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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-22-26 EDC Agenda Packet Chair: • Jud Murchie (2028) Commissioners: • Ted Brausen (2028) • Bobby Bonine (2026) • Jessica Daniels (2027) • Kyle Sorenson (2027) • Kristine Poelzer (2027) • Ihsan Isik (2027) • Kayleigh Shrom (8/31/2026) Council Liaison: Councilmember Emily Rousseau Arden Hills Economic Development Commission Meeting April 22, 2026 1245 W. Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112 651.792.7800 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 Regular Economic Development Commission Convenes 7:30 AM Call to Order 1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. March 25, 2026 3. COMMENTS AND REPORTS A. Report from the City Council B. Economic Development Commission Comments 4. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS A. EDC Work Plan B. Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect Discussion C. 75th Anniversary Update 5. ADJOURNMENT A quorum of the City Council may be present at this meeting. Some Commission Members may be participating in this meeting by interactive technology/remotely. Meeting materials are available online at: http://www.cityofardenhills.org/agendacenter CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA Special ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MARCH 25, 2026 7:30 A.M. – ARDEN HILLS COMMUNITY ROOM CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Present: Vice Chair Kristine Poelzer, Commissioners Ihsan Isik, Jess Daniels and Ted Brausen. Commissioner Bonine (7:43) Absent: Chair Judd Murchie, Commissioners Kyle Sorenson and Kayleigh Shrom Also Present: Senior Planner Elena Fransen, Community Development Director Jake Reilly and Council Liaison Emily Rousseau 1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Vice Chair Poelzer called the meeting to order at 7:39 am. She noted there was no quorum present for the meeting. Community Development Director Reilly said the commission can still approve the agenda. No quorum is required to hold a meeting, and no quorum is required to approve an agenda. A quorum is only required to make decisions. A motion was made by Commissioner Daniels and seconded by Commissioner Isik to approve the agenda, as amended. Motion passed unanimously. Staff requested the 75th Anniversary discussion be moved to 4A under Unfinished Business. The rest of the items would shift down. With the arrival of Commissioner Bonine at 7:43, a quorum was established for the meeting. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. February 25, 2026 A motion was made by Commissioner Brausen and seconded by Commissioner Isik to approve the minutes, as written. Motion passed unanimously. Senior Planner Fransen noted that the January meeting and minutes reflected discussion on dining service and catering at Bethel University. The clarification is that there are dining services available to the public. There is no external catering service available. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – MARCH 25, 2026 2 Commissioner Daniels said the restaurant, cafeteria and the coffee shop are always open to external guests. There are spaces that can be rented by the public, and catering is available for events on-site, with the rental of a space. 3. COMMENTS AND REPORTS A. Report from City Council Council Liaison Rousseau would like to acknowledge Youth Commissioner Isik has made nationals with HOSA. She asked him to share with the Commission what that is. Commissioner Isik said HOSA is a student led, nonprofit organization focused on career development and developing leadership skills in their members. It has approximately 50 chapters across Minnesota. There were over 1,000 student attendees at the recent state leadership conference. He and a partner competed in the public service announcement event and placed third. That qualified them for internationals. His project was a public service announcement on brain health and the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s dementia. He said he participates in HOSA to stay diversified in the career fields he is interested in. He is looking at business and health care as possible career paths. Commissioners congratulated Commissioner Isik and he agreed to share his project at the next EDC Meeting. Discussion ensued on using Instagram content for the EDC. Council Liaison Rousseau said there are two new Economic Development Authority (EDA) members. She connected Commissioner Brausen with an EDA member at the City of Dayton. They have been very aggressive and have strategic planning sessions for the EDA. Some of their goals are: strengthening the local tax base, conducting an internal audit of internal processes/timelines, actions around creating a main street/historic village, expanding market efforts to build awareness around the community and targeting business sectors to bring businesses into the city. B. Economic Development Commission Comments Vice Chair Poelzer said she visited Commissioner Isik’s father’s business and left a newsletter and a pen, welcoming him to Arden Hills. Senior Planner Fransen said there have been a handful of permit applications submitted for commercial, interior tenant spaces. She said Wingstop and another casual restaurant called Hippo Pockets will be expanding into Arden Hills in the same multitenant building that houses Caribou. Community Development Director Reilly said he met with the CEO of a business called Airtopia Adventure Parks. They are similar to SkyZone but they have a full restaurant and bar. They have a couple of different models, based on the size of the facility. They are looking to purchase the building that was originally constructed to be a grocery store. The rectangular building with high ceilings is perfect for their needs. The current owner is not interested in leasing the building and would rather sell it. