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According to state law, any changes in zoning must be presented at a Public Hearing, and this was held before Council on January 10, 1976. The new Ord- inance contained not only changes in zoning, but additional zoning categor- ies and definitions which were apparently confusing. Supporters of the pro- posed Ordinance felt it would provide "tighter" control over growth and dev- elopment. Opponents disagreed, maintaining the residential character and orderly growth patterns of the Village were better protected under the ex- isting Ordinance. Specifically, Arden III residents challenged the proposed zoning change of Northwestern. The present zoning of that property is "Residential". The proposed Ordinance and map placed Northwestern property into a new zoning description, "P-1", described as "Public Facilities". P-1 was also proposed for Bethel College, Presbyterian Homes, Baptist General Conference, Arden Hills Public Library, Valentine Hills Elementary School, Lake Johanna Elem- entary School, Mounds View High School, all Village -owned (municipal) prop- erties and two churches. Under both the old and proposed ordinances, such facilities require a Special Use Permit. (A Special Use Permit is issued at the discretion of the Council, taking into account the advice and recom- mendations of its advisors and the views of residents.) Arden III spokesmen, gazing at all the new P -1's sprinkled on the proposed Zoning Map, felt this new description allowed more and greater expansion with fewer legal controls available to the Village. The residents and their legal counsel made an impact, and at the next Council meeting, January 24, Council voted to delete the P -10s, returning all so -designated areas to their previous, _respec-tive categories. Although the P-1 issue was dead, others were not..... Final adoption of the Proposed Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance and Map certainly wasn't rushing its way to conclusion, nor was the issue of Northwestern's request for permission to build its Fine Arts building. The next chapter took place at the February 14 Council Meeting. The mood of residents and Council alike was testy and tired. There was standing room only as Council convened, and unfortunately, tensions increased when Council proceeded to discuss items relevant to the new Ordinance which were not the issues on the minds of the citizens present. After waiting some three hours to make a statement, residents' reaction to the evening reflected their aching heads. The statement they intended to make was apparently a brief one, a reminder to Council of their opposition to the expansion of Northwestern College, attached to a Petition bearing over 160 signatures. Northwestern countered with its Petition - 206 signa- tures in favor of the expansion. At the following Council meeting, February 28, there was again a full house. On this occasion the subject was discussed early in the meeting. A motion was made to adopt the new Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance and Map, and did not pass. State law requires a 2/3 majority to pass resolutions pertaining to zoning; the vote was 3 aye and 2 nay. Therefore Arden Hills is still oper- ating under the "old" Ordinance and its addendums, and Northwestern College does not have approval for construction of its Fine Arts Center.