1989 12 21HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 21, 1989
Vice Chairman Horn called the meeting to order at 7:3~ p.m..
MEMBERS PRESENT: Clark Horn, Tom Workman and Jim Bohn
MEMBERS ABSENT: Cliff Whitehill and Charlie Robbins
STAFF PRESENT: Don Ashworth, Executive Director and Todd Gerhardt, Asst.
Executive Director
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Bohn moved, Workman seconded to approve the Housing
and Redevelopment Authority Minutes dated November 16, 1989 as presented.
All voted in favor and the motion carried.
VISITOR PRESENTATION: None.
UPDATE REGARDING BERNIE HANSON.
Horn: Tom didn't get here earlier but we have some good news to celebrate
tonight. We've reached agreement with Bernie.
Workman: Marvelous.
Horn: So we congratulate both Bernie and Don on their efforts. Is there
anything else we want to discuss on this?
Gerhardt: No. Just Don updated everybody previously, before the meeting
started. It's good negotiations this past week.
Workman: It wasn't a compromise because I wasn't here?
Gerhardt: That had something to do with it.
Horn: I guess the only thing I could say is, this has been a project we've
had in the mill for a long time. I'm really glad to see you're going to
stick around with us Bernie.
Bernie Hanson: Well we're trying.
Workman: I can find out details later perhaps or are we going to vote on
anything. We don't have to vote on that tonight?
Horn: No. No, it's all resolved.
UPDATE REPORT ON HWY 1~1 AND HWY 5 (FRED HOISINGTON).
Horn: I think this ~tem has been around longer than our negotiations with
Bernie actually.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 2
Fred Hoisington: Actually we started this about a year, Just about this
time last year as a matter of fact. However Clark you're right because
we've been dealing with this whole question of the intersection here and
all the alternatives for the past, at least the past 2 years so that's
right. This study though was one that had several different purposes and
one of them, the primary one was to establish the alignment of TH 101 down
here but also to deal with corridor aesthetics and deal sort of secondarily
with land use but the land use portion of this is the part that you're
really most interested in because the tax increment district for us
includes virtually everything that's here and then it comes down to the
south line, I think of the Ward property or there abouts in this case. The
area you kind of want to concentrate on is this area right through here
because I know you're not really all that concerned as an HRA with the
realignment of TH 101 but. The two areas that are probably the most
important or the things you'll be most interested in have to do with the
Ward property itself and then because Brad is here, we want to talk a
little bit about his proposal for the land on the north side of TH 5. The
Ward piece as you know is about 77 acres in size and this alignment of TH
101 is pretty much established a pattern of land use that is different than
we ever had 'envisioned before. The property is presently zoned industrial,
or at least everything on the west side of existing TH 101 and every on the
east side is all residential currently. What we decided to do was to kind
of look at this south side and get some impressions of what kinds of
potential for other uses might be there or whether the uses all remain the
same and one of the things that we had always kind of looked at was the
extension of Lake Drive as a continuous road all the way through this
corridor. Sort of a parallel route so you did not have to, everyone didn't
have to use TH 5 to get through here, especially the people that were
employed and needed to move from one place in the community but not use TH
5. What happened was that when we began to look at this site and realize
it's commercial potential, we decided that we needed to detach this at
least 6~ feet so the people coming into this site from this direction
wouldn't make a left and then immediately have to make a second left.
Because we were concerned about the congestion that would occur and the
backing of traffic onto TH 5 we decided to give it the maximum use
potential, we would detach that and what that does is it gives us Just a
tremendous amount more stacking distance and also we didn't lose that much
in terms of continuity. In fact we think this will work extremely well
because people are really interested in driving here and getting on or here
and getting on and so forth so there really wasn't a necessity to keep it
up here and we were concerned about use here as well. One of the things
that we were fearful of was if we didn't make this large enough piece, we
would end up with a strip of commercial along the north side. Very
attractive for fast food restaurants and those kinds of things and we'd
thought we'd end up kind of with a restaurant row there which we were, not
to say that I'm not all that concerned about but I was much more interested
in having a large block of land that we could use and deal with as a unit.
Horn: The only people you interfere with are the Rosemount people who want
to go to McDonalds for lunch.
Fred Hoisington: That is correct. Well, not really Clark because this is
their entrance right here so they can get directly out of there and get up
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 3
in that direction with no difficulty at all.
Horn: So the Rosemount is across from that?
Fred Hoisington: Exactly across from this so what we did is we aligned
that deliberately to go right into the Rosemount.
Horn: So if the Empak people want to go to McDonalds.
Fred Hoisington: The Empak people are going to have to be a little more
secure to get there than the Rosemount. So that's the rationale for
circulation and so forth and we're not exactly sure what will happen there
but it has a tremendous commercial potential. Other things though that you
might be interested in, this site on the west side of future TH 101 is a
rather steep piece of property. Quite heavily wooded as well and we see
that interchangeably useable for multi-family or office but we've shown it
on this plan and I think the Planning Commission is probably reflecting it
much this same way on their plan. If someone came along with a good office
plan that worked and where they could step it down the slope and so forth
and preserve trees, then I have no problem with office there either but in
any case, multi-family seems to make the most sense with this exposure out
to the lake and so forth. It seems to be a real good use. Talking about
office here and then sort of a transitional zone here with single family
for the most part backing to single family and then the small area of
multi-family that is somewhat different than you've seen in the past. But
that's sort of the extent of the Ward piece and the things we're proposing
there and the Planning Com~,ission is incorporating all of that in their
Comprehensive Plan. The area on the north side, this being existing TH 101
or Great Plains and future TH 101 at Dakota Avenue, this is probably one of
the more difficult pieces of land that we found in this entire study and
the reason, if Brad would pay attention, since we're on your stuff kind of
Brad. The reason this is so difficult is because of the dimension of it.
