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City Council – Arden Hills <br />August 17, 2017 <br />Page 6 <br /> <br />K:\03455-150\Admin\Meeting\08212017\WSB HE Study Memo 08162017.docx <br />limitation on how much higher education uses could occupy the B-2 zoning district, but that it was <br />staff that proposed the 25% limitation. <br /> <br />The universities were asked to provide any written comments that they may have by Wednesday, <br />August 16 so that those comments can be provided to City Council at their August 21 Work <br />Session and the Planning Commission before the September 6 Public Hearing. <br /> <br />August 9 Planning Commission Meeting <br /> <br />During their August 9, 2017 meeting, the Planning Commission reviewed the Commercial, <br />Industrial, and Higher Education Study report, the proposed Zoning Code text amendments, and <br />the recommendation to be included the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission stated <br />that the report was thorough and complete and didn’t recommend any changes to the report. The <br />Planning Commission reviewed the “Higher education, classroom/office” definition and the <br />proposed conditional use criteria and discussed how these would be used together to determine <br />what types of uses would be similar to classroom or office uses. The Planning Commission stated <br />that the 25% limitation of higher education uses within the B-2 zoning district made sense to <br />maintain a balance within a mixed-use zoning district. The Planning Commission did not <br />recommend any changes to proposed Zoning Code text amendments. <br /> <br />Following the Planning Commission meeting, Planning Commissioner Jim Lambeth provided his <br />own personal comments (Attachment C) on the Commercial, Industrial, and Higher Education <br />Study. Mr. Lambeth’s comments have been summarized as follows: <br />1. Encourages City Officials to collaborate with Bethel University and the University of <br />Northwestern. <br />2. Recommends the adoption of the “Higher education, campus” definition as proposed. <br />3. Recommends the adoption of the “Higher education, classroom/office” definition as <br />proposed. <br />4. Recommends the adoption of the B-2 higher education, classroom/office CUP criteria as <br />proposed. <br />5. Recommends the adoption of the INST – Institutional zoning district as proposed. <br />6. Recommends allowing higher education uses in multiple zoning districts. <br />7. Recommends a requirement that any off-campus expansion of the universities would occur <br />as a lease, not through the universities owning the property. <br /> <br />Mr. Lambeth’s comments 1 through 5 are similar to the comments made by the other Planning <br />Commissioners at the August 9 meeting. Comment 6 was not expressed by any other Planning <br />Commissioners and counter to previous City Council direction. Comment 7’s for lease versus <br />purchase was discussed during the Planning Commission meeting, but WSB does not believe that <br />this could be enforced after the permit is issued, but the City Attorney may need to be consulted <br />on the legality of requiring the universities to lease building space. <br /> <br />Bethel University Comment Letter <br /> <br />The President and Senior Vice President of Bethel University have provided a comment letter <br />(Attachment D) regarding the Commercial, Industrial, and Higher Education Study report and <br />proposed Zoning Code amendments. The Bethel University have been summarized as follows: