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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-27-26 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 May 27, 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. April 22, 2026 3. COMMENTS AND REPORTS A. Report from the City Council B. Report from City Staff C. Economic Development Commission Comments 4. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS A. Gateway Signs B. Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect Discussion 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 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION APRIL 22, 2026 7:30 A.M. – ARDEN HILLS COMMUNITY ROOM CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Present: Chair Judd Murchie, Commissioners Ihsan Isik, Kristine Poelzer, and Ted Brausen, Bobby Bonine (arrived at 7:45) and Kayleigh Shrom Absent: Commissioners Kyle Sorenson and Jess Daniels Also Present: Senior Planner Elena Fransen, Community Development Director Jake Reilly and Council Liaison Emily Rousseau 1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Chair Murchie called the meeting to order at 7:36 A motion was made by Commissioner Poelzer and seconded by Commissioner Brausen to approve the agenda, as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. March 25, 2026 A motion was made by Commissioner Brausen and seconded by Commissioner Poelzer to approve the minutes, as written. Motion passed unanimously. 3. COMMENTS AND REPORTS A. Report from City Council Council Liaison Rousseau thanked the EDC members that attended the Council Meeting to present the EDC work plan. Positive feedback was given. She said budget conversations usually begin in June. If we want something, that’s the time to ask. Council suggested recruiting for the empty EDC position at a larger company. Council Liaison Rousseau said Commissioner Shrom will be leaving the commission in the fall when she goes to UCLA. Commissioner Shrom noted she has a friend who may be interested in the open youth position. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – APRIL 22, 2026 2 Council Liaison Rousseau connected with some business owners at the Taste of Shoreview. Commissioner Poelzer said she attended too and it was a really well-organized event. Council Liaison Rousseau connected with the Rotary and Lions Club at the event. They both support our cities in many ways. Commissioner Brausen said (the city of) Breezy Point hosts a butterfly release. It’s a really cute event. He thought the city could look into hosting a similar event. We could get sponsors and it’s over in about an hour. Council Liaison Rousseau said another event she is aware of is the tug of war over the river in Stillwater (sponsored by the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce). She suggested the EDC could also get involved with non-profits. Commissioner Brausen talked about Jacks Baskets, an Arden Hills business helping families with children born with Down Syndrome. Commissioner Poelzer thought the City Hall Community Room would be a great space for a Taste of Arden Hills event. Chair Murchie said we can talk about those opportunities once the 75th Anniversary is done. B. Economic Development Commission Comments Commissioner Poelzer asked if there are any updates on the Airtopia business. If they come in soon, they could be a partner sponsor for the 75th Anniversary and make an introduction to the community. Commissioner Poelzer said Council suggested a table for the EDC at the 75th event. She thought the commission should discuss that. It could be a combined table with the PTRC. Commissioner Poelzer has begun visiting businesses to solicit sponsorships for the 75th Anniversary celebration. Commissioner Isik said he and some other students started a nonprofit. They have used funds to supply blankets to retirement homes. He would like to be involved with any nonprofit event in the future. 4. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS A. EDC Work Plan Senior Planner Fransen said four EDC members attended the City Council meeting to present the Work Plan. It was well received. There was discussion of previous plans. There is a lot of support for how this aligns with the Strategic Planning the City Council did. The timeline presented to Council will be used to track the EDC’s progress. Senior Planner Fransen said Staff talked about gateway signs. The topic first came up in 2024. The EDC set it aside, at the time. Council would like to have a recommendation from EDC. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – APRIL 22, 2026 3 Community Development Director Reilly said the request is to add a line item in the work plan that addresses the Strategic Plan Direction, “Enhancing Our Identity & Strengthening Our Partnerships,” resulting in clear city boundaries through developing an approach for identifying “gateway” signs. The May or June agenda will contain information on the proposed sites for that discussion. There is $310,000 budgeted for these signs. Recommendation is requested no later than March of 2027. Staff will prepare information on the history, costs and right of way/location identification. Discussion ensued regarding sign regulations and if gateway signs need to follow current sign code. Commissioner Bonine recalls that this is a lot of money and we need to discuss what value they bring. The geographical area will be affected by RCC. What boundaries are we talking about? Will developers pay for gateway signs? Council Liaison Rousseau asked when the sign ordinance will be reviewed by Council. Community Development Director Reilly said staff would like signs to be their own chapter for ease of future review and revision. He hopes to get the sign code done even if the rest takes longer. He would like council to see it sooner rather than later and get the Planning Commission’s opinion. Commissioner Poelzer asked if someone can look into when we had flags on the light poles on County Road E. She said those flags faded in the sun. The technology has improved. She thinks we should discuss using flags to brand Arden Hills. Discussion ensued regarding the need for identifying Arden Hills similar to how Hugo does it. Flags could highlight businesses. Further discussion ensued that the EDA has some budget, but EDC does not currently have anything budgeted (from the EDA fund). Senior Planner Fransen said we are still on schedule to get everything back to Council. Community Development Director Reilly said it would move along faster if we amend the plan now to have that Work Plan item added. He thinks there are intern opportunities. We can adopt the work plan as the final, with the addition of the gateway sign discussion. A motion was made by Commissioner Brausen and seconded by Chair Murchie to approve the EDC Work Plan, as amended to include gateway signs. Motion passed unanimously. B. Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect Discussion Senior Planner Fransen said part of the work plan is to connect to the Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect. Each year, Arden Hills hosts two of the four quarterly meetings. They establish the date and time. The meeting is open to all. Senior Planner Fransen said the last meeting was on March 11 in Shoreview. Attendance was higher than the RSVP responses. A presenter provided an update on the headquarters for the fire department. EDC is being asked to consider how the EDC will be involved with this type of event moving forward. These are established events, vs. us trying to create our own event. We should think about how EDC can be involved when Arden Hills hosts the event. We can consider speakers ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – APRIL 22, 2026 4 and locations. She understands this is an additional meeting. If the EDC meeting falls on the same day as the months when Arden Hills hosts, that can count as the EDC meeting. Discussion ensued regarding the Fire Department presentation at the event. Commissioners think the public would be interested in knowing how many calls the fire department answers and the mutual aid calls they go on in support of other cities. Further discussion ensued on the communication coordinator position. Chair Murchie asked how EDC can play a role in these business events. Are the chamber meetings of value to business owners? How can the EDC use those meetings to build the bridge between businesses, residents and the city? Commissioner Bonine said visibility is important for the city at those events. Business owners will attend based on their schedule and on the topics. It’s a marketing event. If the topic isn’t relevant owners just won’t go. He thinks targeted meetings would be a better way: realtors one time, maybe restaurants. Otherwise, it’s a variety show where you sit through an hour meeting and 15 minutes were relevant. Council Liaison Rousseau said she is interested in identifying businesses with targeted meetings. Commissioner Shrom said most attendees were there to network and the presentation filled the majority of the scheduled time. If she were a business owner she thinks she would attend such events to network, not necessarily to hear the speaker. Senior Planner Fransen asked if the city presentation portion was of interest to those that attended. Commissioner Brausen noted the fire department has a really good rating which is helpful for businesses because that lowers the insurance rates for businesses. Commissioner Shrom said the fire department was talking about the new building. She thinks it would be better to highlight the low rating. Business owners talk about money. Council Liaison Rousseau said there is a franchise fee on resident’s utility bills that is paying for the fire department building. Commissioner Poelzer said we had the Sheriff