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Home My WebLink AboutCouncil Information Memorandum 03-08-2018CITY OF PLYMOUTH COUNCIL INFO MEMO March 8, 2018 EVENTS / MEETINGS Environmental Quality Committee Agenda for March 14th .................................... Page 2 Official City Meeting Calendars .................................................................... Page 3 Tentative List of Agenda Items ..................................................................... Page 6 CORRESPONDENCE County's Solid Waste Management Master Plan .................................................. Page 7 City Partners with Nonprofit to Offer Low-Cost Rain Barrels and Compost Bins ............ Page 9 Site Plan for New Elementary School (2018004) ............................................... Page 10 Site Plan Amendment and Conditional Use Permit Amendment for Ascension Evangelical Lutheran Church Located at 15879 46th Avenue North (2018008) ....... Page 11 Conditional Use Permit for 3850 Holly Lane North (2018009) ............................... Page 12 REPORTS & OTHER ARTICLES OF INTEREST Multifamily Homebuilding Permits Soar in Twin Cities, Finance & Commerce ............ Page 13 Legislative Auditor Finds Issues with MN Investment Fund, Finance & Commerce ....... Page 16 The Case of the Missing Mega-Merger: The Biggest M&A Deals of 2017, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal ............................. Page 19 5G Cell Service is Coming. Who Decides Where it Goes?, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal ................................. Page 23 Minnesota Speeds Up Planning for Self-Driving Cars, StarTribune.com .................... Page 28 Ecumen Rolling Out New Senior Housing Brand for Active Seniors, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal .............................. Page 30 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE AGENDA March 14, 2018 WHERE: MEDICINE LAKE ROOM A Plymouth City Hall 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 CONSENT AGENDA All items listed on the consent agenda* are considered to be routine by the Environmental Quality Committee and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Committee member, or citizen so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in normal sequence on the agenda. 1.7:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER 2.7:00 P.M. PUBLIC FORUM – Individuals may address the Committee about any item not contained in the regular agenda. A maximum of 15 minutes is allotted for the Forum. 3.7:20 P.M APPROVAL OF AGENDA - EQC members may add items to the agenda for discussion purposes or staff direction only. The EQC will not normally take official action on items added to the agenda. 4.7:25 P.M. CONSENT AGENDA* A.Approve February 14, 2018 EQC Meeting Minutes (Asche) 5.7:30 P.M. GENERAL BUSINESS A.Surface Water Management Plan Update 6.REPORTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS 7.FUTURE MEETINGS: March 14, 2018 •Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan Public Meeting •Recycling Contract 8.8:00 P.M. ADJOURNMENT Page 2 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Healthy Living Fair Plymouth Creek Center 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Council Chambers 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 March 2018 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 OFFICIAL CITY CALENDAR Phone: 763-509-5000 Fax: 763-509-5060 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Council Chambers 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE MEETING Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING Medicine Lake Room 5:30 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Metro Cities Update and Allen property on Highway 55 Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers SUN TUES MON WED THUR FRI SAT 5:30 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Industrial/ Redevelopment Study Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers Page 3 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Council Chambers 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 April 2018 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 OFFICIAL CITY CALENDAR Phone: 763-509-5000 Fax: 763-509-5060 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE MEETING Medicine Lake Room 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM Hennepin County Open Book Meeting Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Council Chambers SUN TUES MON WED THUR FRI SAT CHANGES ARE NOTED IN RED Primavera Plymouth Creek Center 5:30 PM COUNCIL/HRA/Planning Commission MEETING Housing Study/TIF District update/Senior Building Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers 7:00 PM HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING Medicine Lake Room Primavera Plymouth Creek Center 5:30 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Hotel Licensing Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers Page 4 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 May 2018 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 OFFICIAL CITY CALENDAR Phone: 763-509-5000 Fax: 763-509-5060 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Council Chambers 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE MEETING Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING Council Chambers 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Council Chambers 7:00 PM HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING Medicine Lake Room SUN TUES MON WED THUR FRI SAT MEMORIAL DAY CITY OFFICES CLOSED 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers 6:00 PM Walk with the Mayor Plymouth Creek Center 5:00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Fire Dept. Update Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers 10:00 AM Bark in the Park Hilde Performance Center 8:00 AM-12:30 PM Fire Department Waffle Breakfast Fire Station III Page 5 Tentative Schedule for City Council Agenda Items March 27, Special, 5:30 p.m. Medicine Lake Room • Industrial/Redevelopment Study March 27, Regular, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers • Authorize purchase and installation of a new playground at East Medicine Lake Park (PR189003.001) • Consider Sand Companies housing project April 10, Special, 5:30 p.m. Medicine Lake Room • Hotel licensing April 10, Regular, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers • Utility Rate Study April 24, Council, Planning Commission, and HRA Meeting, 5:30 p.m. Medicine Lake Room • Draft Housing Study • Senior Building Cash Flow and Maintenance Schedule • Tax Increment District update April 24, Regular, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers • Approve catering contracts at the Plymouth Creek Center May 8, Special, 5:00 p.m. Medicine Lake Room • Fire Department update May 8, Regular, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers May 22, Regular, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers June 12, Regular, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers June 26, Regular, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers July 10, Regular, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers July 24, Regular, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers Page 6 HENNEPIN COUNTY MINNESOTA February 28, 2018 Mr. Dave Callister City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Blvd. Plymouth, MN, 55447 Dear Mr. Dave Callister, Last November, after extensive stakeholder engagement, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners adopted the county's solid waste management master plan. The plan focuses on organics recycling as a way to make progress toward state goals and zero waste to landfills. In accordance with the plan, the county has initiated the process to revise Ordinance 13 to require cities to provide residents the opportunity to recycle organics by 2022.The county is seeking guidance on how to draft this ordinance to deliver organics programs that provide environmental and health benefits at a reasonable cost. What will cities be required to provide? The county is proposing that cities must provide the curbside collection of organics through a citywide contract or a city requirement that haulers provide organics service upon request. What guidance is the county seeking? In addition to the basic requirements above, the county is seeking feedback on the following: Preferred collection method. Education and outreach standards. Who should be required to pay for How to make service affordable. service (subscribers or everyone)?How to maximize participation. Your feedback is requested We would like to discuss your thoughts on what the organics requirement should look like before we draft the ordinance language. Please share this information and send me the city's comments in writing or contact me at 612- 596-1176 or ben.knudson@hennepin.us to schedule a meeting before the end of March. Details about the ordinance revision process and timeline are enclosed. Sincerely, Ben Knudson cc: Mayor and City Recycling Coordinator Hennepin County Environment and Energy Hennepin 701 Fourth Ave S., Suite 700, Minneapolis, MN 55415 612-348-3777 I hennepin.us/environment Page 7 HENNEPIN COUNTY i L :. . Cities must provide resicential organics recycling oy 202,7 The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners has initiated the process to revise Ordinance 13 to require cities to provide residents the opportunity to recycle organics by 2022. The county is seeking guidance on how to draft this ordinance to deliver organics programs that provide environmental and health benefits at a reasonable cost. What will cities be required to provide? What will the county provide? Curbside collection of organics (weekly, year round). Funding assistance for organics drop-off sites. Citywide contract or a city requirement that haulers Education and outreach materials to promote provide organics service upon request. organics to those who have the option. Organics collection includes food, certain types of Support to develop pilot projects to evaluate non-recyclable paper, and certified compostable program design, benefits, and costs. items. Technical assistance with implementation by sharing best practices, experience from other city programs, Why is the county taking this approach? and sample contract language. People throw away a lot of food and other The county is seeking guidance on the followingcompostablematerials. Organics are the most common material in the trash—more than 25%. Preferred collection method. Composting is better than landfilling. Putting Who should pay—only subscribers or everyone? organic materials to a better use is an easy way to Education and outreach standards. reduce our trash and reach the county's goal of How to make service affordable. sending zero waste to landfills. How to maximize participation. People want to participate in organics recycling. Survey results show that residents think organics What should haulers be required to provide? recycling is important and they would be likely to participate if the service were available. Ordinance revision process and timeline Recycling took time to develop, so will organics. Stakeholder engagement: though March 2018 Developing organics programs and infrastructure Draft ordinance revisions: April - May 2018 will not happen overnight, which makes it important Solicit feedback from stakeholders on ordinance to get started now. language: early Summer 2018 Recommendations to the board: Summer 2018 I Board action to set the public hearing: Fall 2018 Board adopts ordinance revisions: late Fall 2018W___:i,b I 4" Al #= Stay informed i Sign up for email notifications and review materials at IPJ' : I. A. Contact: Ben Knudson, 612 596 1176,' Ben.Knudson@hennepin.us Page 8 City of Plymouth News Release For Immediate Release March 6, 2018 Contact: Derek Asche Water Resources Manager City of Plymouth 763-509-5526 dasche@plymouthmn.gov City partners with nonprofit to offer low-cost rain barrels, compost bins Plymouth, Minn. – The City of Plymouth has partnered with the Recycling Association of Minnesota to offer low-cost rain barrels and compost bins to residents. Orders must be placed online at recycleminnesota.org by Thursday, May 10. Orders must be picked up between 8 a.m. and noon Saturday, May 12 at the Plymouth Maintenance Facility, 14900 23rd Ave. N. Cost to purchase a compost bin through this sale is $64. Cost to purchase a 45-gallon rain barrel is $79. Supplies are limited. Rain barrels can help conserve water and save money by capturing and reusing rain water for landscaping and other purposes. They also help reduce storm