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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021/03/08 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - City Council - Study SessionAGENDA MARCH 8, 2021 All meetings of the St. Louis Park City Council will be conducted by telephone or other electronic means starting March 30, 2020, and until further notice. This is in accordance with the local emergency declaration issued by the city council, in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and Governor Walz's “Stay Safe MN” executive order 20-056. Some or all members of the St. Louis Park City Council will participate in the March 8, 2021 city council meeting by electronic device or telephone rather than by being personally present at the city council's regular meeting place at 5005 Minnetonka Blvd. Members of the public can monitor the meeting by video and audio at https://bit.ly/watchslpcouncil or by calling +1-312-535-8110 meeting number (access code): 372 106 61 for audio only. Cisco Webex will be used to conduct videoconference meetings of the city council, with council members and staff participating from multiple locations. 6:30 p.m. – STUDY SESSION Discussion items 1. 6:30 p.m. Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative 2. 7:45 p.m. Racial equity update and check in 3. 8:45 p.m. Targeted residential picketing 4. 9:15 p.m. Future study session agenda planning and prioritization 9:20 p.m. Communications/updates (verbal) 9:25 p.m. Adjourn Written reports 5. Business terms for redevelopment contract with Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC The agenda is posted on Fridays on the official city bulletin board in the lobby of city hall and on the text display on civic TV cable channel 17. The agenda and full packet are available by noon on Friday on the city’s website. If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call 952-924-2525. Meeting: Study session Meeting date: March 8, 2021 Discussion item : 1 Executive summary Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Re commended action: The commission will present its smart city objectives to the council for discussion and general direction on prioritization. Policy consideration: Do the recommendations identified for further exploration by the commission fit council expectations and align with council strategic goals? Summary: The community technology advisory commission has embarked on a smart cities project with the goal of aligning any suggested smart city initiatives with the city council’s strategic priorities. Identified smart city use cases are focused on finding and delivering improved quality of life for all residents and creating a more efficient, responsive and sustainable city. Financial or budget considerations: Insight Digital Innovations was hired to work with the commission to identif y smart city objectives that are aligned with the council’s strategic priorities. If council agrees with the direction of the commission, more work will take place to determine budget considerations associated with proposed smart cities initiatives. Strategic priority consideration: Current areas of focus for proposed smart cities initiatives align most closely with the following council strategic priorities: •Being a leader in racial equity and inclusion in order to create a more just and inclusive community for all. •Continuing to lead in environmental stewardship. •Providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably. •Creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement Supporting documents: Jan. 25, 2021 study session report Smart cities committee presentations Prepared by: Jacque Smith, communications and marketing manager Reviewed by: Clint Pires, chi ef in formation officer Approve d by: Tom Harmening, city manager Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Page 2 Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Discussion Background: In 2020, the community technology advisory commission began exploring how the concept and practice of smart cities might be applied in St. Louis Park. Following a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project kicked off with an October workshop for commission members and city staff. At the workshop, Insight staff helped participants understand the concept and practice of smart cities, defined in this case as application of technology to improve quality of life. Potential use cases (applications) as defined by pre -workshop survey results were prioritized against both measurable benefits and the council’s strategic priorities . Three main themes emerged: connected community, environment and geographic information system (GIS)-enabled applications . Committees that included commission members, city staff, the city’s GIS account manager and Insight staff were established for each theme. The committees developed charters outlining goals, methods, initial tasks and opportunities for investigation, included in the Jan. 25, 2021, report to the city council. Since then, the committees have worked with Insight facilitators and city staff to create use case definition s. These definitions outline project goals, potential benefits and limitations , scope and impact for the prospective initiatives. The committee chairs will present the highlights of their use case definitions at tonight’s meeting. Present considerations: Do the recommendations identified for further exploration by the commission fit council expectations and align with council strategic goals? Does the council have any information requests or questions? Next steps: If the council confirms that the recommendations of the commission fit council expectations and align with council strategic goals , then work will continue in the second quarter of 2021 to finalize the use cases by defining project steps, prioritization, timeline and budget considerations, as well as opportunities for community feedback on any proposed public-facing initiatives . The commission would plan to return to council with this information in early summer 2021. Environment Community Technology Advisory Commission (CTAC) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 3 Executive Summary Motivation Our goal is to determine uses and applications of technology to further the city’s leadership in environmental stewardship. A key target of the committee is to further the use of advanced technologies in support of the city’s Climate Action Plan (CAP).Reducing air pollution can be achieved by increasing usage of electric or cycle transport. Electricity usage can be addressed in city buildings and homes by evaluating efficiency opportunities across climate control, lighting, etc. Examining these opportunities, complementing efforts to provide data on existing environmental programs, city government and our residents will be better informed of progress. Execution Committee work will involve researching, testing, and recommending technologies and applications through collaboration with city departments and commissions, state agencies, and utilities. Through this process relevant data sources will be identified. Chief deliverables from these efforts will be a set of recommendations and alternate implementations that could have specific measurable impacts. Additionally, any integration of disparate data sources will be outlined. The committee will conduct its work in support of City Council Strategic Priorities. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 4 Project Definition Environment Community Technology Advisory Commission (CTAC) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 5 A Healthier City Through Cleaner Transport While federal and state efforts ebb and flow to address our planet’s mounting climate challenges, cities can have a major direct impact on the health of their own citizens by undertaking local efforts to reduce carbon emissions. With St. Louis Park’s 2018 commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040, addressing transport alternatives to individual gas-powered vehicles can go a long way toward cleaner air, reduced traffic, and an overall healthier community. Aligns with Existing Efforts •2018 Climate Action Plan aims to “Reduce vehicle emissions 25% by 2040” •2007 Connect the Park planning initiative aimed to add more bikeways, sidewalks, and trails throughout the community Informs Future Efforts •Trying smaller pilot projects by harnessing a ‘learn fast’ culture with rapid experimentation to quickly demonstrate results and successes can help justify future investments and/or opportunity for expansions. