6. HRSR 01-02-2007City
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Housing & Redevelopment Authority /J
FROM: Catherine Mehelich, Director of Economic Development/r,,~~
DATE: January 2, 2007
SUBJECT: Downtown Revitalization Project Update
Staff will provide a brief verbal update regarding the following items at the HRA meeting:
• HRA's closing on the purchase of Houlton buildings
• Jackson Ave reconfiguration for Flannery Construction's crane
Attached is a copy of the most recent River's Edge Meeting Minutes from their November
8, 2006 meeting.
S:\Downtown Revitalization\Memos\2007\1.2.07 update.doc
Rivers Edge Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, November S, 2006
The Meeting was called to order at 8AM at the Elk River Chamber of Commerce meeting room.
Tony, Patti, Bill Houlton, Jeff, Wendy, Heidi, Scott Clark, were in attendance.
Treasurer's Report: There is $3406.64 in our treasury
Secretary's Report:
Old Business:
Revitalization plan update: There is a good chance that Flannery will be able to put a crane on
the Jackson Square site and not have to interfere with parking on Jackson Avenue during the
busy downtown month of December. The Jersey Barriers on the Bank side of Main Street should
be coming down around December 1.
The City Council will be discussing the assumptions that City Staff has about parking
downtown. City Staff (Terry Mauer, Heidi, Cathy, Scott, Jeff Beahen and the Planning
Manager) have been meeting to draw about a list of 5 to 10 key assumptions about downtown
parking and will present them to the City Council. Wendy suggested that the downtown
businesses be invited to the table prior to presenting the assumptions to the City Council so that
downtown businesses would have a voice in the process. Scott told us if businesses wanted to
add assumptions that they needed to be sent to Heidi or himself by Tuesday or Wednesday prior
to the November 20th City Council meeting and they would be added to the list presented to City
Council. An example of a Staff assumption is: Do you agree that the King Avenue parking lot
should be just customer parking in 2008.
Low interest loans for downtown businesses. The City is offering 2 year $25,000 loans for 3% to
assist businesses downtown. The loans can be used for operating expenses. The City previously
was offering loans to downtown businesses for structural improvements only.
Downtown Holiday Open House: Bill Houlton said that 716 Main Street would be available to
put Santa in. He would need several days notice to make sure plumbing was functioning
properly. We will watch the weather. Our first preference would be to keep Santa outside in his
Sleigh by the animals. Garrett will clean out the area behind Diamond City Bread to put Santa
out of the wind. MetroPlains has agreed to pay for the animals. The Bank of Elk River has
agreed to pay for Santa, First National Financial Services has agreed to pay for the Newspaper
insert that will go in all the home delivered Star News papers the Wednesday before the event
and HRA funds will be used to put an ad in the Star News that day talking about supporting
downtown businesses and the open house. Laura Fryberger, our event planner, is contacting
downtown area businesses to invite them to participate and make suggests for promotions at their
businesses. Wendy will make signs to put up in the businesses announcing the open house and
will get the Open House banner relettered for the side of Kemper Drug. Phil Hals will be
contacted about blocking off the first row of parking behind Kemper Drug so that it will be safer
for families greeting Santa and the Animals. Downtown businesses will be encouraged to
decorate for the holidays. Meryl is checking on new lights for the trees.
New Business:
Downtown Redevelopment Task Force has been created to take a look at the big picture of
redeveloping the greater downtown area. The task force will be made up of four HRA members,
1HPC member, 1 Planning Commission member, 1 Park and Recreation Commission member, 1
EDA member, 1 Resident and 3 downtown business representatives (Keith Holme and Dave
Rymanowski). They've been working on their mission and initial verbiage includes maintaining
historical character of greater downtown. They are looking at what the boundaries of the area
should be -Lions Park to Handke School to Main Street.
The meeting was adjourned at 9AM.
Mehelich, Catherine
From: Wendy Simenson [simen003@umn.edu]
ent: Friday, December 08, 2006 10:04 AM
o; Steinmetz, Heidi; Mehelich, Catherine; Clark, Scott; chuckchristian@christianbuilders.com;
Tamara at Avalon; scott@scottbreuerhomes.com; Laurie Beil; eracc@elkriverchamber.org;
Roger Hebeisen; Sara Hartman; Dhein0219@aol.com; kemperdrugs; lindbergl@aol.com;
Clifford C. Lundberg; steve.Johnson@ix.netcom.com; Jim Boyle; a1 battery@sherbtel.net;
antdt@aol.com; markurista@coldwellbankervision.com; century21 er@aol.com;
druid@msn.com; tsunderman@ohalloranmurphy.com; doug.johnson.b4yq@statefarm.com;
elkrivereye@mcleodusa.net; Wendy Simenson; TGardner24@hotmail.com;
sherbcoab@sherbtel.net; vickis@AM-MTG.com; jsimpson@thebankofelkriver.com; Patti
Hipsag; William Houlton; Ann Daly; Mikols3@aol.com; Robert Kalis; jan@carlsontravel.com;
FRED MCCOY; seniorestatespecialists@msn.com; karenattia@bww.com; Laura
Subject: No Meeting in December and minutes
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Rivers Edge
leeting Minutes il..
Hi, Thanks to all who participated in the downtown open house. The weather was
cold but the parking lot was full! There are a lot of people to thank for their financial
and physical assistance with the open house. Bill Houlton for letting us use his main
street building for Santa at the last minute. MetroPlains and The Bank of Elk River for
sponsoring Santa and the animals. Heidi and the HRA for sponsoring a newspaper ad, First
National Financial Services for sponsoring the newspaper insert. Phil Hals for making cute
reindeer parking signs and bringing barricades into the parking lot. Garrett for cleaning
out behind Diamond City for Santa if it was nice out. And especially all the businesses
who did special things for their customers to make it a fun day to be downtown!
e thought that we had a reprieve from having the crane for Jackson Square on Jackson Ave
caking up parking spaces. It sounds like this request will again be talked about at the
December 18th City Council Meeting for a Mid January to Mid February reconfiguration of
parking and driving lanes on Jackson Ave.
I talked to Gerald Kritzeck, the Sherburne County Assessor, about how businesses could go
about requesting Tax relief and if we could realistically expect any. He said that
typically they would look at decreasing rents as an indicator of financial downturn of the
area before lowering taxes. Since this framework isn't necessarily applicable for our
downtown, he said he would discuss possibilities with his office and get back to me. If
this is something you are interested in hearing more about if they come up with a way to
get us tax relief, please let me know and I will forward any information he gives me to
you.
THERE WILL NOT BE A RIVERS EDGE MEETING IN DECEMBER The next meeting will be held as usual
on the 2nd Wednesday in January at 8AM in the Chamber of Commerce Meeting Room
Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday!
Wendy
763-441-1353
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