HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-02-16 EDCCall To Order
Approval Of The Agenda
Minutes
Approval Of Minutes
01 -06 -16 EDC MINUTES.PDF
Unfinished And New Business
Business Retention And Expansion (BRE) Recommendations
MEMO.PDF
Small Business Workshop Project
MEMO.PDF, ATTACHMENT.PDF
New Business Update
MEMO.PDF
Updates
Rice Creek Commons (TCAAP) Update
MEMO.PDF
Commission Members
Council Liaison
Staff Comments
Adjourn
ADJOURN
A quorum of the City Council may be
present at this meeting.
Chair:
Dan Erickson
Commissioners:
Ed von Holtum
Michael Hands
Kyle Lassen
Liz Johnson
David Radziej
Vacant
Vacant
Council Liaison:
Brenda Holden
Economic Development
Commission
March 2, 2016
8:00 am to 9:30 am
City Hall
Address:
1245 W Highway 96
Arden Hills MN 55112
Phone:
651 -792 -7800
Website :
www.cityofardenhills.org
City Vision
Arden Hills is a strong community that values its unique environmental setting,
strong residential neighborhoods, vital business community, well -maintained
infrastructure, fiscal soundness, and our long -standing tradition as a desirable
City in which to live, work, and play.
Agenda
CALL TO ORDER
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3.A.
Documents:
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4.A.
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4.B.
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4.C.
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5.A.
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5.C.
5.D.
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Call To OrderApproval Of The AgendaMinutesApproval Of Minutes01-06 -16 EDC MINUTES.PDFUnfinished And New BusinessBusiness Retention And Expansion (BRE) RecommendationsMEMO.PDFSmall Business Workshop ProjectMEMO.PDF, ATTACHMENT.PDFNew Business UpdateMEMO.PDFUpdates
Rice Creek Commons (TCAAP) Update
MEMO.PDF
Commission Members
Council Liaison
Staff Comments
Adjourn
ADJOURN
A quorum of the City Council may be
present at this meeting.
Chair:Dan Erickson Commissioners:Ed von HoltumMichael Hands Kyle Lassen Liz JohnsonDavid RadziejVacantVacantCouncil Liaison:Brenda Holden Economic Development Commission March 2, 2016 8:00 am to 9:30 am City Hall Address:1245 W Highway 96 Arden Hills MN 55112 Phone:651 -792 -7800 Website : www.cityofardenhills.org City VisionArden Hills is a strong community that values its unique environmental setting, strong residential neighborhoods, vital business community, well -maintained infrastructure, fiscal soundness, and our long -standing tradition as a desirable City in which to live, work, and play. AgendaCALL TO ORDER1.2.3.3.A.Documents:4.4.A.Documents:4.B.Documents:4.C.Documents:5.
5.A.
Documents:
5.B.
5.C.
5.D.
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CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
JANUARY 6, 2016 8:00 AM
CITY HALL -- 1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96
CALL MEETING TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chair Heikkila at 8:03 am
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Steve Heikkila and Commissioners Ed von Holtum, Dan Erickson, Liz
Johnson, Kyle Lassen and David Radziej
Also Present: Jonathan Weinhagen, Vice President, St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce;
Community Development Director Jill Hutmacher; Senior Planner Matthew
Bachler; and Deputy Clerk Julie Hanson
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Commissioner von Holtum moved to accept the agenda and it was the consensus of the
Commission to accept said agenda.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner von Holtum moved to accept the minutes from the December 2, 2015, meeting, and
it was the consensus of the Commission to accept said minutes.
3. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS
A. Business Retention and Expansion Report
The Commission discussed comments following their review of the draft Business Retention and
Expansion Program Report (BRE Report) provided by Jonathan Weinhagen, Vice President, St.
Paul Area Chamber of Commerce (SPACC).
Senior Planner Bachler stated the final report would be provided to the EDA at the Joint
EDA/EDC meeting on January 25, 2016.
EDC Minutes
January 6, 2016
Page 2 of 4
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated that the feedback in general was positive.
One recommendation from City staff was to include an Executive Summary with the findings and
recommendations at the beginning of the report.
Jonathan Weinhagen stated that the findings in the report shows the community is well-received
and that businesses identify themselves as being Arden Hills companies.
