IV.8. Livable Communities Transit Oriented Development Application – Artspace; ElverumApril 11, 2019 Council Report 2019-043
LIVABLE COMMUNITIES TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION –
ARTSPACE
Proposed Action
Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: Move to approve Resolution 2019-036
identifying the need for Livable Communities Demonstration Account funding and authorizing
an application for grant funds.
With this motion the application will be prepared and submitted to the Metropolitan Council.
Overview
In 2017 Artspace, in collaboration with the City of Hopkins, conducted a feasibility study to
gauge the support and appropriateness of an affordable, live/work housing development for
the creative class in Hopkins. The study supported the concept. In 2018, this work was
followed by a market study, supported by a Met Council grant. The market study concluded
that there was a market for 30-40 affordable live/work units, as well as interest in community,
studio and performance space.
The next step in the development of an Artspace project in Hopkins is site identification. City
staff have identified a possible development site, Lot 800, owned by the City of Hopkins. The
site is currently underutilized, having capacity for 95 cars but averaging 17 at any given time.
It does not generate any revenue for the City of Hopkins as it is a free parking lot. Preliminary
discussions with surrounding property owners have been generally supportive of the concept.
The application will request up to $100,000 to conduct due diligence including site design,
community engagement, parking analysis, soil testing and legal work in order to determine the
appropriateness of the site for an Artspace development.
Primary Issues to Consider
The application will be prepared by City staff so there is no direct expenditure of funds
associated with this action. If the grant is awarded and accepted, the City would be required to
provide matching funds totaling 25% of the grant and staff support. Those matching funds
would come from the Economic Development account.
Supporting Information
• Resolution 2019-036
___________________________
Kersten Elverum
Director of Planning & Development
Financial Impact: $__0__________Budgeted: Y/N ____ Source: ________________
Related Documents (CIP, ERP, etc.): _______________________________________
Notes: _______________________________________________________________
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 2019-036
RESOLUTION IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT FUNDING AND
AUTHORIZING AN APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS
WHEREAS the City of Hopkins is a participant in the Livable Communities Act's Local Housing
Incentives Account Program for 2019 as determined by the Metropolitan Council, and is therefore
eligible to apply for LCA Livable Communities Demonstration Account and Tax Base Revitalization
Account Transit Oriented Development (collectively, “TOD”) funds; and
WHEREAS, the City has identified a proposed project within the City that meets TOD purposes and
criteria and is consistent with and promotes the purposes of the Metropolitan Livable Communities
Act and the policies of the Metropolitan Council’s adopted metropolitan development guide; and
WHEREAS, the City has the institutional, managerial and financial capability to adequately manage
an LCA-TOD grant; and
WHEREAS, the City certifies that it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations as stated in
the grant agreement; and
WHEREAS the City acknowledges TOD grants are intended to fund projects or project components
that can serve as models, examples or prototypes for TOD development or redevelopment elsewhere
in the Region, and therefore represents that the proposed project or key components of the proposed
project can be replicated in other metropolitan-area communities; and
WHEREAS only a limited amount of grant funding is available through the Metropolitan Council’s
Livable Communities TOD initiative during each funding cycle and the Metropolitan Council has
determined it is appropriate to allocate those scarce grant funds only to eligible projects that would
not occur without the availability of TOD grant funding.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that, after appropriate examination and due consideration, the
governing body of the City:
1. Finds that it is in the best interests of the City’s development goals and priorities for the
proposed Artspace TOD Project(s) to occur at this particular site and at this particular time.
2. Finds that the TOD Project component(s) for which Livable Communities TOD funding is
sought:
(a) will not occur solely through private or other public investment within the
reasonably foreseeable future; and
(b) will occur within the term of the grant award (two years for Pre-Development grants,
and three years for Development grants) only if Livable Communities TOD funding is made
available for this project at this time.
3. Authorizes its City Manager to submit on behalf of the City an application for Metropolitan
Council Livable Communities TOD grant funds for the TOD Project component(s) identified
in the application, and to execute such agreements as may be necessary to implement the TOD
Project on behalf of the City.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hopkins this 16th day of April, 2019.
By:___________________________
Jason Gadd, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________
Amy Domeier, City Clerk