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 6 Options Considered CTAC Environment committee charter had suggested several initial ideas: Bike & Pedestrian Sensing (Connect the Park) Smart Building Pilot for Energy Efficiency Electric Vehicle Awareness Air Quality Sensing & Data Analysis Climate Action Dashboard Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 7 Aligned to City’s Strategic Priorities The Environment committee’s work is aligned to the following strategic priorities: Continuing to lead in environmental stewardship While climate change is a universal challenge, municipalities are inconsistent in addressing it even across our state. SLP can try changes that make sense and have impact for our area and our population. Providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably Increasing citizen options for transportation within the city will allow for individual environmentally friendly options and access to sustainable transportation. St. Louis Park Strategic Priorities: 1)Being a leader in racial equity and inclusion 2)Continuing to lead in environmental stewardship 3)Providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood-oriented development 4)Providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably 5)Creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 8 Project Scope Environment Community Technology Advisory Commission (CTAC) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 9 Primary Use Case Bike & Pedestrian Sensor System Short Term •Prove out best and most cost-effective technologies •Aid city engineering in current counting work •Promote inter-CTAC committee cooperation •Enable long term decisions Long Term •Aid in locating pedestrian pathways and bike lanes for increased use and vehicle accident avoidance •Improve air quality through increased bike and pedestrian pathway usage •Support city’s environmental stewardship and CAP goals Benefits •Good test of technology; could be used for other measurements and capture data points across city •Multi-use sensors could capture and other data sources such as air quality •Closely aligns with aspects of CTAC GIS and Connected Community Committees •Directly supports environmental stewardship helping to identify routes and areas that would benefit from bike lanes aiding in reducing automobile traffic and lowering carbon emissions •Supports Connect the Park planning initiative and appropriate distribution of citywide investments Advantages Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 10 Scoping Considerations to Deliver on Goals Project Approach 1.Research technologies, e.g., sensors, networks, analytics for measuring bike and pedestrian usage 2.Work with appropriate city departments to determine city-wide requirements and opportunities 3.Understand successes of other cities in this area 4.Invite hardware and software vendors to propose solutions 5.Execute a pilot project at appropriate location(s) Offering/Option Parameters •Integration with GIS committee •Multi-purpose sensors will be advantageous beyond this single application Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 11 Example –Boston Automated Bike Counts Challenges and Outlook •Existing count required volunteers to visually observe and manually record cyclists throughout shifts… •Counts weren’t always done during the same day of the year and didn’t align year-over-year. •Missed everyone who was biking outside peak times. •Volunteer scheduling was difficult. •Poor weather cancelled some counts. •Quality of data was improved by: •Collecting information about trips that happen outside of peak hours. •Diversifying the types and amount of locations counted. •Standardizing the dates and hours of counts throughout the year. •Removed issue of bad weather being an issue and impacting data sets. Outcomes included: Better data helps the city do better in planning and designing the bike network. Has ridership changed on key routes? Have we encouraged more people to ride by building a more connected network? Has the presence of new bike share stations influenced bike-riding on nearby streets? Climate Resilience: More than a quarter of Boston’s greenhouse gas emissions are from transportation. Bicycling has a small impact on the environment and can help the city reach their greenhouse gas reduction goals. Population & Job Growth: More people are moving to Boston, and more people are working in Boston. Convenient and safe bicycling helps to ease the pressure on city streets and the public transit system. Easing Income Inequality: By supporting bicycling as a mode of transportation, the city can give people a reliable, inexpensive way to reach educational opportunities and jobs. 24 locations piloted using different technologies 5 years of data collected using automated systems since 2016 Video-based technology was ultimately selected for the full program Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 12 Option of Status Quo •A key goal is to reduce vehicle traffic and increase foot and bicycle traffic… to the benefit of reduced carbon emissions and cleaner air •In doing so, there is the opportunity to measure other items and collect additional data as well •Without this project, the city would not be able to measure foot and bicycle traffic to scale and would not obtain the information needed to inform where to increase bike lanes and sidewalks for the highest ROI •Current technology used in the Nature Center is equivalent to electric eye for building entrance with counters in the device and no analytics •This project will also involve other committees and could very well produce unexpected data that would not be obtained otherwise Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 13 Secondary Opportunities Electrified Streets •Potential to significantly speed the adoption of electric vehicles, both public and private •Ability to assist with sustainable public transport if charging public transportation at bus stops •Current proof of concepts being conducted in Germany, Sweden, and Italy Example: Electreon 1km road strip in Tel Aviv, Israel which charges a public buses in motion along standard routes Plug Load Application •Investigate an easy way to measure electricity use of all devices in aggregate •City has existing program to significantly reducing plug load •Option to become a city building ordinance and thus reduce electricity usage citywide •Potential to result in a large residential payoff Example: Sense Energy monitoring via analysis of building electric feed and AI Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 14 Interdependencies •The Environment committee is working with several city departments to coordinate our activities to ensure alignment with any current efforts •For example, working with the ped/cycle counting in collaboration with city engineering •Over time, the other two CTAC committees may become involved, especially the GIS committee •The Environment committee will be working with several potential hardware and software vendors in order to learn about the latest sensor and analytics technologies and products Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 15 Thank You Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 16 Glossary Dashboard –an easy-to-understand page or interface with a graphical presentation of current status and/or historical trends of key performance indicators (important measurements) that can assist in making informed decisions… typically web-based and often updated in real-time, when possible Multi-Purpose Sensors: either a ‘cluster’ of different kinds of sensors that are installed together (e.g.: temperature, light, noise, motion) or a single sensor that has multiple uses (i.e.: a video camera that can detect thermal readings as well as capture footage for analysis and object identification) Plug Load: the energy used by products that are powered by ordinary AC (electricity); generally excludes energy attributed to major uses like heating, air conditioning, hot water, etc. Smart Building: a system of inter-connected building subsystems to reduce operating costs and carbon footprints including HVAC equipment, security, lighting, etc. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 17 Connected Community Community Technology Advisory Commission (CTAC) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 18 Executive Summary Motivation Our goal is to achieve universal Internet access by facilitating wide coverage and lower cost modern network options. Especially for underserved constituencies, these options will make connecting easier and ensure minimum broadband-level service for residents and visitors. Through a mix of wired and wireless connectivity, broader reliable access to online technology and tools (and any support services required) will afford everyone the opportunity to participate more fully in online learning, remote work, telehealth, city services, and beyond. Execution Committee work will investigate existing and forthcoming technologies such as private LTE and 5G wireless, metro ethernets, fiber optics, and various other potential network solutions. Chief deliverables from these efforts will be recommendations and alternatives for implementation. The committee will conduct its work in support of City Council Strategic Priorities. