Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008.04.21 EDA MinutesMINUTES FOR THE EDA MEETING OF APRIL 21, 2008 EDA President Fran Miron called the meeting to order at 8:35 am. PRESENT: Jan Arcand, Jim Bever, Tom Denaway, Phil Klein, Brian Thistle, and Fran Miron ABSENT: Mike Granger CITY STAFF PRESENT: City Administrator Mike Ericson, Community Development Director Bryan Bear, Associate Planner Rachel Simone APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE EDA MEETING OF MARCH 17, 2008 Klein made motion, Bever seconded, to approve the minutes for the EDA meeting of March 17, 2008. All aye. Motion carried. UPDATE BR&E SUBCOMMITTEE Over the past month the Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) subcommittee has developed a basic work plan that outlines the goals of the committee. Brian Denaway, Communications Intern, has been working closely with this group to create the work plan. There are three business people who have volunteered to be on the BR&E subcommittee including Joe Houle, Steven Larson, and Bonnie Chessebrow. Brian Denaway, Communications Intern presented to the EDA the progress of the committee and the work plan to accomplish the goals of the committee. Staff recommended that the EDA discuss the work plan and formally appoint the BR&E subcommittee to include the new members. Miron made a motion, seconded by Klein, to formally appoint the BR&E Subcommittee members and approve the work plan for the subcommittee. All aye. Motion carried. UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS CD Director updated the EDA on the progress of the downtown redevelopment projects. He gave an update on the End Zone site plan and TIF application. The applicant has submitted a site plan application that will be considered at a May Planning Commission meeting and a revised TIF application will be submitted soon. CD Director gave an update on the redevelopment plans for Carpenters Restaurant, Chuck Lowell's property on Finale Avenue, and the City owned properties. Denaway stated the communication is important between the applicants and the City and also potential developers for projects. Arcand asked about the past developers that were looking at doing a master downtown plan in the City and if staff has been in contact with them. CD Director stated that we have not heard from them, but some of them probably do not exist any more. Thistle talked about identifying developers that may want to do a project in downtown Hugo. DISCUSSION ON TIF CERTIFICATION At the March 2008 meeting the EDA discussed a TIF application from DK Dockendorf Inc. for a 23,123 square foot retail building. There were questions about separating the properties in that area into its own TIF District, timing of certification, and Frank Langer's, City Assessor, valuation on the property. Frank Langer and the applicant met recently to discuss the valuation of the property. Staff completed a study on what would happen to the rest of the district if the properties were broken off into their own district. Staff presented these finding at the meeting. Staff has been in contact with Springsted on the timing of certification of the district and discussed it with the EDA at the meeting. The Associate Planner gave the results of the study regarding separating parcels from the TIF District. Although the district would still qualify, staff feels it is best to keep the TIF District with its current boundaries to generate the amount of increment planned for in the TIF plan. Miron discussed with the EDA the need to be more aggressive with marketing the TIF District and the City owned property. Thistle agreed. Miron made a motion, seconded by Thistle, to send the Project Showcase article to developers and report back to the EDA in June. All aye. Motion carried. Deb Barnes from the Citizen Newspaper made a comment about the current situation of the Avalon Building in White Bear Lake falling apart. She suggested the EDA to write a letter to the businesses leasing space there that Hugo has rental properties available. Miron made a motion, seconded by Denaway, to recommend to the BR&E subcommittee to send a letter to the businesses in the Avalon Building that Hugo has rental space available. All aye. Motion carried. ADJOURNMENT Denaway made motion, Thistle seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 9:55 am All aye. Motion carried.