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4.1. EDA DRAFT MINUTES (3 SETS) 06-15-2020 VA City of Elk Virtual Special Meeting of the Elk River River Economic Development Authority Held at the Elk River City Hall Monday, May 18, 2020 Members Present: President Dan Tveite, Commissioners Garrett Christianson, Matt Westgaard, Nate Ovall,Jennifer Wagner,Jeff Hartwig, and Charlie Blesener Members Absent: None Staff Present: Economic Development Director Amanda Othoudt, and Economic Development Specialist Colleen Edd I. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereo , `'e meeting of the Elk River tconomic Development Authority was called to order at 4:32 p.m. by President Tveite. 2. Roll Call ■ Dan Tveite ■ Garrett Christianson ■ Nate Ovall ■ Jennifer Wagner ■ Charlie Blesener ■ Matt Westgaard ■ Jeff Hartwig 3. Chamber of Commerce Business Survey Ms. Othoudt presented the staff report. Concern# 2: Current rebate programs are insufficient to achieve the objectives of the stated goals Tom Sagstetter,Elk River Municipal Utilities, explained the various rebate programs and outlined the tools used to market them. Commissioner Blesener asked about the synergies between building, planning, and utilities staff. Mr. Carlton stated everyone connects during a site plan review for each project. He was unsure about the building permit process. Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 2 May 18,2020 ----------------------------- Commissioner Ovall stated it is difficult to make decisions when there isn't enough information to understand where inefficiencies could lay. Mr. Sagstetter stated there are program differences based on the customer,but they are in line with their competitors. Councilmember Ovall stated he would like to understand our competitive advantage. He knows ERMU reliability is excellent. Commissioner Blesener stated Concern#2 is related to Concern#1. He stated the person with this concern felt the city should be an innovative leader in energy programs if it truly is Energy City. Commissioner Wagner stated we really need to 1--to t the carpet for green buildings if a developer is willing to bring in a green business. Commissioner Blesener stated ERMU has quite a few programs already with renewables and staff is asking if there is interest in exploring and developing rebate programs further. 'N*OOW Chair Tveite stated he doesn't see anything the Authority is prepared to do additionally. He suggested it may be helpful to have ERMU put together a summary of their programs to pass onto applicants.A Commissioner Ovall stated the perceptive comm from one individual. He stated he likes the current programs and would be willing to explore more but is not sure what direction to pursue without more input. Mr. Sagstetter stated every city ha ,its limitation noting some have more resources available to be more a ressive. fs. ddy fu scu ther marketing materials. missioner Ov11 " questioned if the Authority would support further exploration as a line item in the budget. He suggested taking funds from the microloan program because they aren't being utilized as well. Chair Tveite concurred. Commissioner Ovall felt current programs are adequate but there is room for improvement. Commissioner Wagner concurred. She suggested it could be part of the comprehensive plan update scheduled later this year. UREJ Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 3 May 18,2020 ----------------------------- It was consensus of the Authority that current rebate programs are adequate with room for improvement and continual review, given how the city markets Elk River as Energy City. Concern# 9 ): Can there be a proactive approach to business development such as educating builders, contractors, owners before a project is submitted? Ms. Othoudt outlined current approaches utilized by staff as noted in the staff report. Commissioner Christianson stated business retention visits are great when trying to capture expansion but asked how staff engages with b ders new to the construction process in Elk River. Ms. Othoudt stated a meeting is scheduled with the buil\ariousff such as planning, economic development, and building. Commissioner Christianson asked if this was sufficient. Mr. Carlton stated business cards are given to prospective developers and they are free to call at any time with questions. Follow-up letters are sent after meetings outlining the discussion and expectations. He stated staff is considering a requirement for a pre-application meeting for large scale projects. He discussed setting aside a specific date and time each month for developers to visit and ask questions regarding their projects. Chair Tviete noted he experienced the city process when the Elk River Golf Course was considering construction of condos. He stated economic development staff acted as the liaison and scheduled the meeting with various staff. It was an incredibly helpful meeting,resolved a lot of questions, and laid things out very effectively for his group. He said it was a good experience noting staff does a good job He noted applicants will get good information if they reach out to staff. He stated you can't make everyone happy all the time and it is not our role to hand hold people through the whole process. Commissioner Wagner stated the site plan review meetings are a good process but the issues are occurring prior to them. She questioned if there could be a proactive