06-08-22 PC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – June 8, 2022 5 Commissioner Collins stated it looks like this development would share parking and access with the North Heights Church. City Planner Jagoe commented this was the case as shown during the concept review, noting a shared parking and access agreement would be drafted and recorded with the property as part of the development approvals. Commissioner Collins questioned if there were plans for a high density senior housing development within TCAAP. City Planner Jagoe stated she could not confirm specifics within TCAAP, but she understood there were plans for multi-family dwellings within the TCAAP site. Councilmember Holmes explained the TCAAP site has gone through many iterations. She commented at one time a senior, multi-family dwelling was included but at this time, there was nothing specifically designated for seniors, however, this did not mean there won’t be. She discussed how the developer for this project wants to get the Comprehensive Plan Amendments in place prior to moving forward with their development plans. Commissioner Collins indicated the TCAAP community will be much different than the community that resides south of Highway 96. He stated he had concerns with building a unicorn on the corner of this lot that does not relate to the rest of the neighborhood. He anticipated the proposed senior housing development would fit better on the TCAAP site. Commissioner Weber stated he would be impacted by the proposed project as he lived directly across the street from the North Heights Church. He agreed with the concerns that have been raised about how this development would not fit in with the surrounding neighborhood. He believed a high density building did not fit in with the low density neighborhood. He discussed how the Comprehensive Plan guides this property to Public and Institutional and explained he did not support a change to the Comprehensive Plan. He stated concern about approving Comprehensive Plan change language in the future if there is a policy of adding in plots that were not part of the initial consideration. He noted he was also concerned about including the entire North Heights Lutheran Church property in the high density zoning district. He discussed the impact that the comprehensive plan change would have on the allowed units per acre for high density zones from 9-12 units per acre to 18-24 units per acre. He explained he would not be allowed to put up a large building on his property and therefore he did not support North Heights Church being allowed to do this. He discussed how the large building would reflect sound to neighboring properties which would compound problems for the neighboring residents. He was of the opinion if this project were to move forward, property values would be adversely impacted. He reported this property was classified for an institutional use and should remain as such. Commissioner Wicklund asked if there were any links between making these Comprehensive Plan Amendments with the proposed traffic light that would be installed with TCAAP. City Planner Jagoe stated this could be reviewed and discussed with a future development plan.