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Home My WebLink About04/17/2024 - Economic Advisory Board - AGENDA - Regular Meeting Economic Advisory Board REGULAR MEETING April 17, 2024, 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. HYBRID MEETING OPTIONS Physical Loca�on: CIC Room @ 300 LaPorte Ave. Virtual option via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84688470753 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. AGENDA REVIEW 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Meet & Greet with Mayor Jeni Arndt, EAB Council Liaison i. 2024 Priorities Discussion – 15 minutes b. New Member Welcome – Braulio, Chair and Erin, Vice Chair – 20 minutes i. Icebreaker & Q&A BREAK FOR DINNER (~10 min break) c. Fort Collins Development Update – Paul Sizemore, Planning, Development, & Transportation (PDT) Deputy Director i. Presentation and Q&A Discussion – 30 minutes 7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS 9. OTHER BUSINESS 10. ADJOURNMENT 04/17/2024 – AGENDA Page 1 03/20/24 Minutes Economic Advisory Board REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, March 20, 2024 – 4:00 PM 215 N Mason, EOC Training Space 1. CALL TO ORDER: 4:00 PM 2. ROLL CALL a. Board Members Present – • Denny Coleman • Thierry Dossou • Erin Gray • Mistene Nugent • John Parks • Braulio Rojas • Richard Waal • Renee Walkup b. Board Members Absent – c. Staff Members Present – • Jillian Fresa, Economic Health Manager, Economic Health Office • Erin Sporer, Business Support, Economic Health Office • Shannon Hein, Economic Health Manager, Economic Health Office • Michael Bussmann, Capital Projects Business Liaison, Economic Health Office • Edgar Ramos, Sr. Bilingual Business Connector, Economic Health Office Tommy Meritt, Bilingual Business Connector, Economic Health Office • Kelsey Baun, NoCo Works Project Manager, Larimer County • Ashley Kailburn, • Katie Geiger, d. Guest(s) – • Chris Denton • Val Kailburn 3. AGENDA REVIEW 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION a. Chris and Val are starting as board members next month. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Renee motioned and Richard seconded to approve the February minutes. Motion carried unanimously. 7-0. Page 2 03/20/24 Minutes 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Small Business Ecosystem Overview & Multicultural Business & Entrepreneur Center (MBEC) Update • Team • Michael, Capital Project Business Liaison • Tommy, Bilingual Business Connector • Leisha Talley, Business Connector • Edgar Ramos, Sr. Bilingual Business Connector • Small business is 50 employees and under • Capital projects • The impacts related to capital construction can be manageable through better project navigation • The business and the project managers are stakeholders in good engagement • Providing information and resources is key to success. • Capital impact grant program – within capital constructions zone - $2000 grants to help mitigate impacts from construction • Major current projects • Utilities • Oak St. storm water • Engineering • Laporte Ave. • College and Trilby intersection • Streets • Harmony Rd. • Mason St. • Centre Ave. • Other duties • Development Review, Heavy Hitters, Linden Street • MBEC • Free business support • English and Spanish • Multiple Locations • Focuses on navigation, mentorship, and connection • No limit on number of appointments • Funded by the American rescue plan act (ARPA) • Secured funding through 2025 • Will be looking for funding after that through BFO (budgeting for outcomes) • Includes three business connectors • Programming • Alignment with the Economic Health Strategic Plan and the City Recovery Plan • 2023 MBEC Report • 248 appointments • 37 businesses created • 40% of customers base is Spanish monolingual • Both programs support business survivability • Other internal work Page 3 03/20/24 Minutes • Internal navigation, business engagement internal coordination, Business Engagement Executive Team, barriers to business, power of the p-card, ForFortCollins.com, restaurant roadmap, and lease agreement education • Broader business resources • Larimer Small Business Development Center, Founded in FoCo, Poudre River Library District Business Librarian, NOCO Biz Connect, Restaurant Roadmap, sector partnerships, revolving loan fund (on pause). • Questions • How far down Linden are you going? • Just the 200-block zone: Jefferson to Walnut. They received full treatment with pavers and lights. It was a major project a couple years back. • The board expressed appreciation for a position like Michaels. • The board expressed concern regarding parking on that block of Linden because there are not lines and people park badly there. Seems like more cars could fit if lines were put in and there would be better service to businesses. • In the total picture of Linden St. parking is a big issue. There is data to support unlined parking creates more parking as people will squeeze in another car or two however, often you will see horrible parking jobs. It is on the priorities for Linden St. It will be looked at. Michael will also take that feedback to the proper channels. • During Covid a lot of small businesses got shut out if they didn’t have banking relationships. Is that something MBEC helps establish? • Yes, the big problem was not having proper bookkeeping or an accountant doing the taxes. We help entrepreneurs plan and focus on it as it is an important part. We try to connect them to proper avenues and create templates throughout the process. We are trying to make connections with bankers to make it a friendly handoff. It is in the works, but we focus on