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701 Xenia Avenue South | Suite 300 | Minneapolis, MN 55416 | (763) 541-4800 <br /> <br />Building a legacy – your legacy. <br />Equal Opportunity Employer | wsbeng.com <br />K:\03455-150\Admin\Docs\Arden Hills Memos\WSB Memo 07262017 Final.docx <br /> <br /> <br />Memorandum <br /> <br />To: Economic Development Commission Chair and Commissioners <br /> <br /> Matthew Bachler, Senior Planner <br /> <br />From: Eric Zweber, AICP <br /> <br />Date: July 26, 2017 <br /> <br />Re: Arden Hills Commercial, Industrial, and Higher Education Study <br /> WSB Project No. 03455-150 <br /> Arden Hills Project No. 17-006 <br /> <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />At the May 3, 2017 and June 7, 2017 Economic Development Commission meetings, WSB <br />presented two components of the Higher Education Moratorium Study: a review of economic <br />activity from commercial and industrial uses; and the amount of land and the total square footage <br />of buildings within each business or industrial zone. Since those meetings, staff has prepared a <br />draft Commercial, Industrial, and Higher Education Study and reviewed it with both the City <br />Council and Planning Commission. The Planning Commission will be reviewing the draft <br />revisions to the City Code regarding higher education uses at their August 9, 2017 meeting. <br /> <br />Requested Action <br /> <br />Review the draft Commercial, Industrial, and Higher Education Study report, including its <br />potential outcomes, and provide recommendations on any changes. <br /> <br />History <br /> <br />On October 10, 2016, the City Council adopted An Interim Ordinance Temporarily Prohibiting <br />Land Use Applications and Reviews for Higher Education Uses in Residential, Business, Industrial <br />and Other Zones (moratorium). The moratorium can last up to one year to prepare a study to <br />determine the impacts and benefits from higher education land uses and provide recommendations <br />for possible Zoning Code and/or Comprehensive Plan amendments regarding higher education <br />uses. The City Council initiated the required study (Attachment A) and directed the Planning <br />Commission and the Economic Development Commission to provide feedback and analysis <br />throughout the process. The study is comprised of six components: <br />• Background gathering and analysis of the existing Campus Master Plans for the University <br />of Northwestern and Bethel University. <br />• The regulation of Higher Education Uses within other communities. <br />• Analysis of the Commercial and Employment Uses currently allowed in the various <br />Commercial and Industrial Zones.