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______________________________________________________________________________ City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for November 9, 2016 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2016\PC 16-028 - University of Northwestern - CUP & Zoning Code Amendment - 1265 Grey Fox Road\Memos_16-028 Page 4 of 9 Comprehensive Plan The Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code work together to guide the City’s decisions regarding land use and development. Where the Comprehensive Plan sets broad future land use goals, the Zoning Code is used to create specific zoning districts that implement those goals. One of the land use goals in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan is 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) This is particularly important in terms of maintaining a sufficient commercial and industrial land base to support existing businesses and attract new companies. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan guides 41.6 acres of the land area within the I-Flex Zoning District as Light Industrial and Office, including 1265 Grey Fox Road. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan includes the following description of this land use classification: “areas designated for a broad range of light industrial uses such as warehousing with manufacturing. This land use may also include offices” (Id. at 6-8). A total of 303 acres, or approximately 5 percent of the City’s land area, is designated for Light Industrial and Office in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map. Given the small area in the City set aside for the Light Industrial and Office use, it is important to limit the uses in these areas to only light industrial and ancillary and supportive uses. Allowing higher education school uses within the I-Flex District is not consistent with the 2030 Comprehensive Plan goals or the Future Land Use Map. The property at 1265 Grey Fox Road is identified as an “Office” land use in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Existing Land Use Map and by the Metropolitan Council in their 2010 generalized land use data. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan indicates that 140 acres of land were in office use and the 2010 Metropolitan Council generalized land use data shows 170 acres of office use. The subject property is 14.3 acres in size and represents approximately 8 percent of the total existing office property in the City. If higher education school uses were permitted in the I-Flex District and at 1265 Grey Fox Road, the City would lose a significant percentage of its existing office property. The Economic Development and Redevelopment chapter of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan includes the goal to, “Promote the development, redevelopment, and maintenance of a viable, innovative, and diverse business environment serving Arden Hills and the metropolitan area” (Id. at 8-1). Except for the TCAAP redevelopment, the City has very few vacant properties and opportunities to expand its job base. As compared to the former user of the property, Smiths Medical, a significantly fewer number of jobs would be provided by University of Northwestern. Based on City records, Smiths Medical had approximately 500 paid employees on the site in 2014 before their relocation. Northwestern expects that a total of 43 faculty and staff members would be on the site by 2017, and 66 by 2024. It is unclear the number of new faculty and staff positions that would be created as a result of the expansion.