HomeMy WebLinkAbout[05b] Community Development Report
THERESE HAFFNER
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
75 Callaway Street East
St Joseph, MN 56374
thaffner@cityofstjoseph.com
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT
TO: HONERABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
DATE: January 16, 2020
SUMMARY
Planning Commission: The January Planning Commission meeting was canceled as we did not receive
any land use applications or have any other agenda items. I received an application for a special home
occupation permit for an art studio recently which will be reviewed for recommendation by the Planning
Commission in February followed by a review and final decision by the City Council. I will also be reviewing
the action plan (implementation) of the Comprehensive Plan with the Planning Commission to identify was has
been completed since adoption and moving forward with implementation of those goals and strategies that have
not been completed.
2020 US Census: I attended the St. Cloud Area Complete Count Committee that I serve on for the 2020
Census, and a census workshop put on by MN State Demographer’s Office. The committee started meeting in
st
2019 as needed but now that the 2020 US Census is fast approaching, we will be meeting monthly. April 1 is
Census Day and residents will receive information in the mail in March to respond online, by mail, or by phone.
Information has been put in the city newsletter and website.
CSB/SJU Urban Planning Class Project: Kris and I met with a Professor Lindstrom from CSB/SJU
and Allison Dudek with Stearns County Public Health on partnering on a community project(s), including but
not limited to research, planning, civic engagement and infrastructure. Potential project areas discussed included
the community center, MN Street Scape project, intersection improvements, parklet, and greenspace/open space
in the downtown. Stearns County has funding that could be available to assist with projects. More to come on
this.
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
rd
I will be attending the Economic Development Association of MN (EDAM) conference on Jan. 23 and
th
24. Topics include workforce, and hearing presentations from site selectors, hospitality entrepreneurs, and
more. Staff will be meeting with Sand Companies at the end of January to discuss their proposed apartment
building project, along with a couple of property owners near to discuss future development and improvements.
Kris and I will be meeting with developer CLC Partners to discuss the new industrial park development. We
will be meeting with the owner of Kay’s Kitchen and Naan Bakery as part of the BR & E (Business, Retention
& Expansion) program, a goal of the EDA.
-THERESE