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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—MARCH 31, 2014 9 3. Variances from the ordinance could be requested and therefore the City would be able to negotiate a safe building during the planning phase. 4. The development community has not spoken against the Ordinance. Mayor Grant requested further information from staff on the Planning Commission's recommendation. City Planner Streff reviewed the Planning Commission's recommendation. Councilmember McClung asked if the Planning Commission felt the proposed ordinance was too restrictive. City Planner Streff believed that the Planning Commission saw the proposed ordinance as being more restrictive than was necessary. Councilmember Holmes reported that the Planning Commission was in favor of decreasing the efficiency unit size to somewhere between 450 and 550 square feet. However, they did not support any of the proposed increases to the minimum unit size standards. The Planning Commission commented that there were houses in Arden Hills that were 1,200 square feet in size and they did not feel it was necessary for three-bedroom apartment units to be 1,200 square feet. The Planning Commission was in favor of letting the market, rather than City Code, decide the unit sizes. Councilmember McClung questioned if the City should have a policy in place requiring larger apartment units without an ordinance in place. City Planner Streff explained that new developments coming before the City would most likely be presented as PUD's. This would allow for some flexibility with the unit sizes. Councilmember Werner commented that the Planning Commission voted 5-0 to deny the proposed ordinance and he supported their recommendation. Councilmember Holden stated that the Council reviewed this ordinance on several occasions and she believed that unit standards are a policy decision of the City. She explained that developers could always request smaller units through a PUD. She supported the ordinance and wanted to see minimum standards put in place. Mayor Grant indicated that Arden Village developed according to the current minimum standards. He wanted the Council to keep in mind that these standards would be reviewed throughout the redevelopment of TCAAP. He appreciated the work completed by the Planning Commission but noted that he was in favor of establishing multi-family design standards as previously discussed by the City Council. He reported that future developers could always request a variance from the proposed standards. He wanted to see TCAAP developed to meet today's unit size standards.