approach to business development, such as educating builders/contractors. She read one comment that stated, "... if the city process was clear and well communicated there wouldn't be such a need for independent consultants." She stated business retention visits don't belong under Concern # 9 as they are not proactive. She asked if we could hold meetings a few times a year such as `Opening a Business in Elk River 101' type course. Mr. Carlton stated there could be a monthly meeting open and available for anybody to attend and ask questions no matter where they are at in their business development process. He noted an`open a business' section was added to the city P 0 W I R I U 9 Y itm§A UREJ Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 4 May 18,2020 ----------------------------- website approximately a year ago. He stated it addresses the most common business types looking to locate in Elk River. He asked the Authority for feedback on those pages. Commissioner Blesener asked if a flowchart would add value noting the uniqueness and complexities with each application and the multitude of direction they would flow through the city process. Ms. Othoudt stated flowcharts are currently available and are being revamped. Commissioner Christianson asked if the website is known and advertised. Mr. Carlton stated marketing could be improved. Commissioner Blesener suggested sharing with other audiences such as the Chamber. Mr. Portner reviewed the flowcharts developed a few years ago. Ms. Eddy further noted other marketing materials staff utilizes about opening a business. Commissioner Wagner stated applicants feel there is so much time needed to get through the city process and it's not clear on the front end. She stated more work is needed for Concern#9. Ste stated the items summarized in the staff report do not meet the concerns of#9. Commissioner Ovall discussed general examples where communication occurred with the building or fire department for a project an applicant was considering. He stated there would be a preliminary conversation about what is required but when an application package is submitted,more information is required which costs money and delays projects. He stated moves have been made in the right direction, such as a summary letter paraphrasing the meeting outcome and next steps, but there is always room for improvement. It was consensus of the Authority while there is progress made and while there are key activities, there is opportunity for better visibility and the Authority feels this is not quite adequate to this point. Chair Tviete called for a vote. He stated if the Authority votes yes, they are stating Concern #9 is not quite adequate, it's getting there, and it's in decent shape, but there is more work to be done. He stated if the Authority votes no, they feel the requirements for Concern #9 have been met. The vote was 6 yes and 1 no. Chair Tviete voted no and disagreed based on his personal positive experience. He doesn't disagree there is always room for improvement in communication. UREJ Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 5 May 18,2020 ----------------------------- Commissioner Ovall would like to see how it plays out over the next year. Concern# 9 (fib : Communications regarding process requirements for Building- Permits, Codes,Loan Programs and Ordinances needs to be timely, consistent, clear, transparent,and communicated upfront,before excessive money is spent. Commissioner Wagner stated more work is needed in this area. She stated she wasn't sure how the Minneapolis technical business program worked and related to Elk River. Ms. Othoudt stated Minneapolis has created a business navigator office with staff dedicated to assist new businesses one-on-one. Commissioner Wagner questioned if the Authority is looking to create a similar program in Elk River and how it would fit into the city process. Ms. Othoudt asked the Authority if they are interested in funding a similar type position or having a conversation with City Council to discuss further. Chair Tveite asked if Concern 9 (b) was consistent with Concern 9 (a) as it relates to the consensus decision made by the Authority. Consensus was yes. Concern#9 (b) was continued to another meeting for further discussion. Commissioner WagneY'sfated it wou d be elpfu e more information from staff, for Concern #11. She stated there is a short summary in the staff report but doesn't show anything being.accomplished. She stated it is asking the Authority to review the attached policies and provide direction to staff. Commissioner Wagner stated a tremendous amount of time is needed for Concern #15 as it was the largest concern in the survey and likely can't be completed in an hour. She stated having the Council retreat may help with the discussion for#15. She stated some of the summaries in the Concerns were lacking in substance. She stated staff hasn't done a good enough job in the follow up work for the concerns. Mr. Portner stated policies are owned and approved by the Authority and the intent was for the Authority to review them to determine how they can be less cumbersome. He stated it would be helpful if the three commissioners who met with the survey group to discuss the issues could shed some light on what was cumbersome so those specific items could be pulled out and reviewed. Commissioner Wagner disagreed stating it is not on the three commissioners but rather the