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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – SEPTEMBER 19, 2016 3 Senior Planner Bachler was uncertain when this zoning district was created. Mayor Grant stated this zoning district has been around for quite some time. Councilmember Wicklund believed that zoning districts were “lines in the sand”. He was inclined to continue the discussion with Northwestern based on the fact the institutional usage would be similar to the previous user. Grover Sayre, University of Northwestern Chair, reported he grew up in Arden Hills. He commented on how the community has changed over the years. He believed that zoning and land use should also continue to evolve in order to meet the needs of the community. Councilmember Holden reported the Council revisits the zoning and land uses every ten years in order to update its Comprehensive Plan. She stated uses and zoning districts are reevaluated on a regular basis. Mayor Grant compared how the City planned for the future in the same manner as the University worked to meet the changing needs of its students. Mr. Sayre explained there was a huge need for nurses in the community. He stated the expanded space at Smiths Medical would greatly assist Northwestern in providing skilled laborers for the area. Mayor Grant did not doubt the mission of Northwestern and appreciated their vision toward the future. However, he was still not inclined to rezone the Smiths Medical property. Councilmember McClung recalled the Council had a major discussion regarding the Smiths Medical property in 2007. He believed the I-Flex zoning district has been vibrant and was completing the City’s intended goal. The success within this district had him less inclined to make a zoning change. Mayor Grant commented on the Comprehensive Planning process that had to be followed by the City. Mr. Lindgren believed the Council could come to the reasonable conclusion that the conditional use of higher education as consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The only question was if this was a zoning district the Council wanted to have. While he understood the concerns of the Council, he encouraged the Council to consider if higher education could be a positive use in a building that has been sitting vacant for the past year. It was his opinion the college would further the goals of economic development within the I-Flex zoning district for years to come. Mr. Sayre stated Northwestern wanted to advance both the agendas of the City and the college. He explained Northwestern was not trying to misdirect but rather wanted to come alongside the City in order to meet its goals and objectives, while also meeting the school’s goals.