water runoff, which can add pollutants to lakes and streams. Using a compost bin can help reduce household waste by more than 25 percent and prevent it from being dumped into a landfill. Using the material generated by composting is also a natural way to fertilize and add nutrients to gardens and landscaping. For more information, visit plymouthmn.gov. -30- Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 3/6/2018 Multifamily homebuilding permits soar in Twin Cities – Finance & Commerce https://finance-commerce.com/2018/02/multifamily-homebuilding-permits-soar-in-twin-cities/1/4 Minneapolis issued permits for 477 new housing units in February, including the 243-unit Green on Fourth project under construction at 2901 Fourth St. SE in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Minneapolis. (Staff photo: Bill Klotz) Multifamily homebuilding permits soar in Twin Cities By: Brian Johnson February 28, 2018 2:04 pm 0 A new homebuilding report offers more evidence that the Twin Cities is in for a big year of apartment construction. On the heels of a Marquette Advisors study that predicts 6,000 new apartment units will enter the market this year, the new Keystone Report shows planned multifamily housing units permitted in February were up more than 40 percent from the previous February. Page 13 3/6/2018 Multifamily homebuilding permits soar in Twin Cities – Finance & Commerce https://finance-commerce.com/2018/02/multifamily-homebuilding-permits-soar-in-twin-cities/2/4 Minneapolis issued a permit inFebruary for CPM Cos.’ 110-unitMarshall Flats project in northeastMinneapolis. (Submitted Illustration:ESG) For the overall housing market, cities in the metro area issued 361 permits for 889 new units in February, according to the Keystone Report. Permits were up 6.5 percent and planned units were up 24 percent. That includes permits for 341 new single-family homes, a 3 percent increase, and 548 new multifamily units, up 42 percent. Permit activity heated up in February after a tepid start to the year. So far in 2018, the metro area has seen permits for 743 new single-family houses, down 2 percent, and 1,065 new multifamily units, up 1.5 percent. Minneapolis led all cities with permits for 477 new units. That includes the 243-unit Green on Fourth apartments at 2901 Fourth St. SE in the Prospect Park neighborhood, and the 110-unit Marshall Flats project in northeast Minneapolis. Finance & Commerce reported in September that Minneapolis-based CPM Cos. paid $2.2 million for three parcels at 1319, 1321 and 1327 Marshall St. NE and two parcels at 108 and 114 14th Ave. for the Marshall Flats project. Also reflected in the report is Minneapolis-based Yellow Tree Construction’s 74-unit, five-story apartment complex at 2201 Blaisdell Ave. in Minneapolis. Outside the metro area, Rochester issued 17 permits for 154 new housing units. During the month, Rochester-based Schoeppner Inc. pulled a permit for the 135-unit Eastgate Apartment complex at 1217 SE Eastgate Drive in the city, according to the Keystone Report. Herb Tousley, director of real estate programs at the University of St. Thomas, said he doesn’t know if the market will see another 6,000 new apartments delivered in 2018. But he expects another solid year for multifamily construction. “The financing is there for good projects. We may see the rate of permits slow down a little, but I don’t think it will slow down a lot,” said Tousley, who predicts 2019 will also be a good year for apartment deliveries. On the single-family side, the slight uptick in February came after a 6 percent decline in January. Permits are essentially flat for the year so far, and “flat is fine,” said David Siegel, executive director of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities and Housing First Minnesota. Permits for smaller multifamily projects soared in February. Among projects with 16 or fewer units, cities issued 14 permits for 55 new housing units. The sample size is small, but permits were up 250 percent and units up 323 Page 14 3/6/2018 Multifamily homebuilding permits soar in Twin Cities – Finance & Commerce https://finance-commerce.com/2018/02/multifamily-homebuilding-permits-soar-in-twin-cities/3/4 percent year-over-year in that category. Townhomes and twinhomes represent much of that activity — a sign that builders are trying to meet the demand for more lower-cost housing, Siegel said. “I have been hearing from builders that they are really starting to focus on that twinhome and townhome market, in part because of the affordability challenge,” he said, adding that those products tend to be “a little more affordable.” Besides Minneapolis and Rochester, the top cities for residential permits in February were Hudson, Wisconsin (nine permits, 46 units), Lakeville (30 permits, 31 units), Plymouth (26 permits, 26 units) and Woodbury (21 permits, 25 units). The total value of all permits was $173.95 million, up 37 percent from February 2017. On the rise: February housing report Big month for multifamily, modest gains for single-family Feb-18Feb-18 % change from February 2017% change from February 2017 Year-to-date 2018Year-to-date 2018 % change from 2017% change from 2017 Multifamily permits 20 186 42 24 Multifamily units 548 42 1,065 1.5 Single-family permits 341 3 743 -2 Total permits 361 6.5 785 -1 Total units 889 24 1,808 0 Total $ volume $173.95 million 37 $355.9 million 8 Source: Keystone Report Related: Twin Cities homebuilding off to sluggish start 6,000 new apartments in Twin Cities pipeline Page 15 3/6/2018 Legislative auditor finds issues with MN Investment Fund – Finance & Commerce https://finance-commerce.com/2018/02/legislative-auditor-finds-issues-with-mn-investment-fund/1/4 In this file image, a Viracon employee works on an “air spacer bender” at the company’s Owatonna plant. The company received a $1 million loan from the Minnesota Investment Fund, but it invested less and promised fewer jobs than some companies receiving similar loans, according to a Minnesota Legislative Auditor’s report. (Submitted photo: Viracon) Legislative auditor nds issues with MN Investment Fund By: Matt M. Johnson February 28, 2018 4:31 pm 0 The state Legislative auditor said Wednesday that the department overseeing the Minnesota Investment Fund has misrepresented the fund’s economic impact and may have given taxpayer incentives to