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 19 Project Definition Connected Community Community Technology Advisory Commission (CTAC) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 20 The Digital Divide Access to the Internet (in particular high-speed broadband internet such as cable, fiber optic, 5G…) is highly unequal. Data shows that low-income households disproportionately lack access to broadband Internet. Modern society is an increasingly digital one, and accessing advanced online services is essential to ensuring that all Americans can participate and thrive. American Community Survey (ACS) 2015-2019 United States •More than one in five low-income households did not have any access to the Internet in 2018 (more than 4x the rate of all other households) •A staggering 43.7%of low-income households lacked access to broadband Internet at home (more than 2x of the rest of the population) St. Louis Park •10%+ of St. Louis Park households lack broadband Internet subscriptions. •Nearly 6% of households do not have a computer. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 21 Goals CTAC Connected Community committee has identified distinct goals that will allow St. Louis Park to effectively provide connectivity and access to Internet-based resources across the city: Equal Participation Enable and support citizens’ ability to participate equally in: the digital economy online education rapidly expanding telehealth services civic engagement Investment & Leadership Establish a reputation as a community that prioritizes and proactively invests in digital infrastructure. Facilitate citizen participation in the digital world as the city does for the physical world. Devices & Assistance Partnering with school districts, libraries, and non-profits to provide options for citizens to obtain and use the necessary equipment for participating in the digital world. Support & Standards Providing superior customer service in support of our digital infrastructure by a combination of: providing appropriate services holding partners accountable Transparency & Responsiveness Being transparent to citizens’ needs and our ability to meet those needs. Providing a path for citizen escalation when they need assistance. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 22 Path to Smart City (Laying the Foundation) Revenue generation Immediate needs Future capabilities External funding Emergency response Outdoor connectivity Smart citiesDigital divide Investing to address the Digital Divide will set the foundation for future Smart City initiatives within St. Louis Park by establishing an infrastructure to build upon. As this foundation is constructed peripheral benefits will emerge such as inclusion to emergency response systems, outdoor connectivity and many more. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 23 Aligned to City’s Strategic Priorities The Connected Community committee’s work is aligned to the following strategic priorities: Being a leader in racial equity and inclusion Addressing underserved citizen groups within the city and their ability to opt into the digital world at participation levels equal to all—regardless of any economic barriers Create opportunities to build social capital through community engagement Those without access are without a ‘seat at the table’ when it comes to engagement opportunities with their communities—while remaining underinformed and unable to be present, those citizens without voice will remain underserved St. Louis Park Strategic Priorities: 1)Being a leader in racial equity and inclusion 2)Continuing to lead in environmental stewardship 3)Providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood-oriented development 4)Providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably 5)Creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 24 Project Scope Connected Community Community Technology Advisory Commission (CTAC) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 25 Primary Use Case Potential Network Offerings/Options Metro Ethernet Interconnecting users (at homes and public buildings/properties) with each other and the Internet via a city-owned and maintained private wired broadband network. •SLP could invest in connecting individual homes and other locations with city-contracted cabling and infrastructure which connects to a city-funded Internet subscription via a common municipal endpoint. •SLP could charge citizens for this access or offer free access. •SLP could maintain the network or engage an MSP. Public/Private Partnerships A city-owned wired broadband Internet network that is serviced/ maintained by a vendor. •SLP could leverage existing public conduit with vendors, install or subsidize additional cabling and infrastructure, and offer lower-cost minimal speed plans to appropriate citizens. A program of public subsidies for individual Internet access through select vendors. •SLP could directly subsidize individual service plans with select vendors with no municipal infrastructure. Private LTE/5G Wireless A wireless broadband Internet network leveraging local micro- towers and small cells to provide coverage and connectivity without requiring wired connections to homes. •SLP could contract with a vendor to install and maintain a wireless broadband Internet network within the city (without extensive cabling and individual home connections). •SLP could charge citizens for this access or offer free access. •SLP could maintain the network or engage an MSP. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 26 Example –Texas County Public Broadband About the Area •Formed in 1852, today home to 850,000+ residents •50% of the county does not live in the city limits •County is a recipient of COVID-19 relief funds Challenges and Outlook •Rural demographic within county had limited Internet access and lower incomes •Digital divide threatening education and economic opportunities •Decided part of federal fund allocation should be for network buildout Outcomes included: Complete strategy, design, and integration for free public non-wired Internet Comprehensive solution leveraging various technologies and companies Multilayered network with Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, and Ruckus solutions Ongoing Support Services to monitor and maintain wireless network 30,000+ students and teleworkers get free public access to internet Existing infrastructure (water tanks, telephone and light poles) utilized for cost-efficiency 3 years of Support Services to ensure optimal network performance 20+ different zones of internet access (16 different neighborhoods + county parks) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 27 Example –EveryoneOn Digital Inclusion About the Partnerships •Internet Service Providers •Minimum speeds •Minimum data allotments •Maximum cost and no overage charges •Maximum equipment cost •Month-to-month •Device Providers •Refurbished desktops, laptops, and tablets Challenges and Outlook •Offers vary across vendors •Participating ISPs are a subset, but growing •Leaves citizens to advocate for themselves individually for qualifying Outcomes included: Lower tier of service for lower price for qualified targeted customers Lower cost devices for those who need it 784,000+ people connected to date (with requirements of SNAP, School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SSI, Head Start, WIC, Section 8, etc.) K-12 Student Program (with T-Mobile ConnectHome Plan… tablets and hotspots) 9 ISPs (range of $9.95 –$20 per month) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 28 Scoping Considerations to Deliver on Goals Project Approach 1.Public feedback 2.Identify feasibility of proposed options 3.Create roadmap rollout plan w/pilot 4.Define local areas for initial connectivity vs. large scale deployment Offering/Option Parameters •Basic access to 25/3 Mbps service vs. desired 100/10 Mbps broadband service •Sub-$60/month with a target of $15/month; potential ranges/tiers and/or up-front tapering subsidies •Explore free options •Leveraging as much existing infrastructure as possible Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 29 Option of Status Quo Not addressing this Digital Divide will only further exacerbate socio-economic divisions already present. In our society, where the distribution of wealth is already heavily unbalanced, access to computers and the Internet is unbalancing the situation even more. Those with computers and access to the Internet are becoming even richer through the power of information, while those without them are becoming even poorer in comparison. This unbalance is represented in the lack to access to public information, remote education for children and continuing education, telework, telehealth, financial services, and basic information via the Internet. Without providing widely available Internet and computer access options for the community, residents will be constrained to the private subscription options provided by large telecommunication companies. