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6.3 EDSR 06-15-2015 Request for Action To Item Number Economic Development Authority 6.3 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by General BusinessJune 15, 2015Amanda Othoudt, EDD Item Description Reviewed by EDA Strategic Plan Workshop Cal Portner, City Administrator Reviewed by Action Requested Information presented for discussion only. Action is to be taken at the August 17, 2015, EDA meeting. Background/Discussion As part of the budget process, a strategic planning workshop is advisable to allow for informal discussions regarding the goals and objectives, major projects, and other items influencing the EDA budget. Staff has included the 2013-2016 Strategic Plan approved by the HRA on January 7, 2013, and subsequently the EDA on January 14. Staff recommends updating the strategic plan to reflect the goals and objectives of the EDA for the 2017-2020 fiscal years. With additional comments, staff proposes to continue the following priority objectives and strategies for 2017-2020:  Business Development - Attract new businesses and support existing businesses to increase the city’s industrial tax base, commercial base, and employment base.  Redevelopment & Rehabilitation - Undertake strategies to facilitate rehabilitation and redevelopment of aging commercial, industrial, and residential areas to ensure private reinvestment and sustainability.  Community Brand - Utilize community brand strategies to effect necessary change to strengthen and enhance community image.  Transportation - Advocate and support proactive planning for improvements to the local and area transportation system in a way that will support existing businesses and complement new economic growth. Upon approval by both the HRA and EDA, staff will update the city’s website and distribute plan to various staff, stakeholders and community members. Financial Impact None. Attachments  2013-2016 EDA/HRA Strategic Plan 2013 – 2016 EDA Strategic Plan Final BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Attract new businesses and support existing businesses to increase the city’s industrial tax base, commercial tax base and employment base. INDUSTRIAL STRATEGIES Promote available sites, encourage business retention and expansion to grow existing  light industrial base with business recruitment/attraction techniques Diversify economic base to include professional services, corporate campuses, energy-  related companies, and technology businesses Review existing programs, resources, and services and recommend improvements to  increase competitive advantage and support goals Explore creative economic development collaborations  Utilize Energy City and its tools to recruit new and assist existing businesses  COMMERCIAL STRATEGIES Promote available sites, encourage business retention and expansion to grow existing  commercial base with business recruitment/attraction techniques Diversify economic base to include a wide variety of retail and service industries, as well  as additional fine dining opportunities Review existing programs, resources, and services and recommend improvements to  increase competitive advantage and support goals Explore creative economic development collaborations  Enhance commercial district through business recruitment and activities  ACTION STEPS  Complete minimum of one BRE visit a month (manufacturers and top employers) and distribute Business Finance Toolkit, Available Sites, Community Profile, Energy City Brochure, Business Recycling Toolkit and other pertinent information.  Promote available sites through exhibits at various expos (minimum 2x/yr.) st  Utilize 171 FAST implementation plan to create a marketing piece for Nature’s Edge Business Center and an annual redevelopment action plan to monitor progress of implementation  Partner with ERMU to identify applicable rebates for available city-owned property  Promote applicable incentives through direct mailings (minimum 3x/yr.) 1 Approved EDA January 14, 2013, HRA January 7, 2013  Promote Elk River to the restaurant industry through website (www.elkrivermn.gov/restaurants), direct mailings, Constant Contact email blasts and other marketing venues  Partner with Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce to coordinate Chamber goals with economic development goals through various implementation tasks  Utilizing economic development publications make contact with businesses looking to expand, relocate, etc.  Review Micro Loan Program and recommend improvements to increase competitive advantage and support goals  Partner with ECC and ERMU to explore a joint incentive to attract energy-related technology businesses  Partner with local schools and manufacturers to hold quarterly meetings to encourage students to explore a career in manufacturing through plant tours, youth apprenticeship programs, energy city tours and programs, and job shadowing  Launch a powerful website for the Elk River Economic Development Department  Demonstrate support for existing manufacturers and raise awareness regarding their impact on the community through various promotional activities and tours during Minnesota Manufacturers Week  Identify target industries (e.g. data centers, energy-related companies, fine dining establishments, etc.) and create specific marketing pieces to identify advantages and programs to assist in business recruitment  Host quarterly Manufacturers’ Connection events with local manufacturers to promote financial incentives, resources and relevant topics to promote business retention and appreciation  Build a targeted industry and trade media databases and send press releases 6x per year.  