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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-01-11 EDA MinutesCITY OF COTTAGE GROVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MINUTES January 11, 2005 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a regular meeting of the Economic Development Authority was held at City Hall, 7516 80th Street South, Cottage Grove, Minnesota on the 11 th day of January 2005. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:30 a.m. by EDA Vice President Shiely. Rni i r-n i i Members Present: Myron Bailey, EDA Member Gerry Weingartner, EDA Secretary /Treasurer Sandy Shiely, EDA Vice President Glen Kleven, EDA Member Mike Wennen, EDA Member Dick Pederson, EDA Member Members Absent: Al Boche, EDA Member Others Present: Ryan Schroeder, EDA Executive Director Ron Hedberg, Director of Finance and Administrative Services Kim Anderson, South Washington County Bulletin Howard Blin, Community Development Director Monica Percic, Management Analyst Scott Johnson, Management Analyst APPROVAL OF MINUTES Glen Kleven moved to approve the December 14, 2004 Economic Development Authority Minutes. EDA Member Wennen seconded and the motion carried unanimously. Economic Development Authority - Minutes January 11, 2005 Page 2 DEVELOPMENT UPDATE Ryan Schroeder informed the EDA that construction continues on the ICC and PRI buildings in the industrial park. The closing will occur in the next couple of weeks for American Agco's second project in the industrial park. Staff is also working on a couple of multi- tenant and smaller projects that are interested in building in the industrial park. It will be difficult to find appropriate sites for these projects because of their size. Staff is also working with a 25,000 SF user that is interested in the site west of the flume. If this project moves forward the building will be partially earth sheltered because of the topography of the site. The Market Place project was burglarized recently, shortly after opening of the license center and the sporting goods store, which are currently verifying their losses. Community Development recently received plans for a two -story two building office /retail project next to the YSB building. This project will face some site challenges. The developer for the Market Place project is also proposing a similar retail project next to Menards. The City will begin marketing the restaurant site next to Ruby Tuesday because Bakers Square is no longer interested in the Twin Cities market. Staff developed a brochure to be sent to developers and restaurants on the site. Presbyterian Homes expects to be in with site plans for the City to review on the redevelopment of the Cottage Square site. They will also be meeting with tenants to discuss relocation assistance and benefits. Mayor Shiely mentioned that Stone Soup has closed their location at Cottage Square, but she is on a committee to find a new location and they plan on reopening in the near future. Ryan Schroeder mentioned that there are some moderately priced spaces for lease at the G -Will Center and the MGM Mall. Mr. Schroeder also informed the EDA that commercial activity generated $12.8 million in permits value during 2004. Staff expects this amount to increase next year, but by a minimal amount. 308 homes were built in 2004 and staff expects about the same amount in 2005. Mayor Shiely commented that she liked the brochures. Ryan Schroeder asked the EDA members to look at the brochure and let staff know if anything is missing. EAST RAVINE Howard Blin informed the EDA that staff is currently working on planning for the Cottage View commercial area and transportation planning for the East Ravine area. After speaking to developers, staff has redesigned the site with the big box retailers in the back of the site and the smaller retail users at the front of the site. This plan will require a lot of grading and other big box users could be accommodated at the top of the hill. This is a long range development scheme that needs 5 to 10 years of housing development to accommodate this amount of commercial development. Mayor Shiely asked if increased buffering would be used between the homes and the big box retailers. Mr. Blin said that a roadway and other screening would be used to create a buffer between the two areas. This type of buffering has been successful at Tamarack Village and in other areas of the Twin Cities. Mike Wennen asked about the topography issues on the site. Mr. Blin informed the EDA that even with the topographical issues on the site developers still see the area as viable. Economic Development Authority - Minutes January 11, 2005 Page 3 To accommodate the increased traffic from the new housing and commercial development a couple of roadways will need to be improved. Staff is suggesting that Keats Avenue be updated to 4 lanes by 2020 with stop signals. They are also suggesting upgrades to Military Road and Bailey Road to handle the increased traffic to Interstate 94. Planning needs to occur now to deal with the increased traffic from the East Ravine project. Washington County does not currently have any funds set aside for road improvements in Cottage Grove within their five year plan. GATEWAY FENCING Monica Percic informed the EDA that the City received a rough draft of the fencing agreement from Kennedy and Graven. According to the agreement, property owners will pay for the fence, maintenance, and repair. The City will be able to fix a fence that is in disrepair and charge the property owner for the cost. The Washington County HRA will fund the trail and the City will provide maintenance. Glen Kleven pointed out a typo in the agreement and he suggested language that if 50% of the fence is in disrepair then the fence will all be replaced. Gerry Weingartner asked what would happen if a property is sold in the future and how the agreement would affect the future property owner. Mr. Schroeder said the agreement will be recorded on the property and they will have to abide by the agreement. BUSINESS BREAKFAST The Business Breakfast at 3M Cottage Grove will be held on January 24 beginning at 7:00 AM. Sixty people RSVP'd for the event at the time of this meeting. January 11 th is the last day to RSVP for the event. EDA MEMBER TERMS The EDA has experienced some turnover due to the 2004 elections and retirements. Myron Bailey has taken the City Council Liaison seat vacated by Jim Wolcott. Mike Wennen was scheduled to be reappointed to the EDA in January 2004. Mr. Wennen needs to be reappointed effective January 2004. Dick Pederson has decided to retire from the EDA effective after this meeting. Mayor Shiely recommended that the EDA suggest the appointment of Jim Wolcott to fill the seat vacated by Mr. Pederson's retirement. Glen Kleven made a motion to appoint Myron Bailey to the City Council seat vacated by Jim Wolcott. Gerry Weingartner seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. Glen Kleven made a motion to reappoint Mayor Sandy Shiely to the other City Council seat on the EDA. Gerry Weingartner seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. Gerry Weingartner made a motion to suggest reappointment to the City Council of Mike Wennen to the EDA effective January 2004. Dick Pederson seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. Mr. Pederson explained to the EDA that he had been thinking about retiring for the past couple of months. He said that it has been a privilege to serve on the EDA, but it is time to step down from the position. Mayor Shiely thanked Mr. Pederson for his years of distinguished service to Cottage Grove and wished him the best of luck in his retirement. Mike Wennen made a motion to recommend the appointment of Jim Wolcott to the EDA. Gerry Weingartner seconded the motion and the Economic Development Authority - Minutes January 11, 2005 Page 4 motion passed unanimously. Mayor Shiely informed the EDA that she would like to serve as interim president of the EDA to allow Myron Bailey to get some experience. Mike Wennen made a motion to appoint Mayor Shiely as EDA President, Myron Bailey as EDA Vice - President, and reappoint Gerry Weingartner as EDA Treasurer /Secretary. Glen Kleven seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. MISC Mike Wennen asked why the enabling resolution allowed for 3, 4, 5, and 6 year terms. Mayor Shiely explained that the term lengths were from when the EDA was originally formed so that all the members would not be reappointed at the same time. Ryan Schroeder recently received information from the AMM President regarding transportation funding bills at the State Capitol. Mr. Schroeder shared copies of this information with the EDA. Mayor Shiely also informed the EDA that there will be a meeting at 7:00 PM Wednesday at the Capitol to discuss transportation issues. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 8:30 a.m. Respectively Submitted Scott Johnson Management Analyst