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 30 Secondary Opportunities Devices for Connecting & Support for Connecting •Access to computers, tablets •borrow from library •defray purchase costs •second-hand trade-ins from citizens as they upgrade •Deaccessioning and donating older city-owned tech suitable for basic Internet usage •Managed Service •Monitoring and maintaining any municipal services and/or infrastructure •Problems with your connection •On-ramping those with little digital world experience SmartCity IoT •Connected city assets •Public-private data exchanges •Real-time and historical data •Open Data Leading to: efficiencies, cost savings, better decisions and equitable allocation of resources… Complementary support for other CTAC initiatives such as Environment, GIS, and beyond… Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 31 Interdependencies •Collaboration with city departments (Community Development, Economic Development, Engineering, Housing, Information Resources, Planning and Zoning, Communications and Marketing) •Fiber network in place/Conduit in place •FCC Telecommunications Act of 1996 •Private sector and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) •Grants and/or Pandemic Funding •Existing ISP Coverage Areas in SLP •Governor’s Task Force on Broadband –2019 Executive Order Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 32 Thank You Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 33 Glossary •Ethernet: Local wired network (over a system of copper and routing/switch equipment) supporting high speeds over moderate distances that usually supports large amounts of traffic but can become more saturated than fiber networks •Fiber Network: Large amounts of data transmitted very fast via light and routing/switching equipment over great distances… less expensive to maintain than cable or copper & more redundant in failures/outages… can be buried underground, underwater, or strung via poles •LTE : 4G cellular data transmission (10x faster than 3G) used by mobile devices or hotspots generally for temporary Internet connectivity for single devices; can become congested at high densities w/large amounts of traffic •5G: upgrade to LTE cellular data transmission up to 10Gbps but with different coverage/distance limitations; better for higher-density traffic; sometimes less effective in-building; potential use for more permanent Internet connectivity via fixed outdoor antennas •Managed Service Provider (MSP): outsourcing responsibility for a technical system or service to a vendor, often for end-user support and equipment uptime/routine maintenance •Smart City: an urban area utilizing different types of electronic sensors and management systems to collect data, determine insights from that data, and then use those insights to make real-time adjustments or for larger decisions/policies; includes traffic, transit, power plants/utilities, water supply, waste & recycling, crime, schools, libraries, hospitals, etc. •Telehealth: medical and mental health services conducted via remote telecommunication •Telework : the practice of working from home, making use of the Internet for communicating, collaborating, and completing knowledge work (as opposed to work that requires manual/physical effort or results in the production of an item as work product) •X / Y Mbps Service: notation for describing the speed of an Internet connection where X is download capacity and Y is upload; a symmetrical connection is where X = Y (fiber); otherwise Y is usually lower than X (cable, satellite, wireless) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 34 GIS-Enabled Use Cases Community Technology Advisory Commission (CTAC) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 35 Executive Summary Motivation The goal of the GIS committee is to determine opportunities to enrich the GIS (Geographic Information System) platform to enable other committee endeavors (use cases). Expanding existing platform capabilities, we will find opportunities for data to fulfill city strategic goals and initiatives more broadly. GIS has provided an integrated source of truth on many areas of city operations which can be commonly accessed and provide helpful context for city employees. GIS data allows for nuanced consideration of city metrics and trends, which means development of GIS capabilities is foundational to pursuing all five city strategic priorities. Execution The GIS Committee will work with city departments, the GIS coordinator and technical experts, in collaboration with other CTAC committees, city commissions and community partners. The committee will study achievements and implementations in use by other cities, such as use of layered data to inform efforts; communicate transparently with the public; and enable more equitable and sustainable policy decisions and outcomes. Using the work performed for GIS, the committee will work with city departments and other CTAC committees to examine existing data silos and new integration requirements. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 36 Project Definition GIS-Enabled Use Cases Community Technology Advisory Commission (CTAC) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 37 The Challenges and Impact of Open Data Open data –making data easily accessible in context to the public –can be enabled by GIS hubs. One of the common challenges for GIS in government has been sharing spatial data across different departments and agencies. A key problem exists in differences of operational processes, the structure of the data itself and different policies regarding sharing. These factors contribute to complexity in creating standardized ways for governments to implement spatial data sharing practices. When addressed, Open Data has significant benefits. Improving Government Improving government by increasing transparency,enhancing public services,and allocating/targeting resources effectively. Empowering Citizens Enables city employees and citizens to be more informed in decision making and increase their social capital by facilitating access to information. Creating Opportunity Open data is creating new opportunities for citizens and organizations by fostering innovation and promoting economic growth. Solving Public Problems Open Data serves an increasingly important role in solving big public problems, primarily by allowing citizens and policymakers access to new forms of data-driven assessment of the challenges at hand. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 38 Goals The CTAC GIS-Enabled Use Case committee has identified distinct goals that will allow St. Louis Park to effectively provide data-driven dashboards and open data to internal operations and the community: Transparency Provide transparency around city endeavors to address strategic goals with the aim of creating greater accountability as well as giving residents the opportunity to celebrate progress. Experiment, Discover, and Scale Leverage existing data and platforms for surfacing new opportunities, by discovering existing relationships and trends that give a more holistic view of the community and city operations. Community Development Drive economic growth through business use of data to understand communities and provide desired services where gaps exist. Empowerment Empower rich community dialogues rooted in shared information that support more complete public process. Initial tasks will focus on improved data availability to both city departments and community members, particularly for the goals outlined in the council strategic priorities. Another key task is investigating what data might still be needed within the GIS platform to enable meaningful engagement with the strategic priorities and opportunities to integrate additional geographically-based datasets and maps in use by the city. