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<br />City Council Regular Meeting - 09/27/04 <br />Minutes - Page 24 <br /> <br />statement, reiterated her previous comments from past Council <br />meetings; and defined her perception of the use of public <br />subsidies for private development; along with current City <br />budget concerns; environmental concerns and liability <br />investigations; increased traffic and pollution. <br /> <br />Mayor Klausing spoke in opposition to the motion, while <br />recognizing Councilmember Ihlan' s concerns, opining that they <br />were not sufficient to "pull the plug" at this stage of the project. <br />Mayor Klausing noted the potential of the project to take an <br />underused, blighted portion of the City, relocate inconsistent <br />uses, and redevelop the area for the long-term survival of the <br />neighborhood, Langton Lake, and the vitality of the community. <br /> <br />Mayor Klausing further rebutted nun1erous assumptions provided <br />in Councihnember Ihlan's position statement, including benefits <br />associated with new development with additional school <br />children, residents, and jobs; risks shifting to developer per <br />previous Council action; "but for" test provisions for the use of <br />tax increment financing (TIF); additional revenues to be realized <br />in the future; public purpose and use of public funds; continued <br />negotiations for refinement of the City's participation; <br />competitions of outer ring suburbs with inner ring suburbs such <br />as Roseville; additional retail serving as a synergy to current <br />retail services and further economic protection of existing <br />businesses within the community; limitations of any risk to the <br />City and a cap on the cost of environmental clean up. <br /> <br />Councilmember Kough read a written statement expressing ten <br />points. Councihnember Kough's statement included his support <br />of a Twin Lakes Redevelopment; his opposition to the <br />inconsistencies of this proposed project due to its lack of <br />consistency with the City's COlnprehensive Plan and addition of <br />more retail, specifically "big box" retail; his support of existing <br />businesses; his caution on the use of TIF; his preference for <br />defining the cost of clean up; unlmown costs for infrastructure <br />in1provements to support the project; no determination or <br />applications to-date for grant funds; his opposition to the use of <br />Eminent Domain; and his overall lack of comfort with this plan <br />at this point. Councilmember Kough further opined that the City <br />should not take on long-term financial obligations in their current <br />