HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 04-26-12
4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
CITY OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES – APRIL 26, 2012
1.Call to Order.
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 a.m. in the Wagon Bridge Conference Room at City
Hall. Members present: Troy Presler, Mike Myser, Adam Blahnik, Mary Viereck, Sandi Fleck,
Greg Schweich, Wade Larson, Bernie Carlson and Bill Henry. Members absent: Joe Passofaro
and Thane Tande. Staff present: Dan Rogness and Casey McCabe.
2.Approval of March 29, 2012 Meeting Minutes.
MOTION BY FLECK and SECOND BY HENRY, to approve the March 29, 2012 minutes as
submitted. Motion adopted unanimously.
3.Old Business.
Prior Lake Business Pages e-Newsletter
EDAC members reviewed the proposed e-newsletter articles that were completed by city staff
based on suggested topics provided by the EDAC at the March 29, 2012 meeting.
Proposed articles included: South Downtown Traffic Study, recent updates to the Economic
Development page on the City of Prior Lake website, announcement of the Prior Lake Business
Venture Fair, recent changes to City Codes and Ordinances, and goals and objectives of the
EDAC – including the names and contact email address’ of EDAC members.
EDAC members approved the proposed articles. Staff suggested the articles will be placed in
newsletter form and will be emailed to all EDAC members for final comments with an
anticipated disbursement date in May 2012.
MOTION BY HENRY and SECOND BY SCHWEICH, to proceed with final draft of Business Pages e-
newsletter. Motion adopted unanimously.
Business Retention and Expansion Interview Progress
Presler: presented an overview of the Business Retention and Expansion survey progress.
Staff presented a revised list of businesses within the targeted area of Welcome Industrial Park,
Waterfront Passage, and Deerfield Industrial Park that included additional businesses not
included on the previous list.
EDAC members reviewed the revised list and eliminated businesses that have relocated or are
no longer in business.
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EDAC members selected additional businesses from the list to contact and complete a BR & E
survey.
EDAC Members establish a target date of August 23, 2012 to complete all BR & E surveys. This
completion date, prior to the fall Meet-N-Greet event, will allow the EDAC and City staff time to
compile the survey results for presentation at the Meet-N-Greet event.
City of Prior Lake “Business Friendly” Follow-Up Action
Rogness: presented staff’s report and discussed the initial meeting of the EDAC Business
Friendly subcommittee including members Henry, Thande, Passofaro, and staff Rogness, and
McCabe.
The purpose of the subcommittee is to review current City practices, standards, codes and
ordinances to identify opportunities for the city to become more business friendly.
Among the duties of the subcommittee will be the evaluation of current zoning standards
related to permitted and conditional uses, current design standards compared to peer
communities in the region, and the City development process from application through project
completion.
Business Friendly subcommittee members and City staff will provide regular progress updates
to the EDAC.
4.New Business.
Kully Supply/Adelmann Building Discussion
Presler: introduced the agenda item and provided an overview of previous EDAC discussion
related to difficulty for large truck movements at the 17178-17182 Adelman Street property.
Staff provided background on the property including site design, platting, building construction,
and building separation into a condominium property. Staff concluded the difficulty with large
truck movements are related to site design issues and not related to the overall design of the
industrial park.
Members reviewed previous correspondence from one of the property owners related to
expanding the south parking/storage area and relocation of an existing walking trail and
easement area for pond maintenance. Staff provided background information from City staff
related to difficulties and costs associated with relocation of the trail and required easement
for pond maintenance.
EDAC members discussed how better communication during the design phase of the building
may have eliminated the traffic circulation issue. Members also discussed how more
substantial building standards may eliminate issues like these in the future and may make
buildings more marketable for future expansions or alternate uses, such as requiring or
recommending higher building wall height or larger lot areas. However, members also felt it
may not be viewed as being business friendly if design standards were increased.
EDAC members also had a discussion about the available land within Deerfield Industrial Park
and evaluated opportunities to assist with the development process. Members felt the current
condition of properties at the eastern entrance to Deerfield Industrial Park may have a negative
influence on the development prospects.
City staff will contact Zack’s Inc. to determine if there is an opportunity for the City to work with
the property owners to resolve traffic circulation issues within the site.
5.Other Business.
EDA Updates
Rogness presented an EDA update, including the appointment of Dave Chromy to the EDA,
status of the broadband fiber network study, status of the proposed business incubator
discussion, and update on the proposed Venture Fair to be held on May 23, 2012.
EDAC Bylaw Amendment
MCCABE presented an update to the EDAC bylaw amendments. The EDAC’s recommended
bylaw amendments were approved by the City Council on April 16, 2012, with additional
amendments from the EDA, including:
1.Section 102. The EDAC is an advisory committee to the EDA. Because the EDAC reports to
the EDA, not the City Council, the EDA is proposing to remove the requirement that final
approval of Bylaw amendments is ultimately approved by the City Council. By eliminating
the reference to City Council, the final approval of future bylaw amendments will be the
responsibility of the EDA.
2.Section 203. The Bylaw language currently requires the Economic Development Advisory
Committee to consist of one City Council liaison. The EDA has proposed an amendment to
Section 203 eliminating the reference to City Council liaison and replacing with Economic
Development Authority liaison.
3.Section 204. Regarding vacancies of appointed members of the EDAC; the EDA has
proposed eliminating the reference that the Economic Development Authority shall appoint
a replacement and replacing with the Prior Lake Economic Development Authority may
appoint a replacement.
4.Section 601. Section 601 has similar language as Section 102. As the EDA proposed for the
Section 102 amendment, it is proposed to remove the requirement that the City Council
must provide final approval of bylaw amendments; final approval of EDAC bylaw
amendments will be the responsibility of the Economic Development Authority.
EDA Revolving Loan Guidelines
Staff updated the EDAC related to the revised Economic Development Authority Revolving Loan
Guidelines. The previous 1995 revolving loan fund plan has been completely revised to
incorporate the goals and objectives of the 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan and to provide one
master document for the administration of State and Federal revolving loan funds.
The purpose of the revolving loan fund guidelines is to establish policies and procedures to
regulate, coordinate, and facilitate the workflow for underwriting new financing requests,
servicing revolving loans, and ensuring borrower compliance with loan terms and conditions.
2012 First Quarter Building Activity and Residential Lot Supply Reports
ROGNESS presented an overview of 2012 first quarter building activity. The commercial,
industrial, and residential building permit report compared Prior Lake’s building activity with
other area Scott County communities.
6.Miscellaneous.
Evaluate Bus Pick-Up Locations
CARLSON asked City staff to evaluate the bus pick-up/drop-off location at the four-way stop at
the CR 21/Main Avenue intersection. Bus commuters appear to be parking their vehicles along
Main Avenue and leaving the vehicles parked all day. Member Carlson suggested the city
evaluate alternate locations for pick-up/drop-off, possibly near a city parking lot, to avoid bus
patron vehicles form occupying many of the on-street parking stalls which serve the downtown
businesses.
7.Next Meeting Date. The next EDAC meeting will be Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 7:30 a.m.
8.Adjourn. With a MOTION BY HENRY and SECOND BY CARLSON, the meeting adjourned at 8:55
a.m.
Submitted by: Casey McCabe