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 39 Aligned to City’s Strategic Priorities The GIS-enabled use cases committee’s work is aligned to the following strategic priorities: Increased adoption of GIS through city departments and comprehensive data-driven dashboards supports all five of the city’s strategic priorities. •Provides visibility into racial discrepancies of availability and access to resources •Enables broad context to environmental concerns and leading factors impacting the city •Can be leveraged to inform policy decisions on housing, transportation and public pathways including real-time status of city infrastructure and conditions •Provides a channel to communicate key factors impacting the community to the citizens St. Louis Park Strategic Priorities: 1)Being a leader in racial equity and inclusion 2)Continuing to lead in environmental stewardship 3)Providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood-oriented development 4)Providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably 5)Creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 40 Project Scope GIS-Enabled Use Cases Community Technology Advisory Commission (CTAC) Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 41 Primary Use Case Public Dashboards for City Council Strategic Goals Action-Based City Insights Dashboards specific to the city's strategic goals communicate efforts and track progress serving all city goals, but most specifically, fostering and facilitating transparency between the community and the city. •Provides easy to understand visuals to convey efforts toward stated goals and work accomplished. •Allows for linking to external content, to provide greater context and help people find relevant information from other sources. •No major additional cost since this feature is fully integrated with ArcGIS (city's GIS software platform) and already available for use. Trained staff have created internal dashboards and a great deal of data is readily available within the platform already. Publicly Accessible Open Data Open data is an increasing trend across cities. Making highly requested data sets available, along with sites to explore the data, decreases time spent on routine data compilation by staff, improves transparency, and results in community dialogues. •Interactive features allow audiences to answer specific questions independently and explore data. •Dashboards link to ArcGIS data downloads, allowing open access to data for residents interested in interacting with source data through other means. •Making data accessible in this manner reduces data requests and manual work required by employees to address such requests. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 42 Example –Milwaukee COVID-19 Dashboards About the Dashboards •Keeps equity risk factors front and center. •Indicators used to monitor and make decisions. •Displays authoritative case data alongside breakdowns of COVID-19 cases and patient outcomes. Challenges and Outlook •Existing inequities in access to healthy food and healthcare are increasing the risk for communities of color. •Racial and economic inequalities are emerging in testing and treatment. •COVID-19 is shedding light on pre- and existing racial disparities, and inequitable community conditions surrounding coronavirus. Outcomes included: Dashboards work with web layers and operational layers in web maps. ArcGIS Living Atlas is the foremost collection of geographic information from around the globe. Dynamic systems help ensure that resource allocation becomes or remains equitable. Tactical dashboards help analyze historical data and visualize rapidly evolving trends to gain a deeper understanding. Operational dashboards help staff understand events, projects, assets or potential reallocation needs, by monitoring their status in real-time. Strategic dashboards help track key performance indicators and make strategic decisions. Informational dashboards help inform and engage audiences through community outreach. https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/ops-dashboard/health/use-arcgis-dashboards-to-increase-racial-equity-in-your-covid-19-response/ Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 43 Scoping Considerations to Deliver on Goals Project Approach 1.Identify feasibility of proposed options 2.Public feedback 3.Create roadmap rollout plan w/pilot 4.Define data points for internal city consumption and public facing dashboards 5.Implementation of dashboard to city intranet and external websites Offering/Option Parameters •Library of content and templates to address popular topics for easy adaptation, adoption, and reuse •Dashboards specific to the city's strategic initiatives to better communicate efforts and display progress to the public •Integrate additional data sources used by the city, but currently not available within GIS. Examples include enterprise utility billing, Xcel Energy data, and social media data Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 44 Option of Status Quo Without wider adoption of GIS data, the city will be constrained in its ability to make data-driven decisions and gain expanded insights. Staff will remain less integrated with inconsistent sets of data across departments. This CTAC committee is focused on promoting broader adoption for the advancement of GIS and Open Data to be widely available and consistent in its quality and use.Expanding the use of GIS both internally and externally (public) is slowed without this advocacy. Today GIS data sets are constrained internally and often not easily accessible to residents. Current laws determine that residents are free to request data, but as the Public Information Request form highlights, there can be potential costs and delivery times can vary widely depending upon the complexity of the request and other factors. This makes casual engagement in the city’s public policy exchanges challenging to base on fuller background data. For secondary use cases, the impact of doing nothing is even more stark. Regarding trail plowing data, currently the only way to check trail access is to physically arrive and see if it's been cleared, making it impossible to plan a winter bike trip in advance around snowfall. In the case of stormwater fees for impervious layers it is currently based on historical information, and the city often receives requests for corrections since it's out of date or inaccurate for many properties. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 45 Secondary Opportunities Trail Plowing Application Broader implementation of trail plowing application (currently in beta for North Cedar Regional Trail), which serves both the environmental stewardship and mobility strategic initiatives. Provide citizen-facing applications displaying recently plowed streets, also part of trails systems. This would have value to residents interested in conditions of routes after snowfall. Value and Benefits Allows those who commute by bike to check if trails or streets with designated trails have been cleared before leaving home, increasing the accessibility of biking as a form of winter transport. Automated Identification of Impervious Surface Layers Ground surfaces that are impenetrable to water can cause serious environmental problems, including flooding and contaminated runoff. Because impervious surfaces are such a danger, many governments, like the City of Louisville, Kentucky, charge landowners with high amounts of impervious surfaces on their properties. Segment and classify aerial imagery by land use to calculate the area of impervious surfaces per land parcel. Value and Benefits Automate identification of impervious surface layers using imagery in the GIS platform in place of manual measurement. Usage of visual imagery and data collection used for calculating impact fees and stormwater management. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 46 Interdependencies •Local GIS staff and contractors (to ensure sufficient resources) •Other city boards & commissions (to support and align with their initiatives) •Other CTAC committees (to support their use cases) •Community feedback (ongoing, to stay relevant) •Collaboration with city work teams (e.g., Community Development, Housing, Economic Development, Engineering, Building & Energy, Information Technology, Planning and Zoning, Communications and Marketing, Operations & Recreation, Police, Fire) •Collaboration with external agencies (e.g., Esri -ArcGIS provider, Hennepin County, State of Minnesota, LOGIS, libraries, schools, social services agencies, Met Council) •Local utilities (to ensure we have as much relevant baseline data as possible Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 47 Thank You Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 48 Glossary •ArcGIS –mapping and analytics software by Esri that is currently licensed and in use by SLP •GIS –Geographic Information Systems: mapping technology that captures, stores,analyzes and interprets spatial data •Dashboard –an easy-to-understand page or interface with a graphical presentation of current status and/or historical trends of key performance indicators (important measurements) that can assist in making informed decisions… typically web-based and often updated in real-time, when possible •Data-Driven Decisions –the practice of collecting data, analyzing it, and basing decisions on insights derived from the information instead of gut feeling, instinct, tradition, or theory •Impervious Surface Layers –buildings, structures, paved roads/sidewalks/parking lots/driveways, patios, concrete pads such as plazas, tower footings, electrical transmission infrastructure anchors, etc. •Open Data –an idea that some public data (in the public interest) should be freely available to everyone to use as they wish without restrictions from any mechanisms of control; specifically applied to government data in the spirit and value of transparency Examples: United States’ Data.gov, New York City’s Open Data, MBTA (Public Transit) Open Data Portal Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 49 SLP