[5:12] Good morning. If we can call the
Economic Development Authority meeting
[5:16] for February to order. If we can start
that with a roll call, please.
[5:21] » Director Yanelo
>> here.
[5:24] » Director Joyce.
>> Director Derby
[5:27] » here.
>> Director Mitz
[5:29] » here.
Director Almas
[5:31] » here, Vice Chair Fi
>> here, Chairman Booth
[5:34] » here.
Thank you.
[5:38] Uh first order of business, we have uh
consent agenda which includes approval
[5:43] of the minutes from our last meeting on
August 5th, 2025
[5:48] and the December 2025 uh report from
treasurer.
[5:53] Any discussion needed?
[6:00] Hearing none. Is there a motion for
approval? So
[6:03] » moved.
>> Second.
[6:05] » Second.
>> Call that for a vote, please.
[6:10] » Director Yanelloo.
>> Director Derby.
[6:14] » Yes.
>> Director Meds.
[6:15] » Hi.
>> Director Elmas.
[6:17] » Yes.
>> Vice Chair Fi.
[6:19] » Yes.
>> Booth.
[6:20] » I.
>> Thank you. Uh, first order business,
[6:25] public comment.
Not seeing any this morning. I think
[6:32] that we can move on. We don't have any
new business that I'm aware of. So, we
[6:38] can move into old business with an
update on the wetland delineation.
[6:43] » Um, chairman, no update currently. We're
waiting for the weather to kind of
[6:47] relieve itself. Um, right now the
grounds are a little hard. I think 1st
[6:52] of April we'll go ahead and coordinate
the meeting back with the core and try
[6:56] to get that wetlands delineation for us
for the property own across the street.
[7:00] » Don't you think it would it be good if
it it was hard they could walk across
[7:04] and there would be no wetlands. It would
not sink.
[7:08] » True. True. We want the conditions to be
fair and make sure it's reasonable. But
[7:12] I I appreciate the thought. Um but at
this point they will not come out until
[7:16] weather kind of
>> Yeah. that April is not the best for
[7:21] wetlands.
>> Yeah, we'll we'll work with a consultant
[7:25] and so I mean we'll start the
conversation in April and
[7:28] » Okay, maybe they'll be there around in
August.
[7:33] » Um I think the goal is that before
really the summertime season
[7:38] » schedule the visit so that hopefully the
delineation can move forward.
[7:41] » Okay,
[7:44] » any additional questions or comments
needed?
[7:50] So, moving to the north side of Victory
Boulevard.
[7:54] » Absolutely. At the last December council
meeting, the planning commission and the
[8:00] council had a joint work session to
discuss the north side of Victory. Um
[8:05] the discussion led to um a little bit of
language change into our comprehensive
[8:10] plan. Um what they are seeking is a
comprehensive review of the property to
[8:16] have more of a cohesive plan come
together. Um a lot of talk on the
[8:21] residential side. Um as it relates to
the property that the EDA owns um the
[8:26] property adjacent to it which is
research and development. They're
[8:30] speaking of potentially changing that to
commercial general commercial but that's
[8:35] only in the future land use map. That
doesn't mean they're doing a reasoning
[8:38] currently for the property, but that's
just discussion that So, I just wanted
[8:43] to bring that to your attention that,
you know, planning commission council
[8:46] are moving forward with their strategic
initiative that council has as it
[8:50] relates to the north side.
>> Which properties do we own up there?
[8:56] » We own six parcels.
>> Oh, the six parcels. Okay.
[8:59] » The cleared basically the cleared
parcels.
[9:01] » Okay.
>> The parcels that we're trying to get the
[9:03] wetlands delineation.
>> Okay. Just wanted to make sure I was
[9:07] thinking the right thing.
>> So, I just wanted to make the board
[9:09] aware that this discussion is currently
going. I believe council is going to
[9:13] potentially at their next council
meeting provide direction to planning
[9:16] commission as it relates to the language
in the comprehensive plan.
[9:23] » So, if I'm tracking the conversation,
would R&D cease to exist on the
[9:29] property? Because it's always been kind
of an overlay
[9:32] » potentially. Okay. They're going to
suggest it for the change for the future
[9:35] use which means again changing the
comprehensive plan looking to a
[9:40] reasonzoning in the future after
discussing with all the property owners.
[9:44] I think that's been a little bit of
contentious because they see that
[9:47] property owners think they're getting
resone. That's not the case. We're just
[9:51] talking about the comprehensive plan and
the language in that plan.
[9:59] additional questions or comments
[10:07] and timeline moving forward. You said
that city council will have a
[10:12] conversation moving forward in the
coming meetings, but any comp plan
[10:16] update is still a year or more out
>> potentially. Yes.
[10:26] questions.
[10:30] » Okay.
[10:33] » Um, moving down staff activities.
Anything to report?
[10:38] » No report. I just know that we did have
a citizen concern about the um
[10:44] frequencies of the EDA board meeting. So
I will try to make sure I work with you
[10:49] know Donald on going forward to make
sure if we have important information to
[10:53] discuss we will definitely have the
meetings. Um so I just bring that to
[10:56] your attention that we'll try to do
better to have current meetings topics
[11:00] are available.