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – MARCH 25, 2026 3 Commissioner Bonine asked how the conversations start. He wondered if we are actively seeking conversations. Community Development Director Reilly said this is a large multinational corporation trying to get rid of real estate that it can’t use. The gentleman from Airtopia reached out to City Staff. Director Reilly and City Administrator Jagoe were able to meet him on site. He followed up with information on next steps if they choose to move forward. Commissioner Bonine said if we get Instagram he wondered if we can advertise locations like this where the city wants to encourage new businesses to come to Arden Hills. He has some ideas on how to engage the owners of these vacant buildings to encourage them to bring businesses in. Having vacant buildings doesn’t benefit the building owner or the city. He can see how promoting these spaces on Instagram could draw businesses in. Community Development Director Reilly said the EDA may be the better place to answer that question. Having a levy for economic development work may be needed. If we can understand how we do strategic planning first, then we can move onto the next step. Commissioner Brausen said the city needs to be more business friendly. Arden Hills can be a hard city to do business in, at times. That needs to change. Commissioner Bonine agreed. He said it is known within the development community to stay on the Shoreview side of Lexington. Senior Planner Fransen asked if the commissioners could provide three things that represent a business-friendly community. Commissioner Brausen said the signage requirements are terrible here. He shared an example of his experience with Council when he was seeking final approval. He spent an hour discussing the difference between a shrub and a tree. He was also required to install $30,000 worth of windows in a carwash. Council Liaison Rousseau acknowledged she was at a Chamber of Commerce meeting right after moving to Arden Hills. A gentleman said no one wanted to do business in Arden Hills because of what happens at the Council level. Commissioner Bonine thinks uniformity is important for a city. He appreciates having a clean look, but how you get there is a struggle. He had some proposals for his site that would have checked a lot of boxes for the City’s needs and would help the tax base. They ultimately decided not to bring it to Council because it would be a waste of $150,000 to draft a plan with no guarantees for approval. He had sign code conversations that lasted hours just talking about a few inches. He likes that we have standards. It would be nice if businesses could have conversations, before going to Council, to learn if a proposed project is close. Staff are the experts in this situation, not Council. Council Liaison Rousseau agreed Council should rely on Staff’s expertise, because it’s their full- time job, although Council does live in the City and resident feedback is considered Commissioner Bonine said the Council should facilitate the discussion and hear the community’s concerns. He asked if most cities involve Staff more in the approvals and decisions. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – MARCH 25, 2026 4 Council Liaison Rousseau said some councils can be a rubber stamp, ours is at the other end of the spectrum, and sometimes Council resembles an over-reaching HOA Commissioner Bonine asked Staff how they have seen the dynamic work with other Councils. Would they typically defer to Staff? What’s normal? Community Development Director Reilly said there is nothing normal in government. There are two common paths. One is where a group holds up a timeline for one reason or another. The other is where that doesn’t happen that often and the things that hold up timelines are more about criticism from the public. It depends on how tolerant a decision-making body is of the risk they are being asked to take. If they are not, they probably have written rules that make it almost impossible to take a risk. He thinks that may be part of the problem in Arden Hills. A lot of things that we have to follow were written a long time ago. Some of those folks are still around. That makes it harder to change because the risk is perceived as too great. Commissioner Brausen thinks it also depends on whether the staff is older or younger. He sees younger staff being more “by the book.” Seasoned