Loading...
2020-01-15 Economic Development Commission Agenda'11c. 189'j AGENDA Edmonds Economic DevelonmentCommission Edmonds City Hall Brackett Meeting Room, 121 5th Ave N Wednesday, January 15, 2020 6-8PM 6:00 P.M. — Call to Order and Land Acknowledgement: "We acknowledge the original inhabitants of this place, the Sdohobsh (Snohomish) people and their successors the Tulalip Tribes, who since time immemorial have hunted, fished, gathered, and taken care of these lands. We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and we honor their sacred spiritual connection with the land and water." - City Council Land Acknowledgment Call to Order 1. Approval of Agenda 2. Roll Call and recognition of approved absences 3. Approval of December 18, 2019 Meeting Summary 5 min. 4. Audience Comments (3 minutes per person) 10 min. 5. Old Business: 10 min 6. New Business: Reports from Meetings with Appointing Authority 7. Work -group updates —Leads to identify next goals work groups will undertake: 70 min. Discuss 2020 yearly work plan: Development Feasibility Arts/Tourism Business Attraction 15 min. 8. Liaison Updates (3 minutes per person) 15 min. 9. Roundtable Discussion (Council, Commissioners, City, Liaisons, 3 minutes per person) 10. Adj ourn Next regular meeting: February 19, 2020 6 PM, Brackett Meeting Room, 3rd Floor, Edmonds City Hall, 121 5th Avenue North, Edmonds. DRAFT CITY OF EDMONDS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING December 18, 2019 COMMISSIONERS PRESENT Mary Monroe, Chair Kevin Harris, Vice Chair (by phone) Jamie Reece Scott Merrick Darrol Haug Margaret Safford Nicole Hughes Jay Hoag Greg Urban, Edmonds Chamber, ex officio COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Kimberly Koenig (unexcused) Nathan Monroe, Planning Board, ex-officio Neil Tibbott, Councilmember, ex officio Bruce Faires, Port Commissioner, ex-officio Guests: None STAFF PRESENT: Patrick Doherty, Director Cindi Cruz, Program Coordinator Economic Development Commission meeting called to order by Mary Monroe at 6:00 p.m. 1. Approval of Agenda: Nicole moved to approve agenda, Scott seconded, motion passed. 2. Roll Call and recognition of absences: Kimberly's absence is unexcused. 3. Approval of 11/20/19 EDC Minutes: Margaret moved to approve minutes, Jamie seconded, motion passed. 4. Audience Comments: None S. Old Business: Will summarize report on SAP during 2020 annual report to Council. Subgroups will meet and provide information for newly elected Council members to update them. Patrick updated on his meetings with the newly elected Council members. There has been interest expressed in the Commissions. Nothing specific about the EDC. 6. New Business: Darrol apologizes for being misquoted in newspaper. Did not make remarks as indicated. 7. Work -group updates — Leads of each group are to identify next goals work groups will undertake. Discuss 2020 yearly work plan (30 minutes per group) how to involve the newly elected Councilmembers at the beginning of 2020. It was suggested to report more than annually as a Commission to the Council. There will be a new Council liaison after the year begins. And new appointing authority for several Commissioners. Committee assignments will be on 1/14/20 so new liaison will be appointed at that time. Development Feasibility: Patrick stated that survey results have been received. Sent to sub -group members. Most recurring comment is time involved to receive permit. Comments were expressed about wrong info given and subsequently had to be corrected. Largely complimentary regarding staff, concerns mainly on lack of appeal process, and time involved in receiving permit. Time complexity and cost for small businesses is a burden. Business improvement, small additions, rehabbing existing space. Questionnaire DRAFT Meeting Summary Economic Development Commission December 18, 2019 Page 1 DRAFT did lack more robust questions about the processes. Could do some follow-up to respondents that have provided e-mail addresses. What could be done with this information? Offer to have some Commissioners provide follow-up. Council has approved a half-time staff person to work on rewriting development code. Process improvement work could respond to input on survey. Recommend to Development Services to do follow-up and add input on what the follow-up could be. E-mail list contained 11 respondents. Could ask more detailed questions of the respondents. At next committee meeting formulate a scope to promote a deeper probe to the respondents. Could ask more economic development questions in addition to the permitting aspect. More questions about why they chose Edmonds and would they recommend to others to come to Edmonds. Potentially the education component would be key to improving permit process. Considerable discussion regarding what is next step. Develop plan at sub -group level and bring back to full EDC in January. Arts/Tourism: Mary provided update. Trolley was funded by Council for 2020. The process to obtain a trolley and set procedures to operate will take some time. Signs are up in ferry lanes regarding audio clip but not very visible. Could signs be