Not only do we have a railroad track on one side and TH 5 on the other, but
when you get down in the vicinity of Apple Valley Redi-Mix, you have 130
feet or 150 feet of width, something like that. A very narrow site and
access is always going to be a problem, for that site. If you're familiar
with plans for future TH 101, which as you know have been funded or at
least we have the tax increment district extended, there will be a median
across here so we will not be able to get directly out and have all
directional maveurability at that intersection near The Taco Shoppe so what
we're suggesting in this case is that there be a private driveway through
on the north side right along the railroad tracks and that gives better
utilization of the land to the property owners there and if we had a public
street, we wouldn't have much left. By the time we ended up with setbacks
and everything through here, it simply wouldn't work and you do make some
provision in your zoning to have private drives if they don't serve more
than 4 properties and that sort of thing so with cross easements we think
that could work very well. So we see kind of a billboard use here. Not
billboards but uses that kind of act as billboards. They need exposure but
they don't necessarily need immediate access. In other words, someone
doesn't have to get right off TH 5 there. They can see it. They can pass
it and they can come back to it. So that's sort of the use we see here
with an open space use at the end and using part of the Taco Shoppe
Housing and .Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 4
property and getting rid of, needless to say, Apple Valley. We know that
Matt Fisher is interested in that happening. He Just hasn't figured out
and we haven't figured out a way to do that but we need to do that. We
need to get something going and make that happen. This piece then, where
we have a much better dimension, is much easier to deal with as well.
That's the one of course that Brad is here for this evening and would like
to talk with you about. What he's talking about in this case is a Hardee's
or a fast food restaurant here. Of course Amoco doing it's thing and then
moving the Brown Car Wash back to the back and. then using the present new
Hanus building as some sort of commercial type use. As much as that
building can be used for that purpose and we have evaluated a plan, I don't
know if you got that in your packet or not. Did they get anything in there
Todd? It would have been loose. Not in the report but in the...
Gerhardt: The drawing?
Fred Hoisington: The report that we did on this.
Horn: No, we don't have it here.
Fred Hoisington: Okay, well let me just explain to you that we think that
the use as proposed in concept, or the fast food restaurant which is
detached from TH 5, and of course Amoco and the car wash is a good use
given the zoning and the exposure and all of the things we had envisioned
happening at that location. We have some concerns in detail about what
Brad is proposing to do but based on some of the flexibility we see there,
we think we can get around and resolve all of those problems without any
difficulty. Let me get a drawing here so you can at least see what that
looks like. Put yours up too Brad. That will help.
Workman: You saying we do need a car wash?
Horn: Yeah.
Fred Hoisington: The car wash would come down. The present one which is
out here right on the street and would move back to the backside of the
property and then there would be service bays, office and then parts
storage and so forth here. Access to the car wash would essentially be
through here and across the Amoco property and access to the drive-up
restaurant would be in this fashion.
Horn: Now Amoco's come in with a plan. Is that this plan?
Fred Hoisington: Basically that's this plan. After having been here
before and having been delayed and so forth, this access for example Clark
is right across from West 79th Street and that was one of the critical
things that we felt had to happen here.
Horn: Right. Is that consistent with MnDot's staff's recommendation?
Fred Hoisington: Yes. What they wanted originally were 2 and we and MnDot
said no. You're going to have one and they still wanted to pursue 2 but
when it came right down to it, they decided they better have one because
Housing and Redevelop~,ent Authority Meeting
December 9.1, 1989- Page 5
they weren't going to get 2.
Horn: They can still go out here though right?
Fred Hoisington: Yes. Yes they can. Now the problems ~e have with what
you see here are resolved in the other drawing that's attached. What you
have is, you have 2 way traffic on this aisle and. then you have traffic
coming, opposing traffic, what you have is 3 way traffic on that thing and
they were not proposing an island back here to separate that traffic. What
we're suggesting is you can do it in one of two ways. You can put an
island in and separate it and we think that potential exists. Or you can
do as we've suggested on the page just preceeding and that's to move the
restaurant all the way to the south line or nearly the south line and have
the drive-up on one side and all of the inside patron parking on the other
side and eliminate the 3 way traffic and end up with 2 way traffic and
force the people who go through the drive-up, which you know it takes about
5~% to 6~% of all the business goes through a restaurant of this nature,
goes through a drive-up window. Would put that traffic here rather than
put it all here as it would on the other plan. One of the things we know
about drive-up restaurants is you also don't need any parking spaces and
your ordinance requires 8~ parking spaces. That's a lot because of the
driveway up window and what we're suggesting is you could allow 5~ and
you'd still be okay as far as that's concerned.
Horn: How many are at the Hardee's in Eden Prairie?
Fred Hoisington: I'm going to guess.
Horn: Hardee's or Burger King.
