HomeMy WebLinkAboutEconomic Advisory Commission - Minutes - 03/25/2015MINUTES
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
ECONOMIC ADVISORY COMMISSION
Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Location: Training Room, 300 Laporte Ave., Building B
Time: 11:00am–1:30pm
For Reference
Karen Weitkunat, Mayor & Council Liaison 416-2154
Josh Birks, Staff Liaison 221-6324
Dianne Tjalkens, Minutes 221-6734
Commission Members Present Commission Members Absent
Sam Solt, Chair Michael Rechnitz (resigned)
Linda Stanley Denny Otsuga
Glen Colton Michael Kulisheck (Mike)
Ted Settle Ann Hutchison
Kim Dale (arrived 11:57)
Staff Present Staff Absent
Josh Birks, Economic Health Director
Dianne Tjalkens, Admin/Board Support
Guests
Dale Adamy, citizen
Bob Overbeck, Councilmember
Meeting called to order at 11:08am without quorum; quorum reached at 11:57.
Agenda Review—Minutes approval postponed until quorum reached.
Public Comment—none.
Commission Member Updates—none
Staff Updates—MOR—
Josh gave the following updates:
• Foothills Mall Residential: 800 unit entitlement, modelling was done with 446 units. Developer is
buying 3 of the 4 blocks (Swallow to Stanford). In process with Planning and Zoning; coming in a ½
density—225 units on 3 blocks. Construction style and cost of higher density cannot be justified at
current rent rates, so less intense than entitlement. Considering 3 stories over podium parking.
Regional developer, experienced with multifamily.
o Developer indicated in past developments needed leeway to make project work. Brings
customers closer, utilizes space better.
o Anticipated building would be less than entitlement.
o To get to 446, need 200 units on 4th block?
1 | Page
Yes. 4th block anticipated with higher density. “Texas Wrap” is concrete parking
structure in interior. On track to meet financial modelling and performance
measurements.
o Risk of 3 blocks at lower density and nothing happens on 4th block?
Financial penalty if not delivered by 2017. ½ of shortfall of TIF until meet 446 units.
o What is issue with 4th block now?
Developer indicated doesn’t think “Texas Wrap” cost can be recovered with today’s
market rents. Do you change 446? So far, no.
Taxpayers pay if TIF falls short.
Property taxes have gone up. May still generate anticipated TIF with fewer units.
Base is set from creation of URA.
o Complicated project to remain open during renovations. Commission could schedule tour.
• Foothills Mall Underpass: CDOT issuing special use permit (ditch structure conversion to pedestrian
underpass).
• Primary Employer Assistance: City is working with 10 companies in various stages. Over half are
local. Some looking to relocate here. Helping them understand City processes. None are currently in
consideration for financial assistance.
o Often engage with companies looking to move here, asking for assistance?
Yes. Often. Have standard response of available tools (local, county and state) with
negotiation/approval from City Council. Encourage them to have conversation with
staff. Financing tools often not necessary. Help answer questions. Last year 50+
conversations with only 1 asking for assistance, which did not get to Council.
o People move here and are willing to take lower paying jobs for quality of life. Choice.
City role is to shape economic activity so doesn’t have negative unintended
consequences. Underemployment issue: helping retrain current citizens will help
them engage in economy in more substantial way. Community gains benefit.
Strategic Plan will help show broad range of economic health activities.
Commission can work on definition of economic health and help align staff work.
Protect city from “Economic Rot”
• NCEDC vs. NCEA
o What is City’s role in this?
City Manager is ex-officio member of NCEDC board. Public/Private partnership is
good model, but realize have had execution issues. Private sector will decide where
to invest.
Hope City will be active in resolution.
Have reached out to state partners that provide leads to these entities; have requested
leads come directly to City staff. Another potential outcome is neither is successful,
then municipality must make decisions.
Looks terrible in marketplace to have both.
