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2009-07-16 Economic Development Commission MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS CITIZENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION July 16, 2009 The Citizens Economic Development Committee meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Community Service/Economic Development Director Stephen Clifton in the Brackett Room, 121 5th Avenue North, Edmonds. The meeting was opened with the flag salute. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT Michael Bowman Marianne Burkhart Stacy Gardea Don Hall Darrol Haug Betty Larman Beatrice O'Rourke Evan Pierce Kerry St. Clair Ayers David Schaefer Rich Senderoff Bill Vance Rob VanTassell Bruce Witenberg Frank Yamamoto COMMISSIONERS ABSENT Bruce Faires Rebecca Wolfe ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT Council President D. J. Wilson Councilmember Peterson Councilmember Wambolt STAFF PRESENT Stephen Clifton, Community Services/Economic Development Director Cindi Cruz, Executive Assistant Jeannie Dines, Recorder 1. OPENING REMARKS BY CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT Community Services/Economic Development Director Stephen Clifton thanked the Commissioners for volunteering to participate, advising the Commission would expire on December 31, 2010. He identified materials provided to the Commission in their notebooks including a handout "What is Economic Development;" the City's past economic development activities; Economic development Strategies, Programs, Projects and Opportunities; Resolution 1198 Addressing the Long Term Revenue Challenges Citizens Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes July 16, 2009 Page 1 Facing the City of Edmonds; Ordinance No. 3735 establishing the Citizens Economic Development Commission; a summary of Ordinance 3735, and the Economic Development Plan adopted by the City Council in 2006. 2. Each Commissioner introduced themselves and described their hopes for this group/reason for being involved: • City has reached a crisis and little has changed • This is an important effort to be involved in • One of the Port of Edmonds' charges is Economic development, need to take this effort into account during the Port's master plan for Harbor Square • Business owner, interested in promoting businesses • Look at businesses in other areas of the City contributing to sales tax generation as well as tourist uses downtown. • Economic development will slow property taxes increases • Want to understand how the City can generate new revenues • Look at different revenue streams and curbing expenses • Love the City and want to help it get back on its feet • Developing/promoting business in other areas of the City • Address development issues • Learn about city finances, be of service • Use experience to leverage creativity from non-profit world. • Put aside any political agendas to develop plan for sustainable economy for the entire city • Use nonprofit, affordable housing as well as other public -private partnership opportunities • Economic development is key to the City's survival • Think outside the box, put aside preconceived notion, political agenda to develop revenues needed to continue current lifestyle • Survival of businesses depends on good economic development plan; without businesses • Need local residents as well as visitors to shop here. • A lot of untapped potential in Edmonds • Build synergy between businesses and community, hope the Commission can find a way to do that in a positive way Councilmember Strom Peterson introduced himself, thanked the members for volunteering and offered his assistance. Audience members Natalie Shippen, John McGibbon, Don Abadacola, and Brian Larman also introduced themselves. Council President Wilson explained Mr. Clifton and Ms. Cruz would staff the Commission but this group would establish their own rules, elect a Chair, establish meeting schedule, etc. He relayed the Commission has been asked to provide an interim report in late November/early December with some initial thoughts/strategies. He cautioned this was not a budget review committee, but rather a revenue generating committee. The purpose was to maintain and improve the commercial viability of Edmonds businesses to increase sales tax revenue, draw more visitors, and increase property values which also increases revenue to the City. He clarified this Committee's task was not to solve the City's budget crisis; the focus was on economic development strategies. Citizens Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes July 16, 2009 Page 2 Council President Wilson explained another component of this Commission is to educate the public, letters to editor, etc. to increase awareness and to build public support for the strategies the Commission recommends. Commissioner Burkhart suggested staff provide the Commission reports/studies the City has had done in past but did not acted on. Mr. Clifton offered to provide summaries or links to studies on the City's website as some were very voluminous. Commissioner Burkhart offered to provide studies done by the Port such as in regard to business leakage outside the City. 3. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA Mr. Clifton explained this item would be where Commissioners and/or staff could propose change to the agenda. 4. PURPOSE OF MISSION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Mr. Clifton reviewed a summary of Ordinance 3735 that described the membership, term, officers, meetings, powers and duties, deliverables, and coordinated report. 5. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW Mr. Clifton advised the packet includes information regarding economic development as it relates to past activities, as well as program, projects and opportunity presented to the City Council during their 2009 retreat. He commented there has been a great deal of effort with regard to economic development as well as reports prepared that were not implemented due to a lack of consensus with regard to the recommendations in the reports. Commissioners will also be provided a copy of the Community Trade Economic Development booklet, "The 10 Commandments of Economic Development." Mr. Clifton reviewed programs, projects and opportunities that Ms. Cruz, the City's former Economic Development Director Jennifer Gerrand and he have worked on in the past with regard to: • Promoting and sustaining a vibrant cultural community • Tourism • Tourism website • General Marketing • Business Retention, Expansion and Recruitment • Business Improvement Area • Development/Redevelopment • SR99 Enhancement Project • 4th Avenue Cultural Corridor • Shop Local Campaign • Fiber Optic Project • Waterfront — acquisition, maintenance and preservation • Amenities (beaches, Wayfinding, flower poles) • Use of WSF, Sound Transit and FTA/FHWA funds • Transit Oriented Development • Edmonds Crossing • Sound Transit Edmonds Station • Ordinance 3735 Citizens Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes July 16, 2009 Page 3 6. FUTURE GOALS Staff and Commissioners discussed goals/missions/ideas for