Economic Development Committee
Meeting Minutes

April 21, 2009

• HARB Discuss
• Met with HARB and members of the planning commission and built consensus around putting together a flow-chart that demonstrates the HARB/Zoning/Building Permits approval process
• Escrow Funds for East Essex Property
• Property appears to have ongoing work
• Property will continued to be monitored as work is continuing
• Lansdowne TV Update (Intern Interviews)
• Mr. Totaro interviewed interns and will have them for the summer to develop content for the Lansdowne RV channel
• Jen Hoff will donate a PPT template
• John Green and Matt Schultz will dedicate photography
• Arts Plan Discussion
• Committee reviewed the first draft of the Arts Plan and provided comments
• Mr. Wagner will revise based on committee’s comments and circulate again
• Next steps are to then circulate to full council for comment
• Area 5 Rankings
• Looked at these results and Mr. Totaro explained that he will take it under advisement as initiatives in Lansdowne roll out, we can align with the Area 5 objectives
• Bed & Breakfast Ordinance Review
• Reviewed Swarthmore’s ordinance on this. Made some notes on their ordinance. Will route among committee and solicitor and revisit next month.
• Review Problem Property Report
• Properties for Judicial Sale 5/6
• 149 BARTRAM AVE
• 1 ELDON AVE
• 80 S UNION AVE
• Agreed to discuss a strategy for how to deal with these properties at the next council meeting.
• Properties for upset sale
• 260 Green – Next upset sale is not until Fall. Bob will not get list until the Summer sometime
• Note: Judicial sale goes to the highest bidder free & clear, upset sale pays all taxes and liens
• Highland Avenue Parking Lot Passage to Lansdowne Avenue Update
• Will revisit next month
• TRID update
• Mr. totaro will send out outline for council to review and will discuss at the next Business Meeting
• Resident’s request to raise Chickens on his property
• Discussed briefly and asked the Borough Manager to gather copies of all legislation that regulates fowl on property for next month’s meeting.
• Have invited resident to come to May committee meeting
• Dudley Avenue Update
• Mr. Totaro and Mr. Scott are making recommendations to contractor on desirable building types.
• Nominations
• Vacant Property Review Board
• Redevelopment Authority
• Discussed status of recruitment and will update the group next month.