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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09 16 2013 EDA Report 8A Attach 12013 Business & Industry Forum Comments Downtown & Economic Development Need to plan, need to have financial incentives for business to expand. City could help upgrade building faces south of Hwy 21. Fresh look like north of Hwy 21 R Businesses south of CR21 to improve facades like the north side of CR 21. Over the past year, Community & Economic Development staff, along with the City Council, Economic Development Authority (EDA) and Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC), have been working to update/develop guidelines and policies related to financing or incentive programs. Examples include the Technology Village Business Plan, an Economic Development Plan for Deerfield Business & Welcome Industrial Parks, EDA Business Plan, a Sewer and Water Fee Deferral Program, Business Subsidies Policy, and an update of the Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund Guidelines. In 2004, the city provided nearly $275,000 in public financing incentives (grants) for a downtown building façade improvement program. Twelve buildings participated in the program. However, at this point, the City does not have a specific program in place to achieve the same outcome. The EDAC will gauge the current interest level of businesses along Main Avenue, south of CR21, which would a downtown façade restoration program and evaluate funding options. Develop ways to connect commercial areas instead of pockets in the community. One major component of the Downtown South Study is to evaluate opportunities to connect commercial areas within the community; primarily the downtown core area with the commercial properties in the South Lake Village area. The EDAC agrees that a connection of commercial areas is a very important issue. The EDAC will not be evaluating a connection of commercial areas because a South Downtown Study group has already been formed for this purpose. For more information, please visit the South Downtown Study page on the City of Prior Lake website at: http://www.cityofpriorlake.com/southdowntown.php or contact the Prior Lake City Engineer, Larry Poppler, at 952-447-9832 or lpoppler@cityofpriorlake.com. Office building across from Cleary Lake Regional Park. Lake Regional Park at the intersection of CR21 and Revere Way as C-HG, Hospitality General Business which would support an office type land use. A key aspect of moving in this direction is to see the large outside storage area on the Abhe/Svoboda corner cleaned up; the primary business storing machinery and materials on the site is moving to a new location later this year. Although the EDAC can assist the City of Prior Lake with marketing and attraction of business to the community, the construction of an office building across from Cleary Lake Regional Park would need to be completed by a private developer. Unplatted lots in Deerfield Industrial area. Can be rezoned. Felt the city was a little inflexible in the past. High density residential R The City Council last reviewed a concept plan for medium density housing in the Deerfield Business Park in 2012. While reviewing the request, the Council expressed concerns about rezoning ready land that has been designated for commercial and industrial development. The Council felt there is a limited supply of business/industrial park land in the community, with only 19 acres of streets and utilities are readily available to the property and the land is platted and zoned property to support development with only site plan approvals and issuance of a building permit required for construction. In addition, the City is actively working to improve conditions that would attract businesses. The Council recognized that commercial and industrial development has been modest and recent improvement to CR 21 and improved economic conditions may have a positive impact. The Council noted during their review that there are other areas of the city which are guided for high density housing. Higher income housing ($400,000+) an excellent way to diversify the tax base. Prior Lake has been attracting higher end homes due to the beautiful lakes and residential subdivisions. The land value of lakefront property alone generates a significant tax base. Residential builders and developers will continue to see Prior Lake as a positive location for larger and more expensive homes. Below is a summary of the final valuation data for Prior Lake property taxes payable in 2013. Attract more businesses people (work force) so more people can work/play/live in PL. The EDAC agrees and the attraction of businesses and workforce is one of the primary purposes of the EDAC. iency) primary goals is the development of a unified plan to create enough jobs in Scott County by 2030 to accommodate 50 percent of our local labor force. The 2010 Census indicated that Scott County currently has a county labor force of 70,000. Today, only 24 percent of our labor force is employed in Scott County; 44 percent of the labor force commutes across the Minnesota River to job centers in Hennepin County. These long commutes nd often