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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 15 2015 EDA Minutes FINAL Phone 952.447.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245 / www.cityofpriorlake.com 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 Economic Development Authority Meeting Minutes June 15, 2015 1. CALL TO ORDER President Hedberg called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. with three Commissioners present. Present were Hedberg, Chromy and Choudek. Keeney and Sheehan-Kerber arrived after the agenda and minutes were approved. Also present were Executive Director Boyles and Community & Economic Development Director Rogness. Others present included Lloyd Erbaugh representing the Economic Development Advi- sory Committee (EDAC). 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION BY CHOUDEK, SECONDED BY CHROMY TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. VOTE: Ayes by Hedberg, Chromy and Choudek. The motion carried. 3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES MOTION BY CHROMY, SECONDED BY CHOUDEK TO APPROVE THE MAY 18, 2015 MEETING MINUTES. Ayes by Hedberg, Chromy and Choudek. The motion carried. 4. CONSENT AGENDA No items were on the Consent Agenda 5. REMOVED CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS No items were removed from the Consent Agenda 6. PUBLIC HEARING No Public Hearings 7. OLD BUSINESS A. Downtown Parking Study Proposed Actions Rogness: summarized a list of parking recommendations from the downtown study that are short -term during 2015. These include implementing a 3-hour restriction on Main Avenue and Dakota Street, installing public parking lot entrance signs, locating wayfinding signs for the lots at key intersections, resurfacing the Colorado Street public lot, and evaluating the movement of the transit bus stop at CH21 and Main to an- other location. Rogness also mentioned that a downtown business group met recently at a Chamber meet- ing to discuss downtown parking whereby they endorsed immediate actions by the city as described. EDA Commissioners: expressed support for the 3-hour restriction to include: (1) Main Avenue from Pleasant to a location one block north of Dakota; (2) Dakota Street from Arcadia easterly to CH21; and (3) the Rock Creek public parking lot. The restriction would be enforced Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Staff would work with Public Works to evaluate options for installation and placement. Choudek: asked whether it was the role of the EDA to pay for downtown parking signs, although she did not necessarily object. Boyles: said he would check with the Public Works Director about her budget absorbing at least 50 per- cent of the total estimated cost of $4,000. 2 Sheehan-Kerber: said that it is important for the EDA to support these measures due to the importance of parking to downtown businesses and customers. Chromy: was interested to see how these improvements make a difference one year from now. Hedberg: suggested one more public lot sign behind the dental clinic near the librar y. Keeney: suggested that the entrance sign to the Rock Creek parking lot include the 3 -hour restriction in- formation. Rogness: stated that the Colorado lot would be redesigned to achieve a number of stalls that would ide- ally not diminish what is there, or even increase that number. Rogness also said that MVTA will complete an operational study in terms of moving the transit bus stop and park/ride to this location, or to another downtown location deemed feasible and optimal. Boyles: said that city transit funds spent on the Colorado lot should improve transit, even something like a park and share lot. EDA Commissioners: discussed various ideas related to the Colorado lot. MOTION BY CHROMY, SECONDED BY CHOUDEK TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT 3-HOUR PARKING RESTRICTIONS AS DEFINED BY STAFF AND THE STUDY. Ayes by Hedberg, Keeney, Chromy, Choudek and Sheehan-Kerber. The motion carried. MOTION BY KEENEY, SECONDED BY CHROMY TO HAVE STAFF MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IN- STALLATION OF PARKING LOT AND WAYFINDING SIGNS AS DISCUSSED. Ayes by Hedberg, Keeney, Chromy, Choudek and Sheehan -Kerber. The motion carried. EDA Commissioners: agreed with Rogness that further information about the Downtown Parking Study should wait and go hand-in-hand with the completion of short-term improvements in the downtown area. 8. NEW BUSINESS A. Technology Village Phase III RFP Rogness: reviewed a staff report by McCabe and highlighted the potential limited pool of consultants to those out of state. Chromy: asked for further clarification on reasons not to consider those within Minnesota . Hedberg: thought that maybe someone with SMSC could complete such as study . Rogness: said staff would further research local consultants, which could even include staff with existing successful stand-alone business incubators such as one in Red Wing. Hedberg: further emphasized how Technology Village is still within Phase I with some movement into Phase II; it is a good time to begin the exploration of Phase III. MOTION BY KEENEY, SECONDED BY CHOUDEK TO APPROVE THE RFP AS PRESENTED BY STAFF. Ayes by Hedberg, Keeney, Chromy, Choudek and Sheehan-Kerber. The motion carried. B. EDAC Quarterly Update Erbaugh: provided an update of recent EDAC activities. Chromy: asked for more information about a potential fall event, which has been held every two years as a way to get input from local businesses about the City, both good and bad. Hedberg: said that maybe the fall event should be held at the new Charlie’s Port on Prior as a preview of a new business. Choudek: thanked Erbaugh for all of the good work of the EDAC. Hedberg: asked whether the EDAC could return to having a rotating member be present at every EDA meeting as a way to improve cross communication; the Chair would be present for every quarterly report. C. Fiber Network Update Report Rogness: introduced this topic as one on the EDA’s current business plan, with Hedberg and Boyles re- cently getting an update from Mary Korthour of Integra. 3 Boyles: summarized the meeting discussion whereby Integra is marketing its high -speed fiber options to Prior Lake businesses. However, a small number of those businesses are signing up for those services. He also reported on SMSC’s build-out of fiber to its tribal homes using Integra as the service provider. Heberg: added that Integra askes each year for funds in its budget to over -build existing residential areas with fiber; however, those request have been declined by corporate . It may only be a matter of time when those budget requests are approve in order to meet customer demands. Keeney: said that the city should help get the word out about high-speed fiber availability for businesses. Rogness: indicated that no action by the EDA is necessary; this is an update agenda item. D. Gateway Area Redevelopment Rogness: reviewed a program available through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for funding the acquisition and demolition of buildings for redevelopment . He asked whether the EDA has an interest in the acquisition and demolition of the carwash property, even though it was no longer part of the Dominium housing project. Keeney: hesitated to put city resources into a site that is so small and uncertain for future opportunities. Hedberg: agreed that the city’s acquisition would be for the primary purpose to remove an eyesore at a potentially high cost. EDA Commssioners: agreed not to pursue this property at the current time. 9. OTHER BUSINESS No Items were on Other Business 10. ADJOURNMENT MOTION BY CHOUDEK, SECONDED BY CHROMY TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. With all in favor, the meeting adjourned at 5:58 p.m. ___________________________ Frank Boyles, Executive Director