having a basic business foundation. We have done some grant programs too. A lot of folks are applying for grants that didn’t have business licenses or were operating out of compliance. Through these programs we have helped them be in good standing so they can apply for grants. Banks have reached out that have bilingual bankers. It can be hard to make referrals to a specific bank since we are a government entity. We are navigating that. • Are you open to clients regardless of status like having a social security number (SSN)? Do you need an SSN to run a business? • Yes, a lot of our clientele would not fit in that criteria or having an SSN. We rely on our partners as well. We partner with nonprofits in the area to join events and speak to their community members to offer our services. It is a sensitive topic. Edgar and Tommy are both from outside the United States. How we frame it is we help anyone who comes through our doors. There are certain requirements to go through the business journey and that is an ITIN. We make that known to them. Surveying past clients, the trend we have seen is that we are able to build close relationships with clients so they can trust us with personal stories and things they are not comfortable speaking about. We will have that conversation when it comes to it, Page 4 03/20/24 Minutes but it doesn’t limit anyone from using our services. • Can we identify an optional buyer if a business is profitable but closing due to retirement or something similar? Do we have a pool of potential investors? • If it’s a restaurant it’s easy to have another restaurant in there. It can be hard to go from a bank to a restaurant. The opportunity does exist, but it can be hard to fill those opportunities. It is worth exploring and would be interesting to see if the City could have a role in it. Larimer SBDC is launching programming for owners looking to sell businesses. It has them looking ahead and to see if there are opportunities for employees to buy the business. We are partnering with them. • The board suggested using internships/college students to help business. For example, if a small business needs an accountant have them use an intern. • Our department partners with CSU’s Institute for Entrepreneurship. They do events and accelerator programs. There are some other Latino business groups that have reached out so there could be some collaboration there too. • Do you provide honest feedback upfront if you don’t think a business would work? • We do in the nicest way and it’s not usually like a hard stop. We want to focus on this might not be a great fit right now . Funding can be a barrier, so how do we pivot that energy and shift it to not be as cost intensive in the beginning. That is part of the role we play is saying let’s save you some money and time. funding barrier, how do we pivot, that energy and shift it not as cost intensive in the beginning, that is part of the role of saying let’s save you some time and say this might not be the best use of your time. The goal is not to just start as many businesses as possible. We get a lot of questions, not just on the entrepreneurial side. • Who does the fixed asset financing for this area? • We have close relationships with local Credit units. It might be the local SBA or ENT Credit Union, but I am not 100% sure. There is one here. • Are there some entities in town that do technology commercialization start-ups equity financing? • Rockies Venture Club does some. They have a women investors group that sometimes has events here. We have been trying to partner with them. I would say it is not super strong in Northern Colorado • Do you think there will be a commercialization part to this NFS grant that is coming? • Yes, so there are two components, there is a workforce component and entrepreneurial component. • The board expressed a concern regarding conflicting priorities on Linden Street. It is a priority to expand sidewalks but also expand outdoor seating. It seems like the sidewalk grew but the passable walkway has shrunken. • That is another hot item on Linden Street. Covid accelerated it. People like outdoor seating and want max patio space to maximize revenue. The conflicting priority is pedestrian access to window shopping. Businesses want them to walk past windows as closely as possible. The walkway is through attached and detached patios, Page 5 03/20/24 Minutes which was an agreement but now it creates pinch points. If you look down Linden Street it creates a visual barrier to walk down the street. We want to improve the walkability site lines and other aspects. The detached patio at what was the Blind Pig is gone. There are still two detached patios at Old Elk and Pour Brothers, but they don’t have as big of issues. Outdoor guidelines are being rewritten for more opportunity for discussion regarding detached patios. We are trying to figure out what is working and not working but it is hard to do with a drawing. The things that work and don’t work are changeable, we are just trying to figure out the best path. • The board mentioned days of sunny weather compared to cold days and how there is a need to develop flexibility. There are more cold days than nice days for patio socialization and people need to appreciate the indoor spaces as well. • Staff sent out a survey in November regarding the future of Linden Street. There were over 1,000 responses. An overwhelming number of people in the community want to close Linden Street in some capacity for pedestrian space. There are no plans right now, but we are discussing how to utilize it and see if there is an opportunity to have more flexibility in cold vs warm months/days. The discussion is occurring. • Is there anything you need from the board? • Not currently. b. NoCo Works Update • Mission: To create an effective, efficient, and aligned talent and workforce ecosystem for NoCo that can show measurable results. • Vision: A regional coalition to foster an inclusive and economically healthy community • Commitments • Streamlining access to resources and services • Minimizing duplication of efforts • Elevating best practices and rally support for 3 existing efforts • Guiding Pillars • Support NoCo employers in attracting, retaining, and growing their workforce • Support workforce (future and current) in obtaining and retaining Quality Jobs in NoCo • Support NoCo ecosystem to improve the prosperity of our talent and workforce systems • Regionalism Successes • Joint Regional Workforce Development Board Meetings • Workforce Symposium • Work-based Learning Alliance (NoCo Inspire) • Sector Partnerships • REDI (Regional Economic Development Initiative) • Memorandum of Underserved between Larimer and Weld County. • Timeline Highlights • First Steering Committee Meeting – February 2023 • Launched 6 different subcommittees and official public launch at workforce symposium in September. • Noco Works Structure Page 6 03/20/24 Minutes • Noco Works Steering Committee • Ensure long term solvency & sustainability of NoCo Works, Communication Strategy, and Develop Resources & Tools • Co-chairs elected by Steering Committee • Program Manager • 26 Members • Three cities, three chambers, two counties, two workforce development boards, five sector partnerships, seven education k-12 and higher education, two foundations, two nonprofits. • Subcommittees • Economic Inclusion, Business Resources, External Barriers (transportation, childcare, and housing), Talent Pipeline, Training & Development, and Work-Based Learning • Weld Trust Funding • $75,000 through the end of 2024 • Website development - $50,000 • Talent Pipeline - $5,000 • Work-based Learning - $10,000 • External Barriers - $10,000 • 2024 Goals • Annual Report • Marketing and Communications • Launch intranet landing page for NoCo Works participants • External Barriers Findings Event • Launch Website – NoCoWorks.com • Create finance committee and pursue ongoing project funding • Develop Talent Pipeline Toolkit • How can EAB help • Interested in participating in subcommittees • Spread word among networks and share annual report • Do you know of examples similar, successful initiatives you’ve seen in other communities we can learn from? • Do you know of any local companies there making positive contributions in the workforce space? Questions • The board hopes that NoCo Works is aligned with Polis’s transportation initiatives and thinking about additional options. • Want to make sure NoCo Works is aligned with what is coming down from the state. We want to advocate for the region and elevate actions and outcomes to benefit this area. • Are you working with Leeds School of Business and the data they collect for businesses around the state? • Yes, and within the economic data there are key components within the workforce data we utilize and then having that relationship with NoCo REDI to be our local data experts are components as well. • Are you including any of the trade schools or private higher education so they can help with training? They are worth considering since they are training people for trades. It is not just hourly jobs but professional jobs as well. People are paying a lot of money to get training and then usually leave institutions with a lot of debt. They don’t always have the funding to have a good placement program. It is a good way to loop them in and be a win-win for everyone. Page 7 03/20/24 Minutes • To my knowledge I don’t think so, but it really models the apprenticeship push that is happening in the state. Another buzz word going around is job quality or quality jobs. We as a state have a definition of what that means. The feds also came out with a definition as well around salary, benefits, flexibility, etc. Many of the quality jobs are tier one or two jobs that don’t require a four-year degree. The state is very much behind that. • The board agrees that trade schools can be overlooked particularly for young women. It can provide a lot of job opportunities upon graduation. It is a need and would be great to incorporate. • The board mentioned that another thing is hiring people from our counties and keeping them here. A lot of people come up from Denver to do work here. They are not sure if there are incentives that can be talked about, for example a local builder, building here. Would be interested to know where workers come from. They also mentioned that many examples of trades not able to find anyone young in Larimer County to be interested in trades because the area is highly educated and that is not an easy problem to solve. • That is where the regionalism perspective comes in. If Fort Collins is growing tech in bioscience and education, let’s own it. If the electricians and plumbers come from Weld County, then lets own that. Another statistic is the average age of someone in the trades is 56. There is an age out that is coming. Front Range and Aims is having a hard time filling that curriculum work that would proceed going into those trade positions. • The board has heard it takes a long time to get a contractor license in Larimer County. How can we make that process faster to encourage younger people to do it. • The City is working with Front Range and they launched a program but it is not getting a lot of interest. • The board mentioned folks who might not be