Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-26-19 CITY OF LAKEVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES February 26, 2019 1. Chair Scherer called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in the Marion Conference Room at City Hall. Members Present: Comms. Collman, Emond, Dautel, Matasosky, Scherer, Seiler, Vlasak Ex-officio members: City Administrator Miller, Chamber President Jech Members Absent: Comm. Gillen, Smith, Starfield Others Present: David Olson, Community & Economic Development Director; Kati Bachmayer, Economic Development Specialist; Daryl Morey, Planning Director, Liz Shannon, Cream of the Cakes owner 2. Approval of January 29, 2019 Meeting Minutes Comms. Matasosky / Dautel moved to approve the minutes of the January 29 meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. 3. Presentation on Open to Business Program The Open to Business program is a partnership between the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA), cities in Dakota County (including Lakeville), and the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD). Dakota County’s MCCD representative, Laurie Crow, provides confidential business counseling to current and prospective entrepreneurs on an individual basis. Thanks to this partnership, Open to Business services are provided at no-cost to entrepreneurs and small businesses located in Dakota County. MCCD can also provide small business owners with access to technical assistance and financing options. In 2018, the Open to Business program helped a total of 120 clients in Dakota County. Liz Shannon, Cream of the Cakes owner, spoke to the EDC members about her experience using the Open to Business program. Ms. Shannon told the group that Ms. Crow was extremely helpful as she navigated the process of starting her own business. Cream of the Cakes was able to scale up very quickly after only 9 months in a brick and mortar location and currently employs eight people (including Ms. Shannon). Comm. Seiler pointed out that Open to Business can also be helpful to existing businesses (not just start-up businesses), because Ms. Crow and her team provide business expertise for any circumstance. The EDC members encouraged promotion of the program at the individual and City level. It was noted that Economic Development Commission Minutes February 26, 2019 Page | 2 information about Open to Business is present on the City’s website and is shared quarterly on social media and newsletter platforms. 4. Discussion of Multi-Family Housing Development Issues Mr. Olson presented information about multi-family housing development in Lakeville, as per the EDC’s request from the January meeting. Staff reviewed the Affordable Housing Update for the City of Lakeville prepared by the Dakota County CDA in 2014, Comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment for Lakeville prepared by Maxfield Research, a staff summary of existing Workforce Housing and Senior Housing Developments in Lakeville, a map with the locations of previous, recent, and proposed workforce, senior, and market-rate rental housing projects, and U.S. Census information on Lakeville and other Dakota County cities including information on population, age, race, housing, family size and income. Mr. Morey told EDC members that Lakeville has seen more interest in multi-family development during the last couple of years. The City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan includes a new zone for corridor mixed-use (CMU) that will include multi-family uses. The CMU districts will mainly be located along the Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transit corridor and adjacent to I-35 near the Kenrick Avenue Park & Ride. The multi-family proposals coming to the City have been mostly for market-rate developments. Mr. Olson said the new market-rate developments in Lakeville are over 50% leased after being open less than a year, which can be viewed as evidence that the demand for this type of housing exists in Lakeville. The City has historically encouraged a “scattered” approach to multi-family housing, which can be seen when reviewing the recent housing development map. When asked if the City of Lakeville has an affordable housing development goal, Mr. Morey told the group that the Metropolitan Council provides affordable housing goals recommendations to the City and the City provides the opportunity for multi-family housing developments through its zoning and land use regulations. The CDA operates four senior housing locations and five workforce developments in Lakeville. Demand for these units was so high that the CDA closed had to close its waiting list from June 2017 through February 2019. The CDA has contracted with Maxfield Research to prepare a new Comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment for Dakota County that will forecast housing needs for all cities in Dakota County through 2040, so those results can be compared to the 2014 report when they become available. 5. Director’s Report Mr. Olson informed the EDC members that Schneiderman’s Distribution Center has been issued a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy in February. HomeGoods, th located next to Marshall’s (near Target on 185 Street), should be opening soon. The QA1 Tax Increment Financing agreement has been approved by the City Council and the Minnesota Investment Fund loan agreement will be going to the City Economic Development Commission Minutes February 26, 2019 Page | 3 Council on March 4. The QA1 project is expected to begin construction in May or June 2019. Tenants have been announced for the Kenrick Liquor Store addition – Power Plate Meals and Dunkin’ Donuts will be moving into the new commercial spaces. The next EDC meeting will be held on March 26. Adjourn Meeting adjourned at 5:18 p.m. Respectively submitted by: Kati Bachmayer, Economic Development Specialist