A short discussion ensued regarding land capacity challenges and economic development options
for existing businesses which are growing and looking to expand and that wish to remain in Arden
Hills.
A discussion ensued regarding integration of data into the report in narrative form versus charts
and graphs. Suggestions included highlighting key findings under general headings, which include
traffic, transportation/transit, workforce recruitment, workforce retention, access and development.
A discussion ensued regarding the potential extension of the Metro Transit A-Line Bus Rapid
Transit corridor through Arden Hills to the TCAAP site in order to increase transit opportunities
for residents, local college students, and the local workforce. Discussion continued regarding how
mass transit can affect a community in general.
Community Development Director Hutmacher indicated that initial feedback from the Met
Council does not support an extension at this time and it has been the Met Council’s opinion that
the TCAAP redevelopment is not enough to financially justify an extension of the line. The Met
Council has urged communities to consider pedestrian improvements and land use decisions along
the entire route that would better support transit.
Community Development Director Hutmacher added that the City and SPACC have
encouraged the Met Council to consider a phased extension at the A-Line or regular, improved
transit service to serve businesses and the universities along the route.
Chair Heikkila asked for more information pertaining to the comments made by some businesses
that included: “It is difficult to find reliable part time help.” and “The employee pool lacks
technical skills.”
A discussion ensued regarding local educational institutions that serve Arden Hills (Mounds View
High School, Bethel University, and University of Northwestern) and the technical skills needed
by some of the local businesses. The importance of fostering workforce training through
partnerships with community or technical colleges was also discussed as Arden Hills has a large
number of manufacturing businesses. Other challenges the City faces include the number of
skilled labor positions versus the available housing stock options and determining the City’s role
in attracting a varied workforce.
It was discussed that feedback on the draft report would be provided to Jonathan Weinhagen by
January 14, 2016.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated that as a Commission and as a
community, a priority should be to prepare TCAAP for development so current Arden Hills
businesses have the option to stay and expand within the city.
EDC Minutes
January 6, 2016
Page 3 of 4
The Commissioners agreed to present the revised draft of the BRE Report to the Economic
Development Authority (EDA) at the meeting on January 25, 2016.
Jonathan Weinhagen left the meeting at 8:40 a.m.
B. 2016 EDC Work Plan
Chair Heikkila stated the EDC supported the work tasks as outlined in the 2016 Work Plan but
had postponed final approval until the Commission could review the BRE Report.
A discussion ensued regarding the role of the EDC and City pertaining to the BRE program.
MOTION: Commissioner von Holtum moved and Commissioner Radziej seconded a
motion to accept the 2016 Work Plan. The motion carried unanimously (6-0).
C. New Business Update
Community Development Director Hutmacher provided a new business update and stated City
staff will provide to the EDC a periodic update of businesses that opened or relocated to Arden
Hills in 2015. She indicated City staff will visit the remaining businesses during the first quarter of
2016 and that several new businesses are expected to move in to the Red Fox Business Center this
year. She also stated tracking new businesses through the permitting software is not entirely
reliable since many businesses do not pull permits.
Chair Heikkila asked how the new business visits are structured and documented.
A discussion ensued regarding the City’s approach to visiting new businesses in Arden Hills and
also what the EDC’s role could be.
D. Newsletter Topics
Community Development Director Hutmacher reported on her discussion with the Staff
Liaison to the Communications Committee regarding business-focused newsletter articles.
A discussion ensued regarding the EDC’s contributions for newsletter articles. The Commission
agreed that it will provide suggestions, topics and photographs, if applicable, to the
Communications Committee with the understanding the Communications Committee will format
the articles to better fit the writing style utilized in the newsletter as a whole.
4. UPDATES
A. Rice Creek Commons Update
Community Development Director Hutmacher indicated the JDA met on January 4, 2016, and
approved the Solicitation for a Master Developer to be released on February 1, 2016. She stated
EDC Minutes
January 6, 2016
Page 4 of 4
the Solicitation will be marketed nationally and that it would be helpful if a Master Developer
could be selected before final design decisions on the Spine Road were made.
A discussion ensued regarding elements related to the TCAAP redevelopment project, including
the Rice Creek Remeander project and Rice Creek Trail project.
B. Commission Members
Chair Heikkila stated that this was his last meeting as an EDC member.
