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City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Work Session Meeting for December 9, 2015 P:\Planning\Planning Commission\Work Plan\2016 Page 3 of 4 City would review the history of the district along with the stated purpose and allowed uses, evaluate existing buildings and their uses, and obtain market input regarding future trends. B-2/B-3 Districts The Planning Commission will be asked to complete a review of the existing Design Standards for the B-2 and B-3 Districts and make recommendations on how the standards could be modified to meet the City’s vision for these areas. The first step in this process will be to look at recent development projects, such as Lexington Station and Goodwill, and evaluate how these sites were developed in relation to the existing Design Standards. Staff will present findings to the Planning Commission and City Council and determine which regulations in the Design Standards may be resulting in undesired outcomes. Staff will research zoning and design standards adopted by similar cities for their commercial and mixed-use districts. Recommendations will then be made on how the B-2 and B-3 District Design Standards could be updated to address identified areas of concern. Planning Commission and City Council Training Opportunities The League of MN Cities offers an e-learning land use series as part of their loss control program. All of the Planning Commissioners and Councilmembers were signed up to participate. To date there are still some that have not completed the course. The League, which provides liability insurance to Arden Hills, has found that cities that have Commissioners and Councilmembers who are educated about land use law and make sound rulings are less likely to be sued, or to lose lawsuits when they are filed. The website-based training is designed to make land use decisions less confusing, and will help cities avoid expensive land use claims and lawsuits. If you have not taken the online course please do so at your earliest convenience. Government Training Services (GTS) also offers land use planning courses. Additional information regarding dates and locations for that series will be emailed out to the City Council and Planning Commission as they are made available by GTS. These courses are designed for Councilmembers and Planning Commissioners, and are typically offered in full and half day sessions throughout the Twin Cities. The courses are very well done and provide a wealth of information regarding land use fundamentals. Planning Commissioners are required to participate in at least one of the GTS courses during their term in order to be appointed to a subsequent term. Joint City Council/Planning Commission Work Session The joint Work Session to discuss the draft 2016 Work Plan with the City Council will be held at 5:00 on Tuesday, January 19, 2016, at City Hall.