at the college age who are coming from a different state and already a contractor but still need a license here. It discourages trades and entrepreneurship. • Part of the benefit of NoCo works is understanding the systems that impact NoCo workforce. For example, there is a goal to have students, when they graduate with their high school diploma to also graduate with their associate degree, specifically focusing on industries experiencing a labor shortage so they can enter the work force and help fill those gaps and shortages. • The board believes part of the problem starts with the high school counselors. There is a bias in high schools to avoid trade schools. They need to start the incentives earlier. • Many trades recognize the need to get in front of them at a younger age. Another piece is demystifying what the industry is to families and parents. An example is Construction Con where they target 8th graders and their families to debunk some of the stereotypes of construction and construction workers. • The board had a concern about when the City annexes the Mulberry corridor and how it could affect leases going up. It could affect many plumbers, painters and other tradespeople and we need to think about where they will have their spaces as many of them are in that area. If they Page 8 03/20/24 Minutes can’t afford it they will leave Fort Collins or Northern Colorado. • What grants are you applying for? • Senator Bennet and Hickenlooper have specific federal dollars marked for Colorado localized projects. So, we will see what we can get. • You mentioned a data point that there are two openings for every one applicant. Do you have a breakdown of what kind of jobs. Are they entry level, management, technology based, etc.? • It comes from the Colorado Workforce Talent Pipeline Report. It goes into different tier jobs and what industries have the most vacancies and most job growth. The Leeds School of Business Economic Forecast in February said that went up to two and a half job openings per applicant. Jillian will share the report with the board. • New generations are being smarter and finding career paths thought community colleges and being cost effect. The facts are changing behaviors. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS 9. STAFF REPORTS 10. OTHER BUSINESS a. John motions and Renee seconds to approve draft letter for IEDC Accreditation. Motion passes unanimously 8-0. b. Thank you to Mistene and John for serving on the Board ! 11. ADJOURNMENT a. (6:00 PM) Minutes approved by a vote of the Board/Commission on XX/XX/XX 2024 Fort Collins Development Update April 17, 2024Paul Sizemore, Director of Community Development & Neighborhood Services 2Recent Development Activity 0 50 100 150 200 250 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS Devt Applications Minor Amendments 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 PRE-SUBMITTAL REVIEWS Conceptual Reviews Preliminary Design Reviews 3Recent Development Activity 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Development Applications by Type – 2019-2023 Single Family Residential Multi-Family Residential Commercial Other 4Building Permit Trends 187 145 271 173 196 133 169 113 110 152 545 3 314 362 596 88 1 145 13 60 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Single Family Detached Single Family Attached Multi-Family Mixed-Use SNAPSHOT: PROJECTS UNDER REVIEW 5 6 MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITIES Montava Planned Unit Development 7 Phase G Phase E Phase D Montava Planned Unit Development 8 Phase G Phase E Phase G and E Overview •455 dwelling units •Townhomes •Single-family •Extension of Timberline •Sites for future multi-family •On hold •Need ditch agreement 9Montava Planned Unit Development Phase D Overview •Conceptual phase •330 dwellings •Single-family only •Future multi-family •Expect formal submittal in May Bloom 10 11Bloom in the Development Review Process Filing 2 Filing 1 Filing 3 Filing 4 Single- Family Multi- Family Status Filing 1 271 -Complete Filing 2 -176 Complete Filing 3 -360 Final Plan Filing 4 -419 Final Plan Filing 6 --PDP Total 271 955 Filing 6 Sonders Village •Second phase of Sonders •129 acres •689 dwellings •95 units of affordable housing •Neighborhood center •Under review currently •Timeline for completion TBD 12 13 COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS Commercial Development •Very few new non-residential development applications in 2023 •Parts of larger developments •Prospect Sports only commercial project recently approved by Planning and Zoning Commission •Basketball venue with courts for league practice, games, and tournaments. •Located on Sharp Point Drive off East Prospect. 14 Prospect Sports Projects Under Construction Morningstar/ Block 23 Midtown King Soopers 15 16 MULTI-FAMILY OVERVIEW Multi-Family Snapshot Project # Units Stage Crowne at Suniga 267 Approved 209 Cherry St.100 Approved Bloom Filing 3 – Affordable Housing 360 Approved Bloom Filing 4 419 Approved Gateway Apartments 275 Approved The Landings at Lemay 337 Approved Snow Ridge Apartments 8 Approved Prospect Ridge Multi-family 228 Pre-hearing 17 209 Cherry St. Prospect Ridge 18 POLICY, PROCESS, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE LAND USE CODE: FOUNDATIONAL UPDATES Phase 1: New Land Use Code Land Use Code Phase 2 Preview •Focus on commercial corridors •15-minute City •Revise processes & procedures •Modernize development standards •Work session with City Council June 11 to confirm scope 20 21State of Development Review 22Optimizing Development Review For Questions or Comments, Please Contact: Paul Sizemore psizemore@fcgov.com