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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDevelopment /Redevelopment Projects PRIOR LAKE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY DATE: FRANK BOYLES, CITY MANAGER APRIL 11, 1996 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY REPORT APRIL 5, 1996 PREPARED BY: SUBJECT: This Agenda Report is intended to address each of the business items on the April 11 Economic Development Authority agenda. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Presentations 4. Old Business A. Discussion of Development/Redevelopment Proiect with Developers At their March 4 meeting the Economic Development Authority received a report from Roger Guenette with respect to a proposed Development/Redevelopment project involving the Drive-Inn Theater site and the Priordale Mall property. A concept plan of the project was also reviewed by the Economic Development Authority including the need for acquiring and relocating the various businesses in the area including the body shop, towing company, Hollywood, Velishek Auto and EZ Stop. The Economic Development Authority also reviewed a Concept Development Proposal for this area and expressed its concerns and interests with respect to the proposed project. The City Council then conducted a workshop prior to its April 1st meeting to discuss the assumptions with respect to the Development/ Redevelopment project. Changes were made in assumptions #2 and #3. A revised version of the assumptions is attached. More importantly, the Council concurred that the assumptions are not set in stone but instead may be subject to consideration of specific benefits which the public receives as part of the development proposal and the degree to which it conforms to Council desires. At the April 1 meeting the City Council also received a report from Advance Resources for Development which provided preliminary financial information about the project, compared the project to similar projects in other communities and EDAR0411.DOC 1 be the most appropriate areas for annexation on the basis of the following rationale: 1) All three are within Spring Lake Township with whom we have an orderly annexation agreement. 2) The proposed areas for annexation are consistent with the township board's request the City not "cherry pick" the best parcels and leave less desirable parcels to the township. 3) Each of the parcels have or will have sewer and water stubbed to its boundaries. 4) The land contemplated for annexation fulfills City needs including extension of business park, additional properties for educational facilities, or a logical addition to the city from the perspective of roadway access or storm water drainage. The information shown below has been prepared by Planning and Engineering to assist the Council in the annexation decision. ANNEXATION AREAS Maps are attached showing each annexation area under consideration, the contours of each area, potential roadway alignments and prospective zoning. PROPOSED ZONING FOR EACH ANNEXATION AREA In order to evaluate the feasibility of annexation of any or all of the three designated areas, staff developed tentative land use and zoning scenarios for each area. The following text and accompanying map summarizes the scenarios for each area. Area 1 - This area is located south of the Business Park and east of The Ponds Athletic Complex and has an area of approximately 300 acres. The proposed land use for this area is an extension of the business park on the northeasterly portion of this property (approximately 100 acres) while the remainder is designated as low density residential. (The last communication from the school district suggests that this property on the west of the parcel is unsuitable for their school building needs.) This land use pattern builds on existing development in the vicinity. The roads in the business park were stubbed out to the south property line with the intent of serving this area at some future date. Fish Point Road currently is the division between low density housing in Wilderness Ponds and the business park and this division is simply carried further to the south. Also, the easterly portion of this area is flatter than the westerly portion and would lend itself better to heavy commercial and industrial use. EDAR0411.DOC 3 Area 2 - This area is east of Highway 13 and south of 170th Street. The proposed land uses include low and medium density housing, commercial and agriculturallresidential. The commercial is at the corner of Highway 13 and 170th Street and relates to the future commercial development adjacent to County Market. The medium density housing better utilizes the high amenity area on the north side of Crystal Lake. The low density housing occupies much of the remainder of the area except for the agricultural/residential area along County Road 23. This area is proposed to remain in large lot zoning because of the difficulty in providing sewer and water to this area in an economical fashion. Area 3 - This area is located west of Northwood Road, adjacent to Spring Lake Regional Park. The entire area is shown as low density housing, consistent with the type of development in the surrounding area. Given the road access, this is the only reasonable designation for this area. ENGINEERING DATA Attached are narratives entitled Annexation Study, Annexation Area 1, 2 and 3. This information provides basic development data on each property together with the estimated infrastructure costs to serve each area. The sheet entitled "Annexation Study" summarizes the assumptions used by engineering. The bottom line with respect to each annexation area is that the cost of infrastructure (streets, sewer, water, etc.) can be borne by assessments assuming the intensity of development shown. We have tried to estimate high on the infrastructure costs and low on development densities so that the estimates are conservative. The estimated costs do not include year to year maintenance and operating costs and their impact upon the general fund budget. For the sake of this preliminary evaluation we have assumed that the tax base added will pay such