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7.0. HRSR 10-04-2004 ITEM # 7. • City of Elk -�-� River MEMORANDUM TO: Housing & Redevelopment Authority FROM: Catherine Mehelich, Director of Economic Development DATE: October 4, 2004 SUBJECT: City Council Goal Setting Work Session with Boards & Commissions, October 11, 2004 Attachment • Staff memo RE: Board&Commission Handbook and Council Policy,August 4, 2004 • DRAFT 2004-2007 Economic Development Strategic Plan • Background The HRA recently received a Boards and Commissions Handbook that was adopted by the City Council. The attached staff memo was included with the handbook and announced that a special meeting was scheduled by the City Council for October 11, 2004 at 6:30 pm with all Boards and Commissions. The meeting will be held at Lion's Park Center. The Chair, or a designated Commission member,is asked to briefly share the top goals and projects of the respective Commission at the work session. Action Requested In addition to the redevelopment issues identified in the attached draft 2004 Economic Development Strategic Plan, staff recommends that the HRA provide input on the following top goals and projects: 1. Implementation of the Downtown Revitalization Project with MetroPlains Development 2. Completion of the Downtown North of Hwy 10 Visioning Plan 3. Continue to monitor the housing needs of the City • • City of Elk -�-� River MEMORANDUM TO: Housing and Redevelopment Authority FROM: Catherine Mehelich, Director of Economic Development DATE: August 4, 2004 SUBJECT: Board and Commission Handbook and Council Policy Attached,please find the recently adopted Board and Commission Handbook. The handbook is intended to provide guidance to commission members and provide a location to keep key information. In the handbook there is pertinent statutory and ordinance information, schedules of meetings, references to the open meeting law, and the newly adopted Board and Commission policy. The Board and Commission policy outlines the Council's expectations of its Boards and Commissions,including communications with the Council and with those outside of the City. It is intended to improve communication between the Council and its Boards and Commissions. Please mark on your calendar October 11,2004, a Monday evening. The Council has set that date as a goal-setting session with all of its Boards and Commissions. The goals will be set for 2005. An annual orientation for new commission members will be scheduled after commission appointments are made in February sometime in April or May of each year. However,if you are a senior member of the commission,you are welcome to attend should you need a refresher course. • S:\EDA\HRA\boards&comm memo.doc •I. DRAFT City of Elk River _ 2004-2007 Economic Development Strategic Plan 0 Revised October 2004 Revised November 1999 Original Plan Adopted May 1997 010 +� DRAFT Elk ive r "A historic river community serving as a regional center with a favorable location near the Twin Cities metropolitan area" Our mission is to actively participate in economic development by utilizing available resources to leverage viable and healthy investments in our community. Such Y tY investments will create diverse job opportunities as a result of a stable and growing business and industrial base. We will strive to provide quality services, maintain a favorable tax rate, supply full-cycle housing options for our residents, and foster an environment that will result in substantial growth of our local economy. DRAFT Modification Committee ra,,, XV+. City Council Economic Development Authority Housing and Redevelopment Authority • EDA Business Incubator Advisory Committee EDA Finance Committee EDA Marketing Committee Facilitator: Jim Brimeyer, The Brimeyer Group • r' DRAFT Major Issues and Goals , • Industrial Development ♦ Attract new businesses and expand existing businesses to increase the city's industrial tax and job base tt Central Business District (CBD • • Undertake planning and activities that facilitate redevelopment in the Central Business District • Transportation ♦ Advocate and support proactive planning for improvements to the local and area transportation system Commercial Development • Encourage desired commercial development in identified areas l DRAFT I . Industrial Development MI t, j 4 I---&-.c :: , :: a. ... — o-15F .. ... ..; sZ,m 4: 7E01 Ilt Make available several location options for industries • Obtain joint development agreements for Elk Path Business Center and Elk River Business Park • Consider options to reduce landowner cost of development • Develop a "price point" policy 0 • Consider making current City/EDA-owned land available (Brown, Cargill) • Complete initial phase of roads an4 utilities in all parks • Consider a program to purchase p rtions of private parks over time — with options to urchase additional land • Consider unique attributes/vision for each park (ie. "Elk River Energy City Industrial Park", Northstar Corridor) • M DRAFT i Industrial Development Continued . . .. :w : • Develop unique and more generous business incentive programs (TIF, Tax Rebate Financing, Micro Loans, etc.) • Maintain consistent marketing image as "The Light Industrial Hub of the Northwest Metro", materials and methods. • Maintain and build networks with banks, brokers, chamber, existing businesses, media, and others. S X Maintain annual Business Retention & Expansion visits with participation from elected/appointed officials and Chamber, promote expansion incentive programs. • Maintain prospect/inquiry tracking and distribute semi- annual results to the EDA and Planning Commission. • Utilize DEED's Manufacturing Week to showcase existing firms. • Utilize GIS to manage data of industrial real estate • Maintain inventory of available industrial land/buildings • Maintain commitment to the Business Incubator Program • Identify developer and location for "next generation" incubator building • Explore continued program funding options • • DRAFT 11 Central Business District (CBD) MZEPOMILlis, '-%11:i7"101W` Izt Complete long range master plan for guiding vision of the CBD; break down activities into "manageable chunks" tt Identify priority redevelopment areas 12 Develop list of "preferred" uses, including: • Office • Mixed use • • Residential • Specialty retail • Restaurants/bars tt Consider incentive programs, in addition to Micro Loan, for commercial building rehabilitation tt Design connections (to river, businesses, Lions Park, schools, etc) • DRAFT III . Transportation 40fflig,-# ,. m c r-tz/ t Undertake a local proactive advocacy role to generate improvements • Consider connections, service roads within developments • Limit development by land use (interim uses to preserve corridors) • Make necessary improvements to existing roads • Consider alternative routes for east/west connections (partner regionally) • • Object to any Hwy 10 bypass of Elk River • Encourage service drives along new commercial areas (e.g. East Hwy 10) tt Consider transportation improvements in areas with redevelopment/development opportunities it Consider transportation connections/traffic flow for problem areas (e.g. Elk River Concrete and Contour Mold area) Accessibility for businesses along Highways 10 and 169 it Support the City's Transportation Plan; support the Planning Dept and Engineering staff in the Plan's implementation. DRAFT IV. Commercial Development tj: qtn-- t Consider focus area study of the gravel mining area to identify commercial sites • Consider development of commercial areas identified in the Comprehensive Plan • Co Rd 33 and H-wy 169 • Elk River/Ramsey border tt Identify areas for redevelopment and determine priorities • Designate large area for "shopping mall" or clustering of retail that is pedestrian friendly and integrated • Utilize the Chamber of Commerce for marketing availability of commercial areas (land and building space) • Explore/consider neighborhood commercial (the "corner store") fl Explore incentives to lure desired businesses to locate in areas that the market is not interested in at this time (e.g. Hwy 10) 41111