05-01-23 JDA - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Frethem recommended the environmental benchmarks and objectives be considered by the JDA for this development. She stated her only concern with this subcommittee would be it would not be the JDA’s role to be prescriptive when it comes to specific needs. She supported high level recommendations be made along with goals for the site that were not too prescriptive. Commissioner Reinhardt reported you can’t talk about energy without talking about the environment. She understood there were environmental concerns that don’t have to do with energy sources. She indicated it would be helpful to have an energy advisory committee because they could put together scenarios for the JDA to consider. She explained this development was larger than downtown St. Paul. She stated the energy opportunities that were available were sizeable and should be considered. She supported the energy subcommittee putting together a roadmap for energy use for the site with funding sources, providing options and not prescriptions. Commissioner Fabel stated he believed the JDA was fortunate to have Commissioner Monson serving with this group, because she did this work for a living. He indicated he would be looking to Commissioner Monson for advice in this area. Commissioner Monson indicated this was a good discussion for the JDA to have. She supported the JDA considering its goals to ensure a master agreement was reached. She believed an MOU goal with Xcel was appropriate. She discussed how unique this property was, because it was totally clean and there were no physical existing constraints. She stated it would be key for funding sources to be considered along with how and when to go for these funding sources. She reported she would like to see community engagement surrounding the energy on the site. Chair Wicklund stated Commissioner Reinhardt and Commissioner Monson were interested in serving on an Energy Advisory Committee. He requested staff begin working on this matter with formal consideration to be made at the June JDA meeting. Chair Wicklund recessed the JDA meeting at 6:48 p.m. Chair Wicklund reconvened the JDA meeting at 6:52 p.m. Roadmap Directors Collins presented the Rice Creek Commons 2023 Roadmap and asked for feedback of when the JDA would like tasks to be completed and events (a public workshop, for example) to take place. Commissioner Frethem stated in addition to the real estate market, broad housing demand and the need for housing affordability should be considered.