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9. SR 02-04-2008Item # 9 ~ ~ ~ ~ Hoisington Koegler Group Inc. To: Elk River City Council Prom: Rusty Fifield Subject: Results of City Council Workshop Date: January 22, 2008 'Phis memorandum reports my notes and observations from the January 14 City Council Workshop. I am looking forward to continuing this process on February 4. At the next workshop, we will begin by addressing any comments you have about the information in this memo about the first workshop. The majority of time will be spent addressing other issues on your list. I encourage you to think about the issues prior to our workshop. Issues At the beginning of the Workshop, Council members identified issues that they would like to discuss during the workshop process. The issues list includes the following: • Cravel mining area -operations, future development, extension of sewer and water • Funding parks and recreation without Park dedication revenues • Marketing for commercial and industrial development • Transportation funding • Image/identity of city • Affordable housing • Hiring of community and economic development staff • Interim uses/conversion of uses • Dow~ito~vn pat-ki~g • Natural resources inventory (NRI) • Landfill • Perception of city government bybusinesses/public/developers • Financial viability of city Image/Identity Nature ofthe issue • Need to enhance image of Elk River from both internal (residents) and external (new businesses and residents) Perspectives • Want people to feel better about living in Elk River • More pride in community and property • Perception that Elk River not seen as a "Class A" city • Belief that there was more community pride in past • Got lost/damaged/diminished with changes in school district: 123 Nord Third Street, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1659 Ph (612) 338-0800 Fx (612) 338-6838 www.hk~i.com Direct (612) 252-7133 Gmail rusty@hkgi.eom Results fCity Council Worluhop January 22, 2008 Page 2 • City has had more Focus industrial growth • Need to be diligent about the maintenance of private and public property • Cannot ask residents to do what City will not • Discussion about more use of city logo apparel by employees and other related groups (e.g. -advisory boards) • hnportant to have prompt response to issues • Discussion of community survey • Discussion of need/approach to overall marketing of Elk River • Consensus on need to have adequate property maintenance ordinances and enforcement of the ordinances o Ordinance revisions in process - to Council in Spring 2008 • Ongoing street rehabilitation is important o Computerized street maintenance/condition (?) inventory is being created • Maintenance of private roads is an issue • Nced to be more precise in development agreements about developer/owner responsibilities and recourse of City • Discussion about private road off of Freeport o Need plan of action to address o Any action should involve notificalion of tenants • Potential issue with homeov<mers associations and cluster neighborhoods • Need to have better understanding of legal ability to fix problems on private property. t'JU1C01)7e5 • No specific actions identified. Community Development Director Nature of the issue • Discussion about hiring of new Community Development Director • Lnportant to hire the right person • People skills are important • Need to have the ability to "sell" Elk River • Ability to Foster relationships • Can do attitude • Team player OUrCOI)7eS • City Administrator can initiate process - to Council on February 4 Economic Development Assistant Nature ofthe issue • Discussion about natw-e of position and need to fill vacancy • Roles and duties of position grew out of skills and interests of personnel than by conscious design Results of City Council Workshop January 22, 2008 Page 3 • Need to darifv roles and respousibilifies for Assistant and Director • Should seek person with good basic skills and the capacity to grow into the position • Lunited experience (less than one year) might be acceptable if offset by other skills OUtCO~11PS • City Administrator can initiate process - to Council on February 4 • Will address roles and responsibilities of economic development staff when new CD Director is onboard Downtown Parking Nature of the issue • Discussion about the supply of parking in Downtown area and implications for development • No consensus on nature of issue • Perception that parking is not adequate and acts as an impediment to people using Downtown business • Perception that overall supply is adequate (today) and problems related to distribution and proximity to businesses • Llse by employees and customers not clear. • Agreement that City should acquire parcels for future parking when given opportunity • How does this happen? Responsibilities to monitor and resources to act. • Agreement that structured parking facility is probably needed to meet future parking needs. • No agreement on when/how to pro~~de. • Look for options/partners today or make part of future redevelopment • No further parking studies are needed • Need to laiow the results of the Highway 10 Study as it relates to Downtown DUtCOr17eS • No specific actions identified. • New CD Director should he given task of creating a plan to address this issue.