Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
EDA members debate future of Orbis property, emphasizing infrastructure before development
Summary
Pine City EDA members reviewed a prior feasibility study and debated whether the Orbis parcel should remain targeted for industry, housing, or be removed from the strategic plan; most agreed infrastructure (streets, sewer, water) must precede any major investment.
Pine City’s Economic Development Authority spent a substantial portion of its April meeting revisiting the Orbis property and whether it remains part of the authority’s strategic plan.
Board members said a 2022 feasibility study (completed by MSA and SEH) cost roughly $48,000 and was split among the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, the EDA and the city. Members noted the study produced options ranging from shovel-ready industrial sites to residential layouts but that the work stopped after basic soil borings.
Multiple members urged caution about committing to large infrastructure spending before demand is clear. One member summarized the tradeoff this way: the site "is a worthless piece of land without an ability" to serve development until sewer, water and road connections are extended. Several speakers emphasized that the Fun Meadows loop and the next street segments must be completed before large investments would make sense.
At the same time, some members said holding the land is an insurance policy for long-term industrial expansion and that the EDA should retain the option to support light industry if a suitable developer appears. Members discussed the possibility of updating the EDA’s strategic plan to reflect current priorities if the board no longer wants the Orbis parcel targeted for industrial use.
The board did not take a final vote on a specific plan. Members agreed to keep the Orbis parcel as an agenda item going forward, re-share the study maps with the full membership, and revisit strategic-plan alignment and infrastructure sequencing at a future meeting once more detailed utility and street-timing information is available.
