07-05-2022 HRA MINRegular Meeting of the Elk River
Housing and Redevelopment Authority
Held at the Elk River City Hall
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Members Present: Chair Larry Toth, Commissioners Denny Chuba, Nate Ovall, and Jennifer
Wagner
Members Absent: Commissioner Jayme Swenson
Staff Present: Economic Development Director Brent O'Neil, Economic Development
Specialist Josh Mollan, and Sr. Administrative Assistant/Recording Secretary
Jennifer Green
I . Call Meeting to Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Housing and
Redevelopment Authority was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Chair Toth.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
3. Consider July 5, 2022, Agenda
Moved by Commissioner Ovall and seconded by Commissioner Chuba to approve
the July 5, 2022, HRA meeting agenda as presented.
Motion carried 4-0.
4. Consent Agenda
Moved by Commissioner Wagner and seconded by Commissioner Chuba to approve
the consent agenda as follows:
4.1 HRA Meeting Minutes
■ June 6, 2022, Regular
■ June 6, 2022, Closed
4.2 Check registers as outlined in the staff report.
4.3 Balance sheets as outlined in the staff report.
4.4 Revenue/expenditure reports as outlined in the staff report.
4.5 Satisfaction of Mortgage — Gadach and Tschida as outlined in the staff
report.
Motion carried 4-0.
Housmg and Redevelopment Minutes
July 5, 2022
S. Open Forum
No one appeared for Open Forum.
6.1 HRA Housing Rehabilitation Loan Update
Mr. Mollan presented the staff report.
Chair Toth asked if the recent loan amount increase would be advertised in those ads.
Mr. Mollan indicated the loan amount is active on the CEE website.
Mr. O'Neil stated they are currently considering ad content.
6.2 General Updates
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Mr. O'Neil presented the staff report. He indicated the budget conversation will include
carry over items from the previous year and to be open to discussing anything else to
consider. It was the consensus of the commission to hold the special meeting to discuss the
2023 budget on August 1, 2022, at 4:30 p.m.
Mr. O'Neil stated he and Mr. Mollan have had two Placer.ai trainings, learning about the
portal and making some initial observations, hoping to provide more of an update at the
August meeting.
Chair Toth asked about the wording on the Main and Gates sign regarding TIF monies and
felt the wording was misleading.
Mr. O'Neil stated as part of repairing the sign, they discussed creating a new one with
updated accurate content.
Commissioner Ovall stated TIF may be eligible, and it can be awarded, although there are no
specific dollar amounts approved.
The HRA Commission adjourned the meeting at 5:40 p.m. to go into work session. The
meeting reconvened at 5:43 p.m.
7.1 Main and Gates Site Updates
Mr. O'Neil presented the staff report and indicated two different entities had contact him in
the past 30-45 days interested in putting a medical type building on the Main and Gates site.
He stated he also received an interest from an entity proposing an apartment building on the
site and noted housing TIF would be requested. Other past inquiries included a daycare,
memory care, and a swim school.
Mr. O'Neil requested the HRA to discuss these concepts and asked: is there a preferred
concept? Commercial? Medical? Housing? Are we interested in reselling the property? ��
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July 5, 2022
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Should they split the site and focus one area on residential? The land is eligible for incentives
— which have already been partially completed by acquiring and leveling the properties. Is
there a need for partnerships? And finally, any desire to have some interim activity on the
site to put it to use or give it something for people to look at the property in a unique way.
Mr. O'Neil explained corridor visioning — looking at the road, streetscape, and adjacent land
use, and viewing the surrounding area to the 169 Redesign to determine what use fits best in
this site. Would they ever consider the entire corridor being changed, and would perhaps a
small boutique hotel then fit? And finally, directing marketing interest and how do they want
to market this parcel.
Chair Toth stated he felt they should allow any offer to come in and be heard by the HRA
and not discourage any use unless they felt they were poor uses.
Commissioner Ovall stated he would be interested in the tax base for density, what would
bring in the highest and best tax yield dollars. He stated he envisions medical and would be
more interested in that. He did not feel a hotel would be friendly to the neighborhood. He
felt a daycare or swim school would also be conducive to the corridor.
Mr. O'Neil showed the HRA commission the Main and Gates property boundaries and
explained how the site could, for example, support a 10,000-foot building for a medical use.
Mr. O'Neil explained how partnerships can be formed with several interested parties to
^, combine uses or enlarge one use. A challenge was accessibility off Main Street.
Commissioner Wagner discussed the streetscape visioning and if they wanted to create a
more walkable downtown extension, a mixed use like Granite Shores seemed to be a terrific
way to create that walkability area and could potentially be the catalyst to the desired change
from east to west. She suggested having interim uses for the site, like farmer market stands
or makers market stands just to get some action on the parcel.
The HRA discussed the remaining residential lot with the surrounding area and would they
be able to provide future support to the overall redevelopment. The HRA discussed and
agreed Mr. O'Neil should reach out to the owner of 425 3rd Street NW. They also discussed
the possibility of someone purchasing the entire parcel for fair market value, and how would
the city guide the uses of the site following city code. The HRA was not in favor of
proposing single-family housing.
Commissioner Ovall did not feel like the empty site was an eyesore. He stated he would love
to have a developer that will design the entire site to its best use using the original specs,
instead of the HRA spinning its wheels trying to design the site themselves or trying to pair
interested parties together.
Commissioner Chuba discussed the possibility of a sidewalk and trail system connection to
improve walkability. He noted the current state of the economy may play into the future of
how this project proceeds.
Housing and Redevelopment Minutes
July 5, 2022
8. Adjournment
Chair Toth adjourned the HRA meeting at 6:28 p.m.
Minutes prepared b Jennifer Green.
Tina Allard,- City Clerk
Li y Toth, Chair
Housing & Redevelopment Authority
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