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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11 20 2012 EDA Minutes 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 Economic Development Authority Meeting Minutes November 20, 2012 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice-President Morris called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Present were Morris, Choudek, Chromy and Myser. President Hedberg was absent. Also present was EDA Executive Director Boyles, Community & Eco- nomic Development Director Rogness, Community Development Specialist McCabe, and Assistant Treasurer Erickson. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION BY MYSER, SECONDED BY CHOUDEK TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. VOTE: Ayes by Morris, Choudek, Chromy and Myser. The motion carried. 3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES MOTION BY MYSER, SECONDED BY CHROMY TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF OCTOBER 29, 2012 WITH ONE CHANGE TO REMOVE CHROMY’S NAME IN THE MOTION UNDER 7B. VOTE: Ayes by Morris, Choudek, Chromy and Myser. The motion carried. 4. CONSENT AGENDA The following items were presented on the Consent Agenda: A.Fiber Optic Network Update B.Technology Village Update C.Business Inquiry List (through 10/31/12) Item “C” was pulled for further discussion. MOTION BY CHROMY, SECONDED BY MYSER TO APPROVE THE REMAINING TWO CONSENT ITEMS. VOTE: Ayes by Morris, Choudek, Chromy and Myser. The motion carried. 5. REMOVED CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS C . Business Inquiry List. Myser: would like to see this list become something that can better inform the EDA about how Prior Lake can respond better to business inquiries. He would like to use the information to help guide the EDA to be more competitive. Rogness: agreed with Myser, and he further agreed to come back at a future meeting with some revisions that would improve the usefulness of this list and help address those stated objectives. 6. PUBLIC HEARING No public hearing was scheduled. 7. OLD BUSINESS A. Downtown Property Acquisition Opportunities. Rogness: reviewed a memorandum that had been prepared by McCabe to evaluate the status of a down- town commercial building listed for sale. The Professional Building is currently for sale at a price of $499,000 compared to the county’s estimated market value of $360,000. The EDA’s desire to own this Phone 952.447.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245 / www.cityofpriorlake.com property would relate primarily to squaring property that the city already owns, including the Flowers Natu- rally building and adjoining parking lots. The building has sixteen leasable spaces. Most are occupied, but nearly all leases are very short-term, including some that are month-to-month. Rogness also identified po- tential financing assistance for a café to locate at the old Sinclair Gas Station property, and further interest from the owner of the white house on Main Avenue to sell with no renters currently in that building. Chromy: said that the EDA should consider assisting the redevelopment of the old Sinclair Station site, especially if a café is the proposed use. The only reason to assist buying the white house on Main Avenue is if a business such as Fongs was expanding. Chromy likes the concept of purchasing the Professional Building in order to control a better downtown redevelopment site. Choudek: does not support purchasing the house, and wondered whether public finds could be used in some other way to encourage economic growth other than the Professional Building. Chromy: asked about whether relocation would be necessary for the existing tenants within the Profes- sional Building if redevelopment required that building to be demolished, and he wondered whether that land would be given away to a developer. Rogness: said that his general approach to land sales versus a give-away is to view redevelopment costs as being required to even the playing field with clean vacant sites. Public funding is typically used to de- molish old buildings, clean up contamination, and move public utilities. Myser: proposed another way to look at the Professional Building sale/purchase by asking the owner whether they would have an interest in selling it in combination with city-owned property. It could then be marketing as a larger redevelopment site. MOTION BY CHROMY, SECONDED BY CHOUDEK TO DIRECT STAFF TO ASK THE BROKER/OWNER OF THE PROFESSIONAL BUILDING ABOUT ADDING CITY PROPERTY TO THEIR PROSPECTIVE SALE. VOTE: Ayes by Morris, Chromy, Choudek and Myser. The motion carried. B. Business