redone? Played audio clip for Commission. Development code changes to allow hotel development has been heard at Planning Board and will now go to Council for hearing and approval in January or February. Could work on press release when approved. Sub -group ideas for 2020: Creative District Committee input on arts and tourism, music performances blanket permit, ease of work on promoting street performances, change code to allow sidewalk markers rather than roped off sidewalk dining adjacent to restaurants. Business Attraction: Kevin had prepared a memo resulting from most recent meeting. See Attachment 1. Discussed meetings with groups regarding co -working space and healthcare initiatives. New initiatives could include senior entertainment and engagement and family entertainment attraction. Contact Senior Center Director Farrell Fleming for input. Other potential: expansion of jobs for students, American Cruise Line which could be within Puget Sound, Kevin discussed other potential ideas including create smarter connections in 2020. Mary asked that Commissioners meet with their appointing authority from Council and bring back input to next meeting. This followed with a discussion about better communications with Council. Liaison will be chosen by Council president. Could get ideas for work plan from Council. Darrol mentioned the Council retreat will be early February and that could be an opportunity to receive direction. Create talking points. 8. Liaison Updates (3 minutes per person): Chamber: Greg discussed new labor laws going into effect Jan 1, 2020. GSBA doing separate round table January 23 with networking at Cascadia Museum after hours. RFQ for more L&I outreach to small businesses. OtherWorld is leaving at beginning year so spot next to Cheese Monger's Table will be available. Job fair at Nile Country Club on 2/3/20. Leadership Snohomish is moving Emerging Leaders to Nile for more activities in south end of county. Taste Edmonds will be moving from Civic Park to Frances Anderson Center for 2020. Smaller capacity. Fireworks will be moved potentially to north of jetty on waterfront. Working through regulations. Tree lighting went well. 9. Roundtable Discussion (Council, Commissioners, City Liaisons, 3 minutes per person): DRAFT Minutes Economic Development Commission December 18, 2019 Page 2 DRAFT Jay asked about Swedish Hospital's long-term healthcare goals. Nicole stated she and family did Christmas ship and experience was excellent. Kevin was at holiday market, very awesome, family loved it. Mary expressed comments from out of town visitors how wonderful events are during holidays. Patrick invited everyone to come for final market on Saturday. Updated on proposal that was before Council last night regarding BID collection issue that was not approved and did not move forward. Darrol mentioned that Cindi had been awarded the 2019 Edmonds Employee of the Year. Margaret loved all the things going on in Edmonds. Scott updated on Creative District meeting and how the sub -committee is working on logo and branding. Initial work looks great. 9. Adjourn at 7:54 p.m. Next regular meeting: January 15, 2019, 6 PM in Brackett Meeting Room. DRAFT Minutes Economic Development Commission December 18, 2019 Page 3 DRAFT Attachment 1 Business Attraction Committee: 2020 Planning Suggestions (Darrol, Scott, Kevin & Patrick) I. Continuation of existing initiatives a. Co -working space/Innovation space: Continue to seek opportunities to promote common business working space, support innovation and entrepreneurship in Edmonds, help growing business to scale (attraction -expansion -retention). • Potential connection with health care initiative (below) relative to infrastructure/support for health care innovators and entrepreneurs. b. Healthcare initiatives: Promote Swedish/Verdant core to health care innovators and small professional firms (providers and others); promote linkages between healthy communities and economic development initiatives, including collaborative vision between Swedish/Edmonds, Verdant Health, Premera Blue Cross, other significant providers and payors and health care innovators; intent Seattle -based businesses to relocate; encourage development/redevelopment/improvement of Highway 99 to improve Swedish/other employee lifestyles with expanded residential options, expanded food service options. II. New Initiatives a. Senior entertainment/engagement: Seek ways to engage Edmonds' senior population with diverse events (e.g., restaurant/pub events; art walk variations; new social events). b. Family entertainment: Research opportunities to build new venues, attract businesses with expertise/interest in providing options for growing Edmonds family segment. III. Other Potential Ideas (still forming) a. Expand jobs for students (parking study; economic studies for geo zones; trolley service) b. American Cruise Line — Grand Puget Sound; Puget Sound & San Juan Island Cruises c. Seek greater connections in 2020 with 'internal' and 'external' collaborators related to programmatic business support/incubator networks. DRAFT Minutes Economic Development Commission December 18, 2019 Page 4