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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – November 9, 2016 2 service for students and faculty between their main campus at 3003 Snelling Avenue and 1265 Grey Fox Road. Mr. Zweber stated the City approved a Campus Master Plan for the University of Northwestern in 2007. The plan was designed to support a student population of 2,400 on the campus, and included an additional 433,506 square feet of building space to be built over 12 to 20 years. To date, approximately 70,000 square feet of new construction has been completed on the Arden Hills portion of the campus. Based on the approved Master Plan and the work completed to date, there is additional capacity on the main campus that could be used in place of the expansion planned for 1265 Grey Fox Road. Site Data Land Use Plan: Light Industrial and Office Existing Land Use: Office Zoning: I-Flex District Current Lot Sizes: 14.25 acres (620,645 square feet) Topography: The lot is generally flat Mr. Zweber reviewed the surrounding area, the Plan Evaluation, along with the zoning code amendment and conditional use permit criteria. Mr. Zweber provided the Findings of Fact for review: 1. The property located at 1265 Grey Fox Road is located in the I-Flex Zoning District. 2. “Schools, higher education” uses are not a permitted use or conditional use in the I-Flex Zoning District under Section 1320.05 of the Zoning Code. 3. The University of Northwestern-St. Paul has requested a Zoning Code Amendment to allow “schools, higher education” as a conditional use in the I-Flex Zoning District. 4. The University of Northwestern-St. Paul has requested a Conditional Use Permit for a “schools, higher education” use at the property located at 1265 Grey Fox Road pending approval of the requested Zoning Code Amendment. 5. The “schools, higher education” land use is not compatible with the predominantly industrial and employment-based permitted and conditional uses currently allowed in the I-Flex District. 6. The proposed Zoning Code Amendment is not consistent with the land use goal within the 2030 Comprehensive Plan to, “Develop and maintain a land use pattern that strengthens the vitality, quality, and character of our residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, and industrial areas while protecting the community’s natural resources and developing a sustainable pattern for future development” (Arden Hills 2030 Comprehensive Plan, at 3-1). 7. The subject property is guided for Light Industrial and Office on the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map, which is defined as “areas designated for a broad range of light industrial uses such as warehousing with manufacturing. This land use may also include offices” (Arden Hills 2030 Comprehensive Plan, at 6-8). The proposed Zoning Code Amendment is not consistent with the Future Land Use map. 8. The proposed Zoning Code Amendment is not consistent with the purpose of the I-Flex District to preserve, protect, enhance and perpetuate existing development in the district. 9. The proposed Zoning Code Amendment is not consistent with the purpose of the I-Flex District to attract new development that is compatible with existing development in the