Mayor’s Minutes: Maple Grove’s Mark Steffenson
Maple Grove Mayor Mark Steffenson spoke recently with CCX Media’s Dave Kiser about the city’s legislative priorities during the session this spring in St. Paul.
He reiterated the city’s goal of extending the tax increment financing district that could spur more development in the gravel mining area of the city in the area immediately north of the area of U.S. Highway 169 and Interstate 694.
“It’s working out great,” said Steffenson. “Boston Scientific and other countries are using the TIF to great advantage to bring great jobs to our city. We’re looking to have a five-year extension sort of on the 60 acres that are north of where Boston Scientific is located so we can get additional businesses like them with high-paying, great manufacturing and research jobs in our city.”
He also reiterated that the city would like to see some state funding to help with design and construction of a new intersection of Elm Creek Boulevard/Brooklyn Boulevard and 169.
“It’s had some damage and it needs to be fixed,” he said. “It’s in the process of being re-designed, so we’re looking for some money for that.”
Finally, Steffenson said city leaders would like a break on sales taxes it has to pay to the state related to the construction at the expanding Maple Grove Community Center.
“It makes sense for us to get an exemption as they’ve given other cities,” he said.
The city also recently unveiled a map showing possible development plans for the northwest corner of the city.
“This is the foresight of our staff, working together with consultants, and also with the neighboring communities of Dayton and Corcoran to make sure it sort of fits with what they’re doing,” said Steffenson. “It’s a lot of collaboration between cities to make sure we’re developing in a way not only for our city but works for them as well.”