businesses that don’t need them. Page 16 3/6/2018 Legislative auditor finds issues with MN Investment Fund – Finance & Commerce https://finance-commerce.com/2018/02/legislative-auditor-finds-issues-with-mn-investment-fund/2/4 A 75-page report from the Legislative auditor contains a laundry list of critiques of how the state Department of Employment and Economic Development administers the fund, which makes loans to businesses that need money to create jobs and retain workers. DEED has fixed or is fixing many of the issues, said agency spokesman Shane Delaney, but also disagrees with the report on some findings. One of the most concerning findings is that DEED claimed a $750,000 loan to MOM Brands of Lakeville was the “decisive factor” in a $1.15 billion in private investment related to a merger in which MOM was acquired by St. Louis-based Post Holdings, said Joel Alter, director of special reviews for the Office of the Legislative Auditor. But the loan was made after the 2015 merger was announced, he said. That $1.15 billion was counted as part of a total of $2.1 billion in private investments DEED credited to the Minnesota Investment Fund. “It didn’t cause it and it shouldn’t be reported as leveraged funds,” Alter said Wednesday in an interview. The report also said some businesses in their fund applications provided explanations of need for the money that were “typically brief (if they existed at all) and unconvincing.” The report did not name any particular company that had done this, however. Another finding was that results across funded projects were inconsistent. In one example, the report compared three recipients: an Olympus America plant in Brooklyn Park, an Entrust Datacard Corp. facility in Shakopee, and Viracon’s Owatonna factory. The companies received loans between 2014 and 2016, but Viracon paid lower wages than Olympus and spent less money on its facility. Viracon also promised fewer jobs than Entrust Datacard, even though it received the largest loan available, $1 million. The report covers a 10-year period dating to 2008 and marks the first time the program has been evaluated by the Office of the Legislative Auditor, Alter said. The Minnesota Investment Fund was created in 1996 as the successor to the Economic Recovery Grant Program. Other report findings: DEED’s public reporting on the outcomes of projects is incomplete.  Page 17 3/6/2018 Legislative auditor finds issues with MN Investment Fund – Finance & Commerce https://finance-commerce.com/2018/02/legislative-auditor-finds-issues-with-mn-investment-fund/3/4 Some businesses met their loan commitments by counting hiring and investment that occurred before getting a loan approval. DEED is not consistent in determining loan amounts or whether loans must be repaid or can be forgiven. DEED does not always require businesses to pay workers at the wage levels listed in approved applications. Local governments sometimes receive money for local revolving loan funds from loan repayments, but the value of this is “unclear,” according to the report. DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy responded to the findings in a letter that is included in the report. She was also scheduled to speak about the report at a Minnesota House hearing Wednesday afternoon, said DEED’s Delaney. “Many of the issues identified in this report have been addressed by the Department or could be solved with minor adjustments and this perspective has been ignored or minimized,” Hardy said in the letter. She denied that some of the findings were a problem. She said that DEED’s minimum compensation threshold for new employees hired by fund recipients is clear. DEED and the Office of the Legislative Auditor had “back and forth” communication on the report while it was being researched and written, Delaney said. The agency has been able to fix some of the issues identified in the report. For example, it has removed the MOM/Post economic leverage figure from its statistics, and has reviewed its website and press releases to improve accuracy and transparency. The issues identified in the report are not unusual for the business incentive programs operated by states, said John Buhl, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation. The Tax Foundation is a nonprofit, independent tax policy organization that researches state and federal tax policies. “There always tend to be issues tracking benefits of these programs correctly and making sure the goals lawmakers had in mind are met,” he said Wednesday in an interview. The Legislature’s financial support for the program has varied since its inception. DEED awarded $57.2 million altogether between 2013 and 2017, according to the report. Appropriations from the Legislature between 2014 and 2016 were $15 million annually. The appropriation dropped to $6 million in 2017, but was increased to $12.5 million annually in 2018 and 2019. The Legislature approved $5 million altogether between fiscal years 2006 and 2013. Page 18 3/2/2018 Minnesota mergers and acquisitions continued in 2017, but no blockbuster deal announced - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/01/the-case-of-the-missing-mega-merger-the-biggest.html?s=print 1/5 GETTY IMAGES/MSBPJ ILLUSTRATION From the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/01/the-case-of-the-missing-mega-merger-the-biggest.html The case of the missing mega-merger: The biggest M&A deals of 2017  SUBSCRIBER CONTENT: Mar 1, 2018, 2:47pm CST To get a sense of what Minnesota’s merger-and-acquisition activity looked like in 2017, look to Hormel Foods Corp. The Austin, Minn.