Authority as a group to review the policies. She stated she can't pinpoint what is cumbersome in each loan application because there are several. Mr. Portner stated the survey information provided to staff is incomplete and not helpful. He stated staff doesn't have enough information to know the direction that otm§A UREJ Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 6 May 18,2020 ----------------------------- is expected to complete their work. He stated staff needs to know the specific issues raised by survey participants to be able to resolve the issues. He reaffirmed the Authority would review and approve the policies. Commissioner Blesener can clarify that the survey participants have relationships with banks numerous times for financial assistance and questioned how the application process for a bank loan compares to a city loan,which offers much smaller loan amounts. Chair Tviete noted the Authority's allotted meeting time is ut and these items would be discussed at a future meeting. 4. Adjournment There being no further business, President Tveite adjourned eeting of the Elk River Economic Development Authority at 5:35 p.m. Minutes prepared by City Clerk Tina Allard Dan Tveite,EDA President Tina Allard, City Clerk'* UREJ VA City of Elk Virtual Meeting of the Elk River River Economic Development Authority Held at the Elk River City Hall Monday, May 18, 2020 (Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic) Members Present: President Dan Tveite, Commissioners Garrett Christianson, Matt Westgaard, Nate Ovall,Jennifer Wagner,Jeff Hartwig, and Charlie Blesener Members Absent: None Staff Present: Economic Development Director Amanda Othoudt, and Economic Development Specialist Colleen Eddy I. Call Meeting to Order 4e, N Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Economic Development Authority was cat 5:37 p.m. by President Tveite. 2. Roll Call ■ Dan Tveite, ■ Garrett Christianson ■ Nate Ovall ■ Jennifer Wagner ■ Charlie Blesener ■ Matt Westgaard: *"Consider Jeff Hartwig 3. Agenda Moved by Commissioner Wagner and seconded by Commissioner Ovall to approve the agenda. Motion carried 7-0. 4. Consider Consent Agenda Moved by Commissioner Christianson and seconded by Commissioner Wagner to approve the following consent agenda: 4.1 April 20 and 29, 2020, Minutes 4.2 Check register as outlined in the staff report. 4.3 Balance sheet as outlined in the staff report. 4.4 Revenue/expenditure report as outlined in the staff report. Motion carried 7-0. Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 2 May 18,2020 ----------------------------- S. Open Forum No one appeared for Open Forum. 6. Public Hearings There were no public hearing items. 7.1 EDA Strategic Plan Update Ms. Othoudt presented the staff report. She introduced Tom Leighton,Economic Development Specialist, Senior Urban Planner from Stantec Consulting. Mr. Leighton reviewed his background experience. He also reviewed the work plan and the Authority's involvement in the plan as shown in his presentation. Commissioner Blesener asked for more elaboration on Item 1.4 Focus Group Sessions and Item 4.2 Business Community Workshop (Optional Task). He felt all these audiences were important to the conversation and asked about the strategy to engage people. Mr. Leighton stated the focus group sessions are designed to get differing viewpoints and would include audiences such as business.owners and other groups He stated Stantec has been developing alternative mechanisms for outreach due to COVID. Commissioner Blesener asked if Stantec had a profile of the focus groups the Authority should be considering. Vok Mr. Leighton stated it's a collaborative effort. He said the Authority should not worry about these being statistically representative, but he would want to make sure key perspectives are at the table and provided examples related to manufacturing and downtown. Ms. Othoudt provided examples of other groups such as the school district,the downtown business association, chamber of commerce,industry, service-related businesses, developers,realtors, and brokers. Mr. Leighton stated the Business Community Workshop would require an additional budget allocation if the Authority wished to pursue it. He discussed the SWOT analysis related to Elk River. The Authority asked for informational material prior to the next meeting. 7.2 COVID-10 Small Business Emergency Microloan Program Ms. Othoudt presented the staff report. She introduced city attorney Gina Florin. UREJ Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 3 May 18,2020 ----------------------------- Commissioner Wagner questioned if you have to apply for the loan to get the property tax relief and why there is an employee requirement. Ms. Othoudt stated one form was created for both programs as it was simpler to administrate and the applicant could apply for either the loan and/or tax relief. Ms. Florin stated this policy was modeled after other similar EDA policies noting most want to target smaller businesses. Chair Tveite stated he'd like to remove the employee requirement and have it applied to the businesses forced to shut down due to the governor's order. Commissioner Wagner concurred and would suggest the requirement that they have to be in business for six months prior to shut down removed. Commissioner Westgaard questioned if we are wanting to target or eliminate a certain demographic of business and that was a reason for having