Staff will continue providing high level service into GMA.
o Area lacks resources to support more people/businesses. No more building permits/
commercial development. Replace jobs that are lost, but do not grow. Need real
sustainability. Inconsistency in City programs investing in infrastructure versus CAP goals.
Not City’s role to ensure affordable housing, good jobs, etc.
UniverCity Connections: Hosting series of public forums on these types of growth
questions. May want to mirror their conversations in this meeting.
City responsibility is to try to maintain quality of life we have had as outside forces
work on us. Don’t believe we should close door. Bound by GMA. How to manage
what happens to us, so can continue to have character of Fort Collins?
2 | Page
Views blocked, more density, more traffic, have already lost small town feel. Not
sustainable. Becoming places people moved away from. Don’t have to allow it to
happen. What is the goal?
Council cannot manage without metrics. Commission’s job is to help them.
Current measures are traditional and outside area of influence.
What is intersection of water resource and population? Where is stake we drive in the
ground? Concrete goals.
There are examples of communities that have negative unintended consequences
from both restriction and growth. Fort Collins willing to struggle with these issues.
Can we articulate boundaries of fairway? Do not want massive out-commuting. Do
not want to outstrip resources.
• Council requested additional engagement on Economic Health Strategic Plan. Josh is continuing
presentations to boards. Propose using most of April meeting for Strategic Plan. Josh provided copies
of plan to commission members. Available online at http://www.fcgov.com/common/pdfs/spotlight-
pdf.php?id=1077
o Cluster funding has decreased emphasis in plan?
No. Change in way funding works: was predesignated, but have gone to competitive
process. Dollar amount has not decreased.
Local food needs more attention. More of food should be produced locally to be
sustainable.
Need metrics to be able to influence outcomes. Economic Health office funds
partners that move the needle.
• Ongoing Projects:
o Working with Larimer County, Loveland, Windsor, etc., plus school district and other tax
districts to build updated version of impact model of tax increment.
o North College URA has 15 years left. Conceptual plans for Vine Drive to create
vision/cohesion as redevelops.
o North College Marketplace: Ongoing maintenance of wetlands.
o Prospect Station: 50 unit apartments. Awaiting reimbursement requests.
o Innosphere: Finalizing review of TIF.
o Capstone: Entitled to additional reimbursement.
o Hotel proposal on former Armadillo site: Not a large role for Economic Health in that project.
o Car dealers: 50 acres purchased at I-25 and 392; some Fort Collins dealerships looking to
relocate there.
How much is role of Economic Health to do environmental scanning outside of Fort
Collins. Ex: What is impact of Berthoud development on Fort Collins?
• Staff does discuss. Looked at environmental data in SWAP analysis that
informed 2012 plan.
o Josh Ames Certificate Issue: shares policy issue
o HAPS: Josh has been working on technical team.
o Participating in FortZED.
o Participating on Climate Action Plan team: Office will have ongoing role in financing and
helping businesses understand impacts.
Does commission need to help Josh prioritize with so many items on the plate? Too
many ongoing projects.
Articulate the fairway. What should be in and out of scope of Economic Health?
3 | Page
Review and Approval of February minutes
Linda moved and Ted seconded a motion to approve the February 2014 minutes as amended.
Motion passed unanimously, 5-0-0.
Note: Can attend meetings via skype, but cannot vote/be counted toward quorum. City code issue.
City Clerk’s office is working on this issue.
February motions: Adjust to remove Sam (attended via phone)
AGENDA ITEM 1—2014 Annual Report
The annual report is a document of recommendations the commission provided to Council
throughout the year. Members are requested to review to ensure accuracy and bring comments to the
April meeting.
Discussion/Q & A:
• Chair can draft a memo. Does the text of the memo make it into the annual report?
o The memo is submitted to Council and recorded there. Josh will ask City Clerk’s
Office about what other boards and commissions do.
• Members requested EVSAG Report. Josh will send link.
