[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE, AND THIS  IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 2.  [0:10] AT MONDAY NIGHT’S MEETING, THE  CITY COUNCIL REVIEWED A DRAFT OF   [0:13] BLOOMINGTON’S NEW COMMERCIAL NODES TOOLKIT —  IT’S A RESOURCE DESIGNED TO HELP REVITALIZE   [0:20] SMALLER RETAIL AREAS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. SO WHAT ARE “COMMERCIAL NODES?” COMMERCIAL   [0:25] NODES ARE THOSE SMALLER-SCALE RETAIL AREAS THAT  SERVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTS LOCALLY. THEY’RE   [0:30] TYPICALLY AT MAJOR INTERSECTIONS AND YOU KNOW  THEM WHEN YOU DRIVE PAST THEM. FOR EXAMPLE OLD   [0:36] CEDAR AND OLD SHAKOPEE, 90TH AND PENN, COUNTRYSIDE  CENTER, OR PORTLAND AND AMERICAN. WE ALL SHOP IN   [0:43] THESE AREAS AND THEY CERTAINLY SERVE AN IMPORTANT  ROLE IN OUR LOCAL RETAIL, BUT I THINK WE’D ALL   [0:48] ADMIT THAT MANY OF THESE COMMERCIAL NODES ARE  DATED AND COULD BENEFIT FROM A BIT OF TLC.  [0:54] REDEVELOPING THESE COMMERCIAL NODES HAS BEEN A  TOPIC OF CONVERSATION FOR MORE THAN A DECADE,   [0:58] BUT FRANKLY, THERE ARE CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGES  ASSOCIATED WITH REDEVELOPMENT. A LOT OF THE   [1:03] BUILDINGS IN COMMERCIAL NODES ARE AGING,  FUNCTIONALLY OBSOLETE STRUCTURES THAT DON’T   [1:08] MEET MODERN STANDARDS. REDEVELOPMENT IS VERY  COSTLY AND IN A SOFT DEVELOPMENT MARKET IT’S   [1:14] HARD TO MAKE PROJECTS PENCIL OUT. AND THERE’S THE  REAL POSSIBILITY THAT ANY KIND OF INVESTMENT OR   [1:19] REDEVELOPMENT COULD FORCE OUT EXISTING TENNANTS. SO IN AN EFFORT TO REALLY GET OUR ARMS AROUND THIS   [1:25] CHALLENGE, BLOOMINGTON’S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT  STAFF HAS DEVELOPED A MULTI-PART STRATEGY TO   [1:31] MODERNIZE AND SUPPORT INVESTMENT IN  OR REDEVELOPMENT OF KEY COMMERCIAL   [1:36] NODES ACROSS THE CITY WHILE WORKING TO  AVOID DISPLACING EXISTING BUSINESSES.  [1:41] IN DEVELOPING THE COMMERICIAL NODES  TOOLKIT, STAFF REVIEWED EXISTING PROGRAMS,   [1:46] IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES, AND CONSIDERED A  VAREITY OF STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM   [1:51] SUSTAINABILITY OF COMMERCIAL NODES. THE  STRATEGIES RANGE FROM BASIC THINGS LIKE   [1:56] ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH OWNERS AND TENNANTS,  OR RIBBON CUTTINGS WHEN A NEW SHOP OPENS. TO   [2:02] FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE LIKE OUR FACADE IMPROVEMENT  PROGRAM, CREDITS FOR SEWER AVAILBILITY CHARGES,   [2:07] OR TAX INCREMENT FINANCING. OR EVEN BIGGER  POLICY DECISIONS LIKE REZONING OR LANDBANKING.  [2:13] AND WHILE THE WORK MAY SEEM DAUNTING,  THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD RECENT EXAMPLES   [2:18] OF SUCCESS IN BLOOMINGTON. THE GRAND OPENING AT  WILDERNESS INQUIRY, THE STRIKING TRANSFORMATION   [2:24] THAT THE GRAY BARKOSKY GROUP DID AT 98 AND  NICOLLET, AND OF COURSE THE EXPANSION OF   [2:28] GYROPOLIS ARE GREAT EXAMPLES OF WHAT CAN  BE DONE TO REVITALIZE COMMERCIAL NODES.  [2:34] THE COUNCIL GAVE A BIG THUMBS UP TO THE GOALS  AND THE FRAMWORK OF THE COMMERCIAL NODES TOOLKIT.   [2:40] THERE WAS AGREEMENT ON THE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE  WHERE POSSIBLE, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME BEING   [2:44] NIMBLE, AND REACTING QUICKLY WHEN NECESSARY. WE  NEED OUR LOCAL RETAIL SPOTS TO REMAIN VIBRANT,   [2:50] ATTRACTIVE, AND WELL-INTEGRATED INTO  OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WITH THIS TOOLKIT,   [2:55] BLOOMINGTON CONTINUES ITS WORK TO SUPPORT STRONG  COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND A THRIVING LOCAL ECONOMY.  [3:00] ALSO THIS WEEK, BLOOMINGTON’S SUSTAINABILITY  EFFORTS WERE HONORED WITH A 2025 BLAZING STAR   [3:06] AWARD FROM CONSERVATION MINNESOTA. THIS  AWARD RECOGNIZES EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP   [3:11] IN LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION AND CELEBRATES  COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO INSPIRE OTHERS   [3:17] TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE AND PLACES THEY LOVE. THE CITY’S SUSTAINABILITY TEAM RECEIVED THE   [3:22] AWARD FOR ITS TIME OF SALE ENERGY DISCLOSURE  PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS HOME BUYERS MAKE INFORMED   [3:27] DECISIONS BY PROVIDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY  RATINGS WHEN HOMES ARE LISTED FOR SALE.   [3:32] THIS POLICY ENCOURAGES COST-EFFECTIVE ENERGY  IMPROVEMENTS, REDUCES GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS,   [3:37] AND SUPPORTS BLOOMINGTON’S CLIMATE ACTION GOALS. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SUSTAINABILITY TEAM FOR   [3:43] LEADING BY EXAMPLE AND MAKING BLOOMINGTON  A CLEANER, MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT COMMUNITY!  [3:48] AND FINALLY TODAY, I KNOW THE SOLSTICE IS  STILL A COUPLE OF WEEKS OFF, BUT THE CALENDAR   [3:53] HAS FLIPPED TO JUNE WHICH MEANS IT’S SUMMER  IN BLOOMINGTON. AND THAT MEANS THERE ARE ALL   [3:58] KINDS OF ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS TO GET YOU OUTSIDE  AND ENJOYING ALL THAT BLOOMINGTON HAS TO OFFER.  [4:03] THIS SATURDAY IS OPENING DAY FOR THE BLOOMINGTON  FARMERS MARKET AND OF COURSE THAT MEANS FRESH,   [4:08] LOCAL PRODUCE, ARTISAN GOODS,  LIVE MUSIC, FOOD TRUCKS, AND MORE.  [4:13] ALSO THIS SATURDAY IS BLOOMINGTON’S ANNUAL KITES  AND BITES FESTIVAL AT VALLEY VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL.   [4:18] GET THERE EARLY FOR YOUR FREE KITE – OR YOU  CAN CERTAINLY BRING YOUR OWN – AND TO ENJOY   [4:22] THE PLETHORA OF FOOD TRUCKS AND THE  MUSIC OF THE ROCKIN’ HOLLYWOODS.  [4:26] SPEAKING OF VALLEY VIEW, THE ANNUAL JUNETEENTH  CELEBRATION TAKES PLACE THERE ON SATURDAY,   [4:31] JUNE 21 FROM NOON TO 5:30 PM. JUNETEENTH MARKS  THE END OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES AND   [4:37] STANDS AS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF RESILIENCE,  FREEDOM, AND THE ONGOING PURSUIT OF EQUITY.   [4:42] THE CELEBRATION WILL INCLUDE LIVE MUSIC AND  PERFORMANCES FROM LOCAL ARTISTS, INSPIRING   [4:47] SPEAKERS AND STORYTELLING, FAMILY-FRIENDLY  ACTIVITIES, GAMES, AND CRAFTS, AND FREE FOOD.  [4:53] SUNDAY, JUNE 22 IS BLOOMINGTON’S FIFTH ANNUAL  PRIDE CELEBRATION RIGHT HERE AT CIVIC PLAZA.   [4:58] PRIDE CELEBRATES OUR LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY WITH  FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN, MUSIC, PERFORMANCES,   [5:05] AND ART. THE CELEBRATION STARTS AT 1 P.M.  VISIT BLOOMINGTONPRIDEMN.ORG FOR MORE INFO.  [5:09] AND BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR FULL SCHEDULE OF ARTS  IN THE PARKS EVENTS — INCLUDING OUTDOOR CONCERTS,   [5:14] THE MIDWEEK MUSIC AND MARKET, AND POP-UP  PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. CHECK THE LINK   [5:19] ON YOUR SCREEN TO FIND SOMETHING HAPPENING ALMOST  EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK AS PART OF THIS SERIES.  [5:25] THIS IS JUST A SMALL SAMPLING OF EVENTS  TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER IN   [5:28] BLOOMINGTON. VISIT BLM.MN/EVENTS TO SEE THE  FULL LIST OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND TOWN.  [5:36] THAT WRAPS UP THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL MINUTE. THANKS   [5:38] FOR WATCHING, AND UNTIL NEXT  TIME, STAY SAFE, BLOOMINGTON!