[11:08] I'm concerned u just to go back a bit
about north side of Victory Boulevard.
[11:12] Um when legacy was approved
or discussions and gone through the
[11:19] process, nobody really said anything
negatively about it. Once it started
[11:24] building, the community got up in arms
about we want green space. We shouldn't
[11:29] have approved it. Is there going to be
any pressure on EDA to purchase the
[11:34] property on the north side of Victory
Boulevard to leave it as green space or
[11:38] on the city I should say? Currently,
that has not been a discussion of
[11:43] council to have green space. I know
initially council has discussed about
[11:48] just the EDA parcel and potentially
leaving that as future green space or
[11:52] park recreational, but that's the only
discussion they had in their retreat
[11:57] that they had back January of.
I was going to say that when we at the
[12:02] retreat, we talked about the six
properties um that we own,
[12:09] general commercial, and then as you go
back into the properties, they wanted
[12:14] more green space to which I brought up,
you need to if you want, you know, parks
[12:20] and and sidewalk, you know, all the
things that you want at recreational
[12:25] facilities,
it costs money. And so you got to have
[12:30] the general commercial to provide the
taxes that can help pay for this. So we
[12:36] got that out there. Um it's, you know,
everybody wants the green tree and I do
[12:43] too. I mean, I want the green trees. I
want the green space. I would like to
[12:46] see the houses not so close together,
but that all costs money.
[12:52] » Correct on that. So, um, as C
Commissioner Fi did mention, uh, that is
[12:58] the case that she did mention fact that
we knew dollars and this this is no
[13:02] different for budget year as we going
into our 2027 budget year. We are, um,
[13:07] scrimping to figure out how to meet ends
due to the fact that disabled veterans
[13:12] year after year takes pennies away from
us. were about 11 on our dollar,
[13:18] » but it's up to now over a million
dollars don't get in taxes.
[13:23] » One point it's it's right now at 1.6
million that from disabled veterans tax.
[13:29] » Yeah.
[13:34] My only statement on the the green space
certainly I think that there's
[13:39] initiatives for community development
that include green space and parks and
[13:43] other aspects of that. Um as the EDA
with that being our
[13:49] prime frontage on the corridor coming
into town. I don't know that that's the
[13:55] personally the best prescribed use for
your gateway park. Keep it as trees and
[14:01] fields and
I think they were talking more back in
[14:08] » and that's that that made more sense bit
>> bigger on a comprehensive basis that
[14:13] does
>> right
[14:14] » so if I recall though we had um somebody
owned one of those properties in the
[14:18] back that wanted to sell it to
>> town because it was completely
[14:25] landlocked connect to our other
properties
[14:28] » so you know again that's I just think
think that we should be thinking ahead
[14:34] in the sense of um what does that mean
to the community? And my position
[14:40] personally is I got no problem with
leaving that green space. It's going to
[14:44] cost Picosenites
5 cents on every $100 to maintain that
[14:50] green space because like you said, we
have to have the revenue to run the
[14:55] city. If we don't have the revenues,
somebody's got to pay for it. And is
[14:58] that going to increase property taxes?
Maybe. But, you know, that's the
[15:02] alternative. You want to vote for, you
know, purchasing the property and
[15:06] leaving it green space, fine. Your taxes
will go up to counter what we would have
[15:11] gained from developing that property in
taxes. So, you know, I'm thankful that
[15:17] the Hunts sold all the property that I
live on, you know, as far as Huntwoods
[15:21] goes, because otherwise I wouldn't have
a house. But, you know, um,
[15:24] » true,
>> there's got to be a balance. But I I
[15:27] just think as the EDA, we better be
prepared to look into that.
[15:31] » And uh
have what two properties back here that
[15:36] Kosen Legacy wanted to get and we said
no.
[15:41] » We didn't say no. We
>> we made provisions.
[15:45] » Okay.
[15:48] uh director's comments any
[15:52] » um I was surprised and maybe it's just
me and maybe my head's land but I was
[15:58] surprised Planet Fitness came out and I
didn't know about it. Um is there any
[16:02] other businesses out on the horizon that
I don't know about that you know people
[16:07] say well how come you don't know you're
supposed to know?
[16:11] » Well to be fair with Planet Fitness it
was the intention of
[16:15] that um my understanding the initial
pass the of course uh the owners of the
[16:21] farm fresh building with Planet Fitness
could not come to term. So theoretically
[16:26] we thought that was to you dead and then
all of a sudden we get a a permit
[16:31] request um they came to you know
agreeance and then they it came out
[16:37] before we even knew it. So to be fair,
that was our intention to update
[16:41] everybody, make sure you're aware of the
business, but again, it was something
[16:45] that surprised us until they asked for
the permit. We were not aware that they
[16:50] » That's because it, you know, the other
people weren't paying the taxes on and
[16:53] all of a sudden the taxes came due.
>> That is correct. Um
[16:58] it's interesting and we're we're excited
for them to be a partner here.
