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Home My WebLink AboutLaurel Urban Renewal Agency Minutes 05.30.2012 LAUREL URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY (LURA) SPECIAL MEETING /PLANNING SESSION MAY 30, 2012 MEETING MINUTES Purpose To strategically rethink and refocus on the mission, vision, and priorities of the Laurel Urban Renewal Agency. Outcomes • Revisit the strategic direction of the Laurel Urban Renewal Agency • Identify key strategic priorities and a work plan for the next 3 years • Agree on measures of success for implementing the work plan • Reaffirm board member expectations & commitments • Generate energy and inspiration for the future Agenda • Appreciating the Spirit of LURA • Envisioning Successful Future Scenarios for LURA • Setting LURA Strategic Priorities • Implementation Strategy: Next Steps • Summary of Evaluations APPRECIATING THE SPIRIT OF LURA Participants broke into small groups and responded to two questions. Responses from the groups are collated below: What gives life to LURA? • Dedicated volunteers • Commitment of members • Commonality of members • Those who are interested: those who come to meetings, concemed citizens, merchants, business owners, results from the Authority, fundraising efforts from the other organizations • Desire to make community better/forward thinking/visionary • Vision /goals (business development) • City support Summary of what gives life • Core group of volunteers — committed, leadership, dedicated • $to use • Support of city LURA Special Meeting/Planning Session, May 30, 2012 Clancy Consultants, Inc. 1 • Focus on same goals — visions for future Where is the positive energy of the group? • Leadership • The volunteers involved • Supporting groups and businesses • Coming from board /new members • High expectations • Willingness to grow — encompass the entire business area • City • Allied organizations /Chamber /Laurel Alive, etc. Summary of Positive Energy • Leadership • Partnership • Growth in some way • Willingness to change • Involvement from city As a group, what's already in place? • Capital assets • TIF district funding • $ and projects • TIF district — tech assistance & facade • 2 programs available • Technical assistance • Facade improvement program • Beautifying downtown Laurel • Historic district • Laurel Alive • Infrastructure improvements for future projects & groups • Great public/private partnership • Committed members & individuals of city groups, etc. Summary of What's Already in Place • $ = TIF • Structure for grant $ • Historic district • Physical infrastructure • Community involvement • Some process and success already in place — accomplishments LURA Special Meeting/Planning Session, May 30, 2012 Clancy Consultants, Inc. 2 ENVISIONING SUCCESSFUL FUTURE SCENARIOS The following comments and future scenarios were recorded in small groups in response to the questions below. What is the "world" calling LURA to be? • North /south vision leader • Great divide — 2 parts • Combine forces • Active /preferred • Accountable, progressive • Planner • Facilitator of redevelopment, "cornerstone" • One stop shopping • Wagon wheel • Cohesive marketing • Come to LURA for $$ • Resource center • Cohesive /working together It's 2015 and LURA is highly successful. What's happened? What has made it so successful? • See a clean /active downtown • Good sports outlet/field • Attractive and active • Southside Main Street re- development — open space, parking, bulk water, railroad, museum • All historical done • Increased private investment in the district • Information about Laurel — water, highways, rail, airport • Great communication /education structure /plan in place to engage local business • Diverse /active board of directors • Good ideas & community involvement LURA Special Meeting/Planning Session, May 30, 2012 Clancy Consultants, Inc. 3 The following three scenarios and "provocative statements" of the future were created: 6 CROSS /A)6, G frr 1)101) \ dot fit 4. 4 ci • fa _ r CROSSING THE GREAT DIVIDE 0#' d 0 j t ' eziti Lif Pc **V E /3.4_ THE LAUREL BLOOMING LURA Special Meeting/Planning Session, May 30, 2012 Clancy Consultants, Inc. 4 _, -... _______ r ---- ii _______ ,...........---2 , , � t a.li ' �kt ,../. o --- - — - - i ---: : - = ___. _ _ e' .. ;/ /'', . c..-7 ‘ 5. - _47_7 _ t / il___ / {7L -- I LPj\ ( So u.+0-ii Alec -- - - I ni . n Ce 4 1 nue rz A __C71_ ( rt,_4 I /-1 _ ' / CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE POSITIVE EXCITING GROWTH WHILE HONORING OUR HERITAGE Similarities & Differences among the 3 Scenarios Similarities • Railroad • The tracks as a "link" between old and new districts, e.g., businesses & LURA supporting, preserving history • North & south divide — needs a positive conclusion • Being the balancing and driving force for redevelopment • LURA foundation • Movement & growth; opportunities • Lot of "newness" in terms of business, groups, buildings • Cleaning Laurel up, making it inviting, having friendly people • Connectedness Differences • Thinking outside the TIF District, e.g., schools, refinery, river • That the great divide includes outside the state as well, e.g., Wyoming It was agreed that all three scenarios matched the purpose and charter of LURA: To be an advisory agency on formulating, preparing and recommending urban renewal plans for the City of Laurel based on effective use of resources from