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9 <br />Medical’s use of the Property for training. Finally, Smiths Medical located employee offices at <br />the Property. Northwestern too will need to rely on the Property for office space, specifically for <br />faculty and staff. The overlapping past and future uses, for laboratories, training/classrooms, and <br />offices, demonstrate that the STEM Development will, in many ways, be an extension of Smiths <br />Medical’s past uses and is consistent with the existing development. <br />The STEM Development will also be consistent with <br />surrounding uses. The City has already recognized the <br />compatibility between the type of industrial uses found <br />in the I-Flex District and higher education uses. Arden <br />Hills’ planning staff recently reported to the City <br />Council that “from a land use perspective, the reuse of <br />an industrial property by a higher education institution <br />is in many situations generally indistinguishable from <br />the previous use of the property. For example, existing <br />research and development or lab facilities may be used <br />as classroom space and office space may be used for <br />administrative functions. The main difference is the <br />purpose of the uses and activities—commercial as <br />compared to educational.” Memorandum from Matthew Bachler, Senior Planner, City of Arden <br />Hills, for Honorable Mayor, City Councilmembers, and Sue Iverson, Acting City Administrator, <br />City of Arden Hills 2-3 (Aug. 15, 2016). The proposed STEM Development bears out this <br />observation. <br />Permitted uses in the I-Flex District include medical offices, business service, manufacturing and <br />processing, research and development, and offices. Arden Hills, Minn., Code of Ordinances <br />§ 1320.05. Northwestern’s STEM development will be similar to these uses, especially the <br />medical offices, research and development uses, and general office uses. <br />B. The STEM Development Is Consistent with Comprehensive Plan. <br />For similar reasons, the STEM Development is also consistent with how the City envisions the <br />Property will be used in the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan reflects that in 1998 <br />the future planned use for the Property was Industrial. Comprehensive Plan, supra, fig. 6.1. The <br />Industrial designation embraced “a broad range of industrial uses, including office, warehouse, <br />and manufacturing.” Id. at 6-4. Smiths Medical occupied the Property at this time. <br />The Comprehensive Plan classified the then-existing land uses throughout the City, like Smith <br />Medical’s. Id. at 6-4 to 6-6. Smiths Medical’s use was classified as “Office (OFC).” Id. fig. 6.2. <br />The Office designation is described as “[p]redominately administrative, professional, or clerical <br />“[F]rom a land use <br />perspective, the reuse of an <br />industrial property by a <br />higher education institution <br />is in many situations <br />generally indistinguishable <br />from the previous use of the <br />property.” <br />- Arden Hills’ Planning Staff