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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010.07.12 EDA MinutesMINUTES FOR THE EDA MEETING OF JULY 12, 2010 EDA President Fran Miron called the EDA meeting, along with the Board of Commissioners, to order at 8:30 am. PRESENT: Jan Arcand, Jim Bever, Phil Klein, Brian Thistle and Fran Miron ABSENT: Tom Denaway, Mike Granger, CITY STAFF PRESENT: City Administrator, Mike Ericson, Community Development Director, Bryan Bear, and Planner, Rachel Simone. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE EDA MEETING OF JUNE 14, 2010 Klein made motion, Arcand seconded, to approve the minutes for the EDA meeting of June 14, 2010. All ayes. Motion carried. DISCUSSION ON LEASE REVENUE BONDS The City financed the City Hall and Fire Hall through the lease revenue bonding authority of the EDA. The EDA purchased and owns both of the buildings. The City has approved the refinancing the bonds. The new bonds will need to be transferred by a sale from the EDA to the City in order for the refinancing to occur. The new bonds called General Obligation Capital Improvement Bonds are scheduled to be sold by the City on July 19, 2010. Staff recommended approval of the enclosed bond resolution. Klein made a motion, seconded by Arcand, to adopt the bond resolution to transfer by sale from the EDA to the City. All aye. Motion carried. DISCUSSION ON COMMERCIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES The comprehensive plan discourages "big box" commercial buildings. The implementation portion of the plan states that the City should adopt an ordinance to limit building size in order to be consistent with the comp plan. The ordinance review committee (ORC) thought that large commercial buildings may be alright as long as they're designed correctly and instead of having an ordinance to limit building size, the same intent can be achieved with design guidelines. The EDA agreed with the ORC and stated that they would like staff to start working on design guidelines for the EDA's review. Staff made a presentation on design guidelines to get input from the EDA on the City having design guidelines. Miron talked about "big box" commercial building and that it is more about the design. Bever agreed. Thistle talked about the St. Anthony Village redevelopment project being a great development and it used design guidelines. Arcand stated the Festival Foods building would be considered a "big box" but looks great because of the design. Miron talked about design standards adding cost to developers and businesses. He stated that the public may have a general feel on the "big box" building, but if designed correctly they can look nice, it's not just about the size. Thistle stated when the 170th and County Road 4 corridor is developed the City may want design guidelines for developers and business to follow. The EDA generally agreed that the goals of the EDA are services to the residents and encouraging businesses in Hugo. Four sided architecture, walls broken up by materials, and a variety of building materials were important to the EDA in regards to design guidelines. Also making sure the City is not discouraging a business to come to town by having design guidelines that are too strict was important to the EDA. Bever made a motion, seconded by Thistle, for staff to forward the information on the Planning Commission and make the same presentation to them. Also to recommend that the Planning Commission take charge of the design guidelines and bring a draft back to the EDA for its review. All aye. Motion carried. UPDATE ON BR&E IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT TEAMS Staff updated the EDA on the BR&E implementation project teams and reminded the EDA that staff was making a presentation to the HBA on the team. The goal of the presentation is to start the discussion on the City's and the HBA's roles in regards to implementation projects. Staff will update the EDA at its August meeting on the outcomes of the HBA meeting. UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT Staff updated the EDA on the progress of downtown redevelopment. Staff continues to work with the owners of the End Zone property on an assessment agreement to demolish the bar/restaurant building. Staff talked about the railroad abandonment process to construct the missing link in the regional trail system from the Hardwood creek trail to the trail on County Road 8. This is to be completed in 2012. Staff updated the EDA on the construction projects in the City going on during the summer. The construction information is also available on the City's website. UPDATE ON GLAMOS WIRE PRODUCTS RIBBON CUTTING Glamos Wire will be starting construction of their building addition this summer. They are scheduled to have a ribbon cutting and grand opening on October 15, 2010. The EDA was encouraged to attend this event. Klein made a motion, seconded by Arcand, to publish October 15, 2010, as an EDA meeting. All aye. Motion Carried. ADJOURNMENT Klein made a motion, seconded by Thistle, to adjourn at 10:30 am. All Aye. Motion Carried.