Venture Discussion. Rogness: reminded the Commissioners that they had agreed to discuss again this month whether or not to try the Venture Fair event in 2013. Staff identified options related to having a stronger focus on the angel investor dinner, working with SCALE to structure something county-wide, or coming up with a new strategy. Myser: asked how the EDA could help “shake the trees” to find potential angel investors in Prior Lake. Chromy: felt that it will be a struggle to find people interested in local investing, and that personal invita- tions and networking will be key elements to making it happen. Morris: stated that his connections are more with people north of the river, and that it would be difficult for him to make local contacts. Boyles: wondered about connecting with the local BNI group that meets weekly at City Hall. Rogness: wondered whether the new Technology Village Board of Directors would have some good ideas or connections. MOTION BY MYSER, SECONDED BY MORRIS TO HAVE STAFF CHECK WITH THE BNI GROUP AND TECHNOLOGY VILLAGE BOARD TO GAIN THEIR THOUGHTS ON HOW TO PURSUE LOCAL ANGEL INVESTORS. . VOTE: Ayes by Morris, Chromy, Choudek and Myser. The motion carried. 8. NEW BUSINESS A. Adopt Final 2013 Budget and Tax Levy Erickson: reviewed the proposed 2013 EDA budget of $151,684 and tax levy of $150,000, which had been previously discussed by the Commissioners. MOTION BY CHROMY, SECONDED BY MYSER TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE FI- NAL 2013 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TAX LEVY AND BUDGET. VOTE: Ayes by Morris, Chromy, Choudek and Myser. The motion carried. 2 B. Recommend Appointment of Technology Village Board of Directors. McCabe: reviewed the subcommittee’s process of reviewing twelve applications for the Technology Village Board of Directors. Although all twelve were well qualified, six were selected to best represent the EDA on a board to move this initiative forward, including David Rech, Kris Pauna, Bob Morris, Bob Jader, Gerry Hughes and Lori Frank. MOTION BY CHOUDEK, SECONDED BY CHROMY TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE APPOINTMENT OF SIX RECOMMENDED MEMBERS TO THE TECHNOLOGY VILLAGE BOARD OF - DIRECTORS. VOTE: Ayes by Morris, Chromy, Choudek and Myser. The motion carried. C. Business Friendly Zoning Amendments (Industrial). McCabe: summarized proposed zoning text amendments that have been reviewed by the EDAC and rec- ommended by the Planning Commission. Amendments relate to the city’s General Industrial (I-1) Zoning District and the Architecture Design standards for industrial, commercial and multi-family districts. The in- tent of the proposed changes relate to making Prior Lake more competitive in terms of zoning standards that relate to allowed uses, setbacks and design standards. Staff compared Prior Lake’s industrial stand- ards to eight comparable cities in the metro area. Myser: asked others to comment since he will have an opportunity to voice his opinion at the upcoming City Council meeting. EDA Commissioners: liked the proposed changes, and they expressed some additional concerns about industrial property adjacent to residential uses related to setbacks and hours of operation. They asked staff to make sure that changes are “business friendly” for industrial property that is adjacent to residential. MOTION BY CHROMY, SECONDED BY MORRIS TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL ZONING AMENDMENTS WITH CHANGES THAT ADDRESS CHANGES THAT FAVOR INDUSTRIAL USES ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL. VOTE: Ayes by Morris, Chromy, Choudek and Myser. The motion carried. D. Appoint Non-Council EDA Commissioner to the Screening Committee. Boyles: reviewed the process to appoint a new EDA Commissioner beginning January of 2013 due to Chromy’s term ending in 2012. The EDA bylaws require a screening committee to include a non-council EDA Commissioner, City Manager and Mayor. Choudek: volunteered to be on the committee. MOTION BY MYSER, SECONDED BY MORRIS TO APPOINT CHOUDEK TO THE SCREENING COM- MITTEE. VOTE: Ayes by Morris, Choudek and Myser. Chromy abstained. The motion carried. E. EDAC Report. McCabe: gave a brief report on the most recent meeting of the EDAC, which was held on October 25. 9. OTHER BUSINESS A. Draft December 17, 2012 Agenda. Staff and the Commissioners reviewed a draft agenda for the next EDA meeting in December. 10. ADJOURNMENT MOTION BY MYSER, SECONDED BY CHROMY TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. With all in favor, the meeting adjourned at 6:35 p.m. 3 ___________________________ Frank Boyles, Executive Director 4