Community Development Committee - February 18, 2020 Minutes
The Regular Meeting of the Community Development Committee of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Commission Chambers at City Hall at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 18, 2020.
The Community Development Committee Members present or absent were as follows:
Present: Commissioner John Strand, Mayor Tim Mahoney, Jim Johnson, Michael Redlinger, John Gunkelman, Matthew Pike, Ken Enockson, Thomas Hill (United Way), Melissa Rademacher (DCP)
Absent: Linda Klebe, Samantha McDonald, Chelsea Diedrich (HBA FM)
Item 1. Welcome
Chairperson Strand welcomed Members to the meeting and introductions were made.
Item 2. Approve or Amend Agenda
Member Pike moved to approve the Order of Agenda. Second by Member Johnson. All Members present voted aye. The motion was declared carried.
Item 3. Approval of Minutes: Regular Meeting of December 17, 2019
Member Johnson moved the minutes of the December 17, 2019 Community Development Committee meeting be approved. Second by Member Hill. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 4. Public Comment
Director of Planning and Development Nicole Crutchfield introduced David Flohr with the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency. Mr. Flohr provided a background and overview of the work that the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency oversees.
Item 5. Homelessness Prevention & Diversion: Community Planning Sessions
Member Thomas Hill spoke on behalf of the United Way and the upcoming community planning sessions to address homelessness. He noted that a consultant will be in Fargo on Monday, February 24 through Wednesday, February 26, holding sessions in the Oak Room at the Fargo Cass Public Health building. He stated that these are public meetings.
Item 6. Downtown Redevelopment: Proposed Boundary Expansion for Projects Seeking Incentives
Ms. Crutchfield stated the Tax Exempt Review Committee proposed a review to adjust the Downtown Incentive Boundary.
Discussion was held on the proposed boundary lines, size of the DMU (Downtown Mixed-Use) zoning district, and aligning the different incentive and zoning boundaries.
Carol Schlossman, 505 Broadway North, Downtown Neighborhood Association Interim President, spoke on behalf of the Downtown Neighborhood.
Discussion continued on the future vision for the neighborhoods and the importance of the Core Neighborhoods Plan that is currently being developed.
Director of Strategic Planning and Development Jim Gilmour provided an overview of the proposal and noted that it is not a large policy change, just a boundary change. He noted that the Tax Exempt Review Committee will meet in March and make a recommendation to the City Commission.
Item 7. Announcements
None provided.
Item 8. Staff Report - Updates
The Board discussed items in the January recap report including: recent and upcoming Request for Proposals (RFP) for affordable housing developments; the current HUD (Housing and Urban Development) visit occurring today and tomorrow to discuss Opportunity Zones and the Lashkowitz High Rise; the Core Neighborhoods Plan; an update on recent issues affecting manufactured housing communities; the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative; Cass-Clay Community Land Trust; a potential drop-in center for the homeless; the Downtown Quality of Life Committee; and Job Recruitment for the 2020 Census.
Item 9. Other Business
No other business was presented.
Item 10. Adjourn
Member Johnson moved to adjourn the meeting. Second by Member Pike. All Members present voted aye. The motion was declared carried.
The time at adjournment was 3:44 p.m.