11-17-97 Regular
HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Regular Meeting
November 17, 1997
The HRA meeting held jointly with the City Council, Planning Commission, and
Community Services Commission was called to order by Chairperson Harms at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
HRA Members
Present:Thomas Harms, Chair; Kristal Stokes; and Russ Susag; Joan
Helmberger.
HRA Members
Not Present:Michael Sandahl.
City Council
Members Present:Martin J. Kirsch, Mayor; Russ Susag; and Susan Rosenberg; and
Kristal Stokes.
City Council
Members Not
Present:Mike Sandahl.
Chair Harms stated that HRA Commissioner Sandahl had informed him that he
would not be present at tonight’s meeting because of a job commitment.
M/Susag,S/Stokesto determine the absence of HRA Commissioner/Council
Member Sandahl as an excused absence.
Motion carried 4-0.
Staff Present:James Prosser, Executive Director; Steve Devich, Administrative
Services Director; Bruce Palmborg, Community Development
Director; Michael Eastling, Public Works Director; and Bruce
Nordquist, Housing & Redevelopment Manager.
Planning Commission
Members Present:Mitchell Hadley, Roger Gordon, Terry Ahlstrom, and Daniel
Linnihan.
HRA Meeting Minutes-2-November 17, 1997
Community Services
Commission
Members Present:Robert Dietl, Elayne Gilhousen, Denise Schaefer, and Arnold
Auchstetter.
Item #1DISCUSSION OF STATUS OF RICHFIELD LAKE AREA (RLAP).
HRA LETTER NO. 62
Fred Hoisington, Hoisington Koegler Group Inc., planning consultant for the
Richfield Lake Area study, provided an update of the Richfield Lake Area concept. Mr.
Hoisington addressed the group regarding the particular needs of the Richfield Lake Area
and how the concept responds to those issues. He indicated that there was both
neighborhood support and opposition to this redevelopment.
Mr. Hoisington suggested that the City and HRA may wish to temporarily delay
development in the area north of Richfield Lake as well as to realign the proposed
Parkway Design. He added that the residential area north of Richfield Lake could be
addressed at sometime in the future.
HRA Commissioner Susag asked if there was additional public parking planned for
the redevelopment area.
Mr. Hoisington responded that he did not see this area as a large gathering place
that would require such additional parking.
HRA Commissioner Susag asked if there was a potential to move the post office.
Mr. Hoisington stated that they spoke to the Post Master of the Richfield branch.
The Post Master responded that they would like to enhance the retail portion of the
operation, which may involve relocating it to somewhere else in the service area, or to
relocate the mail processing portion of the operation to somewhere else in the City.
Chair Harms asked about the timing for presenting a more detailed concept, design
guidelines, economic feasibility, etc.
Mr. Hoisington stated it would likely be in the Spring of 1998. He stated that there
would also be a number of neighborhood concerns that will have to be addressed. Mr.
Hoisington stated that in the spring of 1998 a redevelopment plan should be presented for
public hearings and public input.
Planning Commission Member Ahlstrom asked that when Mr. Hoisington stated that
the area north of Richfield Lake not be developed at this time, did he mean Emerson
Avenue.
HRA Meeting Minutes-3-November 17, 1997
Mr. Hoisington responded that Emerson Avenue north of 66th Street would still be
included at this time.
Executive Director Prosser made a brief presentation describing the role of the
boards, commissions and City Council for this project.
Chair Harms stated that the only action that would be taken this evening would be
the HRA accepting the report and provide informal guidance as to how we may wish to
proceed with this concept design. He explained what the process would be from this point
forward.
M/Susag, S/Helmberger to accept the Richfield Lake Area Concept report.
Motion carried 4-0.
ADJOURNMENT OF SPECIAL JOINT MEETING, RECESS OF HRA MEETING.
The Special Joint City Council Meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at
7:45 p.m.
The HRA Meeting recessed for ten minutes at 7:45 p.m.
HRA MEETING RECONVENEMENT
The HRA meeting reconvened at 8:00 p.m. and was called to order by Chair
Harms.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
M/Susag, S/Stokesto approve the minutes of the regular HRA Meeting of October
20, 1997.
Motion carried 4-0.