Fred Hoisington: Four?
Horn: Four and five.
Fred Hoisington: I've never seen it filled.
Horn: Oh I've seen it.
Fred Hoisington: There are none on the one side and all of them are on the
other side, that one's a pretty well designed one. It divides things up.
Horn: I've seen it full. That's a busy one though.
Fred Hoisington: In any case, relatively minor differences and things we
think we can be worked out and we agree in concept with what they're trying
to achieve. I guess the major concern is whether the Amoco folks will
allow this to occur. This circulation across their property to get to the
car wash. If they won't allow that, obviously the plan doesn't work but if
Brad can get approval for that, then we've got a plan that I think works
very well.
Bohn: Is Gary Brown willing to, does he go along with this?
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 6
Fred Hoisington: We understand that Gary is most interested in doing
something like this.
Brad Johnson: Of course he'd like to have it on that corner...
Bohn: Who's going to own the car wash?
Fred Hoisington: He is.
Bohn: He owns the property now the car wash is...
Brad Johnson: If Fred's done, I can take you through that.
Horn: Looks like either option might be viable at this point.
Brad Johnson: Let me just show you where the HRA kind of fits in.
Horn: It sounds like the key is Amoco on this deal.
Brad Johnson: Well initially it's kind of Brown. First step. You know
where the site is and we've had 2 or 3 people come to town with fast food
type of restaurants. Given all the sites in the community, they feel
that's one of the better.
Workman: Where the car wash sits?
Brad Johnson: Yes. And so we've got a site that's being relatively
unutilized. I would think the valuation on that site right now as a car
wash for tax purposes is probably about $1~,~0.0~. Amoco's going to
spend a million dollars on their new station. So what we're proposing I
think is an increased in valuation on that corner with the Amoco and
everything like that, probably around a million for tax purposes
approximately. And the area looks like this. There's a whole bunch of
looks to me, there are a number of different ownerships in that area and
this one kind of details this particular plan. This is owned by Amoco.
Brown owns about 1~,~ square feet here. This was owned by Kerber's first
and by Lotus. There's a parcel, these parcels have been connected, there's
a line about right here and that is what you perceive to be the Hanus
garage. That's owned by a compan~ called Minister's Wife with an option
from us to purchase it. Then there are a number of parcels, one, two,
three that go all the way back and sort of start a road and go all the way
back into the Apple Valley concrete area. I think a lot of you guys have
seen this map a number of times. What we're proposing to do on our first
is one, as Fred said, is get adopted in concept at least this is how you'd
like to see this whole thing work someday. Okay? Recognizing that.., and
then this proposal, is that right, deals with this part right here. That
will stand alone traffic wise and then later on as potentially they do
something with Apple Valley where we all kind of work on getting that done.
Then they'll probably have a road that will come through. As I said the
one barrier that you have right now is this. I think long term real
benefit to Apple Valley...or HRA buys it and sells it again, will have to
have a road through here otherwise it's a one way in and no way out kind of
situation ultimately. So the road here does make sense and then we should
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 7
have an option agreement signed with the parties...to sign to do something
like this. Why this works is the concept is one, Brown needs to find a new
place to have service where he can service cars. His car wash is going to,
it's sort of out of date in comparison to the new kind of car washes.
They're mostly doubled loaded and a little bit bigger. Three,
aesthetically it's located possibly not quite in the best place. The
setback from our major road is about 2~.feet. That's maybe not enough. So
when Hardee's reviewed the site, they said let's try to...here. Can you
talk Brown into selling the car wash? I think that can be accomplished.
If we move the car wash to here, he would purchase the end of the Hanus
building. That square little one and that would become his service. One
of the hang-ups he's got is he never wants to be a tenant again on that
corner because of what he perceives he's gone with Amoco and then he would
set up about a 6,00~ square foot, about 5,00~ square foot service center
which is the same size as a Goodyear store would normally be. That would
allow him to be in the tire business and all that kind of stuff, and then
he could have a car wash attached to it. Now I guess we're just dealing
with concept right here. We talked to Amoco and they would like to get rid
of this car wash up here because they perceive it's also not go6d for their
property to be there. It detracts...so I think they would cooperate. The
assistance that we would need from the HRA is probably, I think we'll
generate about a million five of increments in this projec{ is a normal 3
year kind of land write down and assessment. And that would be used
basically to buy the parking. Buy Brown's interest on the car wash and
relocate it to the back. -Possibly some assistance in land write down and
then we would have to have the City to agree to vacate 79th Street there.
The property that 79th Street is on is owned by Lotus and leased to the
City. It's actually owned by Hanus in a way...major area of assistance
that would be needed which is very legitimate for this kind of area when
you're doing renewal, is about 3 years of increments from the projects we
created. Hardee's does not require any increment with what they're trying
to accomplish. Amoco requires no increment with what they're trying to
accomplish. They can pay market rate because their relocation of Brown and
changing that road system around, probably takes some of the increment. We
would not have to go out...
Horn: Does Hardee's have any new architecture that they're dealing with
like some of the other fast foods are changing their looks? Are they still
the standard.
