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As a land locked community, Arden Hills is no longer able to stimulate <br /> economic growth through the annexation of additional space. The <br /> goal for the community now is to optimize the space available to them. <br /> Even as the TCAAP project is developed, the need to be more actively • <br /> involved in the redevelopment of Arden Hills is still present. This <br /> position would be strongly skilled in the ability to take existing <br /> properties and convert them to new investment and job creation <br /> opportunities. <br /> Product (The Community of Arden Hills) <br /> The next most important component of an economic development program is <br /> the product itself. In a similar fashion to a business taking their product to <br /> market, the community needs to look at itself as a product that is being <br /> bought, improved and resold over and over again. Enhancing the quality of <br /> the product works directly at improving the customer's satisfaction of the <br /> buying experience. Activities recommended for consideration in improving <br /> the product include: <br /> 7) Gateway Plan. <br /> Visitors to Arden Hills are often in the community before they realize • <br /> they are arrived. It is easy to move from a neighboring community <br /> without realizing that one has entered Arden Hills. The paths along <br /> which one moves into and out of a community are referred to as the <br /> gateways. Arden Hills would be well served by placing modern <br /> welcome signs at its gateway entrances greeting visitors and <br /> residents. <br /> 8) Way-Finding Signage <br /> Moving throughout the community can be made more effective <br /> through the addition of way finding signs. As their name implies, <br /> these signs help to direct travelers to specific destination points in the <br /> community such as city hall, parks, shopping districts, schools, etc. <br /> When incorporated into the design of the gateway signage, they add to <br /> the style of the community creating a greater sense of presence that <br /> someone has arrived in Arden Hills. We envision this in conjunction <br /> with development standards for the City as a whole. <br /> 9) Central Business District. <br /> The lack of a city center is a common challenge for modern • <br /> communities. Many of these communities developed similarly to <br /> Strategic Plan for Economic Development Page 8 of 20 <br /> \\Metro-inet.us\ardenhills\Admin\Committees\Economic Development Commission\AH Strategic Pian-Final 5-16-07.doc <br />