Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 04-26 EDAM MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION APRIL 26, 2021 1. CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Economic Development Authority (EDA) met in Regular Session called to order by President Mike Elliott at 7:55 p.m. The meeting was conducted via Zoom. 2. ROLL CALL President Mike Elliott and Commissioners Marquita Butler, April Graves, and Dan Ryan. Commissioner Kris Lawrence-Anderson was excused. Also present were Acting Executive Director Reggie Edwards, Community Development Director Meg Beekman, City Clerk Barb Suciu, and City Attorney Troy Gilchrist. 3. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA Commissioner Ryan moved and Cammissioner Graves seconded to approve the Agenda and Consent Agenda, and the following item was approved: 3a. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. March 8, 2021 Motion passed unanimously. 4. COMMISSION CONSIDERATION ITEMS 4a. RESOLUTION NO. 2021-04 ESTABLISHING A MICRO-GRANT FA�ADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM Acting Executive Director Reggie Edwards introduced the item,noting it is appropriate to consider establishing a Micro-Grant FaCade Improvement Program, especially as we go through this time of civil unrest where in places there has been some graffiti. He invited Community Development Director Beekman to present this item. Community Development Director Meg Beekman reviewed a PowerPoint presentation related to the creation of a Micro-Grant Fa�ade Improvement Program. She noted the Council had established strategic priorities for the 2021 budget and those priorities did include beautification and clean-up of commercial properties as a top priority for the City. Under that strategic priority, 04/26/21 -1- there are several initiatives identified, one of which was to support the creation of a program to incentivize a business with clean-up and property improvements. Economic Development Coordinator Vong Thao has been meeting with businesses and doing commercial property assessments to formulate the basis and groundwork for this program. She noted that while staff has been developing this program, staff had not anticipated bringing it to the EDA this soon. Ms. Beekman explained the program is designed to support businesses making exterior fa�ade improvements. To address current needs, the staff made adjustments and expanded scaring to facilitate businesses that have experienced damage or vandalism as a result of civil unrest. Ms. Beekman stated the purpose of the Micro-Grant Fa�ade Improvement Program is to provide matching grants of up to $5,000 to support small and medium-sized businesses in the City with exterior improvements, beautification, and repairs. The intention is to encourage and assist businesses with improving the exterior of properties while improving the public realm,beautifying businesses, improving public safety, and maintaining cleanliness. Ms. Beekman presented the goals of the program as detailed in tonight's meeting packet, noting the purpose is to improve the customer experience and contribute to the aesthetic quality of the area as well as other items related to conforming to zoning and being consistent with the City's Comprehensive Plan. Ms. Beekman described the eligible uses that focus on exterior permanent improvements as well as permanent site improvements. She noted also included in the repair or inclusion of trash and mechanical enclosures, which Code requires but some properties were built before that regulation do not have, as well as parking area repairs for potholes, re-striping, and inclusion of bicycle facilities. Ms. Beekman stated staff has also heard from businesses that there is a desire to add security, such as security cameras, to improve safety for businesses and the installation of fences. She noted building materials for any of the above-identified items would be included in the event the business owner is doing the work. The work does not need to be done by a commercial contractor. Ms. Beekman stated the grant would be for a minimum of$1,000 and up to $5,000. One provision included, which ties back to litter and trash, is to provide property maintenance and beautification plan that explains how the parking lot and landscape areas will be free of trash and litter. This also provides an opportunity to educate the property owner/property manager about trash and litter and identify plans for how to maintain that, whether through additional trash receptacles, covering trash receptacles, and/or assigning staff to come out regularly to clean up. Ms. Beekman stated the program would require a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $5,000. Staff talked with folks who have been working with some of the City's small businesses to get feedback on the program. One concern mentioned was around businesses not being eligible if they are not able to provide the match. In some cases with businesses that have experienced damage,insurance may not be covering some of that work. Because of that, staff included a condition to allow the match to be reduced if the business was damaged as a result of civil unrest and providing a match is not possible. Ms. Beekman stated staff is working with other resources and agencies that can 04/26/21 -2- provide some services at no cost to businesses so this is also an opportunity to have a conversation with the business and make sure the City is offering all the resources available. Ms. Beekman explained the process would be to apply