-based food manufacturer and producer announced three notable deals last year for a combined $1.38 billion. All three added services, products and talent that easily folded into the company. In the span of roughly two months, Hormel bought salami maker Columbus Manufacturing for $850 million, pizza-topping producer Fontanini for $425 million and sausage company Cidade do Sol for $104 million. The Columbus Manufacturing deal made Hormel more competitive in its retail-deli businesses; the Fontanini deal added heft to the high-growth foodservice division with a focus on customers in the lodging, restaurant, health care, and college and university sectors; and the Cidade do Sol deal is a gateway into the Brazilian market. In essence, Hormel did the deals to beef up its offerings — no pun intended. “There’s no question that [was] our primary objective,” said Fred Halvin, Hormel’s vice president of corporate development. “At the end of the day, we’re looking to keep our portfolio refreshed.” While there was plenty of M&A action last year, something was missing: the mega deal. FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF BLANDHAUSER@PLYMOUTHMN.GOV MENU  Account  Page 19 3/2/2018 Minnesota mergers and acquisitions continued in 2017, but no blockbuster deal announced - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/01/the-case-of-the-missing-mega-merger-the-biggest.html?s=print 2/5 The top 50 deals on the Business Journal’s 2017 Mergers & Acquisitions List totaled almost $35 billion. That’s a far cry from the $62.1 billion in 2016 or $46.7 billion in 2015, but the lack of a deal worth more than $10 billion is why. “Mega deals are like the weather, there is a season for them. When the conditions are right, they hit,” said Alan Thometz, an adjunct professor in the finance department at the University of St. Thomas’ Opus School of Business. “The blockbuster deal wasn’t there.” Some notable findings this year from the Business Journal’s research include: The No. 1 deal in 2017 is where the list drops off. Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s $4.9 billion acquisition of Denver-based DaVita Inc. was the smallest No. 1 deal since 2013. However, there were more than a dozen deals for $1 billion or more, which is similar to 2016. The No. 25 deal, Chicago-based Conagra Brands Inc.’s acquisition of Minnesota-based Angie’s Artisan Treats, was for $250 million. That figure is slightly lower than the No. 25 deal in 2016 and 2015, but higher than 2014 and 2013. The No. 50 deal, Eden Prairie-based C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc.’s acquisition of Montreal-based Milgram & Co. Ltd., was for $49.1 million. Of all the 50th-largest deals from 2013-2017, C.H. Robinson’s ranks third out of the five. The sheer number of deals dropped somewhat, too, last year. Minnesota companies made roughly 400 deals in 2017, down about 18 percent from the previous two years. For comparison, Europe and North America combined for 19,510 transactions in 2017, a 17 percent decline from the prior year, according to data compiled for The Business Journals by Pitchbook.com. Regardless, most analysts agree 2017 was a solid year for M&A activity. “Minnesota saw a great year,” said John Potter, a partner and U.S. deals sector leader for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Minneapolis. “The number of deals being done by Minnesota companies is very consistent [over the past several years.]” The year started slow for M&As, but momentum picked up locally as time went on. “The first quarter was slow. That was in part because the business community was digesting what the new administration was going to do,” said Robert Rosenbaum, a partner in Dorsey & Whitney’s Minneapolis office who handles M&As for the firm. “By the fourth quarter, we were [very] busy.” Page 20 3/2/2018 Minnesota mergers and acquisitions continued in 2017, but no blockbuster deal announced - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/01/the-case-of-the-missing-mega-merger-the-biggest.html?s=print 3/5 Dorsey did roughly 40 deals locally in 2017 and represented Minnetonka-based AmeriPride Services Inc. when it was acquired for $1 billion by Philadelphia-based Aramark Corp. (the 13th-largest deal) and Dubuque, Iowa-based Heartland Financial USA Inc.’s acquisition of Minnetonka-based Signature Bank for roughly $53 million. Of the Business Journal’s top 50 deals, half involved the buyer being Minnesota-based and the other half involved a Minnesota seller. However, Minnesota-based buyers outweigh sellers in deal size by $20.1 billion to $14.8 billion — that’s the first time that’s happened since 2013. “It’s good for Minnesota,” Thometz said. “It brings or keeps more high-paying jobs here. It keeps or brings more talented people here.” Add-on acquisitions dominated List This year’s List is really all about companies buying other operations to expand capabilities. In these deals, both companies involved are similar, but aren’t carbon copies. Roughly 80 percent of the deals were companies making these kind of strategic buys compared to venture capital deals or outright eliminating competition. For example, Minneapolis-based Target Corp. acquired Birmingham, Ala.-based Shipt Inc., which runs a membership- based grocery marketplace and same-day delivery platform, for $550 million. “By acquiring Shipt, we’ll be able to take advantage of our network of stores and Shipt’s technology platform and shopper community to quickly offer same-day delivery to millions of our guests,” Target’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President John Mulligan said in a statement. “If you look at the big picture, this acquisition will mark an important milestone in an ambitious strategy … which included strengthening Target’s supply chain and digital capabilities to make shopping at Target easier.” UnitedHealth was very active, with five acquisitions on The List — four of which were in the top 10. The five deals combined were worth more than $11 billion. All the deals added some combination of doctors, services, talent or a larger footprint in various parts of the world. Vadnais Heights-based H.B. Fuller Co. had two deals on The List for a combined $1.7 billion. Both deals strengthened H.B. Fuller’s adhesive business lines. Page 21 3/2/2018 Minnesota mergers and acquisitions continued in 2017, but no blockbuster deal announced - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/01/the-case-of-the-missing-mega-merger-the-biggest.html?s=print 4/5 Lastly, Eden Prairie-based Supervalu Inc. did two deals for roughly $568 million that bolstered the company’s distribution network and territories in the grocery industry. Will the mega deal return in 2018? The huge deals Minnesota has became accustomed to in past years may return, but with a twist. Instead of a large entity acquiring a Minnesota-based company, some expect a local company to be the buyer. Since there haven’t been any huge deals in 18 months, the area seems due for one, and many of the Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Minnesota are sitting on a ton of cash. “Minnesota is due for a large deal in 2018. Some of the recent tax-reform legislation may trigger such a deal,” said Gerald Caruso, lecturer of finance for the Carlson Enterprise Fund within the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. “There seems to still be deal envy among CEOs, despite recent volatility in the stock market.” The year has started off strong. In late February, Golden Valley-based General Mills Inc. agreed to buy Wilton, Conn.