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<br />Request for Action <br /> <br /> <br />To Item Number <br /> <br />Economic Development Authority 6.3 <br />Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by <br /> <br />General BusinessAugust 17, 2015Amanda Othoudt, EDD <br />Item Description Reviewed by <br />EDA/HRA Strategic Plan Cal Portner, City Administrator <br />Reviewed by <br /> <br /> <br />Action Requested <br /> <br />Approve, by motion, the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan for the HRA/EDA. <br /> <br />Background/Discussion <br /> <br />Staff has included the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan to reflect the goals and objectives of the EDA through <br />several discussions and workshop sessions over the past few months. <br /> <br />Staff was directed to continue the following priority objectives and strategies for 2017-2020: <br /> <br /> <br />Business Development - Attract new businesses and support existing businesses to increase the <br />city’s industrial tax base, commercial base, and employment base. <br /> <br /> <br />Redevelopment & Rehabilitation - Undertake strategies to facilitate rehabilitation and <br />redevelopment of aging commercial, industrial, and residential areas to ensure private <br />reinvestment and sustainability. <br /> <br /> <br />Community Brand - Utilize community brand strategies to effect necessary change to strengthen <br />and enhance community image. <br /> <br /> <br />Transportation - Advocate and support proactive planning for improvements to the local and <br />area transportation system in a way that will support existing businesses and complement new <br />economic growth. <br /> <br />Additions to the updated strategic plan include updating and revamping the EDA website to make the site <br />more user-friendly and include an HRA component that will allow residents and developers to keep <br />updated on upcoming housing programs, new policies, and residential development projects. <br /> <br />The updated plan also identifies new targeted industries such as craft breweries, manufacturing trades, and <br />medical device industries. In addition, the plan reflects maintaining continued contact and relationships <br />with Twin City commercial real estate brokers and developers. The updated plan encourages staff to host <br />quarterly business roundtable events with local business leaders and community stakeholders. The <br />strategic plan also recognizes the need to promote the Quiet Zone, Northstar Commuter train, and <br />community bike paths. <br /> <br />This three-year plan also supports the development of new policies that target blighted and dilapidated <br />properties within the city in an effort to preserve or enhance local tax base and create permanent, private- <br />sector jobs to stimulate above-average economic growth. The programs would provide assistance with <br /> <br />