07-13-15-R - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—JULY 13, 2015 6 the TCAAP redevelopment site. He reviewed in detail the actions that were being requested of the Council this evening. Mike Lamb, Kimley Horn, discussed the history of the TCAAP Master Plan and Redevelopment Code. He explained that this process has been underway for the past three years. He indicated that the AUAR and Master Land Use Plan were completed and approved by the City Council in 2014. He reported that throughout the planning process, the City has been taking comments from the public and one consistent comment has been the importance of unique, defined neighborhoods that have access to parks and trails. Residents are also interested in seeing walkability, convenient retail and entertainment, along with a mix of housing products. Mr. Lamb provided comment on the discussions held with developers. There was support for the three proposed neighborhoods as this would provide for a variety of housing styles, types and price ranges. Developers also stressed the importance of amenities for both residential and office developments. He noted that retail was becoming experience-based. He understood that securing high-quality jobs would take time. Mr. Lamb reported that the Planning Commission has been involved in the planning process by reviewing both the TRC and chapters of the CPA. Energy efficiency and sustainability were concerns for this group and this has been reflected in the code. He then reviewed the comments received from the PTRC. He indicated that comments received from the County included developing over 50%of the site for commercial/Flex Office uses with the primary location for this just west of the Spine Road and locating City parks away from high-value commercial areas. Associate Planner Bachler explained the TRC further with the Council along with the regulating plan. He discussed the amount of space that would be set aside for commercial, industrial, and residential uses. He provided comment on the development goals for the Creek, Hill, and Town Center neighborhoods as well as providing the vision for the retail, commercial, and industrial components. He reported that it was the City's goal to have TCAAP remain pedestrian-friendly in both scale and design. He reviewed the proposed landscaping and open space requirements. He noted that there were several provisions within the Code that addressed energy efficiency and sustainability and were based on recommendations made by the Energy Resiliency Advisory Board. City Planner Streff commented that the Arden Hills 2030 Comprehensive Plan was officially approved in September 2009. While the Plan was being prepared, the City was also engaged in a community planning process to better define how the surplus land on the TCAAP property should be redeveloped. Since a final plan was not approved at the time the Comprehensive Plan was adopted, the Plan only included an overall vision for the redevelopment and preliminary elements of the potential reuse plan. The intent was for the City to amend the Comprehensive Plan once a final TCAAP redevelopment plan was approved so that any required data, such as future land use designations, housing densities, transportation infrastructure, and parks and open space resources, could be included in the Comprehensive Plan. City Planner Streff explained that as part of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, a change in land use designation from Mixed Business and Mixed Residential to Neighborhood Residential, Neighborhood Transition, Town Center, Campus Commercial, Retail Mixed-Use, Office Mixed-