City Council - 10/21/2003 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP/FORUM
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21,2003 CITY CENTER
5:00- 6:25 PM,HERITAGE ROOM II
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL:
Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Councilmembers Sherry Butcher,Ron Case, Jan Mosman, and
Philip Young
CITY STAFF:
City Manager Scott Neal, Deputy Police Chief Rob Reynolds,Fire Chief George Esbensen,Public
Works Director Eugene Dietz,Director of Parks and Recreation Bob Lambert,Housing and
Human Services Manager Molly Koivumaki,Assistant to the City Manager Michael Barone, City
Attorney Ric Rosow, and Recorder Lorene McWaters
Heritage Room H
I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
III. EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER SPACE
Neal said that in 1999,when the Eden Prairie Center renovation was started, General
Growth Corporation agreed to provide the City with approximately 4,500 sf of unfinished
space in the mall. The agreement stated that the space would revert back to General
Growth if the City did not develop the space within five years. Staff has looked at
potential ways to use the space, but no formal plan was developed until earlier this year.
At that time, unused Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds were
identified as a potential source of funding for finishing the space. If the use of these
funds is approved, the space will be finished to provide public service programs aimed at
low/moderate income people and immigrant members of the community. Under CDBG
rules, 49 percent of programs offered in the space can be for non-low and moderate
income individuals.
Housing and Human Services Manager Molly Koivumaki provided details of the
proposed design,which was prepared by Wilkus Architects. She said the space will
accommodate classrooms, a private office, a resource area, and a large open space.
Moveable walls will separate the classrooms so they can be opened to create a larger
meeting space. A small office for use by Eden Prairie Police will be included in the
space. She said staff feels this is an ideal spot for human services agencies providing
services to the community because it is on the bus line and is within walking distance of
some of the low income housing complexes. Staff believes the site can also serve as a
polling place during elections. The City will be responsible for maintenance and
City Council Workshop Minutes
October 21,2003
Page 2
operating costs,which are estimated to be around$25,000 per year. Koivumaki said staff
is still working on details of a room reservation process and a rental fee structure.
Koivumaki and Barone have met with EP Center officials and received positive
comments on the plan. She said General Growth's main concern is that the space not be
used for political activities. The plan must also be approved by General Growth's
headquarters office in Chicago.
In order for the CDBG funds to be reprogrammed from housing to human services,the
City Council must hold a public hearing(which is scheduled for the regular Council
Meeting later tonight). A 30-day comment period follows this hearing. City staff will
then present the proposal to the Hennepin County Board for consideration.
Mayor Tyra-Lukens said converting the mall space to a human services site will fill a lot
of needs in the community. She said setting a rental fee schedule may be challenging
because while the City must charge for use,they want it to be affordable. City Manager
Neal said Hennepin County will be able to provide guidance on a fee schedule.
IV. OTHER TOPICS
A. C.H. ROBINSON LEASE NEGOTIATIONS
City Manager Neal and City Attorney Rosow updated Council on lease
negotiations with C.H.Robinson(CHR). CHR's current lease expires on January
31, 2005. Neal noted that lease revenues from CHR are a major source of income
for the City, and the two parties have discussed negotiating a new lease over
recent months. Late last week, CHR indicated they needed to conclude the
negotiations quickly, or they would terminate talks and plan to move elsewhere.
Neal said City staff and CHR staff met all day Monday, October 20, to work out
details of a proposed agreement. Neal said CHR was scheduled to take the
proposed lease to its board of directors this morning,but he has not heard the
outcome. Rosow explained that the proposed lease is a result of stripping the
existing lease and its many amendments of problematic and/or conflicting
provisions. Neal said parking is a huge issue for both parties. Under the new
agreement, all of the tenants (the City, CHR, and the School District)will have
exclusive parking areas. CHR will have the right to build an access way to Scenic
Heights Road,which will all provide additional parking spaces for their
employees. The new lease rate is $4.79/ft. with 2.5 percent annual increases and
two five-year options. Neal said our real estate consultants believe this is
consistent with the current market rate because it is a"tenants market"at the
moment. Neal said the Council is being asked to convene a meeting of the HRA
as part of their regular meeting to provide initial approval for the agreement.
Council Chamber
VI. OPEN FORUM(Scheduled participants, 6:30-7:00 p.m.)
City Council Workshop Minutes
October 21,2003
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There were no scheduled participants.
VH. OPEN PODIUM (Unscheduled participants, 6:50-7:00 p.m.)
No one requested to speak at Open Podium.
VM. ADJOURNMENT