some of these requirements. Ms. Fiorini stated the requirement were based on what is typical for other EDA's. Commissioner Westgaard questioned if the requirement applies to a new business or new ownership of an existing business, referencing the recent sale of Olde Main Eatery. Chair Tviete s eftisronablNtseabus"inesses had to be in operation prior to the orders. He stated he would like to strike the employee requirement and keep that a business had to be open prior the orders. Commissioner Wagner concurred. ;'Commissioner Ovall fe t having both programs lumped into one application is too cumbersome for the property tax relief program,noting there are some requirements that aren't needed for this program. Ms. Othoudt stated separate applications can be drafted. She stated it would be helpful to clarify how the Authority will be measuring the property taxes to be forgiven. She questioned if it would be the May or October tax payment. Commissioner Blesener stated it should be for any taxes due in 2020. Commissioner Ovall stated is should be the lesser of their 2020 annual property tax due or$5,000. Ms. Othoudt noted it could get a little tricky with leased properties,but the lease agreements would have to be reviewed. UREJ Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 4 May 18,2020 ----------------------------- Commissioner Wagner asked for clarification about the policy language regarding the program being on a first come first serve basis and funding to be provided until the funds are exhausted or the declaration is lifted,whichever comes first. Ms. Fiorini stated it is the Authority's discretion on how they want to write the policy and they could keep the program open longer. Commissioner Wagner doesn't think the economic disparity ends when the emergency declaration changes and suggested changing the language to December 31, 2020 or until the funds are exhausted. Chair Tviete thanked staff for the quick turnaround o _ this item and catching the spirit of the Authority's intent. Moved by Commissioner Wagner and seconded by Commissioner Hartwig to adopt Resolution 20-03 approving COVID-19 Small Business Emergency Microloan Program with the following changes: 1. Eliminate number of employees' requirement. 2. Change date of being in business to prior to the governor's orders. 3. Striking city declared Sene , ncy from the timeframe. Motion carried 7-0. 7.3 Director Report; Ms. Othoudt presented the staff report as outlined in the staff report. Commissioner Wa,ner, rovided an update of the Together Elk River marketing c mpaig 8. Adjournme There being no fur ```er business, President Tveite adjourned the meeting of the Elk River Economic Development Authority at 6:29 p.m. Minutes prepared by City Clerk Tina Allard Dan Tveite,EDA President Tina Allard, City Clerk UREJ City of Elk Special Meeting of the Elk River River Economic Development Authority Held at the Elk River City Hall Wednesday, June 3, 2020 Members Present: President Dan Tveite, Commissioners Garrett Christianson,Matt Westgaard,Nate Ovall (arrived at 5:34),Jennifer Wagner,Jeff Hartwig, and Charlie Blesener Members Absent: None Staff Present: Economic Development Director Amanda Othoudt, Economic Development Specialist Colleen Eddy I. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk Rive conomic Development Authority was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by President Tveite. 2. Roll Call 3. EDA Strategic Plan Discussion Ms. Othoudt presented the staff rep The following gpresenta`tives from St ?tecwere present:John Shardlow,Tom Leighton,Lauren Walberg, and Heidi Pepper. The c n members and staff introduced themselves. Mr. Leighton facilitated the discussion. *raditional Economic Development focuses on attracting anretaining retaiibusinesses to P g improve economic circulation. It is also important to consider human development- cultivated through education, training,healthcare, and food supply. Other factors include transportation and telecommunications, areas of character that support tourism, and real estate development. Commissioner Blesener asked if housing would be included in infrastructure. Mr. Leighton agreed housing development could be a way to encourage businesses to move in and also provide a work force. Commissioner Westgaard asked if Elk River should be defined as an urban or a rural community. Although Elk River borders the metropolitan area our transportation funding classifies the city as rural. How should Elk River identify and market itself? Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 2 June 3,2020 ----------------------------- Mr. Leighton explained COVID-19 will make an economic impact including people who have jobs,impact on tourism and travel, retailers, construction, and manufacturing. He included a menu of responses that local governments have taken that Elk River may want to consider in addition to the things they have already implemented. Mr. Leighton started the workshop asking for a discussion on the economic Assets, Deterrents, and Threats. Chair Tveite stated one threat is the city's response to 169 Redefine project and how it works through this area. Should we incorporate the Parks and Recreation Commission or the HRA so that everything is coordinated? Mr. Leighton asked for clarification whether the 169 Redefine was a threat or an opportunity. A#W Chair Tveite stated it was both a threat and an opportunity depending on how it is