staff may be more reasonable. He dealt with Shoreview on a few projects and its business friendly there. Community Development Director Reilly said Shoreview has a lot more financial resources. They have done updates to their zoning code more recently than Arden Hills has. Vice Chair Poelzer asked if the business owners on the commission had ideas for Senior Planner Fransen’s question about what three things make a community more business friendly. Commissioner Bonine thinks having an understanding about why things are the way they are. There are usually reasons why things are created. It’s important to know the original purpose and check in regularly to see if it still aligns with where we are today. It sounds like we have rules that were put in place a while ago and maybe those rules are outdated now. He would also like to understand why there is so much Staff turnover. Commissioner Brausen thinks part of it is that we are a smaller city. He suspects that pay may play into it. He asked why Staff decided to come to Arden Hills. Community Development Director Reilly said he came here because the opportunity to make something happen on a 400-acre site, where nothing has happened for over 20 years, was impossible to pass up. Arden Hills is very competitive when it comes to wages and we have a great benefits package. However, there is a reputation that it’s hard to get things done. Senior Planner Fransen said she was looking for her first planning role out of grad school. The ability to work on a variety of things drew her in. She wanted to do some land use/zoning code work but also economic development. Being a smaller city, she gets to work on more diverse projects. In a bigger city, staff can be more siloed on a particular path. She thinks historically the city has been reactive, rather than proactive in land use and economic development. The pay and benefits were also appealing. Council Liaison Rousseau said a consultant came in last year to complete a pay study. That brought current staff up to competitive levels. That contributes to the tax increases. We have to pay well in order to keep good employees. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – MARCH 25, 2026 5 Commissioner Brausen said he watches the city budget pretty closely. It’s not terrible. He thinks we need more business here to help. Commissioner Bonine said there is turnover in every company. He said the way staff are treated is usually the reason people come and go. He isn’t sure how that dynamic plays out here. Council Liaison Rousseau said they have been trying to put a City Council Code of Conduct in place. There was a challenge a couple of years ago where a councilmember was berating a staff member at the dais. If we’re able to establish a Code of Conduct policy, we would have something to point to, if that behavior happened again. Commissioner Bonine said he witnessed former staff get berated. It’s unfortunate to see how some people are treated. He would like to see less turnover. Commissioner Brausen agreed. He said we need to keep good people. Council Liaison Rousseau said at a council level they did strategic planning where they talked about what the goals are. That hasn’t been done before. We set up a roadmap for the next year on how to implement some of those goals. Part of that conversation is asking if we have enough resources and staffing. Vice Chair Poelzer said she thinks this has been a good conversation. She thinks everyone is on the same page. Conversations like this will continue into future meetings. 4. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS A. 75th Anniversary Update (Item 4C on posted agenda) Senior Planner Fransen repeated that the 75th Anniversary Committee was looking for support from the EDC to promote sponsorship opportunities with local businesses. Volunteers were going to share materials with the businesses they visited. She was asked to hold off on that until the committee could complete some initial communications that they wanted to ensure they got out. She will be in communication with the volunteers within a week after she gets an update. Discussion ensued regarding the information on the website. Staff will email the link. B. EDC Work Plan (Item 4A on posted agenda) Senior Planner Fransen said the Work Plan was approved at the last meeting. She said some items have been identified that should be adjusted. There was conversation about adding social media to the work plan. The EDC has discussed that Instagram would be a good addition to our current social media platforms for the city. She added “anticipated timing”. That will help project how this plan will flow over two years. Other updates were made to make the plan clearer. She is bringing this back today so the EDC can see the amendments that were made in advance of this going to City Council on April 13. Commissioner Isik has some ideas for Instagram. He said he can mockup posts and have them reviewed by the EDC before they are posted. He wondered what the EDC thinks is a good topic to prepare a mock post for, to show to City Council. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – MARCH 25, 2026 6 The Commissioners agreed a post about the 75th Anniversary, promoting the drone show or highlighting Adopt-A-Park would be a good place to start. Further discussion ensued regarding the process of Instagram posts. Commissioners will bring questions and a proposed strategy for Instagram to the next meeting for discussion. The proposal will need to be discussed with the Senior Communications Coordinator to ensure it aligns with the general social media strategy. The process is directors create content or identify topics for the communication coordinator, who has final creative approval. The topics and criteria that fit within the EDC narrative will have to be identified. The committee agreed the amendments are appropriate and the EDC Work Plan can be advanced to City Council. C. Draft Sign Code Review (Item 4B on posted agenda) Senior Planner Fransen said there are a lot of new members on the EDC who were not part of the initial conversation on the sign code. She noted a lot of the code has been simplified but recognized that there may be some context missing for newer members. The discussion portion identifies the current code. This conversation will discuss if a new business will be able to easily navigate the code to appropriately sign their business. Is it accessible and easy to understand? Does it allow for more creative signage that doesn’t require approval by the Planning Commission and City Council? She asked if anyone had questions or comments. Commissioner Brausen said it is a lot to read but he thinks it is done well. He likes that it is simplified and he’d like to see it move forward. Commissioner Bonine said a lot of thoughtfulness and resources went into this initial discussion. We polled other cities and experts. We expressed that the code is rigid and unreasonable. We shouldn’t require a business to go through the variance process for common sense things. He feels good knowing those previous discussions are represented here and the consultant validates it. Senior Planner Fransen said part of next steps will include a summary from staff that outlines that a certain change may eliminate permit reviews or show how some of the burden on businesses can be alleviated. It will clarify the EDC’s review and suggestions and also outline why the changes make sense. Commissioner Bonine said this was a long process that took a lot of time and work. If we think it’s in a good place, maybe we don’t need to revisit everything, for the sake of new EDC Members. Commissioners agreed. Senior Planner Fransen said Staff’s summarization will make it clear that even if things need to be changed, it reflects the EDC’s work, and the EDC doesn’t need to see it again. It can move forward. A motion was made by Commissioner Brausen and seconded by Commissioner Daniels to recommend the draft Sign Code dated March 25, 2026 be moved to City Council for consideration. Motion passed unanimously. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – MARCH 25, 2026 7 5. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Poelzer adjourned the meeting at 9:01 a.m. Page 1 of 2 EDC AGENDA ITEM – 4A MEMORANDUM DATE: April 22, 2026 TO: Economic Development Commission Chair and Commission Members FROM: Elena Fransen, AICP, Senior Planner SUBJECT: EDC Work Plan Requested Action Review feedback from City Council on the EDC-approved work plan and discuss revisions. Background The City Council’s Strategic Plan includes the adoption of an Economic Development Commission work plan among other strategic directions for 2026-2027. At the February meeting, the Economic Development Commission reviewed the strategic plan and the draft EDC work plan which incorporated goals and strategies identified from previous EDC discussions. The EDC discussed how the EDC’s goals fit into the Strategic Plan goals and how the collective goals drive work plan strategies for 2026 and 2027. The EDC approved a motion to move forward with the draft work plan with an amendment. The amendment and a tentative timeline for short-term milestones for the rest of 2026, with sequential action items, were reviewed at the March meeting. At the April 13 City Council Work Session, staff and members of the EDC presented the draft work plan. The presentation highlighted how the EDC work plan connects to the strategic plan and how the EDC is an asset available to be leveraged by both the City and the business community. The City Council acknowledged that the EDC work plan closely aligns with the strategic plan and supported the proposed work plan direction for the EDC. Discussion Recap of the April 13 Work Session discussion from staff and EDC members who attended the meeting Questions – Page 2 of 2 - Following conversation, are there any suggested changes to the prioritization or timing of the work plan items? - Does the EDC want to review the work plan again at the May EDC meeting? Next Steps Staff will incorporate City Council feedback and EDC discussion into an updated work plan draft. The EDC should consider a motion to recommend the draft work plan for City Council approval at the next Regular meeting. Timeline (tentative) Meeting Proposed Tasks Tasks April Council EDC and City Council discuss