Brad Johnson: I'm not sure. I think they're basically the same. As far
as they've shown us... You've got issues like signage. Our current
signage, I was just talking to Fred, some of our signage standards, we
haven't had a fast food put in in Chanhassen for 1~ years. We've rewritten
all our signage, a lot of our ordinances inbetween. Right now we're
working with 3 fast foods. Each of them probably have a problem with our
existing sign standards. Just based upon...
Horn: Are any of them a little more creative in their building style?
Brad Johnson: They usually stay with what is the same.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 8
Horn: When you look at the new, like the new McDonald places now and some
of the Country Kitchens are really starting to take on a different look.
They don't look quite as, there's one.
Brad Johnson: I don't know. They have their standards. I know everybody
is going through changes all the time. You look at the new Arby's.
There's even one over by Eden Prairie. That's a real sharp one.
Horn: That's why I mean. Some of these people...
Workman: We have 3 different fast foods looking at the same location?
Brad Johnson: No. Hardee's is the one that's interested in this one. We
have other people looking but Hardee's got to the place first and now
they're looking back towards the City over by the shopping center.
Workman: In that outlot?
Brad Johnson: Yeah. That's what we always thought we'd get somebody in
there. They're also looking, they want to be closer to TH 5. We just
don't have a lot of stuff near TH 5 that's easily available and in the
city. We can push'them toward Eden Prairie and Dell Road or someplace
like that. I don't think that's good for the downtown because the more
traffic we continue to generate for the downtown, the better.
Workman: In a general direction of our theme for downtown, you mentioned
signs and we're going to look at the hotel a little later and everything
and we're doing things all, you know the Riveria's throwing that on top.
Brad Johnson: I don't perceive that's the problem. Signage is a business
problem.
Workman: But what I'm getting at, then all of a sudden you've got a 4 inch
square Hardee's.
Brad Johnson: This one's going over in the BH district.
Workman: I'm talking about eventually that outlot or when somebody makes
their entrance on Frontier Trail into town. They see the clock but they
see an orange Hardee's. How does all of that fit in with our plan? Are we
taking that into account?
Brad Johnson: You have a choice of having, when you get down to the basic
economics of it all, the people that come in as retailers, the businesses
have to work. I don't think you can dictate to the businesses how they
work. Their architectural style because they approve it...
Workman: Right but what I'm saying is, there's a lot of time and energy
has been spent trying to make this design, both Market Square and the
Medical Arts and off of the Dinner Theatre and everything else like that.
Now we're just kind of throwing these in there a little bit.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 9
Brad Johnson: We're dealing basically with highway uses. We feel that
we're upgrading that corner.
Workman: Yeah. No, I understand that. I'm not telling Hardee's how to
build. I'm just wondering overall how that. The entrances to our city are
going to have these things. Maybe that's okay.
Horn: I think we're all fighting with that issue Brad. I like this
overall concept and if we could get a fast food in there that's got a
little bit more modern styling, I think everybody would really go for it.
The only hang-up that I think we all have is, an orange building sitting
right in the middle of our nice new downtown.
Bohn: Is it McDonalds or Burger King, one of the cities made them change
their architecture which they did. I can't think of who it is.
Clayton Johnson: There's a Hardee's in Red Wing that is very unusual.
Brad Johnson: Hardee's has done a lot of unusual buildings.
Horn: Maybe that's what we need to see is something that's a little
different than.
Clayton Johnson: Herb and Carol did that.
Horn: Oh did they?
Clayton Johnson: Yeah.
Brad Johnson: They've gone into downtown Mankato, have you been down
there? They've been sensitive to kind of situations. Detroit Lakes. They
went into downtown and really put in a nice.
Horn: Hardee's?
Brad Johnson: Yeah. Right in the downtown. As a matter of fact, it's a
corner just like this. It's been very successful. You just have to
realize from their end, they'll give you quotes on, if they don't have the
proper signage and property, their business goes down accordingly and
that's the business. Right now, you have to kind of listen to them because
we're not in the restaurant business. Whether it's that or gasoline or
whatever. Signage is important and one of the values is TH 5 exposure to
these guys and we'll have to work through it.
Bohn: You still can ask them to change their appearance.
Brad Johnson: You can't. They'll just go to a different community.
Bohn: Then they go.
Brad Johnson: You see what you have to realize is, I mean I'm not saying,
they may be able to change it. It's like trying to change an Amoco station
or changing this, is that their whole advertising program is their
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 1~
building.
Bohn: Obviously they did it Red Wing.
Brad Johnson: They took over a whole depot. It was a reconversion. They
went in the depot. It's sort of like, have you seen that one in, it wasn't
a new building.
Workman: That's usually where the McDonalds end up different. They've
taken an old historic building or something.
Brad Johnson: If they take an old historic building, they could do it but
we don't have one. I think they all become sensitive to the issue but all
I'm saying is, you have to be kind of sensitive to, you don't want the
business to fail. And their business systems, whet~er it's Arby's,
Hardee's, any of these guys. Amoco, is based upon the styling of their
buildings and being consistent throughout the United States.
Horn: But their competitors are changing.
Brad Johnson: As I said, I think they have changed. They probably don't
change their signs. They have to leave the building configuration the same
because it works that way. It's just the way it works.
Horn: The inside.
Brad Johnson: Yeah. The basic configuration. I think they do change
things around outside.
Horn: I think what you're hearing from us is we like the overall concept.
We're a little concerned about the looks of the traditional Hardee's store
right there.
