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HomeMy WebLinkAboutITEM IV-BAGENDA BILL APPROVAL FORM Agenda Subject: Date: Resolution No. 4509: Cooperation with City of Tacoma & Williams August 5, 2009 Factory Incubator Department:Attachments: Budget Impact Planning, Building Ordinance No. 6253: N/A and Community Administrative Recommendation: Committee recommends to City Council approval of Resolution No. 4509 Background Summary: City of Auburn Economic Development Strategies (November 14, 2005) contains an Auburn Environmental Park (AEP) Green Zone Strategy Area recommendation that specifies a strategy of creating an economically enhanced area that complements the Auburn Environmental Park and sustains environmentally sensitive industries. Chapter 18.33 (Environmental Park District) was enacted by Ordinance No. 6036 in 2006 to create a zoning designation that allowed for appropriate uses within proximity to the Auburn Environmental Park (AEP) that would benefit from this location and would compliment the Park and its environmental focus. Certain members of the City Council and staff have recently been working to further develop the market awareness of the Environmental Park District. These efforts have included the refinement of the name of the District to specify it as “Auburn’s Innovator for Energy, Environment and Economy” and the creation of the Auburn Scientific Center for Emerging New Technologies (ASCENT) concept. ASCENT is conceived as a facility where academic researchers, new environmental or energy businesses and the public will come together to engage in research and development, new business incubation and public education and awareness. In addition, the City Council members have been exploring regional partnership opportunities for the City’s Environmental Park District. Resolution No. 4509 seeks to memorialize the City’s interest in cooperating with the City of Tacoma to jointly seek funding sources and prepare grant applications that would include the ASCENT facility, and also specifies an interest in having this facility be managed by Tacoma’s William Factory Incubator under contract with the City of Auburn. Reviewed by Council & Committees:Reviewed by Departments & Divisions: Arts Commission COUNCIL COMMITTEES: Building M&O Airport Finance Cemetery Mayor Hearing Examiner Municipal Services Finance Parks Human Services Planning & CD Fire Planning Park Board Public Works LegalPolice Planning Comm. OtherPublic Works Human Resources Action: Committee Approval: YesNo Council Approval: YesNo Call for Public Hearing ___/___/____ Referred to _________________________________ Until ____/___/____ Tabled ______________________________________ Until ___/___/____ Councilmember: Norman Staff: Snyder Meeting Date: August 10, 2009 Item Number: IV.B Page 1 of 1 RESOLUTION NO. 4 5 0 9 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, DECLARING THEIR INTENTION TO COOPERATE WITH THE CITY OF TACOMA THROUGH THE WILLIAM FACTORY INCUBATOR WHEREAS, the City of Auburn has established the 245-acre Environmental Park District, Auburn’s Innovator for Energy, Environment and Economy, to attract businesses that are engaged in sustainable (“green”) activities; and WHEREAS, the City is investing in the preservation, and environmentally sound utilization, of a 115 acre area identified as the Auburn Environmental Park (AEP) that is within the Environmental Park District, Auburn’s Innovator for Energy, Environment and Economy; and WHEREAS, these investments, several million dollars to date, have included purchases and donation acquisitions of the 115 acre AEP area, a bird watching tower, planning studies by Mithun Architects and by David Evans Associates, storm water management planning, utility service extensions to businesses in the Environmental Park District, wetland enhancement for development mitigation, and ground water hydrological studies; and WHEREAS, the City is cooperating with the Washington State University Institute for Sustainable Design to conduct studies and research within the Environmental Park District, Auburn’s Innovator for Energy, Environment and Economy, which are intended to generate start-up green businesses; and ---------------------------- Resolution No. 4509 August 10, 2009 Page 1 of 3 WHEREAS, the City Council believes that in order to attract and retain green businesses, it will be very beneficial to provide an “incubator” building, with subsidies and/or services, to simultaneously house several start-up businesses until they grow to a size where they need to move into larger spaces, academic research and development functions and public education and information activities; and WHEREAS, as growing start-up businesses move out of the incubator, they would be replaced by other start-ups, creating new jobs for our citizens; and WHEREAS, the City of Tacoma has provided funding for the operation of The William Factory Incubator for similar purposes for over 20 years and has expertise in managing such facilities; and WHEREAS, the William Factory has had great success in providing jobs for the citizens of Tacoma, and has received numerous awards including Incubator of the Year; and WHEREAS, the City of Auburn will be preparing Federal and State grant applications and seeking other funding sources to further develop the Environmental Park District, which would include, among other aspects, an incubator to be named ASCENT, the Auburn Scientific Center for Emerging New Technologies. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, HEREBY RESOLVES as follows: Section 1. That the City of Auburn wishes to cooperate with the City of Tacoma in seeking funding sources and preparing grant applications that include ---------------------------- Resolution No. 4509 August 10, 2009 Page 2 of 3 the ASCENT, the Auburn Scientific Center for Emerging New Technologies located in the Environmental Park District, Auburn’s Innovator for Energy, Environment and Economy, to be managed by Tacoma’s William Factory Incubator under contract with the City of Auburn. Section 2. That the Mayor is authorized to implement such administrative procedures as may be necessary to carry out the directives of this legislation. Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect and be in full force upon passage and signatures hereon. Dated and Signed this _____ day of _________________, 2009. CITY OF AUBURN ________________________________ PETER B. LEWIS MAYOR ATTEST: _________________________ Danielle E. Daskam, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: _________________________ Daniel B. Heid, City Attorney ---------------------------- Resolution No. 4509 August 10, 2009 Page 3 of 3