-based Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc. in an $8 billion deal that will bring the maker of cereal, yogurt and other consumer foods back into the pet-food business. That deal is already larger than anything seen locally in 2017, and there’s plenty of year left. Even Hormel, which is usually conservative in the M&A market, isn’t ruling out a huge deal by its standards. “As we cross the $10 billion mark [in revenue] … it would not be out of the realm of possibility for Hormel to do a $3 billion deal,” Halvin said. Patrick Rehkamp Data Reporter Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal Page 22 3/6/2018 5G cell service is coming. Who decides where it goes? - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/05/5g-cell-service-is-coming-who-decides-where-it.html?s=print 1/5 SOMPONG_TOM Cell phones placed on the table have 5g signal figures. From the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/05/5g-cell-service-is-coming-who-decides-where-it.html 5G cell service is coming. Who decides where it goes? Mar 5, 2018, 6:06pm CST Subscriber-Only Article Preview | For full site access: Subscribe Now Editor's note : This story is available as a result of a content partnership with The New York Times. Subscribers will see stories like this every day on our website (and in our daily emails) as an added value to your subscription. WASHINGTON — The future of cellular service is coming to a neighborhood near you. But who gets to decide when, where and how it gets delivered is still a heated fight. The new technology, known as 5G, delivers wireless internet at far faster speeds than existing cellular connections. But it also requires different hardware to deliver the signals. Instead of relying on large towers placed far apart, the new signals will come from smaller equipment placed an average of 500 feet apart in neighborhoods and business districts. Much of the equipment will be on streetlights or utility poles, often accompanied by containers the size of refrigerators on the ground. More than 300,000 cell stations now provide wireless connections, and 5G will bring hundreds of thousands — perhaps millions — more. FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF BLANDHAUSER@PLYMOUTHMN.GOV MENU  Account  Page 23 3/6/2018 5G cell service is coming. Who decides where it goes? - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/05/5g-cell-service-is-coming-who-decides-where-it.html?s=print 2/5 The prospect of their installation has many communities and their officials, from Woodbury, New York, to Olympia, Washington, insisting that local governments control the placement and look of the new equipment. They say that the cell stations could clutter neighborhoods with eyesores and cost the communities a lot of potential revenue. “Residents across the country are just now beginning to understand the harms that hasty and insensitive small cell deployments can inflict on their communities,” said Jim Baller, the president of Baller Stokes & Lide, a law firm in Washington that represents municipalities on communications issues. But telecommunications companies — hoping to cash in on what is predicted to be $250 billion in annual service revenue from 5G by 2025 — are pushing to build the system as quickly and cheaply as possible. And they have the federal government on their side. The companies, like Verizon Communications and AT&T, say the equipment will be safe and unobtrusive, and that it is needed to support future applications like driverless cars. Dotting them throughout neighborhoods is necessary for full coverage, they say, because the new 5G signals do not travel as far as the radio frequencies now in use. The new equipment, AT&T told the Federal Communications Commission last year, “will revolutionize the way consumers and businesses use mobile broadband services, and of the emerging internet of things." To get their way, the telecom firms have lobbyists working state legislatures, advocating laws that restrict local oversight of 5G. Since 2016, 13 states have passed bills that limit local control, and several other states are considering similar laws. Wireless companies are also lobbying Congress, which is considering several bills on the issue. And the FCC, under the leadership of Ajit Pai, its Republican chairman, has strongly encouraged weakening regulations to accelerate the deployment of new 5G technology — including reducing the role of local governments. This week, another Republican FCC commissioner, Brendan Carr, announced details of a plan to streamline the environmental and historic review process for 5G infrastructure, saying it could cut costs by 80 percent. The agency will vote on the measure this month. Pai and Carr have said regulatory changes are necessary to keep pace with global competitors. But bringing high-speed service to underserved areas — closing the digital divide — has also been one of Pai’s central arguments for reining in local Page 24 3/6/2018 5G cell service is coming. Who decides where it goes? - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/05/5g-cell-service-is-coming-who-decides-where-it.html?s=print 3/5 regulations. The money companies save from fewer regulations, he says, can be used to expand broadband into rural areas. City officials are not buying it. Mobilitie, one of the nation’s largest cell-tower operators, submitted an unofficial plan in Montgomery County, Maryland, in the fall, designating where the company might want to place small cells. Of the 215 small-cell sites in that plan, only 11 were in areas with fewer than 1,000 people per square mile. “It is deeply disingenuous to suggest that the need to pre-empt urban areas’ ordinances is so we can bring broadband to rural areas,” said Mitsuko R. Herrera, the county’s technology special projects director. “There is zero evidence to support that premise.” Jason Caliento, a Mobilitie senior vice