managed. Unless the city determines what direction they want to head with development,it may not end up being constructive or beneficial to the city or for developers. Mr. Leighton questioned how this rojvect ma bring more,property on line. Commissioner Westgaard agreed with Chair Tveite and explained the 169 Redefine project will increase accessibility for business, residents, and visitors passing through. Increasing access will open up opportunities in business and housing including a large tract of land north of the city which may be available within the next decade. Mr. Leighton asked if there will be improved access to existing properties. Commissioner Westgaard stated humans naturally avoid places that are difficult to get into and out of. The same applies to businesses. There are large trucking firms and an energy company in Elk River whose trucks have to start and stop at many intersections. From a business perspective,if you are trucking out of your facility, you would want the easiest way to disperse your product. Commissioner Blesener added additional natural resources could be added to the map. He identified Woodland Trails, acreage along the Mississippi river, the Youth Athletic Complex (YAC), Hillside Park, the Multipurpose Facility, facilities maintained by ISD #728, the rivers, and Lake Orono as resources. There are several natural resources within one trip. Mr. Leighton asked Commissioner Blesener if he would add this detail to the map or make a bulleted list. Commissioner Wagner agreed Hwy 169 was an asset and the biggest catalyst in undertaking a Strategic Plan. The Active Elk River campaign is an important part of the future of Elk River. She asked about"Housing is Affordable" as an asset vs PR1ERER RI AWRE Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 3 June 3,2020 ----------------------------- "Enough Housing Options" as a deterrent. Similarly, "Land Affordability"vs "Industrial Land Availability". These areas seem to contradict each other. Mr. Leighton said he has heard from Ms. Othoudt there is great access to transportation corridors and land may be more affordable the more north of the Twin Cities you go. Commissioner Wagner felt Elk River has not seen as much industrial development as other cities due to land affordability or availability (or lack thereo�. Is it because of urban service districts? Mr. Leighton encouraged the commission to send additional comments on the Assets,Deterrents,Threats chart to Mr. Othoudt. Mr. Leighton continued the workshop focusing on the range of potential the commissioners may see for Elk River. How does the commission see the list of opportunities as listed in the packet? Commissioner Westgaard discussed some possible additions to Catalyst Projects in the "What is the Opportunity for Elk River?" column listed in the packet including areas along Hwy 10 to 101, Hr, and city owned property adjacent to YAC. Mr. Leighton asked if these areas could beidentified on a map. Commissioner Blesener asked if they other redevelopment areas besides Main St and Gates Ave. Commissioner Ovall added Railroad Dr. Commissioner Blesener added the strip mall along Hwy 10 from the old elevator to the west across to Dairy Queen could use improvements. Commissioner Christianson agreed the strip mall seemed to struggle to keep businesses there. Mr. Leighton will compile a map that identifies the opportunities mentioned. Chair Tveite added the northwest corner of Proctor Rd and Hwy 10 across from Beaudry's should be added as well. Mr. Leighton asked about redevelopment projects and encouraged the commission to think about tools they may use and what might be required to do some of the work they are interested in doing. Commissioner Ovall wondered if it would be beneficial to have staff and Planning Commission members sit in on these meetings to avoid conflicting with the Comprehensive Plan and what the market is demanding. rar IN"A" ' 'fVAE Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 4 June 3,2020 ----------------------------- Ms. Othoudt stated she could invite them to participate. Commissioner Blesener asked about the best way to include Parks and Recreation Commissioners,the HRA, and staff. Would there be additional meetings with them or should the EDA get a list of priorities from them? Mr. Leighton stated it could be a mix. He suggested having them sit in on the meeting or having an internal conversation with them. It may be better to get Planning involved once they are at the point of determining what belongs in certain locations. Commissioner Ovall stated a strategic plan and vision needs to stick to the "long game". Mr. Leighton stated the EDA is the implementer. Different commissions or staff could help to flesh out certain aspects of the plan. Mr. Blesener was intrigued by how the EDA could assist with tourism. Mr. Leighton explained tourism and marketing maybe narrowly defined and they may want to broaden them. Are th other aspects. : urism and marketing that may be opportunities? Owl Commissioner Wagner added the ultipurpose Facility as a destination. Commissioner Westgaard added a physical barrier could be the river. In addition, when talking about marketing and tourism, should we leverage our city as being a waterfront community? .. Mr. Oeher,asked if there as a trail system or amenities near the river. Commissioner Westgaard said there were some options to expand the trail system by the river. Perhaps