costs. ANNEXA.TION PROCESS If the City Council decides to annex one or more of these areas, a process must be followed. The process is shown below: EDAR0411.DOC 4 In 1972, the then-Village of Prior Lake entered into an orderly annexation agreement with Spring Lake Township under provisions for such agreements contained in state statutes. The agreement provided for the possible annexation of Sections 1,2,3,4,9,10,11,12 and the east half of sections 5 and 8. Since that time, all of sections 1,2 and 3 have been annexed as have portions of 10 and 11. The agreement specifically confers jurisdiction upon the Minnesota Municipal Commission (Board) to accomplish the orderly annexation. This fact is significant because of a clause in the statute which would have given the Board only a 30 day review and comment period if the agreement had called for this. However, because of the language in the agreement, the full hearing process must be followed. This will be discussed later in this report. Only areas which are, or are about to become urban or suburban in character may be annexed and then only if the City has available and is capable of providing municipal services such as sanitary sewer, water and storm sewers. Any property annexed shall receive a "tax break" over a three to five year period based on the time required to provide municipal services. This '"break" is a staged, graduated increase from township mill rates to City mill rates. STEPS IN THE Al'-INEXA TION PROCESS There are two possible approaches which may be taken in annexing part of an orderly annexation area; the first is by ordinance and the second is by resolution. Ordinance Procedure 1. The municipality sets a date for a public hearing. 2. Thirty days prior to the hearing, the City mails notice of the hearing by certified mail to the affected township and all property owners in and contiguous to the area to be annexed. 3. Following the hearing, the City may declare the land to be annexed. 4. The adopting ordinance is filed with the Board.. 5. Annexation becomes effective upon issuance of order by Board. There is no deadline for Board determination. Resolution Procedure 1. The City confers with township officials 2. The City adopts a resolution authorizing annexation oflegally described property. 3. The City submits the resolution and stipulations to the Municipal Board. 4. The Municipal Board sets a date for a public hearing between 30 and 120 days after receipt of the petition. 5. The annexation becomes official upon issuance of an order by the Board. The reason for the difference between the two procedures is that, under the ordinance procedure, the township cannot object to the annexation if all of the affected landowners have requested the annexation. The ordinance procedure does not otherwise negate the remaining provisions of the orderly annexation agreement. ANNEXNEW.DOC/FB CONCLUSIONS At the Thursday meeting the staff will present additional information with respect to these annexation areas and the merits and demerits of pursuing the annexation. EDAR0411.DOC 5 ASSUMPTIONS WITH RESPECT TO DEVELOPMENT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT INVOLVING FORMER DRIVE -IN THEATER AND PRIORDALE MALL SITES April 1, 1996 1. The Council intends that there be no reduction III the amount of commercial zoned land in this development area. 2. To qualif:y for Tax Increment Financing the project must demonstrate that it will build business tax base over time to reduce residential property tax burden and add jobs. 3. The time for redevelopment of this area is now. Once similar development or development on a larger scale occurs along the Highway 13/42 intersection there is less likelihood that development will occur here in the near future. 4. Because the project involves acquisition of existing properties, relocation of existing property owners and demolition of existing structures, the costs are much higher than are normally incurred in development. The project will not take place because of costs associated with such actions. Since tax increment financing is the only available tool, this is the only means of getting the project accomplished. 5. While tax increment financing delays the availability of new taxes, it does allow for the project to take place now rather than sometime in the future. It is possible that tax increment financing will not be available as a tool to the city in the future. The improvement itself will generate new tax base by making Prior Lake a more desirable community to new residential tax payers. 6. Ta.."'{ increment financing should not be offered to individual enterprises within the development/redevelopment area, to avoid the possibility of subsidizing new businesses at the disadvantage of similar existing businesses that did not receive any public assistance.. Instead, tax increment financing is limited to the acquisition, relocation and demolition of existing businesses, and to cover costs incurred by new infrastructure (ring road, etc.) which have long been contemplated for these sites. 7. Tax increment financing should be repaid over the minimum period of time while providing for the basic economic assistance the project requires to take place. ASSlJMl'TI< .DOC 8. The first priority is to relocate those existing businesses on the site wherever possible to reduce the costs associated with acquisition, relocation and demolition, and to support existing Prior Lake businesses 9. An effort needs to be made to provide significant and preferably "prime" space in the development to house businesses which are presently under- represented or un-represented in the Prior Lake marketplace. Top priority should be given to businesses such as, but not limited to, restaurants, sporting goods stores, specialty shops, theaters, and retail outlets other than those presently existing in the community. 10. It is vital to view the area as a unified economic development district. The economic value and potential tax generation capacity of the district is the key focus initially. Specific uses and other land planning concerns can be melded as the economic feasibility is identified and approved. ASSUMPTN.DOC