on a rolling basis; EDA staff will review and score the applications; EDA staffwill prepare recommendations to the EDA for approval; and, the EDA will then consider and approve all grant awards. Ms. Beekman reviewed the scoring criteria,noting it focuses on several categories such as aesthetic improvement and curb appeal (visual improvement); community impact (positive impacts to surrounding properties and community); affected by civil unrest (will receive additional points); local economic impact (utilize local contractors/vendors/financial institutions); readiness (timeframe to complete work, funding available for match); and, local business impact (business owned at least 25% by resident of inetro area, size of business, owned by female person of color). Ms. Beekman stated the action being requested is a motion to approve the resolution approving Policy and procedures for a Micro-grant Fa�ade Improvement Program and authorizing staff to implement the program. President Elliott opened the floor for public comment. Gail Ebert, a resident, stated she finds the last criteria to be a little unfair as white men also own businesses in the area. Commissioner Graves noted that is just part of the scoring criteria and other items scored include aesthetic improvement or curb appeal, community impact, whether impacted by civil unrest, local economic impact, readiness or likelihood the project would be completed in a reasonable timeframe and local community impact, which speaks to the last sentence that Ms. Ebert mentioned. She explained that is worth tive points within the entire point scoring system of the application and does not mean it is excluding a white male small business owner trom applying at all. It just means that if they're not, they would not get that particular part of the scoring criteria, but it does not mean they would not get as high of a point on the other scoring criteria. She stated it is dependent on the business and she hopes her comments have added some clarity. Commissioner Graves stated in general, she thinks the proposal before the EDA is well balanced and timely. She stated when looking at the scoring criteria, she had questions on each one but the further she read, the more she felt staff had done a really good job in thinking about how to be equitable and fair in the scoring process, which sometimes is not easy. She stated she hopes the City does a good job in getting these applications out to businesses that need to receive them. Commissioner Graves referenced the criteria for security cameras and asked what it is the Brooklyn Center Police Department specifically is approving about the security cameras. She is also curious if a business were to only use the funding for security cameras, noting that would not feel good aesthetically or be an aesthetic/fa�ade improvement. Ms. Beekman explained that the safety and security piece has been part of the concept for this program since its inception after conversing with businesses and trying to understand their needs. She agreed that a fa�ade improvement program would typically not include security cameras but as staff spoke with 04/26/21 -3- businesses, it was clear that was something they felt there was need around so it was added in response to that conversation. Ms. Beekman stated in terms of the Brooklyn Center Police Department, can provide consultation on what is the best location for cameras to ensure they are placed effectively. That is the intent of the language. Ms. Beekman explained that based on the scoring criteria, she does not know that a project only including security cameras would work particularly well in terms of aesthetic impact or some of the other scoring criteria. She agreed that as a stand-alone project it would probably not be a high priority but, again, it was included based on conversations with businesses wanting assistance around security cameras. Commissioner Graves thanked Ms. Beekman for providing that clarity and stated she does not have further questions. She stated she is in favor of the proposed resolution. President Elliott stated he also supports the resolution, thinks it's a great program, but wants to make sure the emphasis is on exterior farade and landscaping to beautify business areas. President Elliott moved and Commissioner Ryan seconded to adopt EDA RESOLUTION NO. 2021-04 Approving Policy and Procedures for Micro-Grant Fa�ade Improvement Program. Motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Graves recommended staff revisit the language in the list of eligible uses and consider a different word than `approved.' Ms. Beekman stated staff will assure the intent is clear. 5. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Ryan moved and Commissioner Butler seconded adjournment of the Economic Development Authority meeting at 8:16 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. STATE OF MINNESOTA) COLTNTY OF HENNEPIN) ss. Certification of Minutes CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER) The undersigned, being the duly qualified and appointed City Clerk of the City of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, certifies: 1. That attached hereto is a full, true, and complete transcript of the minutes of a Economic Development Authority of the City Council of the City of Brooklyn Center held on April 26, 2021 2. That said meeting was held pursuant to due call and notice thereof and was duly held at Brooklyn Center City Hall. 3. That the City Council adopted said minutes at its Ma , , ular Session. President 04/26/21 -4-