draft work plan April EDC EDC finalizes 2026-2027 work plan May/June Council City Council approves EDC work plan May EDC Staff and EDC implement work plan June EDC Staff and EDC implement work plan July EDC Staff and EDC implement work plan August Council EDC progress report to City Council Attachments Attachment A – Draft 2026-2027 EDC Work Plan Attachment B – 2026 EDC Related Programming and Milestones Attachment C – April 13 City Council Work Session EDC Work Plan Presentation Page 1 of 5 EDC Objective - Be the bridge between Arden Hills businesses and the City of Arden Hills In order to achieve this objective, the following goals should be met: 1. The EDC is connected with businesses in Arden Hills and communicates with them to understand their needs 2. The EDC leverages the City’s operations to support Arden Hills businesses with their needs EDC goals tie back to the following goals identified in the City Strategic Plan Summary: 1. Increased business participation 2. Improved communication reach 1. Connection and Communication: Engage with AH businesses A. Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect – Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce (TCNCC) hosts quarterly in-person events in Arden Hills and Shoreview. Desired outcome is to connect current businesses operating in both communities with each other, the chamber, and the municipalities. Possible EDC role: promote events with businesses and attend as they are able; suggest speakers and locations for Arden Hills events Desired EDC outcome: EDC is familiar with the Business Connect events and shares the information and opportunity with local businesses to increase their participation with the city and other local businesses Anticipated timing: Q2 and Q3 2026 Action items Timing Responsible parties Review current process for Business Connect events Identify location ideas for June event in Arden Hills Identify speaker ideas for June event Promote event with business community Attend events as members of EDC Debrief event Compile feedback to staff and TCNCC Page 2 of 5 B. 75th Anniversary Celebration – A community-wide celebration event on Friday, Jul. 17th. at Cummings Park from 4 to 10 p.m. Admission is free, and food and beverages will be available for purchase. The celebration kicks off with the much-loved Penny Carnival. Additional festivities include a car show, live music, food trucks, field games and activities for the entire family. The evening will culminate with a drone light show. Possible EDC role: promote events with businesses and attend as they are able; connect with businesses about sponsorship opportunities Desired EDC outcome: EDC shares the opportunity for businesses to participate in the community event and highlights the role businesses have played in the City’s history Anticipated timing: Q1 and Q2 2026 Action items Timing Responsible parties Promote sponsorship with business community Promote events with business community and residents Attending event as members of EDC Debrief event Compile feedback to staff and 75th Anniversary Committee C. State of the City Address – annual fall/winter event, produced by City staff and City Council, updates relevant to residents and businesses Possible EDC role: promote the event with businesses and attend Desired EDC outcome: EDC helps businesses get “in the know” about new and ongoing development and improvement projects at the city and be an active participant with the city Anticipated timing: 2027 Action items Timing Responsible parties TBD D. Sponsorships – opportunities for businesses to support the City’s mission and benefit the community Possible EDC role: Share the sponsorship policy throughout the calendar year with specific emphasis leading up to City events such as the Spring Egg Hunt (April), Touch-a-Truck, Barks and Rec, Flashlight Pumpkin Hunt, Penny Carnival, and others Page 3 of 5 Desired EDC outcome: EDC connects businesses to opportunities to be in community with Arden Hills residents and participate in local events Planned for: 2027 Action items Timing Responsible parties Discuss City’s sponsorship policy and key information Ahead of city events, promote sponsorship opportunities Compile feedback on sponsorship opportunities Make recommendations for continuous improvement of sponsorship policy 2. City Engagement: Support City business operations A. City Business Resources Webpage – source of information, maintained by City Senior Communications Coordinator, available to all, includes links to other resources Possible EDC role: review business-related webpages, make suggestions for handouts/guides to make processes easier to understand and follow Desired EDC outcome: EDC adds business perspective to improve the City’s main source of communication and help businesses get the information they need about operating within the city Anticipated timing: Q3 2026 through 2027 (timing to follow Communication assessment and improvement plan) Action items Timing Responsible parties Review current Business Resource Webpage and what resources are available to businesses Draft recommendation for updates to the webpage In collaboration with staff, create