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Home My WebLink About08-1-12 EDC MinutesDEN HILLS CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AUGUST 1, 2012 8:00 AM CITY HALL --1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96 CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chair Ed von Holtum called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: Chair Ed von Holtum, Dan Erickson and Jim Huninghake. Also Present: Council Liaison Ed Werner; City Administrator Patrick Klaers, and Community Development Director Jill Hutmacher. 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair von Holtum requested the item 3D, Website Redesign Project, be moved to first on the agenda. It was the consensus of the Commission to accept the agenda as amended. 2. 1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES It was the consensus of the Commission to accept the May 2, 2012, meeting minutes as presented. 3. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS D. Website Redesign Project Community Development Director Hutmacher presented the draft content for the business section of the new City website. Commissioners reviewed the content. Commissioner Erickson asked whether staff would be tracking the number of business calls to the City to determine whether the website decreased the number of phone calls. Community Development Director Hutmacher responded that this would not be the case in Arden Hills as the City website essentially has two audiences: residents and businesses. Although the website is intended to encourage residents to find information they need on-line, EDC Minutes August 1, 2012 Page 2 of 4 businesses already see and use the internet as the first source for information. For businesses, the goal of the website is to provide the information they need in a format with which they are already familiar and which is most convenient for them. Community Development Director Hutmacher added that she will review the information that is currently in the business packets to ensure that the information is included on the new website. A. EDC 2012 Work Plan Community Development Director Hutmacher presented a status report on the approved 2012 EDC Work Plan. She stated that the Work Plan is consistent with the City Council goals that were established in 2012. The EDC is on -schedule with the Work Plan. Commissioner Huninghake asked whether the EDC had been informing the business community of TCAAP issues as is stipulated in the Work Plan. Community Development Director Hutmacher responded that the State of the City event would have been the appropriate forum for that update, but the EDC recommended that the City forego that event this year since there is currently no big issue that would draw attendance. Hutmacher added that there is not much new information presently to give the business community about TCAAP. If Ramsey County moves forward with acquisition of the property, then some sort of update would be appropriate. Chair von Holtum suggested that the description of the TCAAP Development Goal, "Communicate TCAAP development issues with the business community," be revised in the 2013 EDC Work Plan. Discussion ensued regarding the recruitment of new EDC Commissioners. Commissioners remarked that they had approached individuals who had expressed frustration with how government works. These individuals were unwilling to consider an EDC position due to their feelings about government in general. City Administrator Patrick Klaers stated that commission and committee members are allowed to serve on multiple committees. He suggested that one or more members of the Financial Planning and Analysis Committee (FPAC) might be interested in serving on the EDC as well. Chair von Holtum remarked that he believed that there was synergy between the goals and mission of FPAC and the EDC, and he supported further consideration of overlapping membership between these two groups. B. Business Outreach Community Development Director Hutmacher provided a progress update on the business outreach goal in the 2012 EDC Work Plan. In addition to the objectives already underway, Hutmacher asked whether the EDC had additional ideas for business outreach in 2012. EDC Minutes August 1, 2012 Page 3 of 4 Commissioner Erickson asked whether business visits were regularly made to new businesses. Community Development Director Hutmacher replied that although staff makes regular business visits, no special effort is made to visit new businesses. Hutmacher added that focusing on new business visits was an excellent idea, and she would work with Buildings and Inspections staff to identify new or significantly expanding businesses as priorities for business visits. Discussion ensued on options to promote the City's new website and URL address, www.cityofardenhills.org, to the business community. EDC Commissioners decided that they would resume Commissioner business visits in 2013 to promote the new website. Community Development Director Hutmacher noted that the City Council had directed staff to research local options for an on-line city tour video that would not require advertising to be placed on the City's website. After discussions with CTV, staff believes that a video tour could be created primarily using the City's 100-hour annual CTV labor allotment. Because economic development will be featured in the video, the EDC will be asked to consider the topic at a future meeting as a business outreach opportunity. C. B-2 Implementation Plan Community Development Director Hutmacher updated the EDC on the City Council's July 30, 2012, discussion on the B-2 District Implementation Plan. Bolton & Menk, the City's consultant for the Plan, attended the meeting and reported the findings from the individual business meetings that had already been held. Marcus Thomas, Bolton & Menk, reported that businesses saw a need for reduced vacancies and improved aesthetics along the corridor, but were wary of making a large infrastructure investment without knowing whether it would attract significant new development. Mr. Thomas recommended completing the individual business meetings, and then considering an incremental approach to district improvements. Consensus among the City Council supported this approach. 4. UPDATES A. TCAAP Community Development Director Hutmacher updated the EDC on the status of Ramsey County's potential acquisition of the TCAAP site. Staff assisted Ramsey County in drafting an application for DEED funding authorized by the State Legislature. The funding is very competitive as grant requests are many times more than available funds. Final funding decisions will be made by the Governor and announced in August or September. Community Development Director Hutmacher added that the City Council had authorized staff to obtain legal services to assist with negotiating and drafting an agreement with Ramsey County that would outline each party's respective obligations and authority with respect to TCAAP development. Staff is currently reviewing an outline of the document. EDC Minutes August 1, 2012 Page 4 of 4 B. TIF Policy Community Development Director Hutmacher reported that the City Council had approved a proposal by Ehlers & Associates to development a tax increment financing (TIF) policy that will assist the City in determining how and when to provide TIF and will align the TIF Policy to the City's development vision and goals. C. Gateway Signs Community Development Director Hutmacher reported that the City Council approved a gateway sign on July 30, 2012. The sign will be located on the southwest corner of the intersection of County Road E and Lexington Avenue. None. D. Commission Members E. Council Liaison Councilmember Werner reported that he had toured Fire Station #1 on Lake Johanna Boulevard. Werner also noted that an open house for State Farm agent Jaci Meyer would be held at her office in Arden Plaza on Thursday, August 2, 4:00 — 6:00 p.m. The open house was organized by the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce. F. Staff Comments None. 5. ADJOURNMENT Chair von Holtum adjourned the meeting at 9:35 a.m. 4�ix Ed von Holtum, Chair ty Development Director