president, agreed. “Small cells are a tool in the toolbox, but alone are not going to solve the rural divide,” he said. In January, Mayor Sam Liccardo of San Jose, California, resigned his seat on an FCC 5G advisory committee, saying it was rigged to give industry what it wanted “without any obligation to provide broadband access to underserved residents.” In response, Pai said the FCC looked forward to working with the committee “to remove regulatory barriers to broadband deployment and to extend digital opportunity to all Americans.” The wireless industry has filed multiple comments to the FCC complaining about delays from local governments. AT&T executives said officials in California, whom they did not identify, had delayed deployment of small cells by more than 800 days because they “scrutinized” antenna designs, radio-frequency exposure and effects on property values, among other things. Companies have suggested cutting local approval windows by a month or more. Cities and counties argue the delays are caused by the wireless companies themselves. Officials in Montgomery County said Mobilitie had routinely filed incomplete applications that caused months of setbacks. Mobilitie officials said their relationship with local governments was “evolving” and leading to better collaboration. “I don’t think we’ve ever seen more progress” than has occurred lately, Caliento said. City officials say shortening reviews risks small-cell facilities becoming unsightly and unsafe. Page 25 3/6/2018 5G cell service is coming. Who decides where it goes? - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/05/5g-cell-service-is-coming-who-decides-where-it.html?s=print 4/5 That is what worries Donna Baron, a 75-year-old retiree who learned a streetlight near her home on DuFief Drive in North Potomac, Maryland, was marked to become a small cell, as were dozens more nearby. She held up an image of a possible cell station that might replace the light. “The pole is a lot rounder, it has boxes on it and a huge fake mailbox at the bottom,” Baron said. If the FCC pre-empts local rules, “you’re going to end up with a Medusa, with a bunch more stuff attached.” Wireless companies are also asking the FCC to cap local fees. AT&T says that three California cities assess fees of $2,600 to $8,000 a year per attachment, and that a “Georgia municipality is considering an annual fee of $6,000 per node.” David Young, who manages infrastructure leases for Lincoln, Nebraska, said he understood the carriers’ frustration. But he said cities had a responsibility to charge fair rates. He has negotiated with wireless companies to pay $1,995 a year per pole. He set the rate based on market analysis, which he discussed with the companies. “They were quite happy to pay the price that we asked,” Young said. Texas cities can’t negotiate rates. Last year, the state Legislature passed a law pushed by AT&T that allows cities to charge carriers no more than $250 per pole each year. Before the law, cities often charged $1,500 to $2,500 a year per pole, and the change will cost Texas cities as much as $1 billion over eight years, the Texas Municipal League estimated. AT&T argues that charging fees not based on cost violates the U.S. Communications Act, which blocks local governments from prohibiting broadband services. A group of Texas cities led by the city of McAllen, near the Mexico border, filed a lawsuit last year against the state, arguing that the new cell-site law violated the state constitution, which prohibits the Legislature from forcing cities to grant something of value to corporations. Lawyers representing Texas argue the state has the authority to cap municipalities’ pole rental fees. During oral arguments in December, a judge denied the state’s motion for dismissal, and last month denied the cities’ request for a temporary injunction. The case is expected to go to trial this year. The maneuvering in Washington has left people like Marc King, 71, a longtime resident of Germantown, Maryland, feeling resigned. Page 26 3/6/2018 5G cell service is coming. Who decides where it goes? - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/05/5g-cell-service-is-coming-who-decides-where-it.html?s=print 5/5 “A Russian woman stood up to speak at one of these public meetings, and she said that when she lived in Russia, the government slam dunked her and she had no say,” King said. “Now she lives in the United States of America, where she’s getting slam dunked by the government and she has no say. That gives you a window into what’s going on here.” Page 27 3/7/2018 Minnesota speeds up planning for self-driving cars - StarTribune.com http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-speeds-up-planning-for-self-driving-cars/476152453/1/2 LOCAL Minnesota speeds up planning for self- driving cars State transportation commissioner said autonomous technology has already arrived. By Eric Roper (http://www.startribune.com/eric-roper/62906482/) Star Tribune MARCH 7, 2018 — 3:01PM Self-driving cars will eventually hit the pavement in Minnesota, and state officials want our roads and laws to be ready. Gov. Mark Dayton formed a group on Wednesday to delve into the tricky policy and infrastructure questions that will accompany the arrival of autonomous vehicles. The 15-member advisory council will take up traffic regulations, privacy concerns and many other matters, with policy recommendations due to the DFL governor by December. The creation of the council elevates what has been a growing chatter among local academics, planners and others about self-driving cars. At a Wednesday news conference, Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle noted that vehicles with autonomous features, such as automatic parallel parking, are already on the road. Other cars on the market now feature automatic freeway turning and braking. “The era of automated and connected vehicles isn’t way off in the future,” Zelle said. “It’s actually happening right now.” The Minnesota Department of Transportation has recently been testing an autonomous shuttle, which it showed off during the Super Bowl (http://www.startribune.com/the- drive-self-driving-bus-scores-big-in-minneapolis-during-super-bowl-week/475100673/) this year. Zelle said they have learned a lot about the technology, such as how self- driving vehicles maneuver roads when lanes are