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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – MAY 26, 2015 2 <br /> <br />Community Development Director Hutmacher discussed the proposed building height with the <br />Council. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant did not object to the building height given the proposed location. <br /> <br />Councilmember Woodburn hoped that the current green space buffer would remain around the <br />site. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden asked if the City had an understanding of the footprint of the new <br />building. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Hutmacher stated that the City did not have this <br />information. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden asked if staff knew what type of jobs and how many jobs would be <br />created with the proposed expansion. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Hutmacher reported that roughly 600 jobs would be created <br />over the next 10 years. She understood that these jobs would be quite high paying, with a starting <br />pay of approximately $60,000 per year. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant discussed the potential growth expected for this business. <br /> <br />Councilmember Woodburn provided comment on the expense to the City of providing tax <br />abatement versus losing the business to another City. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holmes understood that the City was willing to consider 20 years of tax <br />abatement. She questioned what else the business was seeking from the City. <br /> <br />City Administrator Klaers commented that the business was pursuing a certain dollar amount in <br />order to help finance the project. He stated that at this time, the tax abatement would provide the <br />business part of what they were hoping to receive for their expansion. He explained that if the <br />County were to offer additional abatement, this could assist the business. He reported that after <br />speaking with the business this afternoon, he believed that they wanted to remain in the City if <br />provided a reasonable offer from the City and County. <br /> <br />Councilmember McClung asked when the City would receive a commitment from the business. <br /> <br />City Administrator Klaers explained that he didn’t know of a specific date. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holmes questioned if the City could write a payback clause into the abatement <br />contract that would require the business to pay back the City if it were to move outside of Arden <br />Hills. <br /> <br />City Administrator Klaers believed that a clause of this type could be written into the abatement <br />documents.