impact the quality of life for many of our residents. In 2010, there were 43,000 job opportunities in Scott County; to achieve the labor force employment goal, another 37,000 jobs need to be created by 2030. A number of factors are critical to attracting job growth in Scott County. Statistics show that the greatest percentage of job growth is from existing business; the businesses already here will grow and expand. Maintaining quality services and infrastructure at affordable levels are just a few of the factors valued by business owners. The City of Prior Lake must have adequate land opportunities to serve both those looking to expand and new business looking to locate in the community. Although the City has a lot of available land, very little ie need to develop and maintain a quality transportation systems that will allow businesses to receive raw materials, ship finished products, and have good access for employees and customers. We need to develop a culture that promotes business expansion and development. Two key people at City has improved with being consistent and are positive - Dan & Casey - need to keep them in their roles to continue the push moving forward. Love the "about face" of City working towards being more business friendly. - how to break this: New blood - has happened with Dan & Casey. R Being consistent throughout PL - do not show favoritism. R The City of Prior Lake and EDAC have placed more of an emphasis on Economic Development over the past few years with the reformation of the Economic Development Authority and city staff time dedicated to economic development efforts. The EDAC has been conducting Business Retention & Expansion interviews with local business leaders to determine what challenges still exist, how the City and EDAC can assist the business to grow and identify areas where improvement is needed. Why do businesses NOT come to PL? Suggest to go back to old records and investigate - person, building or R City of Prior Lake staff members are currently interviewing developers, business owners and residents who have recently completed, or were in the process of completing, development projects to find out how the process went; what is the city doing well, what are the areas where improvement is needed, etc. Some of the comments received so far include the need for better staff communication with the developer throughout the project. It is especially important to give out good information early in the process and along the way which can be costly with project delays. Communication and outreach through marketing materials will be an important aspect in attracting businesses to Prior Lake. The EDAC will work to update outdated community marketing and promotional materials. What is the % of land and how much in acres/lot sizes left that is marked for business development? In 2012, the EDAC developed a list of all commercial and industrial designated property in the City of Prior Lake , , on the existing topography, platting status and availability of public utilities and roadway systems. Although Prior Lake has 237 acres of industrial property and 207 acres of commercial property designated in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, the study found that Prior Lake has only 12 acres of pad ready industrial and 19 acres of pad ready commercial property. Restaurants would be an attractive draw. Develop a want list of businesses - some that came up (to continue to live, work and play in PL). Restaurants- Malt Shop, Pizza Ranch) R Theater - movie and/or performing arts R Clothing stores/shoes R Sporting goods (also enhanced lake accessories) R Appliance store R Trader Joes R Mayo Campus R [need for] Seniors e-pharmacy, CVS pharmacy. The EDAC has heard from residents and business leaders in the past about the need for a pharmacy in Prior Lake. The downtown area has one existing pharmacy at Fairview Clinic. City staff is aware of two national pharmacy companies who have evaluated a downtown Prior Lake location in the past and staff continues to hear from developers that there is interest in bringing a pharmacy to the downtown area. The potential downtown pharmacy locations would likely require City investments in the form of infrastructure improvements. Mexican Restaurant, Artisan Coffee Bistro, The Pointe Grill & Bar, as well as a new McDonalds restaurant. The City of Prior Lake provided financial incentives in the form of a sewer and water fee xican Restaurant and Artisan Coffee Bistro. The EDAC desires the same types of businesses identified above, which are largely dependent on private developers and corporate decisions. The EDAC feels that as the community continues to grow with additional households, the area will become much more attractive to these types of businesses. Highlight our positives and market them, School District, downtown, parks, trails, lake, small town feel. Market PL - - change that image by advertising - maybe doing some marketing ideas. market). Who should we compare to? Stillwater, Chanhassen, Chaska, etc? Or who do we want to become? Really push to spend dollars locally and live, work, play right here. The EDAC developed marketing materials for