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7 <br />county metropolitan region. See Comprehensive Plan, supra, at 2-9. The relatively high incomes <br />of City residents demonstrate the City may already be experiencing the benefits of its proximity <br />to Northwestern. <br /> <br />The STEM Development will also strengthen Arden Hills’ goal of attracting young families to <br />the City. Arden Hills’ Comprehensive Plan acknowledges it has had difficulty attracting young <br />families to the City. Between 1990 and 2000, residents in the 25-34 age group declined by 32% <br />in Arden Hills. Comprehensive Plan, supra, at 2-9. In the Twin Cities as a whole, this decline <br />was just 12%. Id. Moreover, the number of families with children increased by 10% in the <br />metropolitan area but decreased by 17% in Arden Hills. Id. <br />Institutes for higher education can help reverse this trend, establishing Arden Hills as a desirable <br />place for young families to move. Forty-two percent of alumni remain in the area where they <br />attended post-secondary education. Rothwell, supra. Of Northwestern’s 1,700 undergraduate <br />students, approximately 1,600 come to Northwestern from outside the Twin Cities. Therefore, <br />the STEM Development has a high potential to attract students to Arden Hills from outside the <br />metropolitan area. <br />II. Northwestern’s Proposal Is Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning <br />Code. <br />Northwestern’s proposal will further the goals of the I-Flex district and the Comprehensive Plan. <br />The goals of the I-Flex District are: <br /> To preserve, protect, enhance, and perpetuate existing development in the <br />district.