C. Council Liaison
None.
D. Staff Comments
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated that Commissioner Erickson indicated he
is interested in the Chair position. She asked if any other EDC members were interested in the
position and if so, to let her know. She then explained the process of appointing a new EDC
Chair.
Community Development Director Hutmacher indicated that Brenda Holden was appointed as
the new City Council Liaison.
The February 3, 2016, EDC meeting was cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for March 2,
2016.
The Commission thanked Chair Heikkila for serving as the EDC Chair for the past few years.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Commissioner von Holtum moved and Commissioner Radziej seconded a
motion to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously (6-0)
Chair Steve Heikkila adjourned the meeting at 9:15 a.m.
__________________________ __________________________ _
Dan Erickson, Chair Jill Hutmacher
Community Development Director
City of Arden Hills
Economic Development Commission March 2, 2016
Page 1 of 2
MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 2, 2016 EDC Agenda Item 4.A
TO: Economic Development Commission Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Matthew Bachler, Senior Planner
SUBJECT: Business Retention and Expansion Report Recommendations
Requested Action
Review the recommendations in the Business Retention and Expansion Report from the St. Paul
Area Chamber of Commerce and provide feedback on next steps.
Discussion
SPACC presented the BRE Report to the Economic Development Authority at their meeting on
January 25, 2016. The report includes a recommendations section that identifies priority projects
the City should consider based on the business survey analysis. Staff will be working on a list of
action steps to implement each recommendation, which will be presented at the next EDA
meeting. In preparation for this, staff is requesting that the EDC review the recommendations
below and provide feedback on possible next steps.
Transit Advocacy
City staff has been engaged in discussions regarding the proposed extension of the Snelling
Avenue Bus Rapid Transit corridor to provide improved transit service to the business
community. The report recommends that the City continue in these efforts and invite Metro
Transit to an EDA work session to provide an overview of transit improvements and how transit
needs relate to employment.
Workforce Training
One of the major issues identified by local businesses is the challenge of accessing skilled
workers. While the City has limited capacity to address the skills gap in the workforce, it was
recommended that staff explore relationships with community and technical colleges with job
training programs that may meet the needs of Arden Hills businesses. These institutions often
have a business liaison on staff that could provide information to be passed along to businesses.
City of Arden Hills
Economic Development Commission March 2, 2016
Page 2 of 2
Tracking Growing Businesses
Several businesses noted having plans to expand their facilities in the near future. The report
recommends creating a database to track these businesses with a regular schedule to check in on
their progress and provide assistance as needed. This list would also be added to as the City
continues its business retention and expansion visits and identifies other growing companies.
Continued BRE Program
Effective business retention and expansion programs require a long-term commitment from the
City. To establish an on-going BRE program, the report recommends that the City identify a
targeted list of businesses to visit each year, coordinate with other visitation efforts by local
chambers and GreaterMSP, convene a roundtable of local commercial real estate brokerage
firms, and consider sharing BRE data collected by the City with regional and state databases.
Page 1 of 1
DATE: March 2, 2016 EDC Agenda Item 4.B
TO: Economic Development Commission Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Jill Hutmacher, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Small Business Workshop
The City of Arden Hills collaborated with the City of Shoreview, the Saint Paul Area Chamber
of Commerce, and the Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce on the Shoreview-Arden Hills
Business Council. The Business Council met monthly. Speakers were invited to give
presentations on public policy and other topics of interest to local businesses, and attendees
shared information and news updates in a round robin. Unfortunately, attendance at the Business
Council meetings dwindled, and the cities decided to try a new approach to business outreach.
The Vadnais Heights Economic Development Corporation (VHEDC) has had success with free
small business workshops. Staff met with the VHEDC to determine if there was an opportunity
to partner on future workshops. During discussions, it was decided to widen the reach of the
workshops to all communities along the Highway 96 corridor in order to maximize attendance
and provide additional networking opportunities for local businesses.
The Cities of Arden Hills, Shoreview, New Brighton, White Bear Lake, Vadnais Heights, and
North Oaks; White Bear Lake Township; the Economic Development Corporations for White
Bear Lake and Vadnais Heights; the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce; the Twin Cities
North Chamber of Commerce; and the White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce are all
participating in marketing the workshop and will contribute to planning future events. The cost
to the participating entities is expected to be minimal as speakers are willing to exchange their
time for the networking opportunity, and marketing will be done electronically.
