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Page 2 of 4 <br /> <br />At a special work session on March 22, 2021, the Council discussed the Applicant’s proposal to <br />develop a House of Worship in the I-FLEX District. Following the discussion, the City Council <br />directed staff to review and propose a zoning code amendment to allow Houses of Worship in <br />the I-FLEX District as a Conditional Use. The amendment will impact Zoning Code Section <br />1320.05 – Land Use Chart. <br /> <br />At their meeting on May 5, 2021, the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of <br />Planning Case 21-005 to allow Houses of Worship in the I-FLEX District as a Conditional Use. <br /> <br /> <br />The I-FLEX District is guided as Mixed Business (MB) and Light Industrial & Office (IND) in <br />the Arden Hills 2040 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Chapter. The MB area is designated for a <br />variety of businesses, including commercial, certain light industrial uses, warehousing, office, <br />general business, and retail. The expected share of uses within this area are as follows: 0% to <br />50% Light Industrial; 0% to 50% Retail; and 25% to 100% Office. A development intensity of <br />up to 0.8 FAR may be allowed. The IND area is designated for a broad range of light industrial <br />uses such as manufacturing, processing, and warehousing. This land use may also include <br />offices. The expected share of uses within this area are as follows: 50% to 100% Light <br />Industrial and 0% to 100% Office. A Development intensity of up to 0.8 FAR may be allowed. <br />According to the Comprehensive Plan the total area of the MB land use is 55 acres, or 0.9% of <br />the total land area in the City, the total area of the IND land use is 346 acres, or 5.7% of the total <br />land area in the City. <br /> <br />The entire I-FLEX District is within the Red Fox/Grey Fox/Lexington Avenue Business Area <br />which is discussed in the Land Use Chapter. This area includes Red Fox and Grey Fox roads and <br />is bounded by Lexington Avenue, Highway 51, Interstate 694, and the Canadian Pacific railway. <br />This area is used by a number of small and large businesses for a variety of retail, manufacturing, <br />distribution, warehousing, and office uses. This area was largely developed between the 1950s <br />and 1970s, though the retail area along Lexington Avenue has had some new development and