykes stated it is 10 early in the process. The audience member stated that his home is near the shopping center and 11 he is concerned that his home might be taken. Ms. Moore-Sykes stated she is unaware that the 12 shopping center's new owners plan to take any property and in any case it would be purchased. 13 14 The audience member asked if there was anything in writing to this effect. Ms. Moore-Sykes 15 stated the information is not public as the sale is between two private parties. Horst stated the 16 new owners have been very open to date. Bergstrom stated the City Manager might be able to 17 assist in answering the audience member's questions. 18 i X. COMMENTS. Hanson expressed concern, after last week's joint worksession with the City Council, over how 21 much authority the Commission will have for accomplishing its goals for 1999, and questioned 22 whether the Commission might focus on different goals. He suggested there may be some items 23 on the original long list of goals over which the Commission.might have more control. He stated 24 he felt that the Council became less comfortable as the meeting progressed with the ideas 25 presented by the Commission. 26 27 Bergstrom stated the 5 issues discussed are long-term, large issues and an economic development 28 specialist is definitely something the Commission can push for. 29 30 Hanson asked whether a Councilmember would be attending the Commission's meetings in 31 future. He added he believes this arrangement would greatly increase communication between 32 the Council and the Commission. Ms. Moore-Sykes stated Councilmember Faust was interested 33 in starting the process,but apparently the Council is still debating the issue as there is some 34 desire to have a formal policy in place. 35 36 Bergstrom stated that a Council representative would be welcome at any time at the 37 Commission's meetings. Hanson reiterated the Commission's support of such an arrangement. 38 Ms. Moore-Sykes stated the Council is generally supportive of this kind of open communications 39 and plans to adopt a similar process for the Parks Commission. 40 Hanson stated he is pleased with developments at the shopping center, and stated his clients, many of whom are from northeast Minneapolis,have expressed their sense of encouragement 43 and intention to spend their money at the rejuvenated center.