HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 10/04/2016 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016 CITY CENTER
5:00—6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOMS
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Council Members Brad Aho, Sherry Butcher
Wickstrom, Kathy Nelson, and Ron Case
CITY STAFF: City Manager Rick Getschow, Police Chief James DeMann, Fire Chief George
Esbensen, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah,
Parks and Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City
Attorney Ric Rosow, and Recorder Lorene McWaters
Workshop - Heritage Room H
I. COMP PLAN UPDATE
City Planner Julie Klima said the City issued an RFQ for a consultant to assist with the
Comp Plan update. Five responses were received, and Houseal Lavigne Associates was
chosen. The plan's formal name is Aspire Eden Prairie 2040.
II. HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah and Economic Development Manager
David Lindahl gave a presentation on the economic development portion of the update of the
Strategic Plan for Housing and Economic Development. Jeremiah said the original strategic
plan was adopted in 2005 and updated in 2012. Many of the projects from the 2012 plan
have been completed or funded, and new projects have emerged.
The plan is being updated to include priority projects for the remainder of 2016 through
2020. Future updates to the strategic plan will be made every five years. An update on the
housing portion of the strategic plan will be presented at the November 15 City Council
Workshop. The plan will likely be presented to the City Council for approval in early 2017.
Jeremiah reviewed economic development accomplishments achieved since the strategic plan
was updated in 2012:
Grants —$7 million MNDOT-TED grant for the Shady Oak Bridge, $766,000 in DEED
grants for WAND Corp. and Climatech, $470,000 Hennepin County grant for the West 70th
Street extension, and a $50,000 Hennepin County grant for Flying Dutchmen Distillery.
Major Center Area projects —Installation of wayfinding signage and completion of Singletree
Lane Phase 1.
Economic Development—Realtors Forums were held in 2013 and 2016; Physical
Electronics building was redeveloped and is currently occupied by Blue Stem); City Center
leases with SuperValu, the School District and Cave Cafe; Golden Triangle Land Use
City Council Workshop Minutes
October 4, 2016
Page 2
Analysis was completed; Participated in High School Career Fairs since 2014; and Eden
Gardens MNDOT land was acquired.
Southwest LRT —TSAAPS completed for all proposed stations; Town Center Stormwater
Analysis completed, Town Center LISC Block Exercise conducted, Station area and public
art plans developed; TOD ordinance adopted; hundreds of outreach meetings held with
businesses and property owners.
Jeremiah said the updated plan identifies three categories of economic development projects
for the 2016-2020 timeframe: ongoing, high priority and medium priority.
Ongoing Projects
• Business retention and expansion
• Realtors Forums
• Open to Business program
High Priority Projects
• City Entry Monument Signs
• Prairie Center Drive Bridge Improvements
• Taprooms & Cocktail Rooms
• Area Studies —Neighborhood, Commercial, Industrial
• Sears Redevelopment
• Singletree Streetscape/Water Quality
• Major Center Area Mixed Use Redevelopment
• Vikings Training Facility
Medium Priority Projects
• Golden Triangle Area Rebranding
• Special Services District Policies
• Business Fagade Program
• Major Center Area Street Construction Realignment and Streetscape Projects
• Co-work/Collaborative Business Center—Incubator
Jeremiah provided information on proposed timing of projects as well as the focus of each
project.
Jeremiah noted that taprooms and cocktail rooms are currently allowed only in industrial
areas. She said there has been discussion about whether to allow taprooms and cocktail
rooms in commercial areas. It was originally though they would provide unfair competition
to existing bar-restaurants; however, the experience of other communities has been that the
two are actually complementary. The Council Members indicated they have no problem with
changing code to allow taprooms and cocktail rooms in areas zoned commercial.
Lindahl said staff recommends study of several areas for alternative land uses, including:
• Venture Lane (MnDOT excess ROW)
• Martin Drive
City Council Workshop Minutes
October 4, 2016
Page 3
• Crosstown Industrial Area
• BFI Landfill
• Vacant property behind the Smith-Douglas-More House
He said the City Council will also need to decide if they want staff to explore the possibility
of neighborhood service centers in the southwest quadrant. He said that is always a prickly
conversation,but staff needs to know if that is a priority for the City Council.
Lindahl said the Eden Prairie Center mall owners have purchased the Sears property. They
plan to raze the store and redevelop the site from the ground up. No decisions have been
made on what that development will look like, and Lindahl said the City and the City
Council should be open to being part of those discussions.
Jeremiah noted that Special Service District Policies is listed as a medium priority. She asked
if the Council Members agree. Tyra-Lukens agreed with the classification; however, she said
she does think it is desirable to have a degree of continuity from one property to the next.
Aho asked how a special service district would work. Lindahl said it would privately driven
and would be run much like a homeowners association. The City could assist by providing
staff to the board,but our involvement would be minimal.
Jeremiah said a business fagade program could use dollars from the economic development
fund to provide loans or grants to businesses to rehab and improve storefronts to conform to
the City's design guidelines.
Jeremiah asked if the Council Members agreed with the priorities as presented. The Council
Members said they did. Mayor Tyra-Lukens said she appreciated that the economic
development portion of the plan was presented separately from the housing portion. They are
both important topics and each requires its own meeting and discussion.
Open Podium - Council Chamber
II. OPEN PODIUM
III. ADJOURNMENT