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02-12-24-R
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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — JANUARY 8, 2024 10 <br />in Arden Hills and work in the community. He supported the 1,960 units because it will create <br />additional affordable housing options for families that want to take advantage of the great schools <br />in the community. He also supported the additional housing because it will create housing options <br />for folks that need a leg up. He encouraged the Council to support the comprehensive changes <br />that were necessary in order to allow for the 1,960 housing units. <br />Rita Lamatsch, 1535 Royal Hills Drive, stated she agreed with one part of the amendments and <br />disagreed with the others. She supported the flex office space being rezoned to residential because <br />the community had too much office space. However, she indicated she opposed the large multi- <br />family housing units. She believed it would be better to keep with the character of Arden Hills to <br />have more single family homes, townhomes or duplexes as opposed to the 175 unit apartment <br />building. She asked if the proposed 125 unit apartment building on the North Heights Church <br />property was being factored into the traffic study. She suggested the mixed retail north of <br />Highway 96 be rezoned to allow for more townhouse or duplex style housing that was more in <br />keeping with the neighborhood. She stated she was concerned with how TCAAP traffic could be <br />coming down the spine road, through the North Heights Church and into her neighborhood. <br />Nancy Jacobson, 3188 Asbury Avenue, stated after the dust settles tonight, she hopes the Rice <br />Creek Commons project moves forward. She looked forward to seeing more detailed park and <br />trail plans for RCC. In addition, she wanted to see more about how the surrounding area connects <br />to RCC. She urged the Council to consider how important it would be for this development to be <br />connected to the remainder of the City. <br />Mary Henry, 3521 Ridgewood Court, explained she fully supported the proposed zoning <br />changes for Rice Creek Commons. She indicated some people may feel changing the flex office <br />to housing may impact employment. She discussed how more housing improves the economy for <br />a community, given the fact more and more people were working from home. She stated it was <br />important to understand how housing, post -pandemic, was employment. She reported there was <br />not a strong need for additional office space given the fact the community already had excess <br />retail and office space. <br />Ann Hall, 4276 Norma Avenue, stated she was happy to see the proposal tonight and noted she <br />supported the flexibility in zoning along with the higher density housing. She reported there was a <br />clear for high quality affordable housing in the metro area. She was confident the City could <br />provide this in a smart and effective manner. She reported safe housing was a basic human right. <br />She expressed concern with the fact her children would not be able to purchase a home in the <br />community once they are grown young professionals. <br />Gregg Larson, 3377 North Snelling Avenue, stated was the culmination of a year's worth of <br />work to bring new life to a project that has been stalled for the past six years. He stated it was <br />encouraging to see the City ready to formally consider a compromise on 1,960 housing units for <br />Rice Creek Commons. He indicated this was a density that was endorsed by the developer and <br />Ramsey County. He reported a vote of approval would adopt changes that remove the roadblocks <br />on a project that has held so much promise for so long. He explained the years of