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Home My WebLink AboutEDA PACKET 11.21.23If you need accommodations for the EDA meeting please contact Rachel Juba at (651) 762-6304 or rjuba@ci.hugo.mn.us, thank you. Agenda ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (EDA) Tuesday, November 21, 2023 Hugo City Hall 5:30 PM 5:30 pm 1. Call to Order 5:31 pm 2. Roll Call (Arcand, Chrun, Denaway, Klein, Puleo, Weidt) 5:32 pm 3. Approval of Minutes EDA Meeting of September 19, 2023 5:35 pm 4. Update on Highway 61 Visioning Study 5:50 pm 5. Update on Downtown Redevelopment 6:05 pm 6. Review of 2023 Goals 6:15 pm 7. Adjournment If you need accommodations for the EDA meeting please contact Rachel Juba at (651) 762-6304 or rjuba@ci.hugo.mn.us, thank you. Background memo for the EDA Meeting of Tuesday, November 21, 2023 3. Approval of Minutes Staff recommends approval of the minutes from the September 19, 2023 meeting as presented. 4. Update on Highway 61 Visioning Study Staff will provide an update on the Highway 61 Visioning Study. The Project Management Team held a workshop with the Washington County Board on October 24, 2023 to discuss the future of the separately managed MnDOT Highway and Washington County Regional Rail Authority corridors. Included in the packet is the presentation that County Staff gave to the County Board. 5. Update on Downtown Redevelopment Staff will provide an update on the Downtown Hugo project. 6. Review of 2023 Goals Staff will provide a review of the 2023 EDA Goals. MINUTES FOR THE EDA MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2023 President Weidt called the meeting to order at 5:29pm. PRESENT: Arcand, Denaway, Klein, Weidt ABSENT: Chrun, Puleo 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 August 15, 2023 EDA meeting minutes. Ayes: All. Nay: None. Motion carried. SPONSORSHIP REQUEST FROM THE HUGO AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION FOR KIDZ N BIZ FEST Juba introduced Celeste Knipping, Vice President of the Hugo Area Business Association (HBA) and owner of the Argyle Moose gift shop in the Victor Marketplace shopping center . Knipping presented the HBA request for a $1,000 sponsorship from the EDA for the HBA’s annual Kidz N Biz event . Knipping said that Kidz N Biz is the HBA’s primary public-facing event held each year, where kids and families can interact with local businesses in a carnival-style environment. The sponsorship tiers had been reduced from four tiers to three. In previous years, the EDA had given a $750 sponsorship to the HBA for Kidz N Biz, but with the reduction in sponsorship tiers, Knipping stated the HBA is now requesting $1,000 stage-level sponsorship. Juba stated that the last time the EDA increased the Kidz N Biz sponsorship amount was 2016. Commissioner Klein made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Arcand, to award the sponsorship of $1,000 to the HBA for Kidz N Biz. All ayes. Motion Carried. UPDATE ON HIGHWAY 61 VISIONING STUDY WORKSHOP Juba gave background on the progress of the Highway 61 Visioning Study since the last EDA meeting on August 15th, 2023. The Project Management Team (PMT) had a few more stakeholder meetings, one with the Metropolitan Council and with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad company. These two meetings both had heavy focus on the future of the right-of-way owned by the Washington County Regional Rail Authority, which has historically been set aside for the development of a transit corridor. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Klein made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Denaway, to adjourn the meeting at 6:15 PM. Ayes: All Nay: None Motion carried. Respectfully submitted. Max Gort, Associate Planner Highway 61 Visioning Study and Relationship to Regional Rail Property County Board Work Session October 24, 2023 2 Work Session Discussion Approach •Introduction •Highway 61 Visioning Study Overview •Regional Rail Property Background and Considerations •Desired Direction 3 Highway 61 Visioning and Jurisdictional Turnback Study •Visioning Study in Hugo •Turnback Study in Hugo and Forest Lake •1994 Memorandum of Understanding with Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) •2014 MN Jurisdictional Realignment Project •2040 Comprehensive Plan 4 Highway 61 Visioning and Jurisdictional Turnback Study •Highway Corridor •~65-to 110-foot Right-of-Way •Work with Hugo to identify future vision of corridor to support City and County Priorities •Engage with Forest Lake on recent city-led planning for corridor •Regional Rail Authority (RRA) Property ( ) •75-to 100-feet along west side of Hwy 61, north of CSAH 8/140th St. in Hugo (10 miles) •Hardwood Creek Regional Trail 5 Highway 61 Visioning Study Overview Study Goals Determine right-of-way needs for the corridor based on the needs of each travel mode (e.g., cars, trucks, transit, pedestrians, bicyclists) Determine a financial plan and timeline for the Highway 61 jurisdictional transfer through Hugo and Forest Lake Evaluate access and intersection locations onto Highway 61 and recommend future improvements at key locations Define a corridor vision that supports economic growth, community investment, and long-term transportation goals while increasing safety for all users Identify pedestrian and bicycle safety and connectivity improvements throughout the corridor 7 Study Process & Schedule Define a preferred corridor vision; Compile study report summarizing process and outcomes; Outline jurisdictional transfer plan including implementation, financial, and timeline considerations Explore Spring/Summer 2023 Evaluate Summer/Fall 2023 Define Winter 2023/2024 Develop and evaluate corridor improvement alternatives with consideration to community priorities and traffic engineering solutions Collect data and assess existing/forecasted conditions; Consider future developments in Hugo and Forest Lake; Explore corridor issues and opportunities We are here! 8 Stakeholder Engagement •City Council and City Staff •Open House –In Person and Online •Good Neighbor Days Pop-Up Event •Stakeholder Meetings •Hugo Area Business Association •BNSF RR and Minnesota Commercial Railways •Watershed District •Metropolitan Council •Business/Property