Fred Hoisington: I think we're going to want rather sumptuous landscaping
on this...
Brad Johnson: Of all three, I think Hardee's from what I can tell in small
towns, are a little more sensitive.
Workman: Who are the other two?
Brad Johnson: Arby's and Dairy Queen. I think you'll end up with 2 or 3
of them. As you add the Rosemounts and stuff, that's just going to
attract, it just creates traffic. We need traffic. You've got a couple
restaurants in town that aren't getting traffic because they're located
downtown and nobody knows they're there. But the more people come in, the
more they...so this is more of a concept presentation. I think we agree
with Fred so that's good. As far as how we do the site plan and stuff,
we'd be back probably starting through the Planning Commission in January.
We would need some assistance in relocating Brown and changing that road
around. As I say, we'd stay within the 3 year district kind of a concept
because there is quite a bit of increment generated on that corner right
now.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 11
Workman: Are you looking at about a year and a half from now then?
Brad Johnson: To be in?
Workman: Yeah.
Brad Johnson: Next su~er.
Workman: This coming summer?
Brad Johnson: As I said, from the HRA's point of view, your one goal was
to renew a corner and we think this is a good way to do it and generate a
couple million dollars of new value. It solves Brown's problem.
Horn: I like that part of it. I like the use. I think it's great.
That's our only reservation.
Brad Johnson: And I think that can be worked through. We've been telling
everybody, we had Dairy Queen in and they said well they want to go...
They're trying to modify but it's just tough but I think they can share
some of their problems and maybe you can always work those out. You have
to see it through their eyes and just try and reflect on what they're
doing. One of the concerns we have is signage because it really, getting
cars, in talking to Fred, getting cars off the road for lodging and food,
let's talk just about the Riveria and people like that.
Horn: Well TH 5, that shouldn't be a problem. People just want to get off
· the road.
Brad Johnson: But they don't know what's here.
Horn: Well they don't care. Just so they get off TH 5.
Brad Johnson: We're talking as a 4 lane highway. But I appreciate your
time and we'll come back with kind of a...
Horn: No, I think it's a great use.
Brad Johnson: How about the concept of 3 years of increment that we'd use
normally in that span. Using that standard, what do you call it, the
assessment breakdown program to try and accomplish. That's the one they've
been using downtown.
Horn: Yes. Is it consistent with what we've done in the past?
Ashworth: I would say so. We're looking at some very broad concepts at
this point in time but we're talking about moving streets and what not.
One part of it's going to be the acquisition of the Brown's car wash.
Brad Johnson: I think I've worked that through development so it's not
real expensive.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 12
Horn: I think this solves a lot of the concerns of people in that area
have. I think it addresses Gary's concern.
Brad Johnson: Yeah, it's the first one we've had that he kind of liked
what we've had. He gets to stay there and Amoco still builds the station.
Horn: They get what they want and he gets what he wants.
Brad Johnson: And I think everybody in that whole area has bought into the
fact that we need that slip going off TH 101 to come through with that
private road because that's a lot of our business. About 30% of the
business downtown is coming from Eden Prairie. The more we can encourage
that, the better we are.
Workman: What's the future, where are we at with Apple Valley? What kind
of time frame are we on with that?
Brad Johnson: I'll let Don, he likes...
Ashworth: It's shown in the redevelopment plan for acquisition but there's
no time schedule associated with that. Roger's currently meeting with the
attorney representing Taco and that is needed as a part of the new TH 101
realignment. That attorney also represents Redi-Mix and has stated, is
there any interest by the HRA or City to move Mr. Fisher. What I told
Roger was, why don't we find out what they're asking price is and I'll
bring it back to you. My initial reaction is, it's probably outside of our
current budget.
Horn: Okay. Any other questions on that? I think you got our input Brad.
Brad Johnson: Thank you.
CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE DEBT SERVICE ANALYSIS/PROPOSED 1990
BUDGET.
Ashworth: Assuming that you'd like to maybe save the toast to Bernie to
the end of the meeting?
Horn: Bernie can wait. Do we need to take action on the budget tonight?
We are kind of short.
Ashworth: Besides that, I'm fighting off a cold and I'd just as soon would
like to get out of here relatively early if I could. The budget is
relatively simple though. The one jump in salary section recognizes the
additional planner that was put on. Sharmin's position. That is an HRA
expense. The other area that looks like it's way out of touch is the
special assessment payments at $545,~00.00 but that's simply a matter again
of your overall tax increment financial plan includes the debt payments.
Typically that's not a part of the operating budget per se. I'm not even
quite sure why Tom has pulled those out and put them in this section. I
don't know if that's the recommendation from the auditors but that amount
is consistent with what you had approved last year within that
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 13
redevelopment plan. So basically there really is not that much of an
increase in the budget per se. I would like to spend some time at a future
meeting going through again your overall tax increment, what do we call
those? Tax increment revenues, expenditures listing the summary position
and putting all of your debt and everything else together in one packet.
That's an area that continues to be very healthy. We're staying ahead of
projections in terms of revenue. Expenditures are under approved. We have
a number of options including cashing the district out early or releasing
tax increments on a yearly basis. Again, there's a whole group of options
that you can look at. I would propose not to do those tonight. If you'd
like to act on the budget itself, that's up to you or if you'd like to wait
until the next meeting, that's fine too.
