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PLM 04/17/2013PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Aprii 17, 2013 Vice Chairperson Oquist called the Planning Commission Meeting to order at 7:13 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Brad Dunham, Tim Solberg, Brad Sielaff, Jack Velin, and Leroy Oquist MEMBERS ABSENT: David Kondrick and Dean Saba OTHERS PRESENT: Scott Hickok, Community Development Director Paul Bolin, Assistant HRA Director Approvai of Minutes: March 20, 2013 MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff to approve the minutes as presented. Seconded by Commissioner Velin UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, VICE CHAIRPERSON OQUIST DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 1. ACTION ITEM Consideration of Adjustment to Boundary of TIF Redevelopment Project Area. Scott Hickok, Community Development Director, stated this is what would be defined as an adjustment of a boundary of redevelopment project area. The 2007 and 2008 Minnesota legislature approved creating the Northstar Transit TIF district. This was provided for the City to be able to pay for public improvements around the Northstar station area. This was a very good thing for the City of Fridley in that it was the first transit TIF district along the Northstar line. In fact it still is the only one of its sort along the Northstar line. It is designed to allow the City to be able to take the increment from new development and to reinvest that in infrastructure improvements in this area to make it a very solid transit-oriented district, and this is certainly a generous area where that tax increment district has been able to be defined. Mr. Hickok stated the City and the Authority have a single project area and a single development program. Every time a new tax increment finance district is created, it is done inside the program. It does allow the Authority to spend its resources anywhere within the project area and not just within a specific tax increment district. The project area is different from the TIF district itself. Mr. Hickok stated the existing boundary of the redevelopment project area does not include three of the parcels in the Minnesota state legislature's allowed area of the Northstar transit station TIF district. In other words, there is a discrepancy that is shown on the maps described as follows. There is the existing boundary along East River Road and where you need to focus is up by Stevenson Elementary School along East River road. The parcels that are in that area were to be included but are not. Therefore, the State legislature had allowed the City to have a boundary that looks like the new boundary; but the City's existing boundary failed in this one area. Mr. Hickok stated statute requires a review by the Planning Commission to determine what the inclusion of the parcels are in keeping with the City's overall development goals. A public hearing before the City Planning Commission April 17, 2013 Page 2 of 3 Council is also required to change the boundary officially and have that existing redevelopment area then defined in that way. Mr. Hickok stated staff's recommendation is for the Planning Commission approve the resolution adjusting the boundary of the TIF Project Area No. 1 to include all parcels in the Northstar transit station district. A public hearing and final action on this item will take place before the City Council on May 6, 2013. Vice Chairperson Oquist asked, who drew the original boundary of the little parcel that is to be included? Paui Bolin, Assistant HRA Director, replied, the original boundary was done back in the early 1980's when the City started development tax increment districts. At that time there was no need or the foresight to see that 25-30 years down the road they would have this Northstar transit district. In the early 1980's it was the planner's and the tax increment advisor's guess as to which parts of the City may need some tax increment assistance down the road. Commissioner Sielaff asked this was a new one that was determined in the legislature, correct? Mr. Bolin replied, correct. Back in the early 1980's when the City started setting up tax increment districts, they looked at the larger map of the City and the bulk of the City is included in those blue lines. If you look at the TIF plans for any of the City's tax increment districts, they all refer to the same project area. The City takes the tax increment from the smaller specific district but are able to spend those funds anywhere within that proj ect area. Vice Chairperson Oquist asked, as he understands it, the City is allowed to make this change without going back to the State? Mr. Bolin replied, yes. MOTION by Commissioner Dunham to recommend approval of a resolution to adjust the boundary of the TIF Project Area #1 to include all parcels in the Northstar Transit Station District. Seconded by Commissioner Sielaff. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, VICE CHAIRPERSON OQUIST DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. Receive the Minutes of the March 7, 2013, Housing and Redevelopment Authority Commission Meeting. MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff to receive the Minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Solberg. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, VICE CHAIRPERSON OQUIST DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OTHER BUSINESS: Planning Commission April 17, 2013 Page 3 of 3 Mr. Hickok stated the Paul Hyde project at the BAE site is a very important project the Commission is going to be seeing much o£ The development of this site is going to be tremendous in terms of job creation and value creation. It will be an aesthetically pleasing project as well which is very typical of this developer's work It is really a great match between a developer who knows a lot about as much as any one of probably the best environmental experts out there matched with land that can use that voluntary clean-up. It is a very good thing for the City. The Commission being here tonight and hosting it in the same room was very helpful. Mr. Hickok stated they may have noticed the 19-unit memory care addition has been built over on the Old Central project and is turning out very nice. The landscaping all has yet to be completed. They are working on just some final finishing details on that. Staff is very excited to see that proj ect finish up. Mr. Hickok stated staff is hearing the final plat on the Columbia Arena is going to be coming in probably in May. City staff has been working on the final details with the developer on easements for access into the fire training area and Anoka County's trail that goes through there. For the most part their plat is pretty well ready to approve. The developer has been kind of close to the vest on the start of construction as to what actual details are in terms of start times, etc. However, this plat is a big step moving forward towards he thinks eventually getting that project completed. The plat piece of it at least will probably be coming back and completed in May. The hold-up is not on the City's end. The developer is who is driving that. ADJOURN MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff adjourning the meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Velin. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, VICE CHAIRPERSON OQUIST DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:23 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Denise M. Johnson Recording Secretary