02-13-17-R - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – JANUARY 17, 2017 7 Mr. Roberts thanked the Council for their feedback. C. Higher Education Moratorium Study Proposal Interim City Planner Zweber stated on October 10, 2016, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2016-008 An Interim Ordinance Temporarily Prohibiting Land Use Applications and Reviews for Higher Education Uses in Residential, Business, Industrial and Other Zones (moratorium). The moratorium can last up to one year to prepare a study to determine the impacts and benefits from higher education land uses and provide recommendations for possible Zoning Code and/or Comprehensive Plan amendments regarding higher education uses. The City Council discussed at the December 19, 2016 Work Session that the study would involve the economic impact of higher education uses within the commercial and employment zones and would be led by the Planning Commission with the assistance of the Economic Development Commission. Interim City Planner Zweber commented that based on the direction given by the City Council, WSB and Associates has prepared a proposal to conduct the planning and economic development study. The study is comprised of seven components: • Background gathering and analysis of the existing Campus Master Plans for the University of Northwestern and Bethel University. • Analysis of the Commercial and Employment Uses currently allowed in the various Commercial and Industrial Zones. • Analysis of the Employment and Economic Activity that results from the allowed Commercial and Employment Uses. • The regulation of Higher Education Uses within other communities. • Analysis of existing parcels and buildings within the Commercial and Industrial zones. • Preparation of a Final Report. • Zoning Code and Comprehensive Plan Amendments based on the Report’s recommendations. Interim City Planner Zweber reported the primary contributors to the study will be Eric Zweber, Senior Planner, and Jim Gromberg, Economic Development Specialist. Eric Zweber has more than 15 years of planning and zoning experience at multiple communities and Jim Gromberg has more than 25 years of economic development experience, including most recently with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Interim City Planner Zweber explained this scope of the study has a proposed total cost of $30,000. The cost is broken out by individual costs within the proposal. The proposal also includes a schedule that would implement any Zoning Code or Comprehensive Plan amendments by September 2017, just before the moratorium would expire. Staff requests that the City Council review the proposal and recommend any revisions to the scope of the proposal that are desired. If the City Council is supportive of the scope of the proposal, then the proposal would be placed on the February 13 City Council meeting for formal approval. Please take note that the proposed schedule includes the Planning Commission beginning the study at their February 8 meeting. Staff reviewed the proposed project timeline in further detail with the Council and requested feedback.