the City of Prior Lake in 2011. The EDAC will begin to update these marketing materials to promote the community benefits which include an excellent workforce, premiere housing, respected school district, recreational opportunities and an outstanding parks and trail system among other community benefits. Under the direction of the EDAC, Community and Economic Development staff researched the building standards and zoning requirements of seven peer communities in the region; peer communities were chosen based on proximity or size. The results were used to determine if the City -1, General Industrial District standards were more restrictive, less restrictive or similar to the zoning and land use requirements of surrounding communities. The zoning and land use comparison identified areas where the City could amend the Zoning Ordinance to simplify the development process, provide more flexible design options and allow a neral Industrial District. The Zoning Ordinance amendments were approved by the City Council in December 2012. The EDA and EDAC will also be discussing a plan to promote local spending in the community by leveraging existing businesses and the efforts of City staff, Prior Lake Chamber and the recently formed Prior Lake Downtown Business Association. More businesses along CR42. WSB and Associates is currently completing a County Road 42 corridor study to evaluate, in part, a commercial market analysis for the area and the related impacts to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The study will be used to identify the appropriate amount of land and areas which should be dedicated to future commercial development. Downtown Prior Lake. Need a sign to Prior Lake downtown. R Need to promote downtown. R Need for small downtown businesses to join the Chamber and/or have meetings for R businesses. Have the casino advertise downtown businesses. Downtown would need to offer some benefit to SMSC/casino. R More partnering with SMSC - especially in helping businesses expand, grow, etc. A downtown gateway monument sign has been installed at the intersection of Arcadia Avenue and CR21. The City of Prior Lake will also be installing a second downtown gateway monument sign near the northern entrance to downtown near the intersection of Main Avenue and Hwy 13. The EDAC will work with the recently formed Prior Lake Downtown Business Association (PLDBA) to increase customer traffic and promotion of downtown businesses. Need to allow other businesses (other than tech) to use Technology Village. Technology Village is not full; why can't other service businesses use the facility? R The Technology Village Business Accelerator program was launched by the City of Prior Lake on January 1, 2013. There are currently three business under lease agreement in Technology Village with another two businesses moving in by September 1; although all office spaces are now occupied, the Technology Village Board of Directors has expressed a desire to meet with any business looking to grow in Prior Lake and they will help identify the necessary resources to assist and accelerate business growth. Transportation & Parking Three-quarter access from Hwy 13 to Pleasant St. Three-quarter access is vital. R Hwy 13 & CR21 intersection; this upgrade may reduce or eliminate the need to close Main Ave. on CR21. Two left turn lanes may eliminate the stacking problem; downtown should not be split. R Main Avenue should be kept open as long as possible, speed should be 25 MPH - 30 MPH. Concerned about downtown throughway being closed at Main Avenue and CR21. Funeral Home would move their entrance to Arcadia if this new road could come through. Connect Downtown to Uptown and add businesses and walking trails/bike trails, this group was very positive with the Arcadia road to Hwy13. The City of Prior Lake and EDAC are aware of the concerns about the Downtown South Study process voiced during the Business & Industry Forum. The EDAC will not be evaluating comments related to the South Downtown Study area because a group has already been formed for this purpose. For more information, please visit the South Downtown Study page on the City of Prior Lake website at: http://www.cityofpriorlake.com/southdowntown.php or contact the Prior Lake City Engineer, Larry Poppler, at 952-447-9832 or lpoppler@cityofpriorlake.com. Crosswalk sign at Main Avenue. Crosswalk signs should be put back up. R This comment will be forwarded to the City of Prior Lake Traffic and Safety Committee. Since 1961, Hwy 13 keeps sinking. Highway 13 is a Minnesota State Highway and the MN Department of Transportation is aware of the sinking issues on Hwy 13. Rock Creek Building parking lot should be a 2-hour limit 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (M-F). Bus riders and employees fill up the parking lot. R This comment will be forwarded to the City of Prior Lake Traffic and Safety Committee for review. Potential impacts of bus riders and employees filling up parking spaces along Main Avenue and other locations in lieu of the Rock Creek parking lot will also be evaluated. Tourism & Visitors Expand tourism, specifically the lake. Provide and promote more parking options