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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 16 <br /> <br />Council consensus was to direct staff to bring the revised language back to the Council at a future <br />City Council meeting. <br /> <br />I. Livable Communities Act <br /> <br />Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla stated since 1995, the City has opted <br />to participate in the Metropolitan Livable Community Act (LCA) programs. Participating in this <br />program is voluntary; however, it provides the City with the opportunity to compete for grants and <br />loans to support activities that help the City meet housing goals, remediate environmental <br />contaminated sites, and support projects that link jobs, housing, and transit. The Livable <br />Communities Program is based on cooperation and incentives to achieve both regional and local <br />goals. Through this program, the City received $200,000 in 2006 to remediate contamination at <br />the Traverse Business Center property, and $75,000 for the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant <br />(TCAAP) property reuse planning in 2002. <br /> <br />Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla explained all cities that participate in <br />the LCA program are required to establish affordable and life-cycle housing goals for the next <br />decade (2021 through 2030). As part of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan approval process, the City <br />already acknowledged that the City’s share of the future regional affordable housing need was 373 <br />new affordable housing units. This number was calculated by the Metropolitan Council and was <br />based on information such as available land, access to jobs, and access to transit. <br /> <br />Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla commented in recognition of many <br />city’s limited resources to create new affordable housing, the Metropolitan Council has shifted <br />from one target affordable housing number to a target range for affordable housing. The new <br />target range of affordable housing units in Arden Hills is 205 to 373 new units over ten years. He <br />commented further on the importance of the community having life-cycle housing. It was noted <br />the life-cycle housing target range for Arden Hills in the 2030 Comprehensive plan was 285 to <br />800 new units. The life-cycle housing target range for Arden Hills is 860 new units. <br /> <br />Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla explained both affordable and life- <br />cycle housing are consistent with the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan and zoning regulations, <br />provided the TCAAP property redevelops in accordance with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. If a <br />city is not able to meet the affordable housing goals by 2030, there are no repercussions. However, <br />if a city does not participate in the program, the city is not eligible for certain grant programs, <br />including the Livable Communities Demonstration Account (LCDA), Local Housing Incentive <br />Account (LHIA), and Tax Base Revitalization Account (TBRA). The LCDA and TBRA grants in <br />particular could be useful for redevelopment projects and TCAAP. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden stated she supported this program <br /> <br />Mayor Grant agreed. <br /> <br />Council consensus was to direct staff to continue with the Livable Communities program. <br /> <br />J. Council Tracker <br /> <br />After discussion there were no changes to the Council Tracker.