the TIF District. LURA Special Meeting/Planning Session, May 30, 2012 Clancy Consultants, Inc. 5 SETTING LURA STRATEGIC PRIORITIES In small groups and then as a large group, participants identified the top LURA strategic priorities over the next 3 years as well as possible board roles and structure and successful ways to work together: 1. Develop marketing /PR/LURA advertising • Develop & implement a communication and education plan with LURA (marketing plan) • Rebrand LURA (e.g., Downtown Association) Measuring the success of the priority: • LURA becomes well known • Annual report, applications 2. Form partnership /increase communication with Railroad • Build /develop relationship with the railroad to create green space, new business space, and parking • Secure railroad lease • Interested to be in working group: Ken Measuring the success of the priority: • Working relationship with railroad • Securing the base • Having regular meetings • Securing use of railroad property • Parking resolution 3. Revisit and create a phased plan to complete the streetscape plan leading to above ground completion • Design and develop parking • Implement streetscape /crosswalks • Remove /restore /clean blight • Work on smaller projects /blight/downtown • Interested to be in working group: Aletta Measuring the success of the priority: • Implementation of project phases • Subcommittees or working groups to revisit • Design & implementation & budget • Design /phases /implementation & budget • Contact owners /commitment to action 4. Hire a paid staff person for business recruitment Measuring the success of the priority: • Having a functioning staff member LURA Special Meeting/Planning Session, May 30, 2012 Clancy Consultants, Inc. 6 BEST POSSIBLE BOARD ROLE /STRUCTURE TO ENSURE PRIORITIES ARE MET • Delegating and constant monitoring priorities by members' tasks • Re- accessing short & long term goals (quarterly ?) • Re- evaluating annually • Flushing out "dead weight" of LURA • Rebranding of LURA • Having subcommittees or working groups with representation from LURA stakeholders, property owners, etc. • Maintaining City involvement SUCCESSFUL WAYS TO WORK TOGETHER & SUSTAIN COMMITMENT • Hold regular productive meetings (let the group define what "productive" means to members) • Get projects completed • Focus on follow through • Be ACTIVE! (define what ACTIVE looks like to the group) • Keep realistic goals • Promote the role of LURA and its accomplishments • Establish agreement between LURA & City • Increase involvement with affected parties • Increase media coverage and information IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY: NEXT STEPS The following action items were agreed upon to initiate the strategic direction: Monday, June 4 LURA meeting: • Identify champion(s) for overall strategic planning process • Identify working groups for each strategic priority & a lead person for each group • Identify a timeline for each of the working groups to report back a "tactical" plan for each of the priorities SUMMARY OF EVALUATIONS 1. Overall, how would you rate the effectiveness of the session? (Circle one) Responses: 0 0 1 6 1 4 1 2 3 4 4.5 5 Poor Good Great! Comments: • Open eyes to an overall picture of what LURA is all about & prioritize our goals LURA Special Meeting/Planning Session, May 30, 2012 Clancy Consultants, Inc. 7 • Could see a follow -up meeting in the future • A great starting point. We need to follow through to make it happen. • I think the session helped people focus and 1 hope —move forward! • Good. 2. Which parts of the session were most worthwhile to you? • Establishing goals • All of them • We came up with one goal and working with the city. • Evaluation. Organization. implementation. • Setting the four objectives which all have merit. • Putting the foundation to our future priorities. • Very helpful. Like the set up. • Sharing of ideas. • Forming shared goals. ' • Small groups worked well. Good discussion on major issues among participants. • The ability to have active small groups. Monitoring of the small groups to keep on task. • Last part. 3. Which parts of the session didn't work for you? • I liked them all • None. • Was all meaningful & relevant. • They all work well in the process. • Would like more time in the Appreciative approach. • The end was a bit rushed. • Mix -up the groups more. • They were all of help. • None. I just wish some of the people were more open to change. • First part. 4. What wishes /suggestions do you have in moving forward with the planning process? • Follow up and follow through • That we take this information and implement it. don't let it go by the wayside. • Getting people to get involved. • Follow up meeting overview of this meeting and progress then reinforcement of strategies. • We need to move forward to make things happen – results. • Have more time and structure to who and how to have leadership. • Clear direction. • Bring in more new people. • Rebrand LURA to something that means something. Use TIF funds to hire (1) staff person. Move LURA board from information to action. • Openmindness. LURA Special Meeting/Planning Session, May 30, 2012 Clancy Consultants, Inc. 8 5. Anything else to share? • Thank you very much, Ann. You did an awesome joy. • Welcome you back in a year! And see what we did. • Thank you! LURA Special Meeting/Planning Session, May 30, 2012 Clancy Consultants, Inc. 9