Horn: I'd prefer to wait until we had more of us here.
Workman: Just one quick question Don. Where's the attorney's fees, etc.
listed?
Gerhardt: Fees for Service.
Ashworth: Yeah, you have fees for service but the biggest portion of your
attorney's fees will come out of the projects themselves so when you
authorize the downtown redevelopment project and the engineering comes in
and estimates the land acquisition costs, and the engineering and whatever,
the biggest share of attorney costs are in each of the individual projects.
Especially where there's condemnation along with that.
Workman: So then most of this is Fred Hoisington?
Ashworth: No, there's a good share of attorney in that.
.
Workman: This is his monthly charge?
Brad Johnson: ...you guys were concerned about the architectural stuff.
If Fred could be, if we had a meeting with the owners of this Hardee's...
Fred meet with those guys and go over your concerns on that and also the
site plan... Is that something you want to do?
Ashworth: Especially recognizing the comments that were made here this
evening, I think that's an excellent idea to have the architect meet with
Fred and our in-house planners as well and try to ensure that the
architectural style is conducive or similar to what it is that we're
looking to. You realize that I'm a little more concerned with what they
may be planning for right across the street. The downtown per se is, the
whole theme where you start picking up the decorative lighting and all the
rest of it, really starts at the railroad tracks so that section on 79th
Street that has the regular box lights on it, that first section of TH 1~1,
doesn't have the same tree cover, etc..
Horn: What's your pleasure? Do you want to act on the budget tonight or
would you like to hold it over until Cliff and Charlie can review it?
Bohn: We'd better hold it.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 14
Horn: I think as long as it isn't necessary. Do we need a tabling motion
on that?
Ashworth: I don't think so. If you'd like you could.
Workman moved, Bohn seconded to table action on the 199~ budget until the
next meeting. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
CONSIDERATION OF ARCHITECTURAL CHANGE FOR COUNTRY HOSPITALITY SUITES.
Gerhardt: Including in the report...there was a backside to it also but
the Country Hospitality Suites group came in for their building permit and
they proposed some changes as a part of that. Due to those changes, we
felt they were enough of them that we felt that they should come back to
both the City Council and to the HRA for your final review or to give
reconsideration for approval on those changes. Tonight Clayton Johnson
from Bloomberg Companies is here to go through those changes. I'd first
like to list a few that Paul had highlighted. One, that they HRA has tried
to express in some of their buildings is to get away from the flat roof and
to go with the pitched. The hotel as you approved it this last summer, did
have a flat roof. Was somewhat of a mansard, I call it a McDonalds type
roof around it. They are coming in with a pitched roof. With the pitched
roof you're seeing additional shingling work to be done on that so they are
nixing the cedar shakes and have requested that they put asphalt shingles
on the roof instead. Another area is that they're reducing the building
size. Cutting it back by 12 feet and Clayton will highlight that in his
presentation on why they're doing that. One other area was the canopy.
It's a 48 foot canopy?
Clayton Johnson: It keeps growing but I think it's 48. ·
Gerhardt: 48 foot canopy and they have some concerns if that can even be
constructed or engineered properly to stand. They would like to try to
reduce that in size and Clayton will also highlight that in his
presentation. But Staff just felt that due to these changes, it was
important that we bring it back to the HRA for their review and comments.
Cify Council action on this item this past Monday was to agree to the pitch
roof. Agree to the asphalt shingles but they did not make a motion to
reduce the size of the building by the 12 feet and that they were also to
keep the canopy at the present size. Clayton has advised me that he will
be going back to the Planning Commission but will be taking out a building
permit with those conditions and go through the process so they're not
delayed in their work out there right now and hope to show the Planning
Commission how it would look and I'll just leave it to Clayton now.
Clayton Johnson: Thanks Todd. As we went through, by the way the good
news is the construction loan has been funded and the demolition permit has
been drawn and they're over there tearing it down right now or they will be
starting next week. But what happened is, in the final stages of plan
approval with Country Hospitality Suites, believe it or not I don't have
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 15
the rendering with me tonight but the rendering that you looked at and that
you approved, had a mansard roof on it. Well, Country Hospitality Suites
didn't look at it too closely either. They thought it was their gabled
roof design.
Horn: I thought it was too.
Clayton Johnson: I think everybody did. But anyway, so when they came
back with a list of recommendations, one of them was to go back to the
gabled roof. When we initially made the, we agreed to that change and we
initially went to putting cedar shakes on, one of the things that we found
out in the process is just recently there's been a change in the State Fire
Code. Cedar shakes are permitted. In the past you were able to put cedar
shakes on and then treat them with a spray on application. That no longer
is permitted. However, there still is a cedar shake, I don't want to
mislead you, there still is a cedar shake that does quality for Class A.
Greatly, greatled increases the cost. So we came back in the proposal that
we brought basically to the Planning group was that we go with the asphalt
shingle. Well I guess both Planning and Todd felt that the changes were
significant enough that we should come back to this group and the City
Council. Well at the Council meeting, like Todd said, the gabled roof was
approved and the change to asphalt but a couple of things were not. One
was taking 12 feet off the building. Country Hospitality Suites is a
fairly new division of Carlson and currently they have, I don't know I
can't tell you exactly how many units they have up, but they have 12~
either up or under construction. .They're learning a lot too. One of the
things they're learning when they reviewed our plan is that typically there
are meeting rooms contained in the lobby area and in the pool area. On our
original size of that structure included room for a meeting room. Well the
whole concept here is that there aren't any meeting rooms in this facility.
