The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2005-09-14 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes � BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE , September 14, 2005 Minutes � Councilor Attendance: Tremble, Greene, Gratwick, Hawes, Farrington, Alien Staff Attendance: McKay, Barrett, Heitmann � 1. CONSENT AGENDA A motion was made and seconded to approve the Consent Agenda items. � Tremble questioned the design review for the Sunbury Medical building project. McKay said that the roof details and signage have not yet been reviewed by the � Committee. The exterior building materials are single bricks. This review will be coming before the Committee at its next meeting. Me ic I Pro erties LLC Tentative Develo er of Lot 8 in � a. Designating Sunbury d a p , p the Maine Business Enterprise Park � b. Bangor Water District Request to Sublet Property Leased from the City Property REGULAR AGENDA � 2. Review of Proposed City Council Letter urging businesses to support to the � Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau and Bangor Region Chamber of _ Commerce Barrett said this was discussed durin the bud et rocess. The proposed letter � 9 9 P was requested by Councilor Gratwick. The purpose is to attempt to gain the interest of some of the national firms that have local operations in Bangor and ;� being more supportive of the City's business attraction efforts from both the Chamber and the BCVB. The letter will be forwarded to a list provided by BCVB. Tremble talked about two separate letters for the Chamber and for the CVB. � Cindy Rollins, representing the Chamber, said they have contacted the larger box � stores but without success. Such businesses have the nationat affiliations but nothing locally but yet are taking revenues from the city. She mentioned that WalMart and SAM's Club are Chamber supporters. � Tom Palmer, board member of the Chamber and the BCVB, introduced Kerrie Giles the membership chair at the CVB. The CVB is suggesting the letter would � be placed in their membership packet as they visit business or having the City mail the letter ahead of time. The Chamber and the CVB both have a list of businesses to visit. Both organizations would also follow up after the fact. In � the first paragraph of the letter, Giles and Fitchner suggested that it not be � �. � ,` limited to the Bangor Mall Area but rather broaden it to: "as a major service center for northern and eastern Maine, Bangor attracts well in excess of 5 million � visitors annually with these visitors coming from throughout the six counties in eastern, coastal and northern Maine, Canada and other out of state locations." This language would open it up to the entire area and not specifically the Bangor � Mall. Farrington spoke of other community participation. The Mall is a huge draw to the area and needs to be made us of in this effort. Allen suggested adding "the city of Bangor and the Bangor region." Barrett suggested that staff � work with the Chamber and CVB to arrive at a final letter to be used as a resource in their marketing efforts. All agreed that a mass mailing was not appropriate. Allen suggested including language that highlighted the folk r festival, as an example. Tremble said it is more than just retail contacts. ,� 3. State Legislation Governing the Operation of Slot Machines � Barrett said that the c m n do u e t calls upon the Legislative Branch to support a � three-year moratorium on any significant changes regarding the governing of slot machines. Referendums were passed at both the state and local levels, a lot of efFort went into the legislative re-write of the statewide referendum, into the � gambling control board's creation of rules and regulations. He said there has been a continuing effort throughout the state to continuously make changes to the operation of slot machines. The moratorium will allow the Bangor facility to � get up and operating, and it will provide an opportunity to sufficiently study the effects of a slot machine gambling facility in Maine prior to any further significant modifications in State laws and regulations that would either eliminate or further � expand slot machine operation ir�the State. Gratwick talked about the meaning of significant. Farrington and Allen expressed support for the resolve. She suggested that copies of the document be sent to the local and regional legislative delegation, the appropriate legislative committee, house and senate leadership, gambling board members, the Governor, Commissioner of Public � Safety. A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval to the full Council at their September 26t" agenda. � 4. Disposition of Former Naval Reserve Center on Essex Street - Review of City Options Review of Interest of the Eastern Area Agency on Aging to Develop the Site � McKay explained that staff is looking for Committee guidance on the future use of the former Naval Reserve Center. In response to interest by single family � home development, the City Engineer is putting a pro-forma together for a single family development; i.e. number of units, infrastructure costs, etc. for economic viability. Allen supported the Eastern Area proposal. Tremble suggested � involving the neighbors early on in this process. Barrett agreed this should be done at the staff level. Realty Resource now has two other sites they would like � r� � to discuss with City staff. Allen asked about the information that was put j together with the City Nursing Facility was interested in the subject site, specifically regarding the soil testing and cost factors involved with the land swap. Barrett said it is airport property with the FAA stipulations that it be held harmless. Gratwick spoke of some of the abutting properties to the former Naval Reserve site. Farrington spoke about the issue of tax-exempt property and � traffic concerns. 'Noelle Merrill, Executive Director of the Eastern Area on Aging, addressed the � committee. She said it would be the same basic operation as they currently have with the exception that they will be moving the kitchen to the site, which will - entail several delivery trucks. The meals are currently prepared in rented space � at the Freese Building. She doesn't envision more than 25 cars in the parking lot at any given time. She further indicated that the Board of Directors is � interested in making a payment in lieu of taxes to the City. She agreed that a meeting with the neighbors to solicit their opinions on the Eastern Area on Aging . using the lot. Farrington and Barrett were inclined to think that the neighbors � should also discuss the possibility of single family homes on the site. Allen disagreed indicating that the Eastern Area proposal should be considered on its own. Allen asked about the taking the current Eastern Area site and doing a � land swap with the school parking. Heitmann agreed it should be discussed with the School Department officials. The committee agreed to entertain both options. Barrett stressed that stafF needs to make certain that the site is � economically feasible for single family housing. . . � 4. Execut�ve Session — Negotiations with Penview Associates, LLC regarding Condominium Development— 1 M.R.S.A. § 405(6)(C) � � A motion was made and seconded to go into executive session. 5. Committee action on above item, if any. � No Committee action was taken � � � �. � �