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______________________________________________________________________________ <br />City of Arden Hills <br />Economic Development Authority Meeting January 25, 2016 <br /> <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />NEW BUSINESS – 3A <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />DATE: January 25, 2016 <br /> <br />TO: Economic Development Authority President and Commissioners <br /> <br />FROM: Matthew Bachler, Senior Planner <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Arden Hills Business Retention and Expansion Program <br /> <br /> <br />Requested Action <br /> <br />Review the Arden Hills Business Retention and Expansion Program Report from the Saint Paul <br />Area Chamber of Commerce (SPACC) and provide comments. Jonathan Weinhagen, Vice <br />President of SPACC, will be in attendance at the meeting to give a presentation of the findings <br />included in the report. <br /> <br /> <br />Discussion <br /> <br />The Economic Development Authority (EDA) approved a Business Retention and Expansion <br />Service Proposal from SPACC on January 26, 2015. Over the past year the Economic <br />Development Commission (EDC), community volunteers, and City staff have been working with <br />SPACC on designing and implementing a Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) program. A <br />total of 24 local businesses were interviewed as part of the program, and SPACC has completed <br />an analysis of the business survey results. These results along with a program overview, profile <br />of the business community, and priority areas are included in the attached BRE Program Report. <br />With the completion of the report and the presentation of the findings, SPACC will have <br />completed the work plan outlined in the approved BRE Service Proposal. <br /> <br />The next step in this process would be for the EDA and City Council to review the priority areas <br />identified by SPACC and to consider what actions the City may want to take on these issues. <br />One of the City’s goals in undertaking the BRE program was to help establish a strategic plan for <br />economic development and these priority areas provide a good starting point for this effort. <br />Specific action items recommended by SPACC in the report include: <br />• Continued engagement by elected representatives, commissions, and staff in transit <br />conversations, and specifically the proposed extension of the A-Line Bus Rapid Transit <br />Line.