Owner Meetings •Planning Commission/Economic Development Authority Work Session 9 Key Takeaways & Vision Attributes Support for management as unified transportation corridor (trail, transit, highway) Interest in creating “tighter” corridor to support economic development •Value “small town feel” •Recognize community growth •Not a pass through, but destination •Traffic concerns (safety, mobility, speed) •Support multiple modes of transportation •Value natural resources •Walkability and pedestrian crossings –connection to trail •“High intensity recreation corridor” •Improved aesthetics (CSAH 8/Frenchman Rd) 10 Regional Rail Property Background and Considerations 11 Rush Line Transit Corridor •Original vision for transit from Hinkley to Union Depot in St. Paul •Rush Line Task Force •“…consists of city, county and township-elected officials planning transit improvements to enhance mobility, promote economic development and preserve community and environmental assets within the Rush Line Corridor” •21 communities (Joint Powers Agreement) •Quarterly meetings •Washington County Regional Railroad Authority purchased freight rail corridor and opened Forest Lake Transit Center to support future transit in the Corridor. 12 Recent Transit Planning and Decisions •2017 Rush Line Corridor Locally Preferred Alternative Report •Eliminated dedicated bus or rail north of White Bear Lake due to high cost and low ridership •Connecting bus route identified as transit option between Forest Lake and White Bear Lake which best met project goals •METRO Purple Line BRT •White Bear Lake Council 2022 Resolution •Terminus Alternatives •Route Modification Study 13 Other Planning Considerations •2040 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP) - Rush Line Transit Corridor (Purple Line) ending at White Bear Lake •Demand for dedicated bus and rail in Hugo/Forest Lake beyond planning projections (beyond 2050) •Potential opportunity to “reimagine” Rush Line separate from Purple Line –emphasize trail/bike corridor with transit taking a different form than a “line on a map” (ex: microtransit or on-demand transit) Rush Line does not extend north of White Bear Lake 14 Washington County Regional Rail Authority Property •Regional Rail Authority (RRA) Property in Question •75-to 100-feet along west side of Hwy 61 •1994 –9.5 miles from Forest Lake to 145th St in Hugo •2014 –1/2 mile from 145th St to 140th St/CSAH 8 •Active Rail corridor south of CSAH 8/140th Ave N in Hugo •Property Management Plan (PMP), 2002 •Highway 61 as only linear corridor identified in plan •Permitted Use (Hardwood Creek Regional Trail, recent roundabout at 159th) •All permits are temporary…and may be discontinued at such a time that the property is needed for the implementation of transit or rail transportation CSAH 8/140th St 145th St Hardwood Creek Trail Extension Active Rail Line 2014 Property Purchase 1994 Property Purchase – extends north to County line 15 Input on Use of Regional Rail Property Preserve future rail/dedicated BRT transit Preclude future rail/dedicated BRT transit 16 Desired Direction How to proceed in planning for transportation, including transit, along Highway 61? Maintain separate, parallel transit and highway corridors Approach as unified transportation corridor 2 3 1 17 Desired Direction Considerations Maintain Separate, Parallel Transit and Highway Corridors Unified Transportation Corridor which Preserves Future Rail/Dedicated BRT Unified Transportation Corridor which Precludes Future Rail/Dedicated BRT Transit Options All modes –transit on west side All modes -flexibility in location In-traffic or shoulder running transit modes Additional Right-of-Way Needs 55-60’additional ROW on east side of Hwy 61 35-60’ additional ROW 0-15’ additional ROW Other Recreation trail corridor, including paved trail and horse/snowmobile trail, to be accommodated in all options 1 2 3 3 18 Maintain Separate, Parallel Transit and Highway Corridors Unified Transportation Corridor which Preserves Future Rail/Dedicated BRT Unified Transportation Corridor which Precludes Future Rail/Dedicated BRT Requires additional 55-60’ ROW Requires additional 35-60’ ROW RRA Property Line RRA Property Line RRA Property Line Existing Hwy ROW Line Existing Hwy ROW Line Existing Hwy ROW Line Requires additional 0-15’ ROW 21 Preserve future rail/dedicated BRT transit Preclude future rail/dedicated BRT transit 19 Desired Direction How to proceed in planning for transportation, including transit, along Highway 61? Maintain separate, parallel transit and highway corridors Approach as unified transportation corridor 2 3 1 20 •Engage with Rush Line Task Force & Elected Officials •Develop corridor alternatives based on data collection, visioning input, and direction from Board •Present alternatives at public Open House (fall/winter 2023) •Evaluate alternatives and feedback to identify recommendations •Outline Jurisdictional Transfer Plan •Update Property Management Plan Maddie Dahlheimer, Senior Planner madeline.dahlheimer@co.washington.mn.us 651-430-4338 Next Steps 2023 Goals Economic Development Authority (EDA) •Stay informed of the Highway 61 Visioning Study with Washington County •Discuss and encourage small area planning in the area of 165th Street and Highway 61 •Evaluate commericaly zoned property in regards to uses, including residential. •Assist and encourage redevelopment and beautification of properties in downtown Development and Downtown Redevelopment •Continue low development costs •Continue business visits and the BR&E Program •Provide resource lists for business •Promote Washington County CDA grant and Open to Business Program Maintain a Business Friendly Environment •Continue memberships of economic development associations •Encourage businesses to identify themselves as being located in Hugo •Attend Technology Corridor (I35E) meetings •Continue to encourage and monitor infrastructure improvements to promote economic development Marketing / Promotion of the City •Continue partnering with local businesses and the HBA •Continue to partner with Washington County on its Economic Development Strategic Plan •Meet with property owners with property for sale to see if there is any way the City can help Partnerships