This transcript appears to be from an **Economic Development Commission (EDC)** meeting. Based on the context provided, here is the formatted transcript with speaker identifications. *Note: As timestamps were not provided in the original text, placeholders have been used.* [00:00:00] **Chair:** I was at work today did you not well welcome to the August 2nd 2023 Economic Development Commission meeting and we're gonna well okay we'll do the call of order I think so we've got Bob's not here Dave's not here anyone else not here of course how would we hear them if they're not here there we go um we're going to go right into the Pledge of Allegiance led by Frank Darcelo please. [00:00:30] **Frank Darcelo:** Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States. [00:00:45] **Chair:** Thank you Frank you're welcome it shows two roll calls here I'm not sure why um everybody have a chance to look at the approval of the minutes from the May 3rd meeting any questions any abstaining abstain okay in a motion to approve the minutes it's all moved is there a second okay all in favor all right well not in favor that passes we're going to move the agenda around a little bit we're going to go right into the uh the goal line bus Rapid Transit guest presentation so that we can get you guys going right away with this beautiful evening and get over to the concert so you have the floor. [00:01:15] **Morgan (Gold Line Deputy Project Manager):** Chair Commissioners thank you very much money the deputy project manager for Gold Line we are an integrated project office I'm actually employed by Washington County um but we have her cohesive office that includes staff from MnDOT Washington County and the Met Council um so this morning and I so I don't know who are you running the PowerPoint uh the map is up there oh over here thanks so I'm joined tonight with my colleague Liz Jones I'll call her up here about halfway through the presentation we'll switch the mic um so just an overview of the project um it is a 10 approximately 10 Mile um frequent all-day service um bus line that will operate primarily in bus only Lanes... [Morgan continues regarding construction schedule and bridges] ...so with that I'll hand it over to Liz and she will um start talking more in depth about her public involvement and then Transit oriented development. [00:05:00] **Liz Jones (Gold Line Outreach Lead):** Hi everybody my name is Liz Jones I'm the Outreach and engagement lead for the Gold Line project Morgan kind of started our public involvement and Outreach methodology that we use I'll talk a little bit more about that and then also get into some of Metro transit's Transit oriented development information... [Liz continues regarding development statistics and the 2022 annual report] ...other than that that is all we had for the Gold Line um and my contact information is on here as well as our project director in case you ever want to reach out or have any questions for us. [00:09:00] **Chair:** What do we have for questions? [00:09:10] **Commissioner:** We're not like in Spaghetti Junction part of this or is that just something different um that do you know what that is well down to Mounds Boulevard I think is part of the Gold Line right? [00:09:25] **Morgan:** yep so we have so Mounds right now we do have some work on mounds and Hudson on the east side there... [Morgan explains Mounds/Hudson work] [00:10:00] **Commissioner:** How much parking is there going to be do you think or do you know at the helmo station? [00:10:05] **Morgan:** I don't know 105. it's 105 or 108. how many I'm sorry how many it's around 105. such as service parking surface yep. [00:10:15] **Commissioner:** Is it um gated or anything? [00:10:18] **Morgan:** It is not gated nope we'll have two surface Park and rides and then a parking structure park and ride in Woodbury at the end of the line. [00:10:25] **Commissioner:** Do you need to pay to park at those places? [00:10:30] **Morgan:** Nice okay. [00:10:35] **Commissioner:** Do you know the so once it's up and running is it gonna you've got what 7 17 buses total with that are you're not going to be running all 17 at one time? [00:10:45] **Morgan:** It's frequent all day service so what you're thinking of is ah spares... [Morgan discusses the fleet and electric bus testing] [00:11:30] **Commissioner:** How are you doing on drivers I understand there's quite a shortage of drivers actually? [00:11:35] **Liz Jones:** We are recently are at a surplus now for bus drivers so we're starting to add back a lot of service which is really great news... [00:12:00] **Commissioner:** What if there's a big concert downtown Saint Paul and it runs past midnight like they do in Minneapolis it's a possibility to extend the hours on that? [00:12:10] **Liz Jones:** That's a great question um that would probably be you know a Metro Transit case-by-case basis... [00:12:30] **Chair:** What's the service life of a bus? I'm just curious. [00:12:35] **Morgan:** It depends how long the route is yeah there's a lot of it depends... [00:13:00] **Commissioner (Erin):** Gonna do a different topic with with the buses some of my co-workers and you know my my other job they are very concerned with safety at a time when they leave the office based on um you know bus availability and their safety when they their perception of you know if I go this late then I got to deal with you know unsafe conditions threatening conditions how is that being addressed? [00:13:20] **Liz Jones:** Yep so we at these bus Rapid Transit stations and platforms there are kind of enhanced lighting and security features... [Liz explains the Metro Transit police force and safety action plan] [00:14:00] **Chair:** Anything else we good well thank you so much great job looking forward for having us yeah thanks yeah enjoy the night thank you um Max do you want to go into uh the business retention at this point or do you want to skip down to the Oakdale development launch? [00:14:15] **Max (City