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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — JULY 24, 2023 2 <br />City Administrator Perrault explained this group would meet next on Thursday, July 27. <br />Councilmember Monson stated she believed the discussion the JDA had at the worksession <br />about community engagement was really good. She encouraged those interested to watch this <br />meeting. <br />3. PUBLIC INQUIRIESANFORMATIONAL <br />Mary Henry, 3521 Ridgewood Court, explained Arden Hills will receive updated financial <br />projections for Rice Creek Commons this fall. It was her hope this information, along with <br />further market study information, would give the Council added lenses on how to consider the <br />housing goals for this project. She commented on a research study by Robert Alexson noting local <br />zoning almost always works to freeze land use. She encouraged the Council to thoughtfully <br />consider residential zoning within Rice Creek Commons. She reported the neighborhoods that <br />were created in Arden Hills in the 1940's and 1950's look the same as they did when they were <br />developed. She indicated she would not be around in 50 years but she hoped the new <br />neighborhoods would be walkable and environmentally efficient with sufficient density. She <br />trusted that the Council would have the City's best interests at heart because the zoning of this <br />project would be the City Council's legacy. <br />Gregg Larson, 3377 North Snelling Avenue, explained the Council made a significant change <br />that he wanted to recognize, which was to clean up the narrative that went along with public <br />comment. He thanked the Council for taking this action. <br />Linda Swanson, 1124 Ingerson Road, indicated she had an issue, noting not all of the questions <br />she had raised had not been answered by the City or staff. She reported given how secretive the <br />JDA Advisory Committee is, she recommended the full City Council have a worksession to <br />discuss what the City and residents of Arden Hills want. She suggested a TCAAP public <br />engagement event be held in August or September and not October. She feared if the City waited <br />to do this meeting after October, too many decisions will have already been made by the JDA. She <br />encouraged residents of Arden Hills to remember that Tom Fabel is not registered with the <br />American Bar Association, nor the State Bar Association. She indicated it would be unlawful for <br />Councilmember Fabel to render any legal advice. She urged the Council to continue holding the <br />State of the City in September or October because this event kept the City moving forward and <br />was not deemed an event for looking back. <br />Kathy Sukke, 1286 Karth Lake Circle, reported at the Council worksession last Tuesday, Gregg <br />Larson, mayoral candidate, who lost to Mayor Grant, suggested the State of the City be held in <br />January. She explained this event was typically held in the fall. She noted Gregg Larson was not <br />the Mayor, but he ran with other members of the slate on transparency, openness and inclusivity. <br />She discussed how things have changed over the past seven months with secret JDA Advisory <br />meetings. She believed it would be nice if City Administrator Perrault wrote things down from the <br />JDA Advisory meetings. She expressed concern with how the thumb property was being sold and <br />developed, noting the zoning had changed half -way through this process. She feared this was not a <br />transparent process. She recommended a visible audit function be created for TCAAP to keep the <br />public apprised of the accomplishments and progress being made on this project. She encouraged <br />the Council to hold a State of the City event this fall because it would assist in informing the <br />