Ail the meeting rooms and the banquet facilities are going to be provided
by the theatre. So what that ended up with is the pool area was
substantially larger than typically they would recommend and the reasons
for that is that they don't, this is an unsupervised pool area. This is
not a Holidome where you have a lifeguard on duty. It's an unsupervised
pool area and their experience is that they want to keep that area as small
as possible so out of that came a recoms, endation we cut 12 feet, not off
the total building but only off of the portion that contains the pool and
the lobby. The third change is, the other thing they wanted to do is they
wanted to put their porch on. There are two things everybody's been
talking about the signature of these chains and one of their signatures is
the gabled roof building. The other one is the porch. Well we had a
carport. Well, one of the things that happened on our carport, and it was
really the lack of coordination between the architectural firm and BRW and
it's our responsibility and not BRW's but when we made the decision to go
and tear down the gabled roof building, one of the things that happened is
now all of a sudden we have substantially more stacking for parking and thw
whole parking scheme over there was redesigned. In the process of
redesigning it, they moved the width of the circular drive that comes under
the carport from 2~ feet to 3~ feet. The carport grew like Pinnochio's
nose. Now it's 48 feet long and 36 feet wide. It's the size of a major
rambler so in the redesign that we came back to the Planning group with is
we wanted to shorten the carport, come to the edge of the curb and
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 16
canolever the carport out over the curb enough to accommodate one car. Now
the total length at this point in time ends up, nobody can tell me exactly
what it is so I don't want to say but it's something less than 48 feet. So
those are the changes that we would like to make. I guess our feeling is
that the shortening of the building is something that probably the Council
can't make us, they can force us to go back to Planning Commission but they
really don't have a basis of denying so I think, we haven't had a partners
meeting since the Council meeting but I guess it's my feeling that probably
what we would be doing is drawing the building permit with the changes that
the Council approved. But since the weather isn't cooperating, we're
probably going to be some time before we're into completing the footings.
We will take the time 'to come back to Planning Commission and the Council
when we have our homework done. We've got renderings and actually got the
architect's drawings and ask for those two changes. Shortening the
building up in that area by 12 feet and modifying the carport to some
extent. Herb feels very strongly about maintaining the carport and
maintaining the looks that the carport gave us. Both from the street and
from, this intersection. Both ways but somehow we've got to avoid the 48
feet in length. It's like constructing a bridge.
Horn: Don, who does have final decision on this? HRA? Council? Planning
Commission?
Ashworth: When we get into incentive programs with the developer,
regardless of what it is, they know that they have to meet all of the City
requirements for building permits and setbacks and whatever. We as'an HRA
don't get involved in that at all. The only thing we're dealing with is
should the particular project be allowed a special assessment write down or
some other type of land write down. In this instance, the only thing the
HRA is participating in are special assessment write downs. Accordingly,
if they reduce let's say the size of the structure, they've already entered
into an agreement setting a minimum market value for what they're going to
build. My guess is that they're not going to come back and ask for that to
be changed but if they would, then hypothetically the amount that we would
be paying for it's specials would be reduced. The City Council has the
authority to approve or deny the site plan but Clayton is really right in
teems of if the land use itself is a permitted use. Whether or not an
individual came in and put up a 30 unit hotel or 60 or had a pool or didn't
have a pool, as long as it met all of the applicable standards and
requirements in building, it would be very difficult to deny that.
Horn: So really what we're looking at would be a valuation change which we
don't have an estimate of at this point right?
Clayton Johnson: Well the valuation change, there really isn't. The costs
I guess are going to be in excess of what we hoped, the two million five.
You know one of the things that didn't get brought out Monday night, I
didn't make the presentation but you know, there's $3,800,000.00 invested
in this project. There's $800,000.00 of the partner's equity and there's a
3 million dollar mortage in addition to the City improvements that are
going to be constructed but it doesn't make any difference how much money
there is. It's no different than any other economic project. There is a
budget and the budget is $3,800,000.00 and so to the extent that the canopy
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 17
grows to 48 feet, something comes off the other end. I mean there was an
attitude expressed that maybe we were you know, we're not taking money out
but we are redistributing where the money goes.
Horn: So the value stays the same?
Clayton Johnson: The value's the same.
Horn: So I guess I don't see where the HRA has an issue here.
Clayton Johnson: I think one of the things everybody sensed to after what
happened on housing and after what happened all the way up and down the
street, I think everybody, we want to be upfront and come back and tell you
what's going on and if you have feelings about it, tell us because the
whole thing is not finally resolved. I mean the partners will have a
meeting. They'll make a decision on what changes they're going to come
back and ask for. We don't have much of, we don't have a very good hand
because we've already closed on the loan and we're under construction but
we do have time to come back through the'planning process and the Council
and if we feel strongly about those changes, we'll probably do that.
Horn: I guess my initial reaction would be that if you go to asphalt, do
something like the Riveria.
Clayton Johnson: It is. It's a Certainteed. And another thing happened.
It went from a 12:12 pitch where the cedar shakes were very, very evident
to a 6:12 pitch, 3~ feet in the air.