Data-Driven Decision Examples Minnehaha Creek Flood Events By using the testing data and trending from the previous 30 years, leveraging data helped SLP determine how the testing and costs expenditures for the next 30 years should be structured and where there was the ability to lower costs. This example demonstrates the value of leveraging a data led approach to decision making for the city. Utilizing data allows the city to impact future roadmaps and establish opportunities for cost saving across planned investments. St. Louis Park has experienced many flood events over the years at properties along Minnehaha Creek. The events of 2014 were especially significant. In the past, the city did not have data to easily identify properties most subject to damage from flooding. This resulted in more property damage than necessary. Following the last major flood event, field data was collected and entered into the GIS database to help in future flood events by focusing mitigation efforts on the most likely affected properties. Superfund Consent Decree Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Community technology advisory commission smart cities initiative Page 50 Meeting: Study session Meeting date: March 8, 2021 Discussion item : 2 Executive summary Title: Racial equity update and check-in Recommended action: Provide time for council to understand city’s current racial equity community engagement, discussion on council’s group IDI report and possible next steps in advancing racial equity. Policy consideration: Is the council’s learning in racial e quity and inclusion in line with council vision and strategic priorities? Summary: Discussion at this study session will focus on the city’s current racial equity community engagement and continue conversation on the council’s learning in advancing racial equity through the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) group feedback. Community Engagement: The racial equity and community engagement team has deepened community outreach through the lens of racial equity. Over the past six months the team has created opportunities for community members to build social capital and advance racial equity. As COVID-19 is still a factor in how community engagement is approached the team, along with the HRC, is planning “Summer of Action.” Summer of Action will be monthly hybrid community events and opportunities for community members to connect with each other while learning more about racial equity and social justice. Racial Equity Learning: The city council took the IDI assessment in the fall of 2020 as a part of the city’s overall racial equity and inclusion work plan. The IDI is an online, theory-based assessment of intercultural competence that can provide profile results at an individual or organizational level. The results indicate a position along an intercultural development continuum indicating a target for the next stage of growth. It includes questions that allow respondents to describe their experiences in terms of cross-cultural goals, challenges, and critical incidents they face and the ways they navigate those cultural differences. Financial or budget considerations: Not Applicable Strategic priority consideration: • St. Louis Park is committed to being a leader in racial equity and inclusion in order to create a more just and inclusive community for all. • St. Louis Park is committed to creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement. Supporting documents: None Prepared by: Alicia Sojourner, racial equity manager Reviewed by: Nancy Deno, deputy manager Approve d by: Tom Harmening, city manager Meeting: Study session Meeting date: March 8, 2021 Discussion item : 3 Executive summary Title: Targeted residential picketing Recommended action: No formal action required. Purpose of discussion is to review the existing city ordinance regarding targeted residential picketing and determine next steps. Policy consideration: The following option s are available for council consideration: •Update the existing ordinance (the city attorney has advised that if the council wanted the ordinance to remain in place, it needs to be updated) •Repeal the existing ordinance. Summary: Council asked that time be set aside to talk about this matter at a study session. Subsequently, it was discovered that the city already had an ordinance in place that prohibited targeted residential picketing. Attached is a copy of the existing ordinance and suggested amendments (underline/strikeout) if the council wished to update it. Upon research of the minutes at the time the ordinance was adopted, there was no clear indication as to why such an ordinance was needed. Here is an excerpt of the meeting minutes that provides the greatest explanation: 3. Residential picketing ordinance Councilmember Friedman, who had asked this be developed and placed on the agenda noted that the ordinance was to afford protection for all citizens and was not targeted at any one group of individuals. Councilmember Haun asked about employees picketing a business. Mr. Meyer said this was aimed at picketing of private homes, not businesses. It was the consensus of Council to place the ordinance on the August 16, 1993 Council agenda for first reading. Financial or budget considerations: Not applicable Strategic priority consideration: Not applicable. Supporting documents: Draft amended ordinance Prepared by: Tom Harmening, city manager Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 3) Page 2 Title: Targeted residential picketing Ordinance No. ____-21 An ordinance amending C hapter 18, offenses and miscellaneous provisions, of the St. Louis Park City Code The City Council of the City of St. Louis Park, Mi nnesota, ordains: Section 1. Section 18-64- Targeted residential picketing of the St. Louis Park City Code is hereby amended to read as follows: (a) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Targeted residential picketing means: any picketing by one or more persons focused on a single residential dwelling. (1)Marching, standing, or patrolling by one or more persons directed solely at a particular residential building in a manner that adversely affects the safety, security, or privacy of an occupant of the building; or (2)Marching, standing, or patrolling by one or more persons which prevents an occupant of a residential building from gaining access to or exiting from the property on which the residential building is located; or 3.Standing, marching, patrolling or picketing by one or more persons focused in front of or adjacent to a particular residential dwelling without the consent of that dwelling's occupants. (b) Purpose of section. The city has an interest in the protection of residential privacy, the well- being and tranquility of the home, and protecting citizens from unwanted speech when they are a captive audience within their homes. The city council finds that, without resorting to targeted residential picketing, ample opportunities exist for those otherwise engaged in targeted residential picketing to exercise constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and expression. (c) Prohibited activity. No person shall engage in targeted residential picketing within the city. (d) Penalty. Every person convicted of a violation of any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (e) Severability. Should any section, subdivision, clause or other provision of this Ordinance be held to be invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the Ordinance as a whole, or in any part thereof, other than the part held to be invalid. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 3) Page 3 Title: Targeted residential picketing Section 2. This ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its passage and publication. Adopted this _____ day of ____________, 2021, by the City Council of the City of St. Louis Park , Minnesota. Reviewed for administration: Adopted by the City Council (insert date) Thomas K. Harmening, city manager Jake Spano, mayor Attest: Approved as to form and execution: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Soren Mattick, city attorney Meeting: Study session Meeting date: March 8, 2021 Discussion item : 4 Executive summary Title: Future study session agenda planning and prioritization Recommended action: The city council and city manager to set the agenda the regularly scheduled study session on March 22, 2021. Policy consideration: Not applicable. Summary: This report summarizes the proposed agenda for the regularly scheduled study session on March 22, 2021. Also attached to this report is the study session discussion topics and timeline. The study session topics on page 3 have been re-prioritized based on the survey results from the council. Financial or budget considerations: Not applicable. Strategic priority consideration: Not applicable. Supporting documents: Tentative agenda – March 22, 2021 Study session discussion topics and timeline Prepared by: Debbie Fischer, administrative services office assistant Reviewed by: Maria Solano, senior management analyst Approved by: Tom Harmening, city manager Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 4) Page 2 Title: Future study session agenda planning and prioritization MARCH 22, 2021. 