5. EDSR 09-11-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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EDA Marketing Committee Minutes August 28, 2006 Page 4 staffs standpoint. Clark replied staff is looking at the analysis and we can zone land industrial but have to consider the location as well as other things like its accessible. Santwixe stated it seems we are in need of this property in such a timeframe that if we're going to have it will it will need to be purchased now with the idea that the zone will be for the site as opposed to rezoning and saying someday we'll use it as that. Mr. Wolf stated you could do both. He felt the Council needs to be buying land immediately. Clark stated the biggest straggle is fmding land that is not impaired by wetlands, gas line and power lines. The consensus was to identify property that can be purchased and developed in the short term and identify the inventory and phasing needed to provide options in the future. Carlson agreed that the perception among brokers he's talked to is that Elk River doesn't have land available and believes word spreads fast and if we had land secured the word would get out that there were opportunities there would be more brokers approaching the city to get tapped in. He stated if we had the land, at the very least through marketing plan, he felt we need to get on the short list for the companies in Maple Grove, Plymouth and areas that are quickly becoming closer to the city where companies are moving out because we've been excluded in the past because they don't even think of Elk River. Santwixe stated in Maple Grove there axe small to medium companies that can afford to own in Elk River if they compare it to the net rents and taxes in Maple Grove. Clark stated one of the other struggles with land is that larger companies want the properties around them to be of a reasonable standard and we do have a lot of older businesses that don't meet the modern day industrial standard and the biggest question is how to make those transitions, Gateway is a good example. Mehelich stated that is exactly what we heard from Great River Energy about locating to Gateway and their concerns about the image of the adjacent land uses and impact on their multi-million dollar corporate campus. Santwixe stated maybe there should be some kind of subsidy to these businesses to do something and felt the design standards are still pretty good. Clark stated he felt the standards are still pretty minimal but that staff tries to work with developers for example the buildings along Twin Lakes Road in Northstar Business Park. The consensus of the committee was agreement of the strategic options presented with Che exception of targeting the commercial/retall. The committee agreed the top three strategies would be the priority and to add leverage Northstar Rail within the marketing efforts. 4. Next Stens Mr. Wolf oWolf outlined the next steps and stated a draft plan will be prepared based on the committee's direction on strategies. Mehelich invited the committee members to attend the EDA meeting on September 11 for the presentation of the plan. Gumphxey requested the committee receive a draft copy of the plan for review and comment prior to the presentation. 5. Adjournment The meeting of the EDA Marketing Committee adjourned at 6:15 p.m. Submitted by: Catherine Mehelich Director of Economic Development