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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/26/2015 MeetingECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY City of Apple Valley Dakota County, Minnesota February 26, 2015 Minutes of the meeting of the Economic Development Authority of Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota, held February 26, 2015, at 7:00 p.m., at Apple Valley Municipal Center. PRESENT: Commissioners Goodwin, Bergman, Grendahl, Hamann-Roland, Hooppaw, Maguire and Melander. ABSENT: City staff members present were: Executive Director Tom Lawell, City Attorney Michael Dougherty, Community Development Director Bruce Nordquist, Finance Director Ron Hedberg, City Planner Tom Lovelace, Planner Margaret Dykes and Department Assistant Joan Murphy. Meeting was called to order at 7:41 p.m. by President Goodwin. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: of Hamann-Roland, seconded by Bergman, approving the agenda. Ayes - 7 - Nays - 0. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: of Hamann-Roland, seconded by Maguire, approving the minutes of the meeting of January 22, 2015, as written. Ayes - 7 - Nays — 0. CONSENT AGENDA MOTION: of Melander, seconded by Hooppaw, authorizing staff to prepare an Economic Development District TIF Plan, Program and Agreements. Ayes - 7 - Nays — 0. MOTION: of Melander, seconded by Hooppaw, adopting Resolution No. EDA-04 setting a public hearing on April 9, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. to consider a business subsidy for Uponor, Inc. Ayes - 7 - Nays — 0. MOTION: of Melander, seconded by Hooppaw, approving setting a public hearing on April 9, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. for a business subsidy as a deferred loan business assistance benefitting Uponor, Inc. Ayes - 7 - Nays — 0. Commissioner Bergman thanked all the people that worked on the Uponor project that will be coming before the Economic Development Authority and the City Council. DEVELOPMENT OF CENT L VILLAGE WEST OFFICE SITE Community Development Director Bruce Nordquist stated that in 2012, the City received $866,000 in LCDA-TOD funds from the Metropolitan Council for site acquisition of the Commons 1 and II property in order to make lease costs competitive to a large job-producing Economic Development Authority City of Apple Valley Dakota County, Minnesota February 26, 2015 Page 2 tenant that needed to locate near the METRO Red Line. That project did not materialize. Given the options to either return the funds to the Metropolitan Council or request the reprogramming of the funds to a different site, staff, with Metropolitan Council staff support, found reprogramming was best. The area that received the reprogrammed grant funds was 5.34 acres of City-owned tax-forfeited property in the Central Village West, generally located northeast of Garrett Avenue and 153rd Street W. The site was to be used for a 100,000 sq. ft. office building and structured parking on three existing vacant lots. The project planned for that site also did not occur because the company that was to locate on the site was acquired by another company and expansion plans were halted. Since then, staff has worked with several potential partners to develop the site, but none has been able to execute a plan. The City was to expend the grant by April 30, 2015. However, the Metropolitan Council has agreed to extend the grant by six (6) months to allow the City to find a qualified developer for the site, and execute a development agreement that provides information regarding project funding, and start and end dates. If the City can complete this step by October 30, 2015, the Metropolitan Council may consider extending the grant to April 30, 2017. As a reminder, the grant funds can only be used for projects located within specific transit areas; the Central Village West area is located in the Apple Valley Transit Station (AVTS) Transit Improvement Area. Staff has drafted a Request for Proposals that would be distributed to qualified developers and brokers to develop the site, if the EDA concurs. Discussion followed. MOTION: of Hamann-Roland, seconded by Grendahl, authorizing the distribution of the Request for Proposals for the development of the Central Village West office site. Ayes - 7 - Nays - 0. 6. OTHER NONE 7. STAFF UPDATES Community Development Director Bruce Nordquist provided updates on the Uponor Expansion and that the planning process is underway. Land use actions would occur in March and the financial incentives would occur in early April. If all approvals are granted, the City could be looking at a mid-April building permit application. President Goodwin asked for explanation, for the viewing public, what the project Uponor entails. Economic Development Authority City of Apple Valley Dakota County, Minnesota February 26, 2015 Page 3 Mr. Nordquist stated Uponor used a site consultant that did a search for where their next manufacturing and distribution centers were going to be. The business is growing and will be creating a new product for heating and cooling your home, provide plumbing and to supply fire suppression. Uponor decided to remain and expand in Apple Valley. Commissioner Bergman inquired who the lead persons/presenters are. Mr. Nordquist answered that Planner Kathy Bodmer would present the aspects of the land use project. Planner Margaret Dykes has been the long time economic development specialist and she would present on that side of it. Finance Director Ron Hedberg would be presenting on the financial incentives. President Goodwin thanked the staff for their role in this accomplishment. He thanked City Administrator Tom Lawell, the Community Development Department, Finance Department, and Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland on a tremendous job for this great addition to the City. Commissioner Hamann-Roland commented that with this expansion of 88,000 sq. ft., Uponor would do a significant job hire. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: of Grendahl, seconded by Hooppaw, to adjourn. Ayes - 7 - Nays - 0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:02 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, 7 n Murphy, Depart ent Ass tant Approved by the Apple Valley Economic Development Authority on