Agenda - Council - 06/23/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

I !1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I CASE # AUTHORIZATION TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS FOR LAND ACQUISITION FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES By: James E. Norman, City Administrator Background: In June 1994, the Ramsey City Council was presented a recommendation to authorize staff to begin negotiations to purchase land within the City for industrial development purposes. The parcels were eventually purchased and became known as the City of Ramsey's Business Park 95. The development of Business Park 95 has progressed rapidly. It is anticipated that, by the winter of 1998, all phases of the first industrial park will be completed. The City is now faced with the choice of simply completing the first phase of the industrial park or consider moving to the second and possibly a third stage of industrial park projects. The City's interest of owning land for industrial purposes is a method to deal with the primary obstacle to business expansion - site control. By having control over the type of development allowed within the City limits, the City can focus on quality development. By having the aforementioned control over a site, the City is able to manage the growth of the development and attract the industries which best suit the City's overall conceptual idea. Not only does an industrial park spur economic development by creating jobs, increasing property values and such, it allows diversification of the property tax dollars such that the tax demand on the residential homestead is not as great. A financial report supporting industrial development through the City's Industrial Park was presented to the City Council during a work session held on June 2, 1998 (document attached to case). The Economic Development Commission (EDC) reviewed the proposals to acquire additional industrial park land for development and recommended the City continue its acquisition of land for industrial development purposes. Recommendation: City staff and the EDC would recommend the City Council authorize staff to begin negotiation for two separate large holdings of land. The first site would include the 182- acres of land currently owned by Waste Management and would generally be described as the land immediately south of the former landfill site extending south to County Road #116 and west of Sunfish Lake Boulevard. The second holding of land would include the 149-acre site immediately west of Ramsey Boulevard adjacent to the Anoka Electric Cooperative Energy Park. Council Action: Motion to authorize staff to begin negotiations for the two parcels of land as described in the previous section for industrial park purposes. Reviewed by: City Administrator CC: 06/23/98 jmt/INDPK. DOC