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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999.10.12 EDA MINUTES-APPROVED CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MINUTES OCTOBER 12, 1999 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 12th day of October 1999. 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:30 a.m. by Mayor Denzer. 2. ROLL CALL Members Present: Jack Denzer, Shannon Green, Glen Kleven, Fred Luden, Dick Pederson, Gerard Weingartner, Jim Wolcott. Members Absent: None. Others Present: Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator. Michelle Wolfe, Assistant City Administrator. Steve Barrett, Management Analyst. Neil Belscamper, Secretary. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Wolcott moved to approve the September 14, 1999 Economic Development Authority Minutes. Pederson seconded. Motion carried unanimously. 4.A. PROJECT UPDATES Wolfe commented that there were quite a few proposals in the works. Cottage Grove was still being considered for a two-acre warehouse project by an overseas company. Metro East activity had picked up over the last month. The hotel project on Point Douglas Road was progressing and traffic-management consultants were being contacted. There were still some ponding issues in regard to the new Post Office annex in the industrial park. Officials from Grove Plaza met with City officials last week to discuss parking concerns over the theater proposal. Kleven suggested that there might 411 be the possibility of acquiring more land for parking from the district center property behind Rainbow. There was some discussion over the Rose of Sharon property and a r, • Economic Development Authority - Minutes October 12, 1999 Page 2 recent purchase agreement made on it. Last week a site visit to a vending-machine manufacturer in St. Paul had taken place; the manufacturer is interested in building a 400,000-500,000 sq.-ft. building, but has concerns over labor availability and does not have an exact timeline for the acquisition of land and construction of the facility. A particulate manufacture was looking for a 15,000 sq.-ft facility and would be out next week to see the industrial park. Luden remarked that the Murphy warehouse project was progressing. 4.B. GOLF OUTING-2000 PLANS Wolfe stated that a date should be set if a golf tournament was going to be set for next year. There were concerns over having too many participants if there was a combined event with the Chamber of Commerce, as had been discussed. Pederson thought that it should be given a try, as the two organization have basically the same goals. He emphasized that the new clubhouse would be ready next spring, and that an event could be held in conjunction with it, perhaps along with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Kleven voiced some concerns with having a full 144-person tournament. Pederson felt that getting local business people together with brokers, etc. would be very beneficial. Luden commented that both tournaments had been successful this year. Denzer also expressed concerns over the growth of both tournaments, and that there may be too • many participants next year if the tournaments are combined. Luden suggested booking the date with River Oaks, and then canceling it if need be. Kleven asked if we were getting all the people we really wanted at the tournament, or if we were just filling spots. Weingartner asked if participants would sign up as teams, and commented that there might not be a lot of intermingling if they did. Kleven noted that the charitable aspect of the Chamber event might help increase participation. Kleven suggested holding two dates at the golf course to cover both scenarios, and then deciding in the next couple of months. Wolfe said she would get the second date. 4.C. MARKETING/ADVERTISING UPDATES Wolfe said she was still waiting for a couple more editorial calendars from different publications. Wolfe presented a community map that the City of Hastings produced. Schroeder said he liked the idea, which had local business advertising around the perimeter. Cottage Grove, St. Paul Park, Newport, and Grey Cloud Township could be included on such a map. Schroeder said that the Chamber would be producing it, but asked if the EDA would be willing to participate in the funding. Weingartner felt the EDA should participate. Wolcott remarked that it would be important to have street numbering on the map because of the difficulty to find certain properties in the City. Wolfe said the Hastings map, which did not have street addresses, would be useful for just getting around town. Green agreed, stating that people new to the community would find a general map useful, and commented that the old Chamber map was not as appealing as • the colored Hastings example. Luden said the idea would be presented to the Chamber board, which would then decide if they want the EDA to get involved in the process. • Economic Development Authority - Minutes October 12, 1999 Page 3 4.D. METRO EAST Wolfe said a meeting with David Piggott would take place regarding cooperative advertisement. It was noted that Metro East is making a more committed effort to their web page. 4.E. STORMWATER DESIGN This was an informational item presented with the packet. 4.F. LIVABLE COMMUNITIES This was an informational item presented with the packet. Enclosed was a copy of the grant application. 4.G. EDA STRATEGIC PLAN There was discussion over possibly soliciting input from people at the business breakfast. Wolfe said that the breakfast had been traditionally held in January. Kleven • said more specific goals should be established for the strategic plan. Strategies would be established during a first meeting with a facilitator, Luden said, and the second meeting would involve the establishment of tactics. Wolcott identified some of the key issues with transportation as they relate to the strategic planning process. Wolcott, Kleven and Pederson agreed that the process needed to begin as soon as possible. Pederson concurred. 4.H. SENIOR HOUSING Wolfe said there had been some activity in the area of senior housing with other commissions, and asked if the EDA wanted to discuss the issue. Schroeder said there were more and more people interested in the City getting involved in senior housing; he said a lot of people feel that it is an important issue and must be addressed in the near future. Kleven and Weingartner both felt that the issue was not appropriate for the EDA to state as a goal. Schroeder asked if it should be addressed in a mixed-use development. Kleven felt that the issue of housing should be market driven, and that the EDA should not be involved in it, unless it was a part of a multi-use development. Pederson agreed that the EDA should not take the lead in addressing the issue on its own. 4.1. YEAR 2000 ROAD IMPROVEMENTS/WAKOTA BRIDGE UPDATE This was an informational item presented in the packet. • it • Economic Development Authority - Minutes October 12, 1999 Page 4 4.J. FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS UPDATE Wolfe said the study involved the whole city, and the EDA could provide comments if it so chose. Schroeder said the final draft should be done in the next month or so, and comments were being sought. 5. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS ITEMS Information was presented about the Chamber meeting regarding Grey Cloud Island, which would take place on October 18th. Kleven commented that there was a joint meeting with the Planning Commission and City Council on October 26. 6. ADJOURN Wolcott moved to adjourn. Weingartner seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, • (Neil Belscamp. Economic Development Sec—tary •