content for webpage B. City Newsletter – timely source of information, produced by City Senior Communications Coordinator with contributions from other staff, reach is to current residents and businesses, also online Page 4 of 5 Possible EDC role: suggesting possible features, promoting with business community, participating in grand opening events Desired EDC outcome: EDC helps the communications team improve outreach to businesses and to share up to date business highlights Planned for: Q3 2026 through 2027 (timing to follow Communication assessment and improvement plan) Action items Timing Responsible parties Review recent issues of the Newsletter content for businesses Draft recommendation for updates to the newsletter In collaboration with staff, support content for newsletter C. City social media – maintained by City Senior Communications Coordinator to share information and interact with businesses online through social media channels such as X, Nextdoor, Facebook, and LinkedIn Possible EDC role: recommend content posted to city social media accounts with specific consideration for using Instagram to reach younger and business demographics. Identify gaps in communication opportunities Desired EDC outcome: EDC provides business and demographic expertise to help city communications engage with the business community Planned for: Q3 2026 through 2027 (timing to follow Communication assessment and improvement plan) Action items Timing Responsible parties Hear about the communications strategy from the Administrator/ Communications staff Provide insight into the usefulness of social media platforms Draft recommendation for updates to social media In collaboration with staff, support new social media content Page 5 of 5 D. Business License/Registrations – annual process led by city clerk’s office; renewal process begins each fall Possible EDC role: Review and recommend updates to form; draft informational handouts and website information; connect with businesses before and/or after renewal process; put together a business inventory list to cross reference with the list of licensed and registered businesses Desired EDC outcomes: • EDC connects all businesses to the City’s process for engaging with businesses about resources and other opportunities to participate with the city • All business types in Arden Hills are included in outreach and communication channels, including but not limited to businesses of the “new economy” such as independent contractors/consultants, sole proprietorships, home-based businesses, professional service providers, and other business models that may not rely on a brick- and-mortar location Planned for: Q3 2026 through 2027 Action items Timing Responsible parties Work with Communications team to develop informational content on license and registration process Launch updated license and registration information Connect with businesses before renewals begin Share updates from businesses (renewing or not, other needs) Use feedback from process to inform updates to the 2027 work plan 2026 EDC Related Programming and Milestone Calendar – Updated 3.31.26 – Subject to change 2026 Quarter Month Dates of Note EDC Meeting Topics EDC Action Steps Q 1 January Work Plan 75th Anniversary Update February Work Plan 75th Anniversary Update March TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect – Shoreview March 11th EDC Meeting – March 25th Arden Hills Spring Egg Hunt – March 28th Review Work Plan Review Drafted Sign Code Q 2 April City Council Work Session – April 13th EDC Meeting – April 22nd CC Updates to Work Plan Business Connect Discussion 75th Anniversary Celebration Sponsorship Promotion Business Connect Planning May EDC Meeting – May 27th Business Connect Discussion Business Connect Promotion June City Council meeting – June 8 TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect in Arden Hills – June 17th Tentative EDC Meeting – June 24th City Council to adopt EDC work plan Business Connect – Special EDC Meeting 75th Anniversary Celebration Promotion Q 3 July Arden Hills Penny Carnival – July 17th Arden Hills 75th Anniversary Celebration – July 17th EDC Meeting – July 22nd 75th Anniversary Celebration Debrief Begin review of business resources webpage and newsletter 75th Anniversary Celebration August City Council Work Session – August 10th or 24th EDC Meeting – August 26th Work Plan progress update to City Council Ongoing review of business resources Business license/registration communication strategy Business Connect Outreach September TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect in Shoreview – September 16th Tentative EDC Meeting – September 23rd Business Connect – Special EDC Meeting Pre-renewal business license/registration communication Q 4 October EDC Meeting – October 28th Work Plan revisions for 2027 Review updates to business resources Business Connect Planning November EDC Meeting – November 18th Debrief EDC progress for 2026 Affirm Work Plan revisions for 2027 Business Connect Promotion December TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect in Arden Hills – December 16th Tentative EDC Meeting – December 16th Business Connect 2027 Quarter