Staff):** Yeah we can launch into the business retention program update. So today we have the last program update for the first year of the city's business retention expansion and attraction program... [Max discusses the Bria visits] ...first up of these we have Beers Tube if anyone present on that would like to speak to how that one went. [00:14:40] **Chair:** Well I was present for the Beers Tube one it was uh Jim was uh uh great to talk with very positive about city of Oakdale... [00:15:00] **Andrew Gitzlaff (Community Development Director):** Yeah thank you Mr chair I think you summarized it really well and since I have the the privilege of Kim O'Brien's notes from the meeting I I can just add a few other um yeah a few other things as far as you know City Chamber business relationship going forward... [Andrew discusses hiring challenges and patio expansion at Beers Tube] [00:16:00] **Max (City Staff):** Next up we've got Crossroads properties so that one we had as the business rep Terry furlong and Kim O'Brien and I was there as well as with mayor zabal so I can give that update please. [00:16:15] **Andrew Gitzlaff (Community Development Director):** All right so Crossroads property... [Andrew gives details on Crossroads property management and hiring skilled labor] ...and that's the summary and I'm glad to happy to answer any questions. [00:18:00] **Chair:** No well done um shall we go right to the Tanner's Lake Redevelopment then? [00:18:05] **Max (City Staff):** we got one more one more yeah Twin Cities Hardware. [00:18:10] **Andrew Gitzlaff (Community Development Director):** Yep so that was a fifth of May um I was at that one mayor zabal and then Kim O'Brien from the from the chamber... [Andrew summarizes the visit to Twin Cities Hardware, their expansion, and police/fire feedback] ...I'd be happy to answer any questions. [00:20:30] **Chair:** That's a business that I can see benefit from City and City Hall going out and thanking them for the business that was that was a good get by Kim and I think for that business yeah any questions well done do we want to go to Tanner's now? [00:21:00] **Max (City Staff):** Yeah we can move right on over to that so we've just got a brief update tonight on Tanners... [Max explains the proposals from Developer A and Developer B] ...ultimately the council expressed support for proposal B for its mix of density its multiple uses and many public amenities. [00:22:00] **Chair:** what do we have for questions about Tanner's Lake what kind of timeline are you talking about so the next step is what for Plan B? [00:22:15] **Max (City Staff):** Sure so for Plan B we are in the process right now... [Max explains the exclusive rights agreement and the refined concept plan process] [00:23:00] **Chair:** I do like the idea that'd be utilizing Tanner's Lake a little bit for boat rental or whatever they're going to see just don't eat the fish all right any other questions about Tanner's Lake? Okay um shall we move on to the city of Oakdale development map launch? [00:23:20] **Max (City Staff):** Sure thing so tonight I want to introduce and ask for input on the city's new development map... [Max demonstrates the interactive web map] [00:24:30] **Chair:** let's go to Helmo and Stillwater Boulevard please. [00:24:35] **Max (City Staff):** yeah forgive me I'm looking up at the projector you're there. [00:24:40] **Chair:** so did I get the right spot bill you did but I don't show any uh no icons or anything as far as where the work is. [00:24:50] **Max (City Staff):** okay um we've got somebody at City Hall that's responsible to update this do they try and do it daily weekly? [00:25:00] **Max (City Staff):** yeah so right now I put this map together and I've been keeping it up to date... [00:25:10] **Chair:** Is there a place anywhere on here where we can get your contact to say uh hey what what's the what's going on with the 17 manholes or whatever the issue would be? [00:25:20] **Max (City Staff):** I think we could look into having our contact information on it... [00:25:35] **Andrew Gitzlaff (Community Development Director):** It's just a point of clarification it's just development projects so there's another newsletter on like Street projects and those sorts of things... [00:25:45] **Frank Darcelo:** and Frank if uh you want a paper copy we can get you one of those as well too good and they'll mail it to you your world is passing me by it I'm telling you. [00:26:00] **Stacy (Commissioner):** I did see a post on Facebook the other day where someone had captured from the map and there were comments on it about the development at the across from Target... they were saying like Aldi's. [00:26:15] **Chair:** Max what's the yellow uh over there just a left? [00:26:20] **Max (City Staff):** so we have a warehouse going up in the Forefront area um right now we don't have much information on the tenant but it's being built... [00:26:50] **Chair:** Well I think this is going to help to inform citizens as far as what's going on versus just rumors of all these going in. [00:27:00] **Max (City Staff):** yeah I can add a contact box that's something we'd be able to do. [00:27:15] **Commissioner:** I think it's a good idea to have a good information center because I have more people asking me what's this and where is that going and what's that building I have no idea I mean you didn't get the paper right the paper's gone we have to write that one off it's gone. [00:27:30] **Stacy (Commissioner):** people also don't read very well because they'll ask the same question over and over on Facebook... [00:27:45] **Max (City Staff):** that's kind of I think that's the exact aim we're going for... [00:28:00] **Chair:** shall we move on to the business development incentives handout review? [00:28:10] **Max (City Staff):** sure thing and I'll have that up on the screen as well... [Max introduces the Bria handout] [00:28:30] **Chair:** if it isn't already I'd recommend you just do a front and back so