Laserfiche WebLink
_________________________________________________________________________________________ <br />City of Arden Hills <br />Planning Commission Meeting for September 6, 2017 <br />P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2017\PC 17-020 - Zoning Code Amendment - Higher Education Land <br />Uses\Memos_Reports_17-020 <br />Page 9 of 13 <br />education, classroom/office”. Some City Councilmembers stated that the hard science <br />laboratories can be regulated or limited through the CUP criteria. <br /> <br />The City Council supported prohibiting hazardous wastes and outdoor storage, but expressed a <br />reluctance to including HVAC systems as criteria of approval. Staff has reviewed the existing <br />screening requirements in the City Code for both rooftop and ground mounted mechanical <br />equipment and believes that it addresses HVAC systems appropriately as written. HVAC <br />equipment has been removed from the CUP criteria. The remaining prohibition on hazardous <br />waste and outdoor storage should sufficiently regulate the hard science laboratories. <br /> <br />City Attorney Comments <br /> <br />Staff has requested that the City Attorney review the proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments. <br />His comments predominately were regarding what is similar to a “typical office use”. Based on <br />the City Attorney’s advice, the phrase “similar to a traditional business office use regarding <br />traffic, trip generation, parking, hours of operation, noise, odors and other effects” was added to <br />both the “Higher education, classroom/office” definition and CUP criteria. <br /> <br /> <br />Findings of Fact: <br /> <br />Staff offers the following ten (10) findings of fact for this proposal: <br /> <br />General Findings: <br /> <br />1. On October 10, 2016, the City Council adopted An Interim Ordinance Temporarily <br />Prohibiting Land Use Applications and Reviews for Higher Education Uses in <br />Residential, Business, Industrial and Other Zones (moratorium). <br />2. On February 13, 2017, the City Council approved a contract with WSB & Associates to <br />conduct a study evaluating the economic condition of business districts of Arden Hills, <br />the growth pressures of Bethel University and the University of Northwestern, and <br />provided recommendations of Zoning Ordinance amendments regarding higher <br />educational uses (Commercial, Industrial and Higher Education Study). <br />3. The City Council, Planning Commission, and Economic Development Commission <br />reviewed and provided comments regarding the Commercial, Industrial, and Higher <br />Education Study. <br />4. Bethel University and the University of Northwestern have had the opportunity to review <br />the Commercial, Industrial, and Higher Education Study and have provided comments. <br />5. The Commercial, Industrial, and Higher Education Study found that the business districts <br />within Arden Hills include a low level of vacancy in the industrial districts and a healthy <br />level of vacancies in the commercial districts. <br />6. The Commercial, Industrial, and Higher Education Study found that Arden Hills has the <br />highest ratio of residents to college enrollment of any community in Minnesota. An <br />increase in enrollment at Bethel University and/or the University of Northwestern has the