this group: • Hold a workshop meeting where ideas are brainstormed, recorded and prioritized on a whiteboard. Include the Chamber, Downtown Merchants Association, etc. • Invite speakers to this group such as the City's former Economic Development Director Jennifer Gerrand to talk about hurdles, what works and doesn't work, what she is seeing in other cities, etc. • The Planning Board would like to have a joint work session with this group. Biggest fear is if there is a different messages from the Planning Board and CEDC presentations, nothing will happen • Commissioners need to read the City's adopted Economic Development Plan as it has and will serve as a guide to economic development • Involve the Chamber of Economic Development Committee • Rumors that it is difficult to get property leases in the City, need to make it easier for businesses to open Some businesses that wanted to locate here went elsewhere because it took too long. Property management issues. • City's code is not user friendly. Staff working on a code rewrite • Issues exist with property management companies. Need property managers and developers to see themselves as partners • Need retail downtown, not service companies. • Need determine goals, how bring people here, what is driver • City is huge transportation hub — ferry, train — need to encourage people to stay in Edmonds • The City's streets roll up at night, nothing to do • Need more nights like tonight (Artwalk) • Need to bring people to experience what Edmonds has to offer and bring more businesses in such as food walk, etc. • Shop and eat local map • Charm of Edmonds is individually owned stores • Encourage Commissioners to attend Downtown Edmonds Merchant meetings to see community spirit • Hold events to bring people in • Need a nice hotel downtown to attract and keep visitors in town • Edmonds not just downtown, need to get entire city involved, owner -occupied businesses in other areas of the city also • Renton reinvented itself, good example. Their economic development staff said whatever it takes to assist a business, they will make it happen • Edmonds has a downtown which many other cities lack • Edmonds has unique business districts similar to Seattle • Fastest way to turn an economic buck is tourism; the hard work is business growth, business development, business retention, recruitment • Thousands of people past through the City to/from the ferry • Staycations are huge in this economy • Have done noting to attract people to Edmonds who are here for the Winter Olympics • City not open to doing what is necessary to bring in businesses. Businesses find better attitudes elsewhere • When Council passes an ordinance, no effort to go back and see whether the intent was realized or if it needs to be changed Citizens Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes July 16, 2009 Page 4 • There may need to be an effort to reduce codes • Simple, inexpensive ways to promote Edmonds, such as a sticker saying "I shopped in Edmonds today" • How does bringing people to city generate revenue? Need to understand the current economic levers, which ones can be enhanced, determine how they can be enhanced and develop new ones • Financial crisis has been coming for a long time. May need go back to what was working when city had adequate funding compared the current situation • People leaving ferry do not know how get downtown. • Staff to provide revenue amounts for City REET, sales tax, property tax, utility tax • Need to determine what want to be; the City has no industry • What are the Port's plans for development? • What type of businesses does the City/Port want, what businesses foster other businesses • Does Edmonds have adequate staff to recruit businesses? • Determine what business structure needs to be in place to foster other businesses • When a business wants to locate in Edmonds, what needs to be done and what is the cost • Signage regulations are too restrictive • Trends in revenue in recent years, what sectors contribute more than others, be strategic and long term in determining what needs to happen • Broadband effort studied demographics of Edmonds. Older, more educated and wealthy and more of a bedroom community than average • Edmonds is only 1/2 a city due to the water, typically a core that radiates. Look at other 1/2 cities adjacent to the water such as Mukilteo, Des Moines, Bellingham, Bainbridge Island, Kirkland. Port Townsend and Cannon Beach , Oregon — what have they done or are doing with regard to economic development • Need to retain businesses, become destination • Some are resistance to change, no building stock appropriate for businesses, need redevelopment • Need to formally identify stakeholders and align them, there has never been a place where all were brought together • Bremerton Mayor brings property owners, businesses and developers together. Good cities such as Renton and Kirkland bringing them all together. Discuss how to align toward goals • Determine where revenue is coming from, trends, and identify what revenues could be increased 7. CHOOSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONER HALL NOMINATED FRANK YAMAMOTO AND COMMISSIONER LARMAN SECONDED THE NOMINATION. NOMINATION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Chair Yamamoto provided his email address: Frankgrunninginmotion.com Commissioner Gardea volunteered to serve as Vice Chair. A question was raised regarding the applicability of the Open Public Meeting Act to this group. Mr. Clifton offered to confer with City Attorney Scott Snyder and report to the Commission regarding quorums, email, etc. It was agreed to add a public comment section to the agenda. Mr. Clifton advised minutes, agendas, etc. would be available via the Economic Development link on City's website. Commissioners requested there also be an opportunity for the public to submit comments with regard to economic development via the website. Citizens Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes July 16, 2009 Page 5 It was suggested Commissioners identify their goals, staff provide financial information and the Planning Board's goals/work plans be provided at the next meeting. Mr. Clifton advised the Hwy. 99 Taskforce was making a presentation to the Planning Board at their July 21 meeting. 8. SET MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULE The next meeting was scheduled for August 13, 6:00 — 8:00 in the Brackett Room. It was agreed the Commission would discuss the schedule for future meetings at the August 13 meeting. 9. SET AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING Mr. Clifton requested Commissioners read the materials provided particularly the adopted Economic Development Plan. He also offered to send Commissioners the Community Trade Economic Development booklet, "The 10 Commandments of Economic Development." Commissioners were invited to submit agenda topics to Chair Yamamoto who will set the agenda for the next meeting. 10. ADJOURN With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:08 p.m. Citizens Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes July 16, 2009 Page 6