near and around the lake to promote fishing, R beaches and boating. Further business will come to bars, restaurants and other retail stores. Positives are big events like MusicFest - we should be showcasing PL at that time, people are here why not put out the red carpet - show them the positives. Visitor's Bureau needed. tax on lodging facilities within a city. That funding mechanism would not work in Prior Lake. The EDAC is available and willing to assist the Prior Lake Chamber, Downtown Prior Lake Business Association or any other community organization in the promotion or marketing of the community. General/Miscellaneous [Business & Industry Forum is a] Good opportunity for discussion. The EDAC appreciates the positive feedback from the third Business & Industry Forum and agrees that the event provided a valuable opportunity for discussion. Satellite University in Prior Lake. The Scott County First Stop Shop is researching opportunities for attracting educational institutions to Prior Lake. More information is available by contacting Stacy Crakes, Business Development Manager at scrakes@scottfss.org or 952-496-8613. Why does this drug house still exist? (Main Avenue) Stop by and watch "transactions". R Cities typically work towards the redevelopment of properties in their downtown areas that are underutilized, blighted or needed for a specific public/private project. This property has not yet been targeted for any of those reasons. Public safety concerns should be directed to the Prior Lake Police Department. Inspector still a problem (building inspector) not consumer friendly, until this changes/retrain - new builders are not willing to move to PL. In many situations, building inspectors must be stern in enforcing building codes for life/safety reasons, which can be perceived as not being customer friendly. At the same time, city staff has been interviewing developers, business owners and residents who have recently completed development projects to find out how the process went for them. Some of the comments received so far include the need for better staff communication with the developer throughout the project. It is especially important to give out good information early in the process and to av which can be costly with project delays. Keep positive with SMSC. The leaders with the city and county have been holding quarterly meetings with SMSC to discuss topics of mutual interest. The relationship between the City of Prior Lake and SMSC is very positive. Need a facility for the performing arts. PL Players want to do more shows but cannot get a facility where they can perform. R ISD 719 facilities are too busy, too small and it limits when the PL Players can have a R performance. Also need help in promotion of shows. R The EDAC appreciates the value arts add to the community and is willing to meet with representatives of the Prior Lake Players to determine if there is an opportunity for the EDAC to assist the Prior Lake Players in achieving their goals. Corner of CR42 & Hwy 13 not good for Prior Lake. Need to promote Prior Lake at this corner; install a welcome sign and promote Prior Lake. R s regular entrance signs is located at the southwest corner of that intersection; possibly some additional enhancements here are worth evaluating. EDAC ACTION ITEMS Continue to support Community & Economic Development staff, City Council and Economic Development Authority (EDA) with program guideline and policy updates and development related to financing or incentive programs. Visit with downtown businesses owners south of CR21, to gauge interest in a potential . If there is interest in a façade restoration program south of CR21, the EDAC will work R with City staff and the EDA to evaluate funding options. Continue to work with SCALE toward its 50 percent employment goal in Scott County. Continue to work to eliminate the perception the City is difficult to work with. This will be accomplished by working with staff to ensure business owners, developers and residents receive courteous and respectful assistance and prompt up-front information related to their project as well as continued communication throughout the project. Update outdated community marketing and promotional materials. Develop a plan to promote local spending in the community by leveraging existing businesses and the efforts of City staff, Prior Lake Chamber and the recently formed Prior Lake Downtown Business Association. Work with the recently formed Prior Lake Downtown Business Association to increase customer traffic and promotion of downtown businesses. Work with the Prior Lake Traffic & Safety Committee to evaluate a crosswalk sign and other potential safety improvements at the Main Avenue/CR21 intersection. Work with the Prior Lake Traffic & Safety Committee to evaluate the possibility of restricting parking in the public parking lot near the Rock Creek building to 2/4 hours. Potential impacts of bus riders and employees filling up parking spaces along Main Avenue and other locations in lieu of the Rock Creek parking lot will also be evaluated. Evaluate possible enhancements to the Prior Lake monument sign at the intersection of CR42 and Hwy 13.