01-09-23-R - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL – JANUARY 9, 2023 5 37 years. He stated he paid his bills, raised his children and did not appreciate the accusation from the new Councilmember. Mayor Grant encouraged the public to keep their comments respectful. Anne Hall, 4276 Norma Avenue, stated she has lived in Arden Hills for the past seven years. She thanked the Mayor and the past City Councilmembers for their work on behalf of the community. She welcomed the new Councilmembers for their willingness to serve. She explained she would like to see the TCAAP development progress. She feared the City risks stagnating this project in a number of ways and that there has been a lack of vision in the past few years. She indicated she would like to see TCAAP developed due to the lack of housing in the metro area. She hoped TCAAP would have a wide variety of housing. She reported this development was an amazing opportunity for the north metro and noted this site would provide housing, jobs and recreational space for Arden Hills residents and the surrounding community. She encouraged the Mayor and Council to work creatively to develop this space in a forward thinking manner and that was environmentally sound and was affordable to people at all income levels. She stated she has been disappointed by the stalemate to develop this site. She explained she wanted to see the Mayor and Council work effectively with Ramsey County to solve problems and negotiate agreements. She questioned when the next meeting would be held between the City and the County. She encouraged the Mayor to focus on progress that was not grounded in fear but rather was based on reasonable data. She indicated the fear of traffic, lower income people, change and taxes were the overriding sentiments for this project and not how do we accomplish this project in the best way possible. She urged the Council to find the best in each other and to not demonize each other because this would not help the community thrive and move forward. Craig Wilson, 1677 Lake Valentine Road, stated he has lived in Arden Hills for the 40 years. He commented on how former Mayor Woodburn knocked on his door and stated he hoped this was the only time he would ever have to see him. He discussed how the City has changed over the past 25 years and how they have worked to improve communication between the City and the public. He commented on the history of the TCAAP property and how the City and feds were involved, and the County was almost nowhere. He reported the City spoke with the public to design plans and the prevailing wisdom was that it would take 50 years to clean and develop this site. He explained the County jumped the gun and subverted the process and wasted $30+ million. He indicated the County has displayed ineptitude over and over again in this community. He discussed how the City has been moving forward in a manner that was best for the citizens of Arden Hills. He hoped the Council could continue in this manner, with respect to the TCAAP development. He stated he did not want the Council to pull a coup. Ed Dickinson, 3188 Asbury Avenue, stated after many years of minimal negotiation and action regarding the TCAAP development, the key commitment the Advance Arden Hills group made to the voters was to immediately move forward with the development of that property. The voters agreed and voted in three Advance Arden Hills members. He explained at the end of their tenure in December, the Council acted in such a way as to subvert the Advance group’s ability to act on TCAAP by voting David Grant and Brian Holmes on the JDA. He reported this last minute act created an adversarial relationship among the Council and the Mayor when there is so much important work ahead. He requested these two appointments be rescinded so the new Council can move forward on TCAAP and many other issues as an acting Council.