Item #1OATH OF OFFICE TO HRA COMMISSIONER TOM HARMS
HRA Meeting Minutes-4-November 17, 1997
Acting City Clerk Steven Devich administered the oath of office to HRA
Commissioner Tom Harms.
Item #2OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE HRA ON ITEMS NOT ON
THE AGENDA.
Larry Wozniczka, 6744 Wentworth Avenue, stated that on November 18, 1996,
CSM and Rottlund Homes were to work on the Richfield Lake Area concept (RLAP). He
would like a report. He also stated that he received information on the Richfield
Rediscovered program and will address it later in the meeting.
Item #3ACCEPTANCE OF 1997 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR RICHFIELD
REDISCOVERED PROGRAM. HRA LETTER NO. 63
Housing & Redevelopment Manager Nordquist summarized his experience in
accepting the NAHRO 1997 Award of Excellence for the Richfield Rediscovered Program
on behalf of the Richfield HRA.
The Commissioners thanked staff for their work on this program.
Item #4PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION ADOPTING
1998 HRA BUDGET AND CERTIFYING 1998 PROPERTY TAX LEVY. HRA
LETTER NO. 64
Community Development Director Palmborg presented a brief presentation
regarding the proposed 1998 budget and tax budget. Mr. Palmborg reviewed the major
initiatives and ongoing programs of the HRA. Mr. Palmborg also explained the loss of the
development funds.
Larry Wozniczka, 6744 Wentworth Avenue, addressed the HRA regarding the
budget and tax levies.
x
Why has his tax value gone up so much?
x
Where did the money come from for the Lampert site and where is the money
going?
x
Richfield Rediscovered Program - what is the rate of return?
x
1996 Bond Issue $5,000,000 - where will it be placed and how will it be used?
HRA Meeting Minutes-5-November 17, 1997
Gordon Anderson, 7501 Elliot Avenue asked about expanding parking and office
space and why we seem to need more employees. He also question why there is a need
to make more parking and asked why the City does not charge employees to park.
Executive Director Prosser responded that a review of the parking was done. He
stated many employees are required to use their own vehicles during the day and paid
parking is not practical or competitive. He added that more employees are needed to
respond to more demands for service, federal and state mandates, and new programs.
Mr. Anderson also asked why we need to use tax increment financing (TIF).
Executive Director Prosser stated that the primary reason we use TIF is that it
provides opportunities that we would not otherwise see. He stated it also freezes the
base value so that it doesn’t continue to lose value.
Commissioner Helmberger also mentioned the tax shift from businesses to homes.
Chair Harms responded that if the Richfield Rediscovered Program paid a market
rate of return private entities would do it. He stated we are precisely in the process of
doing it because it needs to be done and private sector won’t do it. He also stated that
without TIF, the value of properties in the City would most likely not increase as they are
now, and could be decreasing instead. Chair Harms stated that we must look at Richfield
out to the future 30 years and not try to make cuts to provide short term tax savings at the
expense of the City’s future.
Commissioner Susag stated that the Richfield Rediscovered Program uses excess
TIF funds and reinvests it in the community. He stated that the excess TIF would not all
go back into the community if the districts were paid off early, while these funds provide
for an opportunity to reinvest them back into the community through programs such as
Richfield Rediscovered.
M/Helmberger, S/Susag to close the public hearing.
Motion carried 4-0.
M/Sandahl, S/Susag that the following HRA resolution be adopted, that it be spread
in the HRA resolution book and that it be made part of these minutes:
HRA RESOLUTION NO. 647
RESOLUTIONADOPTING 1998 HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
BUDGET AND CERTIFYING THE 1998 TAX LEVY
Motion carried 4-0. This resolution appears as HRA Resolution No. 647 in HRA
Resolution Book No. 5.
HRA Meeting Minutes-6-November 17, 1997
Item #5 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT
Executive Director Prosser stated a mitigation report on the north-south runway is
in the process of being prepared.
Item #6CLAIMS AND PAYROLL
M/Helmberger, S/Susag that the following claims and payrolls be approved:
FIRSTAR BANK
Section 8 Checks: 11589-11727$143,485.64
HRA Checks: 18523-18545, 18669-18720$456,459.31
Motion carried 4-0.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 9:00 p.m.
Date Approved:
Thomas Harms
Chair
Steven L. DevichJames D. Prosser
Acting City ClerkExecutive Director