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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – DECEMBER 12, 2016 3 <br /> <br />Mr. Lux estimated there would be 300 seniors living within the Town Center. <br /> <br />Councilmember Wicklund questioned if the City conducted any research on the original TRC. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holmes stated a plan was given to the City by the County with the Hill, Creek <br />and a Town Center. She explained the Council then began their work from that plan. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden understood a number of cities were surveyed by Arden Hills’ staff <br />regarding apartment sizes. She recommended the senior apartment sizes comply with the multi- <br />family numbers in the event that these senior apartments were to go away. She expressed <br />frustration again, that the City had not done its due diligence. She then reviewed senior apartment <br />sizes for complexes around Arden Hills and did not understand why the City was proposing such <br />small unit sizes. <br /> <br />Councilmember McClung stated he was comfortable with the plan as is. <br /> <br />Councilmember Wicklund supported collaborative thinking and asked how the City should <br />complete its due diligence. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden commented she would have liked to have seen the City contact St. <br />Louis Park and other cities that have tried to create a Town Center to see what went right and <br />what went wrong within their development. She wanted Arden Hills to learn from their mistakes. <br /> <br />Councilmember McClung believed staff and the City has done a great deal of research in order <br />to draft the TRC. He thanked staff for their efforts and did not appreciate the implication that <br />staff had not done enough. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant understood Councilmember Holden’s concerns regarding senior unit sizes and did <br />not believe simply adding the City’s minimums to the TRC would impact the senior housing <br />units. He understood these units would be market driven. <br /> <br />Mr. Lux commented on the range of unit sizes for independent seniors, memory care and assisted <br />living. He anticipated the units would vary and requested the Council be cautious in changing <br />these requirements. He stated he was comfortable with the independent living size requirements. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant encouraged the Council to consider if 300 senior units was too high for the Town <br />Center and consider how this would impact the vibrancy of the downtown are. <br /> <br />B. 2017-2018 Joint Development Authority (JDA) Interviews and Appointments <br />Discussion <br /> <br />Interim City Administrator and Finance and Administrative Services Director Iverson <br />explained the Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) between the City and Ramsey County for the <br />redevelopment of TCAAP was approved by the City Council in late 2012. The JPA calls for the <br />establishment of a Joint Development Authority (JDA) to implement the TCAAP Master Plan and <br />to oversee the redevelopment process and activities. <br />