Elk River should put focus on capturing the river as a physical amenity. Mr.Leighton asked if Active Elk River included trail expansions on the river. Commissioner Wagner responded citizens have been looking into putting a dock downtown. Active Elk River will address joining some disconnected trails in single family home areas. Mr. Leighton commented that, at this stage, the EDA does no have to sort out who would do what. The purpose is just to generate ideas and discuss them again in the future. Commissioner Christianson addressed retail vibrancy. He often hears Elk River needs more restaurants and local"mom and pop" retail. It would be useful to identify areas to target expansion in Elk River. rar IN"A" ' 'fVAE Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 5 June 3,2020 ----------------------------- Mr. Leighton agreed these restaurants and stores could be a tourist draw. Commission Wagner questioned why the documentation mentions Elk River as a "regional destination". Mr. Leighton clarified this is one of the largest shopping destinations in the area except for Rogers. Commission Christianson commented on the ability to see what type of stores are available when driving the highways through Elk River. He felt it was important, during the planning of Hwy 169 Redefine, to keep retail areas visible. Mr. Leighton asked the commission to answer the following questions: "The direction I'd like the EDA to move forward is .." "The Economic Development opportunity I'm most interested in for Elk River is..." Chair Tveite said the direction he would like the EDA to move forward in is consolidating and incorporating other parts of the city so that there is a comprehensive, all-inclusive plan that includes parks. The biggest opportunity is coming up with a plan or guidance for 169 Redefine. Not necessarily plotting properties and deciding what goes where,but some guidance to make a workable ecosystem combining retail and housin^wwas Commissioner Westgaard felt the oppo69 Redefine project and determining a direction for what the new Elk River may look like with this improved transportation plan. In addition,he does not want to forget about the older downtown areas,preserving a good mix of housing and retail opportunities. Elk River will take on a new look with Hwy 169 Redefine and the city will get new pressure from businesses development, and housing once that is in place. Comrrussioner Christianson'agreed the Hwy 169 Redefine project would change Elk River. He came back to the question of whether Elk River was considered rural. The 169 Redefine project will bring Elk River closer to the Twin Cities with more demand for housing and businesses. The city needs to be ready for what the new Elk River could look like while retaining the historic side. There should be a focus on tying the old and the new together. Commissioner Ovall felt the focus should be on Hwy 169 Redefine. However, COVID-19 has made this a risk as well. The city needs to be flexible in working with businesses who may be facing turnover or reinventing themselves as consumer's buying and travel patterns change,and will continue to change,with construction. Retail spaces may move to being experiential rather than consumption driven. Rather than focusing on expanding retail spaces,he would be interested in examining what we have within our existing boundaries, enhancing rather than adding parks, connecting trail systems,and making things more accessible. Instead of adding city sewer and water, focus on redeveloping areas that already have these installed. He rar IN"A" ' 'fVAE Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 6 June 3,2020 ----------------------------- also was interested in helping businesses move from a business model that may have been developed during a pre-COVID economy and updating it to the new market. Commissioner Wagner wanted to focus on reshaping the property tax pie and take some stress off homeowners by adding more commercial and industrial. She would Eke to emphasize how Elk River is neither metro nor rural. She wants to keep that feeling and be smart about growth instead of reactive. She would also like to see Elk River become a"youth sports hub"where regional sports tournaments bring in outside dollars. Commissioner Hartwig agreed the Hwy 169 Redefine development change would affect the outlook and appearance of businesses along the way. He would like to see existing businesses maintain what they have throughout this project. Commissioner Blesener stated the Hwy 169 Redefine project would be a big draw and the EDA should be ahead of it,guiding and being thoughtful about land use. He would also like to address signage and identification to make sure anything that comes off Hwy 169 comes back west. He felt there were areas that could be redeveloped and access could be improved. One example was the mall area along 169 with its back built to the highway. Commissioner Wagner asked that Stantec provide them with thought leadership to think outside the box and envision what"little Elk River" could be. Chair Tveite felt Elk River could be currently identified as a place where city and county collide rather than flow. 4. Adjournmen There being no further business, President Tveite adjourned the meeting of the Elk River Economic Development Authority at 7:05 p.m. Minutes prepared by Katie.Porath. ,'I N6h, Dan Tveite, EDA President Tina Allard, City Clerk arIN" wA" ' 'fVRE