it's on one piece... and maybe saying in the very bottom this is a majority of them and they're it's it's a fluid thing with the governments as far as what's out there. [00:29:10] **Commissioner:** and I know when we're on the Bria visits that this was uh most of the businesses obviously didn't have a clue in regards to all of these different options that were out there. [00:29:25] **Stacy (Commissioner):** maybe something like this could go out to new businesses when apply for licenses or you know established in the community. [00:29:40] **Andrew Gitzlaff (Community Development Director):** I know I talked with Kim about doing like a highlight of the overall Bria program and the results we want to do that with you guys... [00:30:00] **Chair:** anything else in regards to this all right Max thank you. [00:30:10] **Max (City Staff):** thank you chair. [00:30:15] **Chair:** um so we're into the all other items um shall we go we're gonna I'm gonna mix it up a little bit of course we'll go right to the council liaison updates we're going to wrap it up with the commissioner updates. [00:30:30] **Council Member (Liaison):** good evening chair and commissioner this is uh my second time in front of you so forgive me if I'm a little nervous as I am presenting but I do have three items that I do want to share with you guys... [Council Member discusses the repeal of the Oakdale First policy, Cannabis laws moratorium, and utility franchise fees] ...I'll open it up for questions and comments. [00:32:00] **Erin (Commissioner):** I have a quick question yeah I was watching some of the studies that other states have done... do you think by doing that [the moratorium] that's going to put us at a disadvantage should we ever want or should there ever be a business that wants to set up here? [00:32:30] **Council Member (Liaison):** a great question there commissioner Erin it is the position of the council that we are not anti-cannabis businesses but we just want to wait and see... [00:33:30] **Erin (Commissioner):** I was kind of I should rephrase my question do you see that putting that in place is going to hinder that potentially or put us behind? [00:33:45] **Council Member (Liaison):** no um you know to address it I think for good governance being patient and and making sure that you know we act once and and we're not having to repeal... [00:34:00] **Commissioner:** Does council have any concerns with um any on the flip side of non-economic but more of enforcement side of problems? [00:34:15] **Council Member (Liaison):** you know I think the challenges is that at the state level um it has been approved um and it is uh not allowing the cities to prohibit it... [00:34:30] **Commissioner:** has the council discussed cannabis use in public spaces Parks? [00:34:40] **Council Member (Liaison):** very uh entry level we have um that's another item that we've asked staff to go and help us get more information on. [00:35:00] **Chair:** Do you know if like so the present businesses like Smokedale have they were requested the ability to be a dispensary or anything is that are they looking to do that? [00:35:15] **Council Member (Liaison):** we uh we have not seen any interest yet but we would be asking them to be patient with us... [00:35:30] **Frank Darcelo:** I understand the shopping center out in front of my business out there that we're between dukes and where the Titan bar used to be I understand are they is there somebody in there growing marijuana plants? [00:35:45] **Council Member (Liaison):** I'm I'm I don't know um they don't disclose their growing locations... I think there's a big medical marijuana growing location in Cottage Grove but I've never heard of one out here. [00:36:15] **Frank Darcelo:** well I can wait for the Development Department on that question. [00:36:30] **Chair:** thank you so much for being here. [00:36:40] **Council Member (Liaison):** thank you I really appreciate it no problem have a good night. [00:36:50] **Chair:** um Andy how about if we go to the Community Development Department update is that all right? [00:37:00] **Andrew Gitzlaff (Community Development Director):** yeah thank you Mr chair just two quick updates... one is the bike and pedestrian Plan update... and then the Glenbrook study... [Andrew provides updates on the Titan bar area and development north of Target] [00:40:00] **Chair:** thank you thank you yeah thanks everyone well let's move it on to the commissioner updates we'll start to my right Bob have you got any? [00:40:15] **Bob (Commissioner):** no I don't and I'll go Bob again I'll be at the Washington County Parks booth at the fair on Friday night so if you're out there stop by and say hello. [00:40:25] **Chair:** why do you get to be at the Washington County? [00:40:30] **Bob (Commissioner):** I am on the Washington County Parks Commission. [00:40:40] **Chair:** great let's see and Jeff? [00:40:45] **Jeff (Commissioner):** I have um only the event tonight next door in the by the Bandshell the Everett Smithson Band... [00:41:00] **Stacy (Commissioner):** Stacy Carol Matthews is in their annual fan Friday night we're having a petting zoo and a bounce house and food and fire truck and police officer so it'll be a fun night. [00:41:15] **Erin (Commissioner):** just a shout out to those Oakdale residents who banded together and made Summerfest happen this year that was fabulous. [00:41:30] **Frank Darcelo:** I have nothing to report. [00:41:40] **Chair:** well tomorrow afternoon 11 30 is the chamber meeting and we're holding it over at the Lake Elmo Event Center... other than that yes it does look there's a storm off to our West yeah max I think that's about it for the night anything else? [00:41:55] **Max (City Staff):** I have nothing to add thank you. [00:42:00] **Chair:** um we have a motion to adjourn? [00:42:05] **Frank Darcelo:** well motion to adjourn. [00:42:10] **Commissioner:** second. [00:42:15] **Chair:** all in favor and not okay motion passes thanks for coming.