Produce an energy conservation best-practices brochure to provide to businesses  Coordinate with Energy City to plan and market energy city events e.g. Energy City Business of the Year  Partner with Energy City and the Streets Department to promote proper disposal of Fats, Oils and Grease through videos, flyers, emails, social media, and other media 2 Approved EDA January 14, 2013, HRA January 7, 2013 REHABILITATION AND REDEVELOPMENT Undertake strategies that facilitate rehabilitation and redevelopment of aging commercial, industrial and residential areas to ensure private reinvestment and sustainability. COMMERICAL/INDUSTRIAL STRATEGIES Maintain a listing of available commercial /industrial sites  Promote available sites through various marketing initiatives  Identify and examine potential areas for revitalization  Review existing programs, resources, and services and recommend improvements to  increase our competitive advantage and support goals Enhance downtown commercial district through business recruitment and people-  generating activities ACTION STEPS  Update windshield survey quarterly and post on website  Feature available property in quarterly ‘Energized by Development’ electronic newsletter  Promote www.elkriversites.com on billboard 1x/yr. (changed quarterly)  Partner with downtown business association and civic groups to promote existing and explore new downtown activities  Partner with Elk River Area Arts Alliance to explore funding concepts for an arts center within the downtown study area  Create and distribute a survey to businesses to identify recommended improvements to existing programs, resources and services, in addition to identifying preferred methods of communication to improve Elk River business climate  Identify current property owners’ and businesses’ interest in redevelopment efforts both north st and south of HWY 10 and in 171 Focused Area Study area  Create a redevelopment policy regarding capitalizing the HRA development fund and identify parameters for purchasing parcels  Create and distribute comprehensive business directory to promote downtown Elk River  Partner with the Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce to hold annual event to promote economic development resources and incentives (Juice Up Your Morning, Chamber luncheon, Money Breakfast, etc.)  Create a short video promoting available sites and applicable initiatives to distribute through social media outlets, constant contact and website 3 Approved EDA January 14, 2013, HRA January 7, 2013 RESIDENTIAL STRATEGIES Maintain listing of vacant/foreclosed properties  Address housing gaps with Comprehensive Housing Market Study recommendations  Proactively review neighborhoods annually to ensure all home are properly maintained  through the code enforcement process Seek and promote available programs to improve existing housing stock and incentivize  homeownership Provide educational opportunities regarding foreclosure prevention and housing  assistance programs ACTION STEPS  Continue to work with applicable departments and entities to maintain internal foreclosure tracking spreadsheet  Distribute MN Home Ownership Center foreclosure prevention, Energy City conservation brochure, and Elk River Housing Toolkit information to local lenders, realtors, churches, non- profits, builders, etc. (minimum 4x/yr.)  Partner with staff to devise a neighborhood inspection plan to ensure all homes are properly maintained through the code enforcement process  Utilize housing intern to research programs available to Elk River residents to improve existing housing stock and incentivize homeownership  Partner with North Metro Realtors Association to explore the creation of in house housing programs (down payment assistance, housing rehab, etc.)  Partner with applicable non-profits (MNHOC, Tri-CAP, etc.) to hold educational events to promote foreclosure prevention and housing programs (minimum 2x/yr.)  Identify a partner housing organization to fund and support a selective housing removal and rebuilding program  Host an annual Realtors’ Day to educate realtors about the programs, processes and amenities offered by the city 4 Approved EDA January 14, 2013, HRA January 7, 2013 COMMUNITY BRAND Utilize community brand strategies to effect necessary changes to strengthen and enhance community image STRATEGIES Continue to implement and enhance marketing plan that reflects the Powered by  Nature brand, identifies desired target market(s), and complements other local efforts to promote the community internally and externally Maintain existing and build new community support for the Powered by Nature brand  Establish benchmarks for performance measurement  ACTION STEPS  Work with area businesses and civic organizations to incorporate brand into their marketing strategies through presentations (minimum 6x/yr.)  Create PbN logos for area businesses and civic organizations (minimum 6x/yr.)  Meet with each city department to ensure all documents (staff reports, applications, business cards, presentations, letterhead, etc.) adhere to brand guidelines as outlined on SharePoint  Maintain poweredbynature.blog.com site (minimum 3x/wk.)  Distribute window clings and larger windows signs of the logo  Distribute brochures explaining the brand to residents to municipal liquor stores, Guardian Angels, Pullman Place, Sherburne County, local banks, Chamber of Commerce, local hotels, etc.  Utilize community brand throughout the new Economic Development and citywide website  Promote the brand, engage residents, and distribute materials at expos (3x per year) and at events such as Realtors’ Day, Leadership Elk River, and Manufacturers Connection  Create profiles on first-tier business owners in Synchronist – a tracking software used to record information on local businesses and visits  Launch an online marketing campaign through pay-per-click and keyword advertising  Benchmark the impact of the Powered by Nature brand with data from Google Analytics and a search engine optimization analysis. 5 Approved EDA January 14, 2013, HRA January 7, 2013 TRANSPORTATION Advocate and support proactive planning for improvements to the local and area transportation system in a way that will support existing businesses and complement new economic growth. STRATEGIES Advocate regional and local transportation improvements  Encourage transportation improvements as part of redevelopment/development  opportunities Support efforts to leverage local funds with state/federal resources  ACTION STEPS (submitted by City Engineer)  Increase contact with legislators for state highway transportation improvements  Complete low cost/high benefit enhancements to improve traffic flow through the existing street intersections  Advocate for the continued use and expansion of Northstar commuter rail service. st  Continue implementation of transportation improvements as detailed in the 171 Focused Area Study  Assure all proposed development improvements are consistent with our local and regional transportation plans.  Leverage State and Federal investment for mobility improvements to TH 169 and TH 10 with the already spent local dollars for the planning of improvements to these sections.  Evaluate all available grant opportunities to determine if the local matching amounts are a cost effective and feasible solution to support our objectives and strategies. 6 Approved EDA January 14, 2013, HRA January 7, 2013