The first workshop will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2016, at the Vadnais Heights Fairfield
Inn. The topic is Content Marketing – how it has put the consumer in control of the buyin g
process and what that means for marketing. The workshop will show how to plan, create, and
promote content that delivers a return.
Networking begins at 7:30 am, and the workshop and interactive panel session are scheduled
from 8:00 to 9:30 am. Registration information can be found in the attached flyer.
Attachment
Marketing flyer
MEMORANDUM
North East Metro Ciࣅes and
Business Groups Presents
North East Metro Ciࣅes and
Business Groups Presents
THE Q&A PANELISTS
Page 1 of 2
DATE: March 2, 2016 EDC Agenda Item 4.C
TO: Economic Development Commission Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Jill Hutmacher, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: New Business Update
City staff visited new businesses in January and February. Please see detailed information about
each business below which has been provided to the Communications Committee for inclusion
in future newsletters.
Interior finishes at the Red Fox Business Center are being completed, and the first tenants are
expected in March.
Counselor Realty – 1201 County Road E
Counselor Realty moved into approximately 4,000 square feet of space in the former McGuire’s
building at 1201 County Road E in July 2015. Nineteen full-time real estate brokers office out of
the space which also includes a training center and conference room. Counselor subleases space
to a Minnesota mortgage broker and title company for the convenience of their clients.
Counselor was previously located in Fridley, but according to Kevin Bumgardner, Managing
Partner, the brokers are largely based in the Arden Hills-Shoreview area in terms of their work
and their families. “Brokers really wanted to find a location in Arden Hills.” Now that they are
settled into the new office, Counselor looks forward to hosting gatherings on their patio this
summer.
Preferred Insurance – 1306 County Road F
This past year Preferred Insurance Services relocated their corporate offices from Maplewood to
Arden Hills. The office building previously known as the Bethel Office Center at 1306 County
Road F is now owned by Preferred Insurance Services. The agency currently occupies about half
of the first floor with plans to expand their offices into the remaining real-estate on the first floor
in the future. Preferred Insurance Services is looking to lease the remaining sections of the
building to other professional office users.
Since 1993 Preferred Insurance Services has been a local in dependent agency that offers a wide
variety of insurance products that reach to over 100 insurance companies.
MEMORANDUM
Page 2 of 2
Preferred Insurance Services is planning to enhance the curb appeal of their building in the future
by improving the landscaping on property, updating the signage on the building, and
reorganizing the parking lot to better fit their needs.
China Express – 3673 Lexington Avenue
China Express recently completed renovations to a tenant space in the Shannon Square retail
center and opened in November 2015. The restaurant serves traditional Chinese food and
includes a small dining room with a buffet station.
Page 1 of 1
DATE: March 2, 2016 EDC Agenda Item 5.A
TO: Economic Development Commission Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Jill Hutmacher, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Rice Creek Commons (TCAAP) Update
On Monday, January 4, 2016, the TCAAP Joint Development Authority approved a solicitation
for a master developer which was released on February 1, 2016.
The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the TCAAP Master Plan on
Tuesday, January 19, 2016. Ramsey County’s approval of the Master Plan was required by the
terms of the TCAAP Joint Powers Agreement in order to fully implement the TCAAP J oint
Development Authority.
The schedule for the selection of a Master Developer is as follows:
Solicitation released Feb 1, 2016
Solicitation responses due Mar 2, 2016
Solicitation Review Committee evaluation and shortlist Mar 18, 2016
Deadline for submission of additional information Mar 24, 2016
Evaluation, interviews, and recommendation to the JDA Mar 31, 2016
JDA selects master developer Apr 4, 2016
The pre-solicitation conference was held at Landmark Center in Saint Paul on Thursday,
February 18, 2016. Over 30 people attended including developers and consultants. The majority
of the 55 plan-holders are from the planning, engineering and construction sectors but 15 can be
characterized as developers or from the real estate field.
The County is marketing the solicitation through professional organizations including ULI
(Urban Land Institute-Minnesota), NAIOP-MN (Commercial Real Estate Development
Association) and MNCAR (Minnesota Commercial Association of Real Estate/Realtors).
MEMORANDUM