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Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 2 <br />October 15, 2018 <br />----------------------------- <br />Commissioner Wagner spent time with the Elk River High School DECA group. <br />The students were tasked with opening a business in Elk River and went through the <br />process of how to do it. She suggested developing materials in which high schoolers <br />could understand. The process should be simple and make sense. <br /> <br />Commissioner Blesener thought the current document was a good starting place. <br /> <br />President Tveite added that he liked the time table at the bottom of the pamphlet. <br />Applicants often come in with the best case scenarios and get frustrated when it <br />doesn’t go as quickly as they had hoped. <br /> <br />Commission Blesener said people applying for businesses cannot do what they want <br />wherever they want, there are constraints. There should be some sort of litmus test <br />they must satisfy to proceed with their business planning. Perhaps the <br />documentation could be geared toward a “Starting a Business 101” level including <br />such things as zoning districts. New business development is welcome as long as it <br />complies with zoning. <br /> <br />Ms. Othoudt shared that Sherburne County is currently developing a public GIS <br />program for identifying parcels within Sherburne County and their corresponding <br />zoning district which would direct customers to the appropriate zoning code. <br /> <br />President Tveite asked if an online questionnaire could be developed so that once <br />you have entered simple information in regards to your business, would show you <br />spots that would work for your business needs. <br /> <br />Ms. Othoudt commented that may be something they could work on with their <br />website developer, Golden Shovel Agency. <br /> <br />Ms. Eddy added that what the commission was describing seemed similar to a <br />program called Open Counter. It would be nice to have a tool that could inform the <br />business developer who gets an idea at 2:00 a.m. <br /> <br />Commissioner Westgaard asked staff to research the interactive software Open <br />Counter. He also said it was important to have electronic copies of information <br />available on the website as well as printed copies. <br /> <br />Ms. Eddy said some of the departments, such as Planning and Engineering, currently <br />have short videos created to outline how their process works. <br /> <br />Commissioner Blesener wished for information on what “hoops” applicants have to <br />jump through while working with Planning, Economic Development, Engineering, <br />Fire, and other departments. <br /> <br />Commissioner Westgaard is interested in soliciting more input from the <br />development community. How can the city make the process better and clearer? Is it <br />currently part of the process to survey businesses after they have moved to town to <br /> <br />