HomeMy WebLinkAboutBusiness Feedback Handout
Early stage input from Development Review Committees prior to a business finalizing plans to help save
the business time and money.
Feedback of feeling “strong armed.” The implication was that “if you don’t give us X, you don’t get the
permit.” After so many sunk costs, there is really no way out.
There were issues with interpreting zoning and ordinances consistently.
Over the course of several months, the business kept getting individual surprises:
$1.2-$1.3 million from utility company for water connection
o
At very end of the process, found out about parks and recreation fees for $70,000
o
At very end of the process, a week before the permit was to be issued, the city said it needed an extra
o
10 feet easement around the sides of the business property.
“A small business owner builds once or twice in their lifetime. The city deals with development processes
every day. They need to be understanding of that and treat the business respectfully.”
The process needs to be much more transparent with more information early on:
The process really needs to be much more transparent. He said he felt they didn’t tell him rules ahead
of time before he was making decisions. He felt that they were frustrated with him when he was trying
to do fact finding before making a decision. He got eye rolls. He felt they were actually waiting until
he had enough sunk costs to know he was committed and then they started gauging him.
“The development process is not necessarily the best. Some steps were awkward.”
“The process could be made quicker. If you meet all the requirements, which we did, it seems a little
painful for them to have to wait for too many committees to review and approve what you have provided
in the first place.”
Process is easier for larger businesses than it is for small businesses.
Suggestion for the city and county to keep focusing on coordination. One point of contact can be helpful.
Completing market studies up front or cities providing assistance to obtain market research is a big
differentiator for the developer when choosing which city to work with.
Cities providing information proactively and early in the process, i.e. fee information, is extremely
important
“As a developer, we always want the whole process to be shorter.”
Cities can do a better job of interpreting rules, statues, and ordinances that are in place in a way that is
helpful and not harmful to the businesses or developers.
Cities should have the mindset that they are a partner with the developer or broker, open lines of
communication, and work to assist each other.
Approval process needs to be streamlined and unnecessary delays need to be eliminated.
First Three Areas of Focus (Phase I)
Database: Create and utilize information management system; information gathering
Current Pursuits: Support for creating proposal responses and preparation of reports for
communities; assisting the cities and treating all equally
Customer Service Culture: Begin to develop a plan for customer service development
Database & Pursuits Update:
Salesforce.com is a cloud based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool – licensed
users can access the information from anywhere. The First Stop Shop has built a Salesforce
database providing one license to each city and the county.
What we can track now:
Companies Projects/Leads Assists
Contacts Reports Properties
ACTIVE FSS INVOLVEMENT:
Summary (number of records) 1/2/14 4/28/14
16 Qualified Projects
4 Currently Still Active
Companies 257 317
9 Project Wins
3 Project Losses
Contacts 485 654
DEBRIEF COMMENTS ON LOSSES:
Projects/Leads 92 183
1 Relocating in Eden Prairie - available space was
Active 57 93
better fit.
2 Company decided to locate in Prescott, WI. WI
Won 20 27
officials offered state tax credits worth $3.5M,
Prescott provided an incentive package worth
2014 1
$6M that included land, site preparation, and
2013 12 17
infrastructure improvements.
3 Owner: "The city where I am currently at is
2012 9 9
building me a new plant. They came up with a
Lost 1 3
really good deal and so I decided to stay. I
signed a 5 year deal there, so perhaps after 5
Closed 13 60
years I will get the plant up to Shakopee. :)"
* Properties Submitted Tracking began in December 2013
* 137 properties have been submitted on 81 leads (approximately 5 months)