06-21-2011 EDC Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Economic Development Commission Minutes June 21, 2011 Page 2 Facility Use Plan Tim Houle explained that he had a facility use plan proposal before Council in 2004. He stated that at that time the Council felt that the spray irrigation land was more valuable for other uses than spray irrigation and the thought at that time was to consider the possibility of expanding the IndustrialBusiness Park into the spray irrigation land. Tim stated that the current EDC has a different need for a facility plan today than in the past. Tim explained that in order to complete a facility plan, the City should have a definition of its service area and determine how many treatment alternatives it wants to look at. Tommy Woog suggested that the City should know where the is pipe in the ground and where the service area can be expanded in the Industrial/Business Park, the downtown area and the residential areas. Sheila Haverkamp questioned whether the City is still considering larger Industrial/Business Park sites for larger industrial users. Patrick Smith stated that it seems the capacity information drives the need for a facility plan. It was the consensus of the Commission Members that it makes the most sense to examine the usage and capacity information each year and let this dictate the need to expand the service area and to do a facility use plan. Tommy Woog suggested that we look at the existing service area and determine what growth area we have left. Sheila Haverkamp stated that we are trying to determine how to encourage people to look at the infill which will allow the City to develop at a higher capacity as well as create jobs and taxes. Patrick Smith stated that this is where we want to consider offering incentives at a local level to encourage the infill. It was the consensus of the EDC to put together a smaller scale facility plan which would show the existing service area and the vacancies in the existing service area. Dawn Bittner stated she would work on this project. Amendments to City Code to Facilitate Infill Development in the Industrial/Business Park Tommy Woog explained that a meeting was held with Chuck Marohn, Sandy Peine, Sheila Haverkamp, Dawn Bittner and himself to talk about ways to speed up the development process for subdivision of lots in the Industrial/Business Park. He also noted that Chuck Marohn has prepared a memo showing how the process could be streamlined through an ordinance amendment. Tommy Woog noted that the Planning Commission would also be reviewing this information. He explained that the process would include talking to business owners about the ability to subdivide their lots along with the City