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<br />Executive Summary <br /> <br />1. Executive Summary <br /> <br />In December 2006, the Anoka County Board of Commissioners appointed an <br />II-member Economic Development Exploratory Committee to review current <br />economic development, housing and community development programs in the <br />County, to identify gaps in the level of existing services provided, and to assess <br />the capacity of existing agencies to expand their services to fulfill these needs. <br /> <br />The committee completed an inventory and gap analysis based on information <br />collected through community surveys and other available background material, <br />studied the four statutory organizational options available for County <br />involvement in economic development, and issued this report and its <br />recommendations in accordance with Minnesota Statutes Section 469.1082. <br /> <br />I. Anoka <br />2030. <br /> <br /> <br />Findings made by the committee include: <br /> <br />growth through <br /> <br />2. Three <br />developed areas, developm~:!weas . ral areas. <br />development pattern may ... 'in,~..~i~glec9:~unity. <br /> <br />""....-...... '. <br /> <br />.................. . <br />3. 10 of the ~.~,..{Al1.okf7 Court~' ommunities surveyed have a city <br />Economic .Q'evelopmeij.tAuthority (EDA). <br /> <br />4. <br /> <br /> <br />are major themes that emerged from <br />of responses to the Local Government <br /> <br />.... "'. <br />.,-,--,.. - <br /> <br />5. Transportation ipiprovements and major development projects top the <br />list Ofrtl~..t:)Ei.;:economic development goals which Anoka County <br />communities nope will make headlines in the next 10 years. <br /> <br />6. Staffing and funding are the most frequently cited challenges to <br />economic development encountered by Anoka County communities. <br /> <br />Nine gaps in the level of economic development services were identified: <br /> <br />1. Ability to buy property with the change in eminent domain laws. <br /> <br />2. Limited financial resources dedicated to economic development <br />activities. <br /> <br />3. Lack of staff dedicated to economic development activities who have <br />the expertise and knowledge of economic development tools. <br /> <br />Report of the Anoka County Economic Development Exploratory Committee. <br />