HomeMy WebLinkAbout2. EDC minutes 4.25.23 DRAFT
CITY OF LAKEVILLE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
April 25, 2023
1. Chair Seiler called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in the Marion Conference Room.
Members Present: Comms. Rick Bjorklund, Jessica Christiansen, Lowell Collman, Joe Eykyn,
Andrew Phillips, Don Seiler
Ex-officio Members Present: City Administrator Justin Miller
Members Absent: Comm. Bob Gillen, Sara Lundberg, Jack Matasosky, Glenn Starfield
Staff Present: Tina Goodroad, Community Development Director; Kati Bachmayer,
Economic Development Coordinator
Guests: Jim Emond
2. Approval of February 28, 2023 Meeting Minutes
Comms. Phillips / Bjorklund moved to approve the minutes of the February 28 meeting.
Motion carried unanimously.
Joe Eykyn, new EDC Alternate member was introduced to the commission members.
3. Sweet Harvest Foods DEED MIF and JCF applications
Ms. Goodroad informed the EDC that the City has been contacted by DEED and Greater MSP
on behalf of Sweet Harvest Foods regarding the company’s Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF)
and Job Creation Fund (JCF) applications related to its planned 360,000-square-foot
office/warehouse building to be constructed on the KTJ First Addition property off Cedar
Avenue and immediately south of the 215th Street future extension in Lakeville. MIF provides
loans to businesses that create or retain high-paying, full-time permanent jobs, and invest in
machinery or real property acquisition or improvements and the JCF program provides job
creation awards and capital investment rebates to businesses that retain or create high-paying,
full-time permanent jobs and invest in real property improvement. EDC members were
supportive of the project and pleased to retain a local business who was considering
relocation/expansion outside of Minnesota.
Economic Development Commission Minutes April 25, 2023 Page | 2
4. Project Updates
a. Website Updates Discussion – Ms. Bachmayer shared an update on the Community
& Economic Development Department’s (CED) web pages. Following last month’s
meeting, city staff have begun updating the CED web pages to make them more user-
friendly in both content and navigation. In addition, the CED department will be
getting a “header package” to allow the CED pages to stand out, be more robust, and
choose its own menu options and navigation tools. The header package project
should be complete by 2024.
b. Find Yourself in Lakeville Video – Ms. Bachmayer played the new “Find Yourself”
(FY) video that is focused on working in Lakeville. This is the first FY video in a series
of promotional videos that will highlight working, living, playing, growing a business
in Lakeville and more.
c. Downtown Parking Needs Assessment project update – Ms. Goodroad told the
EDC the City had selected HKGi as its parking study consultant and an initial
meeting has been held to begin the project. Parking counts will be done in mid-May
and a kickoff meeting with downtown businesses will be held in June. EDC members
were invited to have a commission representative participate in the process.
d. Business Survey – The City will be conducting a residential survey and business
survey (separately) in 2023 using POLCO/National Research Center. POLCO uses
standardized questions with the ability to add custom questions. EDC members were
asked to provide feedback and ideas for the half-page of custom questions included in
the proposed contract.
A development update was provided to highlight current and upcoming projects.
5. Marketing Efforts
a. Outreach – Ms. Goodroad informed the EDC that city staff have been meeting with
several development groups interested in land zoned for O-P, Office Park near I-35 and
County Road 70. She also noted that progress is being made toward additional
development at Heritage Commons.
b. Events – Ms. Goodroad gave an update on the MN Real Estate Journal (MREJ)
Southeast Metro Summit event in May. The event is jointly organized by the Dakota
County Community Development Agency, MREJ and cities in Dakota County
(including Lakeville). Topics will include a snapshot of the real estate market,
residential project opportunities, how infrastructure and development work together,
and experiential retail.
6. Recognition of Jim Emond
Jim Emond, Sr. was recognized by Chair Seiler for his 38 years of service to the City of
Lakeville as an Economic Development Commissioner. Mr. Emond retired from the EDC in
Economic Development Commission Minutes April 25, 2023 Page | 3
April 2023. EDC members expressed appreciation for his dedication and the historical
context he has provided to meeting discussions over his many years of service.
7. Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at 5:06 p.m.
Respectively submitted by:
Kati Bachmayer, Economic Development Coordinator