at the October gathering. They did a really good lead and then reinforced with examples. It’s important for speakers to include why it matters to business to keep attendees interested. She said she would like to see networking opportunities at the beginning and another time at the end. Having a table with printed information can make a difference. Council Liaison Rousseau said if you are going to carve out time the speakers need to be aware of what they have for time. Community Development Director Reilly said the Business Connect event is free because it’s sponsored by the city. We have control over how the Arden Hills meeting runs. We have no control when it’s Shoreview’s turn. He agreed the presentation was long in Shoreview. The EDC needs to decide if we want to have the EDC meeting in June or replace the June meeting with the Business Connect event. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – APRIL 22, 2026 5 Senior Planner Fransen said all of this feedback will be shared with the Chamber. The June agenda isn’t set yet. She can bring presentation topics or speaker suggestions forward. She suggested the fire department and possibly the event center as places to hold the events. Council Liaison Rousseau said the Chamber is collaborative. She noted we have a lot of connections with business owners and EDC members from Shoreview. Senior Planner Fransen said changing the name from a council to a connect event may help attendance. We can increase attendance with speakers and locations. Commissioner Bonine said common themes are always good. One suggestion is integrating AI into businesses. Bethel has a course about that. He thinks businesses would like to learn more. Mature businesses are always looking for younger perspectives. How can businesses improve the bottom line? What are some common things they aren’t thinking of? In the short term we can nail down some of those topics. We aren’t going to make anyone an expert; we just want to pique their curiosity. Chair Murchie said we have access to universities. Allowing a 10-minute conversation with a professor or another expert could be a draw to the event. Commissioner Poelzer recalls going around the room and people introduced themselves and said where they were from. The horseshoe set up for that event makes conversations more difficult. She’d rather see tables of 6-8 people. She thought the event was worthwhile and she enjoyed the fire department presentation. Senior Planner Fransen asked if the group is okay with cancelling the June 24 EDC meeting and having the June 17 Business Connect event as a special meeting of the EDC. Chair Murchie said he is comfortable with that. We can make that decision in May when we have a better idea of what to discuss and determine what help is still needed for the 75th Anniversary. C. 75th Anniversary Update Senior Planner Fransen said Staff asked EDC members to help with dispersing the sponsorship information to garner support for the 75th event. EDC is being asked to make businesses aware of the program. It’s important to note who has already been asked. The 75th Anniversary Committee is asking for volunteers. She doesn’t have any specific tasks, she was just asked to see if there is any interest from members. Commissioners Brausen, Poelzer and Isik all volunteered. Commissioner Poelzer said she visited 25 businesses and has 6 to still visit. She had three businesses provide corporate contacts for soliciting sponsorships. She asked businesses to post the flyers. She outlined the sponsorship levels. She stressed we want the event to be free to residents. People were receptive and displayed the flyers immediately. Senior Planner Fransen said the 75th Anniversary Committee is meeting regularly. There are more opportunities to promote the event. She said the committee is planning to approach the National Honor Society (NHS) to gauge interest for volunteers. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – APRIL 22, 2026 6 Commissioner Shrom said the NHS is less active in the summer but there some members who like to get summer volunteer hours. They would definitely help promote the need for volunteers. She said there is another club called Volunteer Outreach (VO) Club they partner with the Rotary for a lot of their events and may be a better option than NHS. Commissioner Isik said events during the school year could lean on NHS. Advisors tend to make mandatory volunteer hours. There would be access to a large number of volunteers. Commissioner Poelzer said nonprofits are a good source. We could put together a list of nonprofit organizations. Commissioner Bonine said we could provide a table at the 75th Anniversary for organizations that send volunteers. Chair Murchie said if we create a newsletter feature, we could do one for volunteers and nonprofits. Commissioner Poelzer said she told people that she is only asking for sponsorships from Arden