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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—NOVEMBER 27, 2023 3 <br /> Mayor Grant expressed concern with the fact the project has been deemed to have 1,960 units <br /> but no financial information has been provided to the City. He asked if the term sheet had been <br /> completed by staff. <br /> City Administrator Perrault indicated staff had drafted a term sheet and would be addressing <br /> this further at the next JDA Advisory Committee meeting. <br /> Mayor Grant inquired if this meeting would be open to the public. <br /> City Administrator Perrault stated an audio link for the public would be provided on the City's <br /> website for this meeting. <br /> Mayor Grant commented on the TCAAP open house that was held on November 1. He requested <br /> the comments received from the public at that event be provided to the Council. <br /> City Administrator Perrault explained the Council would be provided with a follow up report <br /> after the December 4 JDA meeting. <br /> Mayor Grant asked that staff speak with the consultant in order to provide all public comments <br /> from this event to the City Council. He spoke to how Rice Creek Commons was originally <br /> envisioned to have 4,000 jobs. Since that time, 32 acres of commercial property has been turned <br /> into residential. He inquired if staff had considered how to bring more jobs per square foot to the <br /> development. <br /> City Administrator Perrault stated the only changes that have been discussed was when the <br /> Council discussed (on November 11) the remaining commercial pieces and what can be done with <br /> the zoning. He explained this topic would be coming to the Council at a future worksession. <br /> Mayor Grant noted originally the commercial property on TCAAP/Rice Creek Commons was <br /> important for a lot of reasons, and that jobs are important and the economy is important in the <br /> community in which you live. He stated Arden Hills has a lot of large employers and if we were <br /> ever to lose one of those employers, it would not be good financial news for the city. He said Rice <br /> Creek Commons offers the ability to bring jobs in to the community, which is the lifeblood and <br /> the economic engine in our community. He did not believe it was a wise choice to turn 32 acres <br /> of commercial property into residential. <br /> 3. PUBLIC INQUIRIES/INFORMATIONAL <br /> Donna Wiemann, 1406 Arden View Drive, stated 1,960 housing units was presented at the <br /> community meeting on November 1. She understood the agreement being considered with the <br /> developer stated this would be the maximum number, but this may not be the final number. She <br /> expressed concern with the fact a Ramsey County Commissioner has stated this number may go <br /> up or it may go down. She asked that the Councilmembers serving on the JDA publicly confirm <br /> the number of units could go up or change. She noted recently a Councilmember stated the JDA <br /> was on the path to clearing up traffic concerns with respect to TCAAP. Since a traffic study has <br /> not been completed, she was unclear how the concerns have been cleared up. She discussed how a <br /> Councilmember had stated cities along Highway 96 were building whatever they wanted. While <br />