Month Dates of Note EDC Work Plan Items/Milestones Q 1 January EDC Meeting – February EDC Meeting – March TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect – Shoreview Q 2 April EDC Meeting – May EDC Meeting – June TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect in Arden Hills – Q 3 July EDC Meeting – August EDC Meeting – September TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect in Shoreview – Q 4 October EDC Meeting – November EDC Meeting – December TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect in Arden Hills – Arden Hills City Council Work Session April 13, 2026 EDC Work Plan Presented by Elena Fransen, AICP, Senior Planner Mayor David Grant Councilmembers: Brenda Holden, Tena Monson, Emily Rousseau, and Kurt Weber 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. 2026-2027 Strategic Plan – Directions, Goals and Priorities Strategic Directions – Enhancing Our Identity & Strengthening Our Partnerships Goals 2026 Priorities include Communication assessment and improvement plan Improved communication reach Increased business participationClear City Boundaries Expand Adopt a Park (and sponsorship program) EDC approved work plan Economic Development Commission – Mission and Goals Mission – Be the bridge between Arden Hills businesses and the City of Arden Hills Goals -The EDC is connected with businesses in Arden Hills and communicates with them to understand their needs -The EDC leverages the City’s operations to support Arden Hills businesses with their needs Recent EDC tasks Sign code review and recommendations (Fall 2023-Spring 2024) In-person business visits (Fall 2024-Spring 2025) Event for Arden Hills businesses (October 2025) Economic Development Commission – Strategies Connection and Communication: Engage with Arden Hills businesses Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect Sponsorships State of the City Address 75th Anniversary Celebration City Engagement: Support City business operations City Business Resources Webpage City Newsletter City Social Media City Business Licenses/Registrations Improved communication reach Increased business participation Clear City Boundaries From Strategic Plan EDC Goals EDC Strategies Economic Development Commission – Strategies 2026 Priorities Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect 75th Anniversary Celebration 75th Anniversary Celebration City Business Resources Webpage City Business Licenses/Registrations City Business Licenses/Registrations City Business Resources Webpage City Newsletter EDC Work Plan Discussion Questions Does the EDC role described reflect the desired outcomes of the Strategic Plan directions and goals? If not, how could the relationship be strengthened? What, if any, additional or substitute goals or strategies should be included in the work plan? Do you have suggestions for how the EDC might prioritize the goals and strategies in the draft work plan or any additional strategies? Are there any elements that should be shifted to a future year? Other comments or questions? Next Steps EDC to make updates and review at April 22 Meeting. Tentative - City Council to approve work plan at a Regular Meeting in June. EDC to provide regular updates to City Council Page 1 of 3 EDC AGENDA ITEM – 4B MEMORANDUM DATE: April 22, 2026 TO: Economic Development Commission Chair and Commission Members FROM: Elena Fransen, AICP, Senior Planner SUBJECT: TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect Discussion Requested Action Discuss Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect event and the role of the Arden Hills Economic Development Commission in Chamber events. Background Arden Hills is a member of the Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce (TCNCC) which is the local chamber for cities and businesses in Arden Hills, Columbia Heights, Fridley, Mounds View, New Brighton, Roseville, Shoreview, and Spring Lake Park. The Chamber represents more than 300 businesses in these municipalities and is a resource for business promotion, networking, and advocacy. The Chamber is open to businesses as well as individuals and organizations with a business interest in the area. Recent updates to the Chamber include a new President, Mike Dvorak, and name changes to their programming. TCNCC hosts quarterly Business Connect events, formerly known as Business Council, for their members in the combined Arden Hills and Shoreview areas, with the cities alternating as cohosts. Business Connects typically include an invited speaker, development update presentations from City staff, and time for attendees to network. Attendees historically include business representatives, invited speakers, members of the Shoreview and Arden Hills City Council and Economic Development Commission, and City staff. The number of attendees at these events has fluctuated over the past three years, ranging from 10 to 30 attendees. The most recent Business Connect was held on March 11, 2026, at the Shoreview Community Center. The speaker was Lake Johanna Fire Department Chief Tim Boehlke who spoke about the new fire department headquarters under construction. Twenty-two (22) people RSVP’d in