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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES EDA 11.21.23MINUTES FOR THE EDA MEETING OF NOVMEBER 21, 2023 President Weidt called the meeting to order at 5:25pm. PRESENT: Chrun, Denaway, Klein, Puleo, Weidt ABSENT: Arcand STAFF: Rachel Juba, Community Development Director Max Gort, Associate Planner Bryan Bear, City Administrator APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE EDA MEETING OF AUGUST 15, 2023 Commissioner Klein made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Denaway, to approve the September 19, 2023 EDA meeting minutes. Ayes: All. Nay: None. Motion carried. UPDATE ON THE HIGHWAY 61 VISIONING STUDY Juba presented background on the work that the Project Management Team and consultants have been doing since the last EDA meeting. Currently, Washington County Staff is working to hold another open house at the end of 2023 or early in 2024. The team had a discussion with the Metropolitan Council on the future of transit in the area, and a workshop with the Washington County Board related to the regional rail authority property that they own. The Metropolitan Council’s Transportation Policy Plan for 2050 will not show the fixed line transit corridor known either as the Rush Line or the Purple line extending to Hugo, with a current northern terminus somewhere in Maplewood. The takeaway that staff took from this meeting was that future transit in this area is more likely to be on-demand and micro transit services, rather than fixed line rail or bus rapid transit services. Without the need to plan for fixed line transit service, the team held a workshop with the Washington County Board to determine how the rail authority property to the west of the highway should be managed. The County Board came to a consensus that managing the highway as a unified corridor that precludes transit needs would eliminate most needs for additional right-of-way acquisition should the highway be expanded. The next step is for the team to prepare layouts and cross sections, which will likely be brought back to the EDA before they are seen by the public at an open house. Commissioner Chrun asks how far south the unified corridor would reach. Bear responds that the corridor extends to the county line at 120th Street. Commissioner Denaway asks how much the need for additional right-of-way may affect development of the City owned property on Egg Lake. Juba responds that in that particular case, there would only be 8 feet of lost right-of-way, but that the majority of right-of-way constraints would be in the downtown area. Commissioner Puleo asks what the existing right-of-way width is near his business at 16155 Forest Boulevard North. Bear estimates that the current highway right-of-way at that location is 110 feet wide. Juba stated that there is more to come on the study, but that the two decisions made by the Metropolitan Council and Washington County Board are big steps. Bear points out that the unified corridor approach will greatly reduce the need to acquire right-of-way from existing properties, some of which would include demolishing buildings. The EDA will continue to be given updates as the study progresses. UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT Juba gave an update on the status of the Downtown Hugo project being developed by Denny Trooien. Trooien revised the plan to calculate the average setback of the buildings from the ordinary high- water level (OHWL) of Egg Lake as requested by the DNR. After several weeks the DNR responded stating that the calculation was not satisfactory, and added an additional 30-foot minimum setback from the OHWL. Juba stated that Trooien also had been in conversation with a restauranteur who was interested in adding an event center to the second floor of a restaurant. Juba stated that the change to an event center would require additional adjustments to the plan, such as a circulated drop-off and additional parking considerations. Staff will have a meeting with Mr. Trooien and the DNR to address the conflicting directions the DNR has given. Juba stated that Trooien’s purchase agreement will be expiring at the end of this year, and that he will likely be asking for an extension. Prior to recommending an extension, Staff will have a meeting with Trooien to determine any adjustments that need to be made for a possible event center. President Weidt asks how long the plan has been delayed by the DNR. Juba responds that it has been over a year. Commissioner Klein asks if the EDA can see the written corresp ondence from the DNR detailing the changes they are requiring, as well as which representatives of the DNR are making the decisions. Commissioner Chrun asks if the same people are making these decisions each time. Bear responds that Staff has been in correspondence with the correct people, and that the supervisor of the unit responsible may be asked to come in for a future meeting. Commissioner Puleo asks if the City has large capital improvement needs that could be met with this property if Trooien’s plan does not come to fruition. Juba responds that the 2040 Comprehensive Plan allows for an additional fire hall, but that this property may not be the right place geographically. Juba stated that the Parks Commission had discussed a park use on this property in the past, but moved away from it to focus on redeveloping Lions Park. Juba stated that continuing efforts to make Mr. Trooien’s plan work is in the city’s best interest, as the DNR’s standpoint is not from an ecological or scientific basis. Commissioner Puleo said he feels that Staff should consider alternative uses for the site, particularly for municipal facilities. Juba replied that two restaurants were approved on the property previously that the DNR had approved, and that there are still possibilities for some version of T rooien’s plan to work. President Weidt asks if there are legal paths through this situation. Bear responds that the DNR could move towards suing the City for approving then plan, or that the City could create a shoreland overlay district specific to downtown, both of which are lengthy and complicated processes. REVIEW OF 2023 GOALS Juba presented a review of the EDA goals for 2023. The first category on the goal sheet, Development and Downtown Redevelopment, had the most specific items that were shorter-term. Some of the goals reviewed in this section were: • Discuss and encourage small area planning in the area of 165th Street and Highway 61 • Evaluate commercially zoned property in regards to uses, including residential • Assist and encourage redevelopment and beautification of properties in downtown Juba stated that each of these goals will likely coincide with discussions happening with the Planning Commission and City Council in 2024. Juba stated that the remaining three categories on the goal sheet: Maintain a Business-Friendly Environment, Marketing / Promotion of the City, and Partnerships, were ongoing and would likely not need as much adjustment going into 2024. Commissioner Klein asked about the status of the former lumberyard property located south of 145th Street, owned by Larry Barnabo. Juba replied that Barnabo had created some plans to redevelop the site but they never got beyond preliminary stages. Denaway stated that the property is looking blighted and asked whether outdoor storage was permitted. Juba responded that it is not. Denaway asked the City to investigate through the code enforcement process. Bear stated that enforcing the exterior storage ordinance is not the most effective tool to trigger redevelopment of the site, and that if the EDA is interested in seeing the property redevelop they could consider purchasing it. Commissioner Puleo asked about the concept plan proposed by Peter Stalland for a mixed-use project on the LaValle property south of Frenchman Road. Juba stated that Stalland received positive feedback from the Planning Commission and City Council on the concept, but ultimately could not come to terms on a purchase agreement with the property owner. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Klein made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Puleo, to adjourn the meeting at 6:06 PM. Ayes: All Nay: None Motion carried. Respectfully submitted. Max Gort, Associate Planner