Hills businesses. She said Shoreview businesses have approached her. Commissioner Brausen said we should keep focused on Arden Hills businesses. He would like to see the list of who has been contacted. He could reach out to those we haven’t gotten responses from. He knows a lot of business owners in the city. Senior Planner Fransen said at the next meeting there will be an update on who has been visited to help identify gaps. Commissioner Brausen said they are sponsoring the car show. He got Michelin to donate four tires to raffle off. He asked how that would work. Senior Planner Fransen said he should direct questions to Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky. Commissioner Poelzer said she is concerned that the website doesn’t make it clear about who gets what. The font size should be equal. Chair Murchie suggested carving out time for Commissioner Isik to discuss his HOSA achievement and his ideas for social media that was discussed at Council. Commissioner Isik said the HOSA project is a personal achievement. He doesn’t think it needs to be on the EDC agenda. He would be happy to share his work regarding social media. 5. ADJOURNMENT Chair Murchie adjourned the meeting at 8:58 a.m. Page 1 of 2 EDC AGENDA ITEM – 4A MEMORANDUM DATE: May 27, 2026 TO: Economic Development Commission Chair and Commission Members FROM: Elena Fransen, AICP, Senior Planner SUBJECT: Gateway Signs Requested Action Discuss and provide feedback to City staff on current map of existing, proposed, and possible locations for gateway signs. This information will be shared with the City Council as part of future 2027 budget discussions. Background The Economic Development Authority (EDA) has reviewed conceptual plans for the installation of additional City of Arden Hills gateways signs for a number of years. There are three gateway signs installed in the City. Existing Gateway Signs After those were installed, the EDA initially identified six potential locations for gateway signs with Highway 96 and Lexington Avenue being identified as the priority location. A conceptual design and cost analysis was prepared by WSB for this location (Attachment E). In 2022, the EDA added to the list a seventh potential location at Lake Valentine Road at 35W. During this discussion, the EDA requested feedback from the EDC on the proposed gateway sign locations and possible design. Page 2 of 2 At the July 31, 2024 EDC meeting, members of the EDC discussed the request from the EDA and concluded that the discussion should be delayed to a future discussion as the EDC was working on in-person business visits and developing a work plan. Included with this memo are maps that identify existing, previously identified, and potentially new gateway sign locations (Attachment B). It should be noted that with some of the previously identified and new locations that the City may not have sufficient right-of-way for placement of a gateway sign. The City would need to acquire additional right-of-way or obtain an easement from the Property Owner for installation. These are merely potential locations selected at a high-level for consideration without an analysis for feasibility. Additional steps required for the installation of additional signs includes a thorough review and discussion on priority location(s), current pricing, conceptual design (i.e. city branding), completion of a feasibility study and potential acquisition of additional right-of-way or easements from property owners for installation. Discussion With the upcoming Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) budget discussions, the City Council is seeking feedback from the EDC on the future installation of gateway signs. The 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan has benchmarks for the construction of gateway signs in 2025 and 2027 (Attachment A). Based on this information, staff seeks direction from the EDC on handling gateway signs. Direction has been given for the EDC to provide comments by March 2027. Questions for the EDC to consider – - Where are the gateways to the city for businesses? - Where are the gateways to the city for residents? - Review the map of potential sign locations o Any comments on the proposed locations? o Any comments on the potential locations? o Any new locations to be considered? - Are there other suggestions for gateway signage? EDC feedback related to signage - Suggest banners/flags on light posts along County Road E (historic precedence) Next Steps Staff will summarize EDC feedback and may bring it back to a future EDC meeting for verification. EDC may consider approving recommendations for gateway signage at a future meeting. Budget Impact N/A Page 3 of 2 Attachments A. 2024 CIP B. Gateway Sign Maps C. October 24, 2022 EDA Minutes D. 2018 EDA Memo E. WSB 2018 Concept Design 35W 694 694 Gateway Signs Legend Parcels City Mask April 11, 2024 m 1:35,430 (xiVting *ateZa\ SignV ,GentiIieG GateZa\ Sign /RFatiRn 1eZ PRteQtial *ateZay 6iJQ /RcatiRQ Gateway Signs - North of Highway 96 Legend Parcels City Mask April 11, 2024 m 1:35,430 ([isting Gateway Sign ,GentifieG Gateway Sign /oFation New 3otentiaO Gateway Sign /oFation Approved: October 23, 2023 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING OCTOBER 24, 2022 IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Chair Grant called to order the Economic Development Authority meeting at 7:56 p.m. Present: EDA Chair David Grant; EDA Commissioners Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes, Steve Scott and David Radziej Absent: None Also present: EDA Secretary Dave Perrault; Community Development Director Jessica Jagoe; Finance Director Gayle Bauman; and City Clerk Julie Hanson 1.APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: EDA Chair Grant moved and all EDA Commissioners seconded a motion to approve the EDA meeting agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). 2.APPROVAL OF MINUTES A.October 25, 2021 EDA MOTION: EDA Commissioner Holden moved and EDA Commissioner Holmes seconded a motion to approve the October 25, 2021 Economic Development Authority Meeting Minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). 3.NEW BUSINESS None. 4.UNFINISHED BUSINESS A.Gateway Signs ARDEN HILLS EDA MEETING – October 24, 2022 2 Community Development Director Jagoe stated that staff was looking for direction on scheduling a future EDA meeting to discuss Gateway signs. She noted this was brought to the City Council in conceptual format in 2018 and six locations were identified, with the Highway 96/Lexington Avenue location being the priority. Commissioner Radziej asked if the EDA had decided on one style or design for the signs and what the associated costs would be. A discussion ensued regarding styles that have been debated in the past, the potential costs, and the locations of existing Gateway signs. Commissioner Holden stated the City received multiple proposals for a sign at Highway 96 and Lexington Avenue but it is a problematic site because the Shoreview sign is so huge. She thought the location on Lexington Avenue and County Road D near the Dairy Queen was an important location as people do not realize that is Arden Hills. Commissioner Holmes agreed but felt it would be difficult for a sign to be at that location due to being residential properties versus commercial properties. She thought this would be awkward. A discussion ensued regarding the southern portion of Arden Hills, particularly near Lexington Avenue and County Road D. EDA Chair Grant noted that the locations previously discussed were all entry points into Arden Hills. EDA Secretary Perrault said that the intent at the meeting this evening was to gain insight if the EDA wanted to meet more regularly in 2023 or 2024 to talk about these projects. He noted he wanted to make sure that Community Development Director Jagoe has good direction. Commissioner Holmes stated that Council previously indicated it wanted to wait regarding a sign at Highway 96 until TCAAP starts moving and perhaps businesses could contribute. She said she would like to see a schematic of a potential sign for the Lexington Avenue and County Road D location. A discussion ensued regarding the properties located near the Lexington Avenue and County Road D location. Commissioner Radziej noted he would like to see the same style of signage throughout the city, regardless if the size varies. EDA Chair Grant recommended staff look at the current signs to determine if they have been durable or have any issues. The EDA Commissioners concurred. Commissioner Holmes suggested a sign near Lake Valentine Road and Mounds View High School as many people do not know that the high school is located in Arden Hills. ARDEN HILLS EDA MEETING – October 24, 2022 3 Commissioner Holden thought Community Development Director could take a look at locations and bring fresh eyes and ideas to the table. She noted how expensive the signs can be. Discussion further ensued regarding the list of potential locations that was created by the EDC. They concurred they would await recommendation from Director Jagoe. 5.EDA MEMBER COMMENTS None. 6.ADJOURN MOTION: EDA Commissioner Radziej moved and EDA Commissioner Holden seconded a motion to adjourn the Economic Development Authority meeting. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). EDA Chair Grant adjourned the Economic Development Authority meeting at 8:13 p.m. __________________________ __________________________ Julie Hanson David Grant City Clerk EDA Chair Page 1 of 2 DATE: January 16, 2018 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers Dave Perrault, City Administrator FROM: Matthew Bachler, City Planner Sue Polka, Public Works Director/City Engineer SUBJECT: Highway 96 and Lexington Avenue Gateway Sign Budgeted Amount: Actual Amount: Funding Source: N/A N/A N/A Council Should Consider Review conceptual plans for the Highway 96 and Lexington Avenue gateway sign and provide direction to staff. Background The adopted 2018-2022 Capital Improvement Plan includes $80,000 for gateway sign construction in 2018. At their work session on June 19, 2017, the City Council discussed using the funds budgeted in 2018 for a gateway sign at Highway 96 and Lexington Avenue. In August 2017, staff began working with WSB & Associates on a concept design plan and cost estimate for the gateway sign. Staff from WSB will be in attendance at the work session on January 16, 2018 to present the concept design plan. To date, gateway signs have been installed at the following locations:  County Road E2 at Cleveland Avenue  County Road D at Cleveland Avenue  County Road D at New Brighton Road/Lake Johanna Boulevard (Triangle Property) The approximate cost of the signs for these past projects has been $10,000. The project at the Triangle Property included additional landscaping and irrigation improvements, and staff has estimated the total cost of this project (including the sign) at between $30,000 and $45,000. Staff had anticipated the cost of the gateway sign at Highway 96 and Lexington Avenue to be more than these previous signs due to the larger scale of the project. AGENDA ITEM 1I MEMORANDUM Page 2 of 2 Discussion Location Staff evaluated the feasibility of locating a gateway sign in the northwest or southwest corner of the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Highway 96. The southwest corner was selected due to a significant grade change at the northwest corner from the road to a wetland. WSB completed a topographical survey of the area to locate curb lines, walkways, lights, utilities, trees, and right - of-way. The sign would be located in Ramsey County right-of-way and coordination with the County would be required. Concept Design WSB prepared a concept design for the gateway sign for the City Council to consider (Attachment B). Staff provided information on past design plans so that the sign is consistent in style with other monument signs. The plans took into consideration the following:  Travel speed  Size of sign/text for readability  Setbacks from roadway curb and walkways  Viewing orientation  Constructability The sign would be oriented towards the intersection to maximize visibility and would be setback approximately 30 feet from the public trail along Highwa y 96 and Lexington Avenue. The sign would have a curved face running 40 feet in length with a height of 10 feet. A perennial planting bed is shown in front of the sign and a mix of aspen and coniferous trees and shrubs behind the sign. Electrical service would be provided to illuminate the sign lettering. Cost Estimates WSB has provided an estimate of the construction cost in Attachment C. The estimate includes the cost of the sign itself, site preparation, landscaping, and electrical service. This subtotal cost is estimated at $193,150. With contingencies and construction administration included, the estimated total is $260,753. WSB has identified two potential cost reduction items: replacing the proposed stone veneer with simulated concrete stone, and reducing the length of the sign from 40 feet to 22 feet. The associated cost savings with these changes are included in Attachment C. Potential add-on items include sign wing walls (shown in the concept plan rendering), uplighting, and irrigation. These items are not included in the current estimated total. Attachments A. Aerial Map B. Concept Plan C. Cost Estimate ARDEN HILLS GATEWAY SIGN Concept 1 Maximum sign height = Approx. 10’ View looking south on Lexington Avenue Arden Hills, Minnesota 11/20/2017 | 010661-000 20 SCALE IN FEET 100 40 A A A’ A’ EXISTING UTILITY POLES WING WALL SHOREVIEW MONUMENT SIGN MONUMENT SIGN WING WALL PERENNIAL BED CONIFEROUS TREES SHRUBS QUAKING ASPEN TREES LE X I N G T O N A V E N HWY 96 K: \ 0 1 0 6 6 1 - 0 0 0 \ C a d \ E x h i b i t s \ 0 1 0 6 6 1 - 0 0 0 A r d e n H i l l s C o n c e p t s City Monument Sign Concept One Estimated Construction Cost By: SF Item Description QTY ESTIMATED COST 1 Mobilization 1 $ 9,200 2 Earthwork and erosion control 1 $ 25,500 3 40' long by 10' high masonry monument sign including central wall with veneer on front face only, sign lettering, lighting of lettering 1 $ 110,000 4 Electrical service 1 $ 15,000 5 Sodding 1500 $ 12,000 6 Concrete edging 215 $ 6,450 7 Tree, shrub and perennial planting 1 $ 15,000 Subtotal $ 193,150 Recommended Contingency (20%) $ 38,630 Estimated Design through Construction Administration (15%) $ 28,973 Estimated Total $ 260,753 RED.1 RED.2 ADD.1 Monument Sign Wing Walls with veneer on front face only 1 $ 63,000 ADD.2 Uplighting 1 $ 10,000 ADD.3 Irrigation System 1 $ 15,000 Note: WSB Project #010661-000 December 14th, 2017 This estimate is based on concept planning level design work for the purpose of budgeting. It should be anticipated that cost the estimate will need to be refined as the design progresses with greater detail. Base Items Potential Add-On Items Potential Cost Reduction Items Replace stone veneer with simulated stone pattern concrete wall resulting in a cost reduction of $16,000. Reduce size of sign wall to 22' long by 10' high and replace stone veneer with simulated stone pattern concrete wall resulting in a cost reduction of $46,600. 