Minutes - Council Work Session - 07/12/2010 - Joint with Anoka CC

Home

Ramsey City Administrator Ulrich said Allina Clinic will be breaking ground in August in order to replace their current clinic on Highway 47. He said Acapulco Restaurant is a new addition to The COR, as well as the Anoka County License Center at Ramsey City Hall. He added that they aze currently entertaining several multi-family housing projects including senior housing, with the intent to continue to pursue in earnest larger retail sections. He added that development has been slow but noted that Ramsey had 45 housing starts to date and are currently trying to prepare for the future when the economy .improves. He said The Cor's emphasis is walkable developments in order to live, work, and play. Councilmember McGlone said they also got legislation passed to create a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district around the region for $65 million. He noted the amphitheater was built through a $400,000 grant and that there is $7 million still available for future parks. Councilmember Freeburg said as a local realtor he has been asked if The COR is a liability to Ramsey's taxpayers and by subsidizing, will it affect homeowners' taxes. Ramsey City Administrator Ulrich said the improvements have already been paid for as well as any assessments. He said Ramsey made a purchase of $6.75 million with a $2 million balance in cash and internal loans. He said they understood that they would need to be patient and said they can afford to wait until the economy improves. He said the basis of the land is very low and the ongoing liability is very small. Councilmember McGlone said the development already in place is paying taxes, which helps as well. Mayor Ramsey said they purchased the land at 6 '/< percent interest with a letter of credit then used $1.7 to purchase but only put out $1.8 million. Anoka City Manager Cnrikshank asked about the Ramsey City Hall debt: Ramsey City Administrator Ulrich said those costs have been calculated and addressed. Councilmember McGlone said the only way to get development started was to take the project over, which has helped. Anoka City Manager Cruikshank shazed that Anoka does not have a lot of open space like Ramsey does, adding they aze currently at a tax exempt level of 20-percent of market value, the highest in Anoka County. He compazed that to Ramsey's three-percent tax-exempt levels. He noted that Anoka has 7.5 squaze miles compared to Ramsey's 29 squaze miles. He listed other projects, including relocating Castle Field, rail station's shazed location, zoning projects, Volunteers of America, shazed parcel exchanges, Greenhaven Golf Course housing proposals, redeveloped apartments and pazk buildings, possible hotel and convention center north of County Road 116, and the 80 acres south of the high school for an overlay district. He said the redevelopment occurring on the former Burger King site will be a US Bank, and the Historic Rum River District Park Plan will be completed in 2013, which is west of the Rottlund development. Ramsey City Administrator Ulrich complimented Anoka on the West Main Street project City Council Joint Work Session /July 12, 2010 Page 7 of 8