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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – JUNE 15, 2015 7 <br /> <br />City Administrator Klaers stated that it was staff’s intent to only move forward and hold a <br />Public Hearing with a Comprehensive Plan that the Council could support. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant suggested that the Council offer up their comments regarding this matter. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden did not support the County purchasing this property or the price that <br />was paid. She did not like the current plan for the property but believed it was a good <br />compromise after years of work on the plan. She believed that the density was too high for Arden <br />Hills, but understood that certain requirements had to be met. She understood that affordable <br />housing was mandatory, but was uncertain as to how it should be regulated or what was fair. She <br />commented that she could support the Comprehensive Plan at this time. <br /> <br />Councilmember Woodburn believed that the TCAAP development was inconsistent with the <br />rest of Arden Hills. He thought that Arden Hills was a great community to live in and noted that <br />he was uncertain of his feelings regarding the Comprehensive Plan. He does not agree with social <br />engineering. <br /> <br />Councilmember McClung addressed Chapter 7 of the Comprehensive Plan. He reported that it <br />was not his vision to limit where affordable housing could or could not be located on TCAAP. He <br />wanted to see the City remain flexible on this topic going forward. He encouraged the Council to <br />keep an open mind with broad visions as the City was uncertain of how developers would <br />approach this site. He commented that he could support more density on this site. He was not <br />thrilled with the framework of what was going on at TCAAP, but he was trying to make <br />adjustments so that he could support the document. He did not support the Comprehensive Plan <br />as presented at this time. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holmes agreed with Councilmember McClung and believed that the TCAAP <br />site would change and evolve as it develops. She was extremely concerned with the City more <br />closely defining its goals and visions within the Comprehensive Plan. She did not want anyone in <br />Arden Hills to think she would support pigeon holing affordable housing in only specific <br />neighborhoods. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant supported Councilmember Holden’s comments and believed that the County paid <br />too much for the property. He feels that the City has come a long way and that the project needs <br />to move forward. There are things the City is being pushed on by the County, such as density, in <br />order to meet certain targets. He provided comment on the proposed density for TCAAP along <br />with land values for both the Hill and Creek neighborhoods. He understood that the <br />Comprehensive Plan was an aspirational document. He did not want to go into the development <br />allowing affordable housing everywhere. He has no guarantee from the County regarding the <br />number of affordable units that they were interested in developing or the amount of financing they <br />were pursuing. <br /> <br />City Attorney Jamnik provided comment on the differences between the Zoning Ordinance and <br />the Comprehensive Plan documents. He believed that the small lots within the Hill and Creek <br />neighborhoods would have high enough land values that they would not become affordable units, <br />without additional financing or grants. He advised that the Comprehensive Plan not indicate that <br />the City is automatically saying no to affordable housing in the Hill and Creek neighborhoods.