Laserfiche WebLink
TO:Mayor and City Council <br />Planning Commission <br />FROM: <br />DATE: <br />Ron Moorsc, Cily Administnilor <br />December 18,2001 <br />SUBJECT: Strategic Planning Regarding Retail Development <br />Stair recently met with a developer to discuss a proposal for an upscale grocery store and related <br />retail uses in the northwest quadrant of Willow Drive and I lighway 12. The City's Comp Plan calls <br />for oflicc development west of Willow rather than retail development. Mike Gaffron has provided <br />background information regarding the City ’s position, which is based on limiting trafTic congestion <br />west of Willow Drive and focusing retail development in a more compact Long Lake downtown <br />area. <br />This memo addresses the issue of retail development from the broad perspective of what both Long <br />Lake and Orono have indicated their vision is for a downtown that serves both Long Lake and <br />Orono, and the types of strategic planning and decisions that arc necessary' to make this v ision a <br />reality. The cities are at or near a critical crossroads when; a small number of key decisions could <br />be tlie difference between reaching our joint vision and making that joint vision impossible to <br />achieve. These key decisions relate to the ItKalions of key significant development projects, <br />particularly retail development. The critical elements that are impacting this issue are as follows; <br />1.In order to make the joint vision a reality, substantial portions of the current Long <br />I.akc dow ntown area cast of Brow n Road need to be redeveloped. Tliis is reflected <br />in the Long Lake Downtown Master Plan. <br />2. <br />3. <br />Redevelopment is expensive in that it requires the relocation of existing businesses <br />and demolition of existing buildings simply to create a site for the new development. <br />It is much easier and less expensive for developers to develop on vacant land than to <br />redevelop a site with an existing use. <br />If we have an opportunity to get a high quality, high income-generating retail use to <br />locate in this market area, we need to guide this use to a priority redevelopment <br />location, rather than changing our Comp Plan and zoning to allow it to take the path <br />of least resistance and develop on a vacant parcel. <br />Redevelopment requires a subsUintially higher valued building and use that can <br />generate the additional revenue needed to fund the redevelopment, either through <br />income or tax increment financing. <br />The Long Lake/Orono retail market is limited due to a relatively small, albeit high <br />income, population in the market area. <br />H <br />i