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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-03-13 ACE MINUTES• • • ALLIANCE FOR COMMERCE IN ENGLEWOOD March 13, 2003 I. CALL TO ORDER The Alliance for Commerce in Englewood meeting was called to order at 11 :35 a.m . in the City Council Conference Room of Englewood Civic Center, Vice Chair Taylor presiding . Members Present: Members Absent: Alternate Present: Liaisons Present: Staff: Guests: II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Ms . Guinther moved; Mr. Rees seconded : Ashenfelter, Guinther, Rees , Ta y lor, Van Der Zwaag Panetta, Schalk Position Vacant McDermott, Yurchick Robert Simpson , Director of Community Dev elopment Darren Hollingsworth, Busin ess Development Specialist Tricia Langon , Senior Planner Mark Graham, Senior Planner Anne Ricker, Leland Consulting THAT THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 13 , 2003 BE APPROVED . Motion carried . Ill. PROPOSED LAND DEVELOPMENT FEES Ms. Langon distributed a letter regarding proposed increases in the land development fee schedule, as well as a letter from the Board of Adjustment to City Council regarding the variance fee. Mr. Yurchick stated City Council sent the issue to the Alliance at his request, but City Council is not looking for a recommendation , only general comments. Ms . Langon reviewed the proposed fee schedule and stated the fees are for land development applications and would not affect permit fees. The fee scheduled has not been updated since the mid-80 's and with the re-write of the Unified Development Code additional procedures will be added to the Code. Ms. Langon stated Mr. Fruchtl , a planner in the department, interviewed 1 5 front range communities and developed an average fee for each application based on the information he received. The Board of Adjustment and Appeals had concerns with the fee for variances and prepared a letter which will be included in Council's packet for Monday evening. Ms. 1 • Langon stated she is preparing a memo to City Council and would like to include ACE's comments in the memo. Mr. Yurchick stated his concern with the increased fees was whether or not they would inhibit development in Englewood . Mr. Simpson stated increasing the fees is' an effort to bring Englewood in line with other communities and to recover a small portion of staff's times and expenses incurred. Typically, development fees are not an impediment. The time it takes to take the application through the process and predictability of the market are the two impediments facing developers. Ms. McDermott agreed and stated the proposed fees are very fair. The significant cost is in building permits and process time. Development fees are an accepted part of development. Mr. Rees stated no one likes fees, but the proposed fees were reasonable . Discussion ensued. The Commission reached the following consensus: • Development fees are an accepted part of development; • The proposed fees are fair and reasonable; • The proposed fees are in the reasonable range of de v elopment fees within the metro area; and • The real cost of a development project is time . The Commission also stated it would like to determine whether or not the time and ease of • process could be improved. Ms. Langon thanked the Commission for their time . • IV. SOUTH BROADWAY CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION STRATEGY Mark Graham and Anne Ricker discussed the revitalization strategy for the South Broadway Corridor. Ms . Ricker stated one of the primary objectives of the Plan is to revitalize and strengthen the corridor with a balance of mixed uses along the Corridor. The project is moving very fast; research started the middle of January, and they are planning to provide recommendations to City Council in April or May. Ms. Ricker reviewed the outreach methods and schedule for public input. She asked for a couple of voluntee rs to assist in the process and also asked members to submit names of business owners/property owners who might be interested in participating. Discussion ensued. Staff will send an e-mail to members asking for participation. Secondly, Ms. Ricker discussed and reviewed the Englewood/Oxford Station Area Plan. Ms. Ricker stated that unlike the Broadway Corridor Plan , this project is a long term planning effort with short term strategies. An advisory group will be formed, and she stated she would like at least one ACE member for each area. Mr. Taylor volunteered for the Oxford Station Plan . Staff will send an e-mail for participation in the Englewood Station Plan . 2 • • • v. ALTERNATE VACANCY Vice Chair Taylor stated three applications had been received for the alternate position. Mr. Yurchick stated City Council is not looking for ACE to select the alternate. Mr. Hollingsworth stated the applications would be forwarded to City Council and interviews would be held in June . VI. BROKER/LENDER FORUMS Ms. Ricker stated Mr. Rees and Mr. Panetta have volunteered to assist her with the Broker and Lender Forums. Her goal is to have the forums be an annual event. Mr. Van Der Zwaag asked if the two separate forums could be combined into one. Ms. Ricker stated that was a good idea; the members agreed. VII. COMMENTS & EVENTS Mr. Hollingsworth stated the ACE pamphlet if close to being finalized ; staff is waiting on a logo. Mr. Simpson stated staff is developing an Economic Development Strategy which will be brought to ACE within four to six weeks for discussion. Ms. Guinther stated her strong support for the creation of an economic strategy . Vice Chair Taylor asked that information regarding the City's Englewood Jubilee II be sent to him . Ms. McDermott stated the Chamber will be hiring a part-time Executive Director. She also stated the Taste of Englewood is scheduled for April 1 7 at the Civic Center. Mr. Yurchick asked if the Commission discussed the possibility of Englewood businesses posting job vacancies on the City's website . Staff stated it would be placed on the April agenda as a discussion item . IX. ADIOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1 :00 p.m. '-J \ Nancy Fen ,on, Recording Secretary 3