12/14/2017 K:\010661-000\Quantity\Preliminary\010661-000 City Monument Sign at Hwy 96 & Lexington Page 1 of 2 EDC AGENDA ITEM – 4B MEMORANDUM DATE: May 27, 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. 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. At the April 22 meeting, the EDC discussed the current process for the Business Connect events and outcomes from the March 11 Business Connect hosted in Shoreview. EDC members provided feedback that networking should be a priority during the events and that the speaker and their presentation should be intentionally tied back to the business community. 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, with the June 17 Business Connect being the first example. Staff also propose a Page 2 of 2 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 June Business Connect Logistics - Date and time – Wednesday June 17, 8-9 AM - Location – Flaherty’s Arden Bowl, Arden Hills - Speaker – NA, Networking to be focus of event - EDC members planning to attend - EDC members willing to assist as speakers, helpers, recruiters, etc. on the day of the event Questions - Should EDC members provide refreshments? - 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. 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? Brainstorm for future Business Connects in Arden Hills - Possible locations – Past Arden Hills locations include the Bethel University Anderson Center, Arden Hills City Hall, Lifelong Wealth Advisors, SpringHill Suites, and Dunn Brothers. - Possible topics and speakers – discussed ideas include social media expert, Artificial Intelligence for businesses, - Ways for EDC to promote, such as: o Targeting specific businesses 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. Next Steps Staff to review additional EDC feedback with TCNCC President and City of Shoreview staff and assist with coordinating the June Business Connect in Arden Hills. Staff will draft a process document for the EDC’s involvement in future business connect events. City calendar may be updated based on the EDC’s direction to either cancel the June 24 EDC meeting or add the June 17 Business Connect event as a special meeting of the EDC. Attachments Attachment A – Webpage for June 17 Business Connect Attachment B – Draft EDC Process Document for Business Connect events Draft EDC Process for TCNCC Arden Hills/Shoreview Business Connect events Location Staff’s role: work with TCNCC, Shoreview staff, and EDC to identify, communicate with, and confirm locations for events EDC’s role: suggest Arden Hills locations that can accommodate 30 plus attendees with audio-visual abilities Past Arden Hills locations include Flaherty’s Arden Bowl, the Bethel University Anderson Center, Arden Hills City Hall, Lifelong Wealth Advisors, SpringHill Suites, and Dunn Brothers. Speaker/Topic Staff’s role: work with TCNCC, Shoreview staff, and EDC to identify, communicate with, and schedule speakers and topics EDC’s role: use input from business representatives to identify topics and potential speakers that are timely and relevant to audience at Business Connects, connect with potential speakers to gauge interest and availability. Promotion Staff’s role: share Business Connect dates and physical materials with event information with the EDC and the communications coordinator EDC’s role: share event details with network of Arden Hills businesses, targeting businesses that may be particularly interested in the speaker, topic, or event location. Preparation Staff’s role: create a presentation on current and pending development updates relevant to Arden Hills and local businesses EDC’s role: suggest topics for which the City will provide updates, inform City of specific business updates that should be shared at the event Refreshments Staff’s role: coordinate the who, what, where, when of refreshments for events EDC’s role: support staff with coordinating refreshments for Business Connects, procure refreshments as needed and transport to the Business Connect location Day-of Support Staff’s role: attend Business Connects, network with attendees, present City update on Arden Hills development news, take notes on attendees for future discussion with the EDC, City Council, and other AH staff, use takeaways to inform future events and work plan items EDC’s role: attend Business Connects when available and relevant, network with attendees, consider giving an update at the next EDC meeting