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<br />Page 4 of 15 <br /> <br />At their subsequent October 2, 2023 meeting, the JDA discussed increasing density from 1,460 <br />units to 1,960 units as presented by Alatus and requested both the City and County proceed with <br />consideration of the necessary TRC and Comprehensive Plan Amendments. <br /> <br />Plan Evaluation <br /> <br />Based on the JDA recommendation, at their October 23, 2023 regular meeting, the City Council <br />discussed and directed staff to bring forward the proposed comprehensive plan and ordinance <br />amendments to the Planning Commission for the first review and to hold a public hearing. <br /> <br />1. Comprehensive Plan Amendment <br /> <br />A. Comprehensive Plan Requirements <br /> <br />Minnesota state law requires that all communities within the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan <br />area update their Comprehensive Plans every ten years. The purpose of the Comprehensive Plan <br />is to establish the policies that guide the future physical and community development of Arden <br />Hills. It is also a reference document for the Planning Commission and City Council when <br />evaluating private development projects. <br /> <br />Based on the future land uses, the City can plan for improvements, anticipate infrastructure <br />needs, and create appropriate land use regulations. The City’s Zoning Code identifies specific <br />zoning districts through which the land uses and goals in the Comprehensive Plan can be <br />implemented. The zoning cannot conflict with the future land use designation. When there is a <br />conflict between the Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Code, the City is required to amend the <br />Zoning Code to comply with the Comprehensive Plan. <br /> <br />The Comprehensive Plan and all its amendments must reflect the adopted regional policies in the <br />Metropolitan Council’s system and policy plans. Local planning efforts are linked to the larger <br />regional infrastructure of parks and trails, road networks, and wastewater infrastructure, and the <br />City’s plan must conform to the regional vision. An amendment to the Comprehensive Plan <br />requires a recommendation from the Planning Commission following a public hearing and <br />adoption of a resolution by the City Council. Adjacent communities must be given up to 60 days <br />to review and comment on the proposed amendment before the City can submit to the <br />Metropolitan Council. The Metropolitan Council will have 60 days for review and approval. <br />The Metropolitan Council has the final determination as to whether to allow a Comprehensive <br />Plan Amendment or not, though they provide great deference to the City as long as the proposed <br />land use change does not have a negative impact on a regional system (i.e. transportation, <br />sanitary sewer, and regional parks). <br /> <br />B. Proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendments <br /> <br />Chapter 6 of the Arden Hills 2040 Comprehensive Plan is titled “Land Use”. This chapter <br />provides a summary of existing land uses and lays out the future land uses that are anticipated for <br />all properties in the City. This chapter guides the vision for future development to ensure that we <br />are advancing the City’s land use goals as carried forth by the following policies: