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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-25-07 EDC Meeting Minutes ~ ~~HILLS Approved: May 16, 2007 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION APRIL 25, 2007; 7:30 AM CITY HALL -- 1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96 Chair Kunkel called the meeting to order at 7:37 a.m. Attendees: Chair Bruce Kunkel, Nancy Kneeland, Chris Ashbach, Rob Davidson, Ray McGraw, Jim Paulet, Mayor Harpstead, Community Development Director Karen Barton. Absent: Dale Beane, Ed Wemer. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - MARCH 28, 2007 The minutes from the March 21 st meeting were approved as printed. OTHER BUSINESS Chair Kunkel indicated Ray has not been receiving emails due to a "blocker" on his computer. Ray will look into changing the blocker to allow City emails. Mayor Harpstead sent the members his proposed revision of the strategic plan via email. Mayor Harpstead indicated he is hopeful the plan will build momentum and energy toward economic development in Arden Hills and this was his mindset as he edited the plan. Chair Kunkel asked the group to commit time before their next meeting to reviewing and edit this document so that it could be completed. BUSINESS OUTREACH - RECAP OF MARCH 29 EVENT Community Development Director Barton indicated that 17 people attend the breakfast (not including City staff or EDC members) and that she heard lots of positive comments. Community Development Director Barton asked if they wanted to try a luncheon or dinner for the next outreach event. Mayor Harpstead said he thought the 17 individuals that attended the March 29 event were high quality, major business people in Arden Hills. Chair Kunkel indicated he thought his conversations were more in depth with this breakfast event. Nancy commented she believed more businesses were represented at this event rather than numerous employees from one major company. Mayor Harpstead said it is thought they should continue hosting these types of events. Nancy asked if we should invite neighboring cities as well. Mayor Harpstead agreed that this was a good suggestion for future events. Community Development Director Barton indicated the business mailing list needs to be updated. The group agreed to the purchase of an updated business list. Chair Kunkel asked the group if there were any suggested changes needed before planning the next outreach event. Jim suggested having seating available rather than have a standing only type atmosphere. Mayor Harpstead suggested asking that future events provide a recap of issues that have previously been brought up and the status of these issues so the business community can see these events result in action when issues are raised. Community Development Director Barton indicated she sent out thank you cards to the event attendees. Nancy informed the group EDC Minutes April 25, 2007 Page 2 of 4 that a business located on Gateway Blvd. has expressed concern about his address and asked if anyone had followed up on this issue. Community Development Director Barton said she would check into it. Jim commented that he thought there was a danger in conducting these events too often. He thought maybe only twice a year. Mayor Harpstead suggested maybe 3 times and skipping an event in the sunrmer. Chair Kunkel asked if a September or October event would work out. The group agreed that a late September outreach event would be best. Chair Kunkel asked Community Development Director Barton to review the calendar for September and propose a date to the group. Community Development Director Barton asked if the group wanted an evening event this time. Mayor Harpstead indicated that he does not want to stick to a particular time of day if a venue the want is available such as a Boston Scientific, Land 0' Lakes, etc. Jim was asked to check with Boston Scientific to get a room for the next event. Chris asked if it made sense to send out a survey to the businesses who attend the events just in case the group is missing something. Chair Kunkel said he liked Nancy idea of handing outreach event attendees a survey as they arrive at the event. Mayor Harpstead thought a survey sent to all businesses rather than those who just attend the events might gain a broader input. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN Continued work on the Economic Development Strategic Plan will take place at the May 16 special meeting of the EDC and is deferred until that time. BUSINESS LICENSING DISCUSSION Community Development Director Barton distributed a memo regarding a review of the current business licensing program. She also indicated the City does not have a comprehensive mailing list and sends licensing materials only to previously registered/licensed businesses. Community Development Director Barton indicated that currently is no penalty in place if a business chooses not to submit licensing materials. Community Development Director Barton indicated that one of the items regarding this licensing that strikes her is that she does not see a service from the City being provided to these businesses for the fee they pay. She said she understands the need for the program so we know what businesses are in our community. She suggested the fees could be less and just cover the administrative processing fee. Chair Kunkel inquired as to the level of revenue that was generated from this program and Community Development Director Barton indicated a ballpark of $1 0,000. Mayor Harpstead said that if staff time is being devoted to organizing this licensing program armually than the businesses are receiving something for their fee and the fee should cover this staff time. Rob indicated that he thought the fee schedule doesn't appear to have any logical reasoning for the various fees and that some businesses do not fall into any of the fee categories listed. Community Development Director Barton said the sign fee of $20 didn't make sense to her. EDC Minutes April 25, 2007 Page 3 of 4 Nancy expressed concern that the City might have excessive amounts of signage and asked if there is someway the City can limit this signage. Community Development Director Barton said there is limitations in-place with regard to the total amount of sign frontage that each business is allowed and this is controlled through the sign permit process. Nancy asked if the licensing fee be tied to the sign permits. Community Development Director Barton said there are already paying a permit fee for signs to start with and this business sign fee gets paid armually. Mayor Harpstead suggested businesses pay a nominal sign monitoring fee each year, not including the year they apply for a sign permit. Mayor Harpstead said a discussion on signage should occur and believes there is sign pollution within the City. Rob said in his personal opinion the business licensing is an armoyance and he just throws out the materials when he receives them each year. Jim suggested simplifying the process by having a flat fee. Chair Kunkel asked that City staff survey the surrounding communities and report back to the group on the information very soon to allow time for plarming for the upcoming budget. Once a report is developed, the group can map out a plan to revise the current business licensing program. Mayor Harpstead indicated the group needed to develop rationale for continuing or not continuing any business licensing program. He also indicated he thought there was a strong argument that any fees generated from this licensing program go to the EDC. UNFINISHED BUSINESS EDC Vacancy: Community Development Director Barton provided a brief background of the three candidates that applied for the EDC vacancy. Mayor Harpstead told the group if they have a preference of one particular candidate of the three that applied that they should voice it and chose that individual. The group agreed to the chosen applicant (Edmund) and Community Development Director Barton will instruct the Asst. City Administrator to inform the applicants of the decision. Community Development Director Barton noted that the TCAAP consultants have commented on the outstanding members on all the City communities. TCAAP Update: Community Development Director Barton gave an overview of the April 26 TCAAP meeting and updated the group on TCAAP. EDC Minutes April 25, 2007 Page 4 of 4 Mayor Harpstead gave an overview of the 10/96 situation. The group had a Q&A with Mayor Harpstead regarding this situation. Misc.: The major suggested Community Development Director Barton bring the 5 year CIP plan to the group for their input. Chair Kunkel asked Community Development Director Barton to send the current CIP plan to the group at the time the business licensing report is distributed. Chair Kunkel indicated he met with the chair of the PTRC and is going to look at having a joint meeting with the PTRC. NEXT MEETING A special meeting to focus on the Economic Development Strategic Plan is scheduled for May 16 at 7:30 a.m. The next regular meeting of the EDC is scheduled for May 23,2007 at 7:30 a.m. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:56 a.m. ~~