• Labor Force Study. Could commission review?
o SeonAh gave presentation in September.
• Some boards include a memo with the motions to Council. Could learn from other boards’
processes.
o Minutes (excerpts from presentation) are provided to Council with board
recommendations.
AGENDA ITEM 2— 2015 Work Plan Draft
2013 Work Plan is available online as a sample. It is a one-page document. Includes five duties and
functions Council has requested be performed by commission. Much of meeting time is spent on
reviewing projects. Meetings can have two parts: 1. To review projects, 2. To move forward the
fairway and what is Economic Health.
Discussion/Q & A:
• Three subcommittees were formed at November meeting, but only one has met.
• If commission went away, what would be the impact?
o Council would lose informed citizen advice.
• Would be happy to participate on subcommittee to research and determine what economic
health is.
o Quarterly updates from subcommittees.
o For staff work plans to change, Council must make request. Subcommittees could
write memo to Council requesting change in staff work.
o Commission does not want to give Josh more work.
Staff can provide resources and attend subcommittees.
• Are the three proposed subcommittees still viable?
o Would like one to look at what it means to have a healthy economy. Cannot
determine goals and metrics until agree on that piece. Clear goals to work toward.
o Too broad. Look at sustainability piece.
• Does 2012 Strategic Plan have text dedicated to defining economic health? If this
commission cannot define economic health, others are struggling too.
• Use a piece of each meeting over the next few months to collectively work on sections.
Members can provide research to read before.
4 | Page
o Define roles for each member. What does contributing look like?
o Strategic Plan directs staff work plans. Make sure sets right direction. Themes
describe fairway. May be work to do around strategies. Look at specific projects and
items moving forward to Council as well. Plan goes to Council in June.
• Commission needs to have conversations around what economic health and economic
sustainability are. Could plan approval be delayed?
o Living document. Can bring forward recommended changes later.
• Is there anything in 2012 plan that should be brought forward into this one?
o Since delayed, may have time to look again.
o Before next meeting, need accepted definition of economic health. Also need to look
at other plan, and add pieces that are missing.
o Will also integrate feedback from other boards’ input.
• Would like to connect commission with projects involved in outside the commission.
o Send emails to board support person to forward to the group.
• Should this commission be more involved in other boards?
o Josh will share dates of meetings that are appropriate to attend.
• Basic sustainability is survival of humans and other species. Economics tends to look at
endless growth.
o Glen offered to put together list of resources members can read/review and share.
Need to add discussions around limits to economics.
• Will election have effect?
o Will be more conservative.
o Community can help shape economy to provide long-term vibrancy. Regardless of
politics, there is a right path to be on. Helping to define that is a great role for this
group.
• Linda agreed to research latest economic theory/practices.
• Ted agreed to serve on subcommittee, and be convener.
o Define what like about Fort Collins today that is example of economic health. And
what is not.
o Would like to see more substance. Where we are and where we want to go?
• What does economic health plan look like for a place that is landlocked? At build-out, what
will plan look like?
o Fort Collins may be only community with Economic Health department, most are
development or vitality.
o Can affect foundation.
• Once have definition, think about what like and don’t like, then come up with own list and
compare to Council’s agenda for the year. See where tie together. Ex: Cultural events.
Important to economy. On Council’s agenda? Could the commission help guide Council’s
work?
o If not on Council calendar, determine what want to say to Council. What is change
sought?
o Identify characteristics and definition, then what to measure, and then strategies.
• By April 8, Josh will provide new draft of Strategic Plan to commission.
• Ted requested commission member email addresses. Board support person will supply.
AGENDA ITEM 3—Other Business
April Agenda
• Economic Health Strategic Plan.
Review City Council’s 6-Month Planning Calendar/Agenda Planning
• Not discussed.
5 | Page
Announcements
• Not discussed.
Meeting Adjourned: 1:33pm
Next Meeting: April 15
6 | Page