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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/15/1996 MINUTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD MEETING OCTOBER 15, 1996 6:30 p.m. CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS Present: Board Gary McClure, President Mary Watts, Council Member Ronnie Fischer Tommy Thompson Rick Manser Jerry Sebastian Consultant Worth Blake, Worth Blake & Associates Staff Dennis Watson, Staff Liaison Absent John Dillard, Council Member 1. CALL TO ORDER Mr. McClure called the meeting to order at 6:40 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL 3. REVIEW OF VISION STATEMENT AS CRAFTED BY EDC AND ESTABLISH PROGRAM GOALS There was a discussion at the beginning of the meeting on how to go about qualifying prospects. Worth Blake stated that he saw the EDC as playing a role of screening committee for the Council. Mr. Blake stated that he would provide Mr. Watson with a form to use as a model for the prospect screening process . Worth Blake presented a timeline for completing the Economic Development Plan. Mr. Blake stated that he planned on conducting a final review and having the plan completed by the end of November. Mr. Blake reviewed the statement of current condition that the Board had crafted during earlier meetings. Mr. Blake then reviewed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that were also identified by the Board at previous meetings. Mr. Blake informed the Board that he had taken their comments and drafted them into a narrative which he felt was representative of their vision statement for The Colony. The purpose of this statement is to serve as a vision of where the city would like to be in five years. Mr. Blake handed out the vision statement and reviewed it with the Board. He asked if all Board members agreed with the vision statement as it was written. All Board members agreed with the statement. The only suggestion that the Board made was to expressly mention the golf course in the vision statement. Mr. Blake requested that the Board review the vision statement as it was written and submit any suggestions to Mr. Watson by next Tuesday. Discussion followed on a comparison of the EDC's rankings versus Mr. Blake's rankings regarding the strengths and assets of The Colony. Mr. Blake's list included the following: STRENGTHS ASSETS 1. No public/private partnership 1. Location Astride SH121 growth corridor 2. Underfunded ED effort 2. Location-Astride FM423 growth corridor 3. Need for a trained & experienced ED professional 3. Location-Adjacent to lake 4. No city-wide ED incentive policy 4. Location-Proximity to DFW Airport 5. Image 5. Location-Proximity to Dallas N. Tollway 6. Transportation 6. Location-Proximity to major markets 7 Aging infrastructure 7. Economically competitive land prices 8. No dedicated industrial site/complex 8. Educated and skilled work force 9. Large and growing consumer market 10. Triple freeport tax exemption Mr. Blake next reviewed the rankings of the opportunities He then handed out a copy of an economic development goals worksheet. The Goals included: 1. Enact the sales tax for economic development purposes 2. Attract targeted industrial and business firms to the Colony through implementation of a professionally crafted marketing program/campaign which is supported by ED allies and enhanced by a prudent and practical incentives policy. 3. Develop available land along and within the SH121 corridor and the Main St./FM 423 corridor to its highest and best use by structuring/implementing a public/private partnership involving the City/EDC and relevant land owners/developers supplemented with support from ED allies. 4. Establish/expand quality, family-oriented tourism/commercial development along specific lake shore properties by structuring a long range strategic plan linked to a public/private partnership. 5. Increase employment in existing The Colony based businesses by designing and implementing an 'Existing Industry Retention and Expansion Program" which is also enhanced by the EDC Incentives Policy. 6. Develop high quality and highly reputable youth-oriented recreation/entertainment facilities in "Level 1 Threats," previously identified, through implementation of research based remedial action in cooperation with the designated "Resolution Agency". Mr. Blake requested the Board review the goals worksheet and submit comments to Mr. Watson by next week. Ms. Watts expressed her concern over the fact that there was an item on the upcoming Planning & Zoning Commission agenda regarding a liquor store locating on the comer of Paige and SH121 in The Colony. She felt that this was not consistent with Mr. Blake's vision statement of attracting targeted and family-related businesses to The Colony. Ms. Watts wanted to know if there is any kind of action the EDC could take to let the Board's concern be known. Mr. Blake suggested the formal protocol should be to draft a resolution stating the position of the Board. A lengthy discussion on this item followed. The Board decided to draft a resolution to P& Z through the City Council stating the position of the EDC on restricting beverage sales along SH121 in The Colony. The resolution that the Board decided upon reads: Whereas the EDC senses the role it has of describing to the city the kind of industry they want to attract. Whereas the EDC has reviewed it's vision statement which expressly points out the need for family-oriented and family-related industries for attraction to The Colony. Whereas the EDC is concerned that the image along SH 121 reflects the reputation of the city of The Colony. Whereas the EDC desires to attract industries along the SH 121 corridor which are complimentary to fulfilling the goals and the vision statement as described. Now therefore be it resolved that the EDC recommends to the Planning and Zoning Commission that it restrict development along the SH 121 corridor to prohibit the use of liquor sales for off- premise consumption. Mr. Blake then reviewed the proposed target industries that he intended on including in his plan. They were as follows: Health care, Family (youth/family recreation entertainment), Light manufacturing, Tourism, Hotel, General Merchandise (Home Depot, Lowes,etc.) There being no further business the meeting was adjo ed at 9:10 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for October 22,1996. Le- r es ectfully utmitted, Dennis Watso i Staff Liaison