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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION — DECEMBER 18, 2023 17 After a short discussion, South Point was agreed on as the new name of the park. G. EDA Member Discussion City Administrator Perrault said the State statute says the Commission should be made of three, five or seven members. The Arden Hills Commission is set up with five members which have traditionally been the five City Councilmembers. There is some flexibility, but there is a minimum of two Councilmembers that must be on the Commission. Would Council like to increase the number of members to seven and/or expand the opportunity. Also, would they like to change the date of the January EDA meeting as it falls on a night that the Council meeting has already been cancelled. Councilmember Rousseau explained that she wanted to see if there was any appetite to change the EDA to seven members. She would love to have one person from the Planning Commission and one person from the Economic Development Commission come to help make decisions about what their economic priorities are in this area. She felt there is a car wash coming to the Pace site and another car wash interested next door, that seems like a great location that they could have done something else with. What if they utilized the Planning Commission and Economic Development Commission knowledge to try to come up with economic development opportunities; what are they going to try to target in the area, such as do they want or not want night life. Councilmember Holden asked if she way saying the City would pay people to come in. Councilmember Rousseau responded that Rice Creek Commons might be an opportunity to reduce rent or something to get small businesses in. Councilmember Monson asked how much staff time would there be to have an active EDA? Community Development Director Jagoe replied that she didn't know that answer because it would depend on what the scope of the EDA was setting out to do. Councilmember Monson liked the idea of revitalizing the EDA. EDA's buy land and provide incentives. The Pace site is a major corner and they could have had influence by incentivizing there. She was open to seven members. Councilmember Holden said they've had a seller who has doubled the price of the Pace site above the market value and she didn't know how the City could have stepped in. The site has significant environmental concerns; are they supposed to fund the cleanup? How did they as City miss the boat on Pace? She didn't think that was a good example. Maybe they need to zone it differently but there have been opportunities for nice things there but the seller hasn't been willing to lower the price or allow them in to do a phase one. Mayor Grant said he wouldn't want the City to buy property that has environmental concerns like that one does and is overpriced. The good news is there is interest in the site. He didn't know if expanding the EDA benefits them in any way, but it doesn't hurt them in any way. Just because they can do something doesn't mean they should. He preferred to leave the EDA the way it is.