advance of the event and 35 people attended. Six members of the Arden Hills EDC and two City staff attended. Coffee and donuts were provided by Shoreview City staff at their expense. Page 2 of 3 The TCNCC President sets the date for Business Connect events and proposes a speaker or topic for the event which is affirmed by City staff and confirmed with the speaker. The TCNCC asks City staff to coordinate a location. Once the location and speaker are confirmed, TCNCC promotes the event. City staff share event information with City Council, the Economic Development Commission and local businesses. The meeting is posted as a public meeting. Topics and speakers that are relevant to a business audience are desired. Successful event locations include accessible buildings with larger meeting rooms and audio-visual capabilities. Past Arden Hills locations include the Bethel University Anderson Center, Arden Hills City Hall, Lifelong Wealth Advisors, SpringHill Suites, and Dunn Brothers. The EDC work plan references TCNCC Business Connects as an opportunity to connect with businesses in Arden Hills and communicate with them to understand their needs. The work plan notes a possible EDC role of promoting events with businesses, attending as members are able, and suggesting speakers and locations for Arden Hills events with proposed timing of Q2 and Q3 2026. Based on the work plan, the EDC should discuss how to get involved with the Business Connects and consider establishing a process and procedures for supporting the Business Connects this year and in the future. The April meeting discussion will be used to define an approach for discussion in May and potential implementation for the June 17 event. Staff also propose a debrief at the July EDC meeting to affirm the approach and direction for future Business Connect meetings. The 2026 TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect will take place in Arden Hills on June 17 and December 16. There is no money allocated for TCNCC Business Connect events. Discussion Discuss March 11 Business Connect experience – - For those who attended – o Why did you attend? o What worked well? o What did not work well? o What or how would you like to see the next event change? o Would you attend again? If not, what needs to change for you to consider it worthwhile to attend? - For those who did not attend – o Is there a particular reason you did not attend? o Are there specific information or details you need to make a decision in the future? Role of EDC with TCNCC Business Connect – How should EDC members be involved? There are several potential opportunities. What expectations would EDC members like to set regarding: - Planning, such as: o Identifying topics and speakers o Identifying locations and reaching out to businesses o Other logistics - Promotions, such as: o Targeting specific businesses Page 3 of 3 o Reviewing draft promotional materials for city website and social media o Soliciting additional attendees from within Arden Hills o Sharing materials with clients, customers, colleagues, residents etc. - Attending, such as: o Should EDC members be expected to attend Business Connect events? o Should EDC members provide refreshments? o as speakers, helpers, recruiters, etc. on the day of the event Planning for June – The EDC can consider canceling the EDC meeting scheduled for June 24 and plan for the June 17 Business Connect event as a special EDC meeting in its place. What questions or concerns do you have with that approach? Approaches to consider include: adding the Business Connect events to the meeting schedule; dropping one meeting per quarter to accommodate attendance at Business Connect events; sending one or more representatives from the EDC to Business Connect events; others? Discuss details and suggestions for June Business Connect - Date and time – Wednesday June 17, 8-9 AM - Location – TBD, Arden Hills - Speaker – TBD - Other logistics questions Next Steps Staff to review EDC feedback with TCNCC President and City of Shoreview staff and work on coordinating the June Business Connect with an update and potential implementation approach at the May meeting. Attachments Attachment A – Webpage for March 11 Business Connect Page 1 of 1 EDC AGENDA ITEM – 4C MEMORANDUM DATE: April 22, 2026 TO: Economic Development Commission Chair and Commission Members FROM: Elena Fransen, AICP, Senior Planner SUBJECT: 75th Anniversary Celebration Update Requested Action Hear staff and commissioner updates on the 75th Anniversary Celebration and sponsorship outreach efforts. Background The City’s 75th Anniversary Celebration is on July 17, 2026, at Cummings Park. The 75th Anniversary Committee is coordinating the event with help from volunteer members of the EDC to promote sponsorship opportunities with the business community. On April 9, staff provided EDC volunteers with materials to visit businesses and share sponsorship opportunities. Discussion Updates from commissioners and staff Next Steps Staff to share EDC feedback with staff working with the 75th Anniversary Committee and discuss other event promotion opportunities in the months leading up to the event. Attachments None