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2 <br />housing, and green spaces. The City should attract businesses and stores with incentives and tax breaks <br />and special use permits, all tools other municipalities use in abundance to attract business and <br />developers to invest in housing, retail, and commercial sectors. <br /> <br />Hugo has done a great job attracting big housing developers and housing developments continue to grow <br />with Hugo city limits and housing is needed. But where roofs go, retail should follow. I do not believe the <br />City of Hugo is working to show the same enthusiasm and willingness to compromise on land uses and <br />water uses etc to attract businesses and big box stores. <br /> <br />A retail center with a variety of places to shop for Hugo citizens, or a vet or pet boarding place, an Apple <br />store, a Target, mature trees and welcome to Hugo banners would be a thriving center to show both <br />residents and visitors passing through that Hugo is a good place to live AND work. <br /> <br />2. What type of improvements do you want to see to 165th Street? <br /> <br />I believe there are highway projects already in planning at this intersection--it will become more of a <br />major intersection, including widening and will need to accommodate more traffic and cars as Hugo <br />continues to grow. My property is adjacent to this so I support highway improvement and safety <br />cautions. I would like the City and the Hugo Planning Commission to be open to how the City might <br />stimulate development and growth to signal to businesses that Hugo is open for business along the <br />corridor and wants to see economic development and make a supportive environment to attract <br />commercial developers to serve all the residents moving in. I also would like to have the City have MN <br />DoT come talk to the people at City Hall over the specifics of the Highway improvements. I feel like this <br />information is difficult to find although the Highway 61 Study on the Hugo website has a lot of <br />information. <br /> <br />3. Are there any changes you would like the City of Hugo to consider regarding your property? <br /> <br />Yes. <br /> <br />If yes, please describe specifically the changes you would like to see for your property. <br /> <br />My property is in a restrictive zoning category, RC-1 which only a few businesses and properties are <br />zoned along the corridor. Other large properties along the Corridor are zoned Agricultural. I paid almost <br />$17K/annually to the City for taxes on vacant land this year and my neighbor across the Highway pays <br />less than $500/year as his land is Ag and this is wildly disparate. I went to court to appeal the tax to <br />Washington County. I have written and discussed my concerns with the City for over 10 years now as I <br />would like to attract a buyer (and have brokers who have brought buyers to the table to work with the <br />City). We could benefit from assistance from the City and the County how to make these 26 acres useful <br />to a developer. I am open to any City proposals on the matter. <br /> <br />4. Is there anything else you want the City to know as we prepare the AUAR? <br /> <br />Yes, thank you for communicating with the citizens and property owners in Hugo about plans for the <br />future of the City. It can be difficult to get feedback from people on matters that don't directly affect <br />them and not all people come to public open houses to express themselves. <br />