[17:01] » Oh, yeah. I think it's great. Um, we've
heard, you know, positive things and I
[17:05] love seeing advertisement on commercial
where they're actually pronouncing
[17:08] Bakosen correctly. Um, so, you know,
>> is there lots of people? I haven't been
[17:13] there yet.
>> It hasn't opened yet.
[17:14] » It hasn't opened yet. Um, they've got a
following on Instagram. Um, so there's a
[17:19] couple social media sites that they're
posting on. I know certain employees
[17:22] have already registered to be members,
so we're excited to bring that. And my
[17:26] hopes is my understanding they do like a
pizza fry. So I'm hoping that they'll
[17:31] utilize the Dominoes,
the Pakosen Diners, the Mr. C's um use
[17:37] in town pizza shops to host
our next niche is to make sure they're
[17:42] utilizing us. Of course, there's also
seafood festival that we definitely need
[17:46] sponsorship. So we're hoping partners
with us.
[17:50] » I have heard
I have heard a complaint about it
[17:54] already though. no child care.
>> They don't have a facility inside like
[17:59] some of the other ones do to provide for
infant care while you're using facility.
[18:07] So, I don't have any kids like that. You
little bit. So, but I have had two
[18:13] people ask me about that. It's like I
didn't even know they were moving in.
[18:17] So,
>> when are they expected to open? Do you
[18:21] know?
>> I do not know. I reached out to them in
[18:23] December um to try to set up a ribbon
cutting and they did not want to commit
[18:27] to it currently. So, I'm waiting for
them to reach back out to me.
[18:36] » I I was thinking they were should have
gotten right in January when everybody's
[18:40] gung-ho on their New Year's resolutions.
>> New resolutions. Absolutely. when when
[18:45] they came before the architecture review
board, I think that they had set a goal
[18:49] of
>> what was their goal at that point in
[18:52] time. All that was aligned with getting
materials and contract
[18:58] » equipment and everything necessary to do
that. uh the young lady who was
[19:04] associated with management I don't know
her exact title
[19:09] excited about being a partner in the
community
[19:14] and on a positive as the architecture
review board there's some
[19:18] beautifification coming to the shopping
center as a whole as a result of the
[19:27] my understanding is they're only taking
about 65 70% % of the footprint that
[19:35] Farmfresh had. So there is a an
additional suite if you want to think of
[19:39] it that way. Storefront that uh could
potentially be
[19:45] » another business.
>> Did not know there was another part in
[19:48] there that could be could be helpful.
>> Yeah. So whatever the whatever the math
[19:54] is of square footage that farmfresh used
to be my understanding footprint is only
[19:58] 60 or 65%
of that footprint.
[20:03] » Correct. So
>> I think it's the side closest to the
[20:05] Dollar Tree that's going unused.
[20:11] » I do think Kathy had a good point and as
long as I've been on the EA it's come up
[20:16] continuously. at least like I don't know
we don't meet every month don't need to
[20:20] meet every month but in a perfect world
would be nice if we did have some sort
[20:24] of flow of
[20:30] and that's no one's fault we just were
never set up to kind of insight on these
[20:36] things so you know when
>> some people some of people in the
[20:39] community know that we're on the
economic development authority and they
[20:44] say well what's coming is this coming
I've heard this rumor or I've heard that
[20:47] rumor, you know, and it kind of helps to
be in the know.
[20:52] » Okay. Absolutely. Well, the only thing
that is coming up currently that's
[20:55] coming up to council is a cup for um a
business across from McFersonson is
[21:01] going to be a landscaping
business. Um so other than that, there's
[21:06] nothing else that have any additional
permitting that's going on in the
[21:10] business corridor. You know, of course,
we constantly, i.e. the city office
[21:14] reaching out to a couple contacts trying
to get them in property. Um but again
[21:20] it's very hard no one's calling us back
um as it rel
[21:34] to put a location for a grocery store.
My concern is if that's successful it
[21:39] would you know would it basel
[21:51] that particular rumor though has been
going around a long time
[21:55] a long time and I would be very
surprised
[21:59] not saying that they're not I'm just
saying I'd be very surprised with crow
[22:05] because their
in the middle
[22:07] » is owned by Cro.
[22:11] » I tried reaching out to another food
chain that's a sim
[22:18] community. Um, currently they only have
a few grocery stores,
[22:22] but again, you know, it's hard getting
someone to call you back.
[22:30] Trader Joe's was the only one that was
successful with getting an actual comp
[22:35] area. So, at least I appreciate someone
giving me an
[22:41] that's that's terrible because they they
their footprint is the size that we're
[22:47] looking for.
I think it would be a good niche for
[22:51] Vicosa to have a
[22:57] my kids turn me on to that store and I'm
like, "Oh, now I get it." It's, you
[23:00] know, it's not like a Food Lion. It's a
little different. You don't have to
[23:04] worry about sales. They come in
competitively. So
[23:11] any additional comments, questions
[23:16] that I think that uh we can adjourn. So
[23:23] » thank you everybody.
>> Thank you.