Ashworth: The other point, and maybe this was difficult to bring up at the
Council level but we've made the requirements all the way through that
there be a new structure replacing the gabled roof that's being town down
now and that the corridor system be established. If you take 12 feet off
of that easterly side, 12 feet has to be added to this structure from the
other side.
Clayton Johnson: New building.
Ashworth: Because otherwise you've got a 12 foot gap in there. With all
the agreements, they can't have that so I don't know what is really
lost. I personally like cedar shakes but I can't remember what project we
went into, cedar shakes have just gone through the roof here in the last 2
to 3 years.
Horn: I've had bad personal experience with cedar shakes and I got
Hallmark shingles on my house right now and it's...
Clayton Johnson: The steeper the pitch, you're okay but as you start to
get down to a flater pitch, 6:12 and so on, in addition to the fire
problems, you're also asking for trouble in regard to leaking roofs.
Horn: Yes, I'm well aware of that. So I guess I don't really have too
much of a problem. My preference is t6 I guess I'd have to see what the
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989- Page 18
architectural rendering differences are before I could even comment on
those.
Clayton Johnson: I think you've got a rendering of the difference. Todd,
didn't you?
Gerhardt: These plans?
Clayton Johnson: This shows you what happens with the roof. What is not
there is the revised plan on the canopy which we...
Horn: That's really what I'd be concerned with as far as looks. How about
you Jim?
Bohn: I don't have any problem with it at all.
Workman: I've already stated my comments.
Clayton Johnson: What are they Tom? No, I don't. You didn't get a chance
the other night.
Work~,an: Oh sure I did. I spoke at great length. I always do whenever I
have the chance, like I'm going to do right now. Council kind of felt that
the roof pitch was a good idea and that certainly with the way things were
going with the Riveria, that that was certainly fine with the shingles.
But we're starting to get nervous when this whole thing started to, it's
starting to skinny up and Clayton used the word again tonight. The porch
look rather than a canopy which is something more of a grand entrance, and
I can understand where Hospitality Suites or whoever is running the show
here, that's a big difference but I think Council liked that the way it
was. Making more of a statement rather than just a, but I think 14 feet is
what this canopy is going to go to. Just kind of sticking out with no legs
under it.
Clayton Johnson: 14 feet over, canolevered over the street. Half the
distance of the street so like 14 feet over the street but then it's all
the way back from the building. Nobody can just whether it's 3~ feet or
32, nobody knows exactly. Not 14 feet.
Workman: But the 12 feet, the two sides to the 12 feet. One, the smaller
pool area and that was kind of fuzzy and then it was sort of thought of,
well maybe the cost and everything else. Well, whatever we decided the
square footage was, it came to about $25,~.~. Well you can see where
that threw the project out of whack and that it was, but again something
where it's becoming less of what was imagined in rather dramatic areas and
that's where Council was I believe heading. And I'll speak for myself but
some of the comments that I heard about and I won't pick on the apartment
building but the Council said, did we approve that? Because it maybe
looked too plain or something and things were kind of cut back from there.
Maybe that's the nature of all projects like this but that was kind of one
of the underlying tones that here we go. We're going to skinny this thing
up and what are we going to have left.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 19
Horn: I think it's a concern we're all interested in. Until we really
see, I'm concerned about the looks difference too. Until I see something
though, I can't tell if it's going to be a real concern or if it's
something that the description doesn't quite mesh right with my perception
of what I hear so I really have to look at that before I gave them any
judgment on it.
Workman: Well there's an awful lot of imagination involved.
Horn: I guess what you're hearing Clayton is we don't have any gross
objections from what I'm hearing. We've got a few minor reservations and
we'd like to see it a little more, if I'm interpretting it right.
Clayton Johnson: Well if we go beyond the Council's direction, we'll be
coming back to Planning and City Council and so we'll certainly c~,e by and
keep you people posted too as it would be primarily I think, one you got
just the legal issue of whether or not we can shorten our own building 12
feet because we want to. And the second is, the redesign of the canopy and
when we get that redesign, I think everybody will be comfortable with it
but we'll run it by you.
Horn: I think we'd like to hear from staff too to comment on any perceived
or real valuation differences that may occur because I think that addresses
one of the concerns that Council has too about a diminished project.
Workman: And HRA special assessments are involved, does the HRA have
something to say about then what the finished project is? Shorter
buildings, you know. If the HRA is getting involved, would the HRA accept
the building half the size?
Horn: But as I say, we're looking for equal valuation for what the concept
was.
Clayton Johnson: We've already agreed to that. We signed a contract
saying...
Horn: But we don't know what that means though. How can it be smaller and
still be the same value. That doesn't quite compute yet but those are the
kinds of issues we'd want to look at. Anything else? So we need to move
on this?
Gerhardt: Well I would not move on it if they're going to come back and
show the canopy so I would not take any action until they come back to show
you the canopy.
Horn: That's what I'd prefer to do.
APPROVAL OF NOVEMBER BILLS.
Works, an moved, Bohn seconded to approve the HRA November bills as
presented. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting
December 21, 1989 - Page 2~
Workman moved, Bohn seconded to adjourn the meeting. Ail voted in favor
and the motion carried. The meeting was adjourned.
Submitted by Don Ashworth
Executive Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim