8.0. EDSR 08-08-1994 ELK RIVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
•
DATE: August 8, 1994
TO: EDA Commissioners
FROM: Jeff Gongoll, EDA President
SUBJECT: Task Force: Plan Review& Permitting Procedures
As you will recall, this task force was established earlier this year to look at the City's
development review process. The initial appointments included Pat Dwyer, Hank
Duitsman, Bill Rubin,Pat Klaers,and myself.
This subject certainly has wide-ranging implications for the City and the many people
who do, and want to do business within our growing community. Consequently, it is
• absolutely critical that we approach this issue in a responsible and responsive manner in
order to maintain credibility and be able to formulate viable suggestions or
recommendations.
The adage of". . . if it ain't broke, don't fix it" certainly has application here. The Task
Force will not undertake this activity for the sake of trying to find problems, but rather to
review the procedures and recommend revisions only where it may be appropriate to
improve our process and possibly our mindset.
Since this has implications across the City, we must involve more than the four people
already appointed in order to have an objective, but forthright discussion about this
important activity. Therefore, we will be working in Elk River. This could include
representatives from small business and industrial communities, as well as the Chamber
and the Chairs of each pertinent City Commission(i.e., Planning,Parks& Rec., Steering
Committee).
We must be sensitive to the probable divergent viewpoints that will be expressed, and be
able to distinguish between factual, workable issues rather than basic complaints on
isolated items. In order to be objective and fair, the group's mission must be specific and
well developed. Achieving a Partnership of understanding and open-minded
communication between the public and private sectors is certainly a worthy goal to
seriously consider. We should strive to improve our customer service, and thus,attain
• cooperation and thrust among all parties in order to make this a successful endeavor. Our
P.O. Box 490 • 13065 Orono Parkway • Elk River, MN 55330-1743 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425
Equal Opportunity Housing and Equal Opportunity Employment
Ank growing community represents a daily exercise in managing dynamic activities. We need
ip to be creative in the development and management of our community to be consistent with
its mission and operating philosophy;considering an approach which does not ignore the
public's perspective, and successfully achieves the City's management objectives. It
should not be a plan to look only at single projects or activities;it is and essential process
toward the professional management of a growing, dynamic community while keeping in
mind the vital impact it makes on the customers which are served.
This will be a discussion item at our meeting Monday night._I would expect to come away
with a consensus of the group's compliment, and possibly an outline of the tasks that the
group should research and review.