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<br /> ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - OCTOBER 29, 2001 5 <br /> Councilmember Grant asked if this complex would only be used for a period of years and then <br /> . turned over for public housing. Mr. Kunkle responded the property would not be owned by <br /> Bethel College. He stated the College would have a lease for a total of 11 years including the <br /> option periods. <br /> Councilmember Rem stated her concern about traffic. She asked about parking restrictions on <br /> campus. Mr. Kunkle responded all students must have parking permits. He stated the permits <br /> are color coded to allow parking on campus during certain hours. He noted there are instances <br /> where appeals may be made. <br /> Councilmember Rem stated after Bethel College's lease expires, there would be no controls on <br /> the traffic. She noted this could be an ongoing concern for the city and its residents, <br /> Mr. Loren Kjersten, President of Beacon Construction, stated that with the current business <br /> zoning the property could potentially have a more intense use than what is proposed. He noted <br /> that after the Bethel College lease, this would become market rate housing. He added that <br /> housing would require only two parking stalls per unit. He stated the owner could plow under <br /> the extra 30 spots. <br /> Councilmember Rem stated a business like Ken's Market generates a lot of traffic. She noted <br /> however, a neighborhood business zone contemplates a smaller amount of traffic since it would <br /> be a neighborhood business. She questioned whether someone would want to remove parking, <br /> . Mr. Kjersten responded the only way to continue with that density was if Bethel College <br /> continues to lease it or the owner rents directly to Bethel students. He stated that if the Bethel <br /> College use does not continue the typical apartment use would require two parking stalls per unit. <br /> He noted he would rather plow the additional spaces under than to continue to maintain the extra <br /> spots at his expense. <br /> Mayor Probst stated he was not concerned about traffic. He noted he did feel this was too much <br /> for this site. He added the proposal would strip away most of the trees on the site. Mr. Kjersten <br /> oriented the Council on the site in response to the concern. He stated his goal here was to leave <br /> the biggest trees right along E2. He noted internal to the site the bigger trees were at the bottom <br /> of the slope, He added they would remove the junk trees. He stated they would leave any trees <br /> that they could. <br /> Mayor Probst asked for clarification. Mr. Kjersten responded that if this was a neighborhood <br /> commercial site, he would seek to remove more trees because visibility was important. He stated <br /> he thought it was a great fit, because visibility was not an issue. <br /> Mayor Probst stated his concern was that it would radically affect the neighborhood and not be <br /> invisible, <br /> Councilmember Larson stated he wanted the College to flourish, but always assumed it would do <br /> it within the bounds of its campus. He noted if the College grows too large, the infrastructure of <br /> . Arden Hills could not handle the traffic. He added he would like to think Bethel College <br /> expands based on its ability to house its students on campus. He stated one of the resident's <br />