covered in snow. “How do you develop compensating ways to ensure that we have a vehicle following the road?” Zelle asked. Page 28 3/7/2018 Minnesota speeds up planning for self-driving cars - StarTribune.com http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-speeds-up-planning-for-self-driving-cars/476152453/2/2 Dayton also directed MnDOT and the Department of Public Safety to prepare for testing autonomous and connected vehicles, the latter of which refers to vehicles that communicate with each other. Zelle said he expects there will be testing of transit or individual vehicles on private roads or limited public roadways. “We certainly want to be one of those states where pilot programs and testing is happening,” Zelle said. “We think we offer something unique: the cold weather.” The advisory council will have representatives from a range of backgrounds, including higher education, freight and transit. Its members have not been named, and people who are interested can apply online (https://commissionsandappointments.sos.state.mn.us/) . The council will be co-chaired by Zelle and Christopher Clark, Xcel Energy’s president for Minnesota and the Dakotas. Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner Mona Dohman said autonomous cars could reduce congestion and make the state’s roads safer. “It’s exciting to consider a vehicle doing the thinking behind the wheel, especially as … the focus on the road is challenged by more driver distractions,” Dohman said. She added that the state will need to study how law enforcement interacts with autonomous cars and their occupants. “It might mean a change in technology for law enforcement across our state and across the country,” Dohman said. Autonomous vehicle legislation has been approved in 21 states, in some cases defining the technology and regulating how it may be used, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/autonomous- vehicles-self-driving-vehicles-enacted-legislation.aspx) . In six other states, governors have issued executive orders akin to Dayton’s. eric.roper@startribune.com 612-673-1732 StribRoper (http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/ows_15204539773720 Transportion Commissioner Charlie Zelle, State Rail Director Tenzin Dolkar, Xcel Energy Minnesota President Christopher Clark, and… Page 29 3/7/2018 Ecumen rolling out new senior housing brand for active seniors - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/07/ecumen-rolling-out-new-senior-housing-brand-for.html?s=print 1/3 BRANDON STENGEL From the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/07/ecumen-rolling-out-new-senior-housing-brand-for.html List maker Ecumen rolling out new senior housing brand for active seniors  SUBSCRIBER CONTENT: Mar 7, 2018, 4:30pm CST Ecumen, the Twin Cities’ ninth-largest senior living operator on The List, has rolled out an ambitious plan to build at least three new senior cooperatives annually, targeting younger seniors, or active adults 62 and up. Ecumen hopes to have a total of five such co-ops completed by the end of 2019. The launch of the new brand, Zvago (pronounced zuh-vah-go), marks a shift in the company's strategy. In 2015, Ecumen told the Business Journal that it was cautious to construct more assisted living centers due to a lull in demand. From 2016 to 2018, Ecumen didn't report any unit growth in the metro area. Now, Ecumen intends to focus on shifting demographic trends by specifically targeting baby boomers whileexperimenting with new housing models, said Julie Murray, senior vice president of sales and marketing and chief business development officer. Baby boomers are expected to intensively enter the senior-living market within the decade. So Ecumen hopes to attract to its co-ops soon-to-be seniors now — before they need assisted living, memory care or other types of care. Its co-op communities will be built near these other types of senior-care facilities, making it an easy transition for co-op residents to find long-term care options with Ecumen. The company also plans to expand its hospice programs over the next five years FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF BLANDHAUSER@PLYMOUTHMN.GOV MENU  Account  Page 30 3/7/2018 Ecumen rolling out new senior housing brand for active seniors - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2018/03/07/ecumen-rolling-out-new-senior-housing-brand-for.html?s=print 2/3 and will invest in affordable housing opportunities, said Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Client Relations Dena Meyer. For the Zvago series, Ecumen is working with company-owned subsidiary OnetwoOne Development and is partnering with with Bloomington-based developer Lifestyle Communities to build the Zvago series. The first of these co-ops, a $20 million project called Zvago Glen Lake, opened in Minnetonka last April with 54 units and 28 people currently on the wait list. It offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging from 779 to 1,911 square feet. It also has a garage level, fitness center, yoga studio, wine nook and game room. Zvago's St. Anthony Park location, valued at $18.5 million, broke ground in January, and has already sold all 49 units, with an additional 48 people on the wait list. Its units will range from 999 to 1,756 square feet. A third location in Apple Valley, called Central Village, will break ground in March at an estimated $19.5 million with 58 units — 60 percent pre-sold. Units range from 849 to 1,673 square feet. Next up, Ecumen is eyeing locations in the east- and west-metro areas and is waiting on city entitlements to build in Duluth. Residents who buy a share of the co-op are expected to pay 20 to 95 percent of the 40-year fixed master mortgage upfront, Meyer said. Depending on the share, members will pay corresponding interest rates and monthly fees to cover maintenance and operational costs of the facility. For Zvago Glen Lake, initial payments range from $31,000 to $495,000 with monthly membership fees from $510 to $3,299. While senior co-ops are nothing new to Minnesota, Meyer said that Ecumen's Zvago co-ops will differentiate themselves from others in the state because Ecumen will retain ongoing management of the communities rather than hire a third-party management company. Haley Madderom Staff writer Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal Page 31