5:20 p.m. Special city council meeting regarding picketing ordinance (tentative) To be held via videoconference 5:30 p.m. Study session - To be held via videoconference Tentative discussion items 1.City manager recruitment update – Administrative services (60 minutes) GovHR Consultant Charlene Stevens will provide an update, present draft text for a city manager position profile , and share a recommended recruitment process and timeline. At this meeting, Charlene will be looking for council’s feedback and comfort level with the recommendations and next steps. 2.2021 market value overview – Administrative services (60 minutes) In preparation for the upcoming Local Board of Appeals and Equalization process staff will provide information to council on real estate market dynamics. The assessed market value and classification for each property determines their tax capacity and thus the overall tax capacity of the community. In addition to fiscal budgeting and property tax implications, the composition of value and trending are important for council to understand as we focus on overall governance of the community. 3.Follow-up discussion on funding of Climate Action Plan – Building & Energy (60 minutes) At the request of council, staff will return to continue the discussion around long-term funding for the implementation of the city’s Climate Action Plan (CAP). Staff will present a recommended approach and initial funding idea and request further guidance on maintaining program funding over the long term. 4.Future study session agenda planning – administrative services (5 minutes) Communications/meeting check-in – administrative services (5 minutes) Time for communications between staff and council will be set aside on every study session agenda for the purposes of information sharing. Written reports 5.February 2021 monthly financial report 6.2020 Annual housing report 7.Police body worn camera audit update Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 4) Page 3 Title: Future study session agenda planning and prioritization Study session discussion topics and timeline Future council items Priority Discussion topic Comments Timeline for council discussion 1 Council meetings – agenda and video presentation TBD 2 Inclusionary housing policy – requiring family size units TBD 3 Public process expectations and outcomes Staff is working on the approach for undertaking this discussion. 2nd qtr. 2021 4 Creating pathways to home ownership for BIPOC individuals and families Discussed at 2/8/21 council meeting. Program being developed In process 5 Community and neighborhood sidewalk designations To be combined w/ Connect the Park discussion 2nd qtr. 2021 6 Transportation commission TBD 7 -Easy access to nature, across city, starting w/ low-income n’hoods / WHNC Access Fund *On hold pending direction from school district.*On hold 8 Revisit housing setback, FAR , & more related to affordable housing Going to planning commission for discussion. TBD 9 Public forums at council mtgs 9/23/19 SS. Staff doing research of other cities. 2nd qtr. 2021 11 STEP discussion: facilities Council asked staff to consider lending options to assist STEP in buying a new bldg. On hold 12 Remove mint & menthol exemption from existing flavored tobacco policy On hold pending court decision. *On hold Council items in progress Priority Discussion topic Comments Next Steps - Policing discussion Discussed 7/27/20 , 9/29 /20 & 2/22/21 TBD 10 Boards and commissions general review Discussed 1/25/21. TBD - Conversion therapy ban Report to council on 2/22/21. TBD Meeting: Study session Meeting date: March 8, 2021 Written report: 5 Executive summary Title: Business terms for redevelopment contract with Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC Recommended action: Review of business terms for the redevelopment contract with Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC (Paster Development) related to its Texa Tonka Apartments project scheduled for formal consideration at the April 5, 2021 EDA meeting. Policy consideration: Are the business terms for the provision of tax increment financing assistance to the Texa Tonka Apartments project consistent with the EDA’s expectations? Summary: Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC (an affiliate of Paster Development and “Redeveloper”) is proposing to redevelop a 1.9-acre site consisting of nine adjoining parcels located at the northeast corner of Texas Avenue and Minnetonka Boulevard. The Redeveloper’s plans call for the removal of the vacant 4,500 square foot office building at the intersection along with the vacant parking lot to the north, construction of a 101-unit, 3 to 5-story apartment building on the northeast corner of Texas Avenue and Minnetonka Boulevard, and an 11-unit, two-story townhouse building south of 29th Street West. The proposed $26.6 million project includes a mix of studios, one -, and two-bedroom units. The apartment/townhome buildings would be mixed income with 89 units (80 percent) leasable at market rate and 23 units (20 percent) affordable to households at 50 percent of area median income for 25 years , exceeding the city's Inclusionary Housing Policy requirements. The proposed buildings will also adhere to the city’s Green Building Policy and will be designed to Green Communities criteria. Among the numerous sustainability features is the inclusion of a solar panel installation generating a minimum of 26 kW. Financial or budget considerations: The Redeveloper previously indicated that Texa Tonka Apartments’ financial proforma exhibited a gap preventing it from achieving a market rate of return sufficient to attract financing. To offset this gap, the Redeveloper applied for tax increment financing (TIF) assistance. The EDA/city council received a staff report detailing the Redeveloper’s TIF Application at the January 11, 2021 study session. The EDA’s financial consultant, Ehlers, examined the project’s pro forma to verify financial assistance was necessary to project viability . After review, Ehlers determined that up to $2.6 million in TIF assistance was warranted to enable the project to achieve a market rate of return and become financially feasible. Such assistance would be provided via a pay-as-you-go TIF Note. Given current estimates of market value, it is projected that the development’s TIF Note would be paid off in approximately 12 years (on a net present value basis). Such assistance would derive from the establishment of a new housing TIF district. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood oriented development. Supporting documents: Discussion Prepared by: Greg Hunt, economic development coordinator Reviewed by: Karen Barton, community development director Approved by: Tom Harmening, city manager, EDA executive director Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 5) Page 2 Title: Business terms for redevelopment contract with Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC Discussion Background: Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC (an affiliate of Paster Development and “Redeveloper”) has an option agreement for the 1.9-acre site at the northeast corner of Texas Avenue and Minnetonka Boulevard. It consists of nine adjoining parcels on which are located a vacant commercial building and vacant parking lot. The Redeveloper proposes two multifamily buildings: a four- to five -story apartment building on the south side of the site with 101 rental units, and a two-story townhouse building with 11 rental units on the northern portion of the site. Both buildings would feature walk-up units. The development includes amenity spaces, underground parking, first-floor enclosed parking as well as surface and bicycle parking. Additionally, a public trail connection would be constructed through the site to help connect the adjacent neighborhood to the Texa-Tonka Shopping Center, Rainbow Park and North Cedar Lake Regional Trail. The proposed apartment/townhouse development would be mixed income with 89 units (80 percent) leasable at market rate and 23 units (20 percent) affordable to households at 50 percent of area median income (AMI). Per the Metropolitan Council, the 50 percent AMI for a family of four is $51,700. Monthly gross maximum rental rates at 50 percent AMI range from $905 for a studio unit to and $1,163 for a two -bedroom unit. The proposed amount of affordable housing exceeds the city’s inclusionary housing requirements. The affordable units would be spread evenly throughout both buildings. The Redeveloper also agreed to design the buildings to Green Communities criteria and include multiple energy efficient design features and components (including a rooftop solar array installation capable of generating a minimum of 26 kW). As a result, the development will exceed the city’s Green Building Policy requirements and consequently the Climate Action Plan. Rendering of proposed Texa-Tonka Apartments Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 5) Page 3 Title: Business terms for redevelopment contract with Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC Texa-Tonka Apartments would be a single-phased residential development. Pending approval of its financing, the Redeveloper plans to commence construction by August 31, 2021 and substantially complete it by August 31, 2023. The Redeveloper’s parent company, Paster Properties, would own and manage the new housing for the long term. The amendments to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Plan Map, final plat and Second Reading of the Ordinance creating the PUD to allow construction of the proposed development were approved by the city council on February 1, 2021. More recently, the Metropolitan Council also approved the Comprehensive Plan Amendment. Redeveloper’s request for tax increment financing assistance: The Redeveloper previously indicated that Texa Tonka Apartments’ financial proforma exhibited a gap preventing it from achie ving a market rate of return sufficient to attract financing. To offset this gap, the Redeveloper applied to the EDA for tax increment financing (TIF) assistance. The EDA/city council received a staff report detailing the Redeveloper’s TIF Application at the January 11, 2021 study session along with a recommendation for the appropriate level of assistance. Level and type of financial assistance : In summary, the Redeveloper’s sources and uses statements, cash flow projections, and investor rate of return (ROR) related to the proposed multi-phase redevelopment were reviewed by staff and Ehlers (the EDA’s financial consultant). Based upon its analysis of the Redeveloper’s financial proforma, Ehlers determined that the development would not reasonably be expected to occur on the site in the foreseeable future but/for the provision of up to $2.6 million in tax increment assistance. The TIF assistance would be made available to reimburse the Redeveloper for a portion of its public redevelopment costs (which includes the costs of building demolition, environmental remediation, and construction of the affordable housing). Upon completion of both buildings and verification of the Redeveloper’s qualified public redevelopment costs, tax increment generated from the increased value of the property would be provided to the Redeveloper on a "pay -as-you-go" basis, which is the preferred financing method under the city's TIF Policy. It is projected that the TIF Note would be paid off in approximately 12 years with increment generated by the development which is consistent with other redevelopments the EDA has previously facilitated. Proposed business terms: The following is a summary of the key business terms between the EDA and the Redeveloper, which are consistent with EDA Policy, past practices, and previous discussions with the EDA/city council. The Redevelopment Property consists of those properties highlighted in the aerial photo below. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 5) Page 4 Title: Business terms for redevelopment contract with Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC Properties comprising the Texa Tonka Apartments’ “Redevelopment Property” 1. The Redeveloper agrees to construct a multifamily housing development on the Redevelopment Property consisting of a 101-unit apartment building and 11-unit townhome building, along with associated below -level an d surface parking as well as other specified site amenities (the “Development”). 2. The EDA agrees to reimburse the Redeveloper for a portion of its public redevelopment costs (defined as the costs of building demolition, environmental remediation , and construction of affordable housing) associated with the Development through tax increment financing (TIF) up to $2,600,000. 3. The EDA agrees to issue a tax increment revenue note (“TIF Note”) to the Redeveloper in the maximum principal amount of $2,600,000 payable from available tax increment, generated by the Development on a “pay-as-you-go” basis, over a period of approximately 12 years. The TIF Note will bear interest at the lesser of 4.25% or Redeveloper’s actual financing interest rate. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 5) Page 5 Title: Business terms for redevelopment contract with Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC 4. In order to provide the tax increment to the Redeveloper, the EDA agrees to establish a new housing TIF district includ ing the following nine parcels: • 7916 Minnetonka Blvd • 2939 Texas Ave S • 2929 Texas Ave S • 2925 Texas Ave S • 2921 Texas Ave S • 2917 Texas Ave S • 2913 Texas Ave S • 2907 Texas Ave S • 2901 Texas Ave S 5. The EDA will issue the TIF Note to the Redeveloper upon Redeveloper providing the EDA with a statement specifying the public redevelopment costs incurred by the Redeveloper related to the Development, along with evidence that each identified public redevelopment cost was paid or incurred by the Redeveloper. 6. The TIF assistance will be subject to a "look-back" analysis to be performed by the EDA’s financial consultant upon: (1) completion of the Development and submission of Public Redevelopment Costs (2) the date the Development achieve s stabilization (meaning 95% lease -up) and (3) if Redeveloper sells the Development to a nonaffiliate within six years after completion . Under the provision, the Redeveloper would be required to submit final project costs (including public redevelopment costs) related to the Development and reports detailing the Development’s actual financial performance. The loo k-back provision ensures that if the Development’s total Public Redevelopment Costs are lower than estimated or if Redeveloper’s cash-on-cash return for the Development exceeds 10% measured on a cumulative basis, the EDA shares economically in the success of the project by reducing the amount of the TIF Note by a specified formula. 7. Construction of the Development will commence by August 31, 2021 and will be substantially completed by August 31, 2023. 8. Redeveloper will construct the Development and maintain it in good condition until the Contract terminat es. 9. Redeveloper will comply with the city’s current Inclusionary Housing Policy. Specifically, Redeveloper agrees to a 25-year covenant designating at least 23 (20 percent) of the total rental housing units within the Development will be reserved for households at or below 50% AMI . 10. Redeveloper will design the Development to Green Communities criteria and will comply with the city’s current Green Building Policy in its construction and operation. Among the sustainability features to be included is a rooftop solar array installation capable of generating a minimum of 26 kW. Study session meeting of March 8, 2021 (Item No. 5) Page 6 Title: Business terms for redevelopment contract with Texa Tonka Apartments, LLC 11. Redeveloper will install the following items, at a minimum, in conformity with the city’s Planning Development Contract: • Level two electric vehicle charging (evc) spaces and conduit for future level two evc spaces; • Landscaping and public art; • Trail connection to Rainbow Park; • Dedicated broadband wired connections and conduit; • Installation of a video surveillance system to provide coverage of the parking facility, as well as entrances to stairs and elevators; and • Installation of an approved bi-directional 800 MHz emergency signal enhancement system. 12. Redeveloper and EDA mutually agree to enter into a Minimum Market Value Assessment Agreement setting a minimum property tax value for the Development. 13. Redeveloper agrees to pay reasonable administrative costs incurred by the EDA, including consultant and attorney fees, in connection with the Development. 14. If Redeveloper defaults under the Contract, the EDA may (among other things) terminate the TIF Note and the Contract. 15. The Contract and TIF Note will terminate upon the earliest of the final payment of principal and interest on the TIF Note, the required decertification of the TIF District, or an uncured Event of Default under the Contract. The above terms will se rve as the basis for, and will be incorporated into, a redevelopment contract with the Redeveloper. Such terms are subject to further definition, revision and/or refinement by the EDA’s legal counsel. A copy of the draft redevelopment contract will be available for review in the community development department. Next steps: Staff will work with the EDA’s legal counsel and Paster Development to finalize the formal redevelopment contract based on the proposed business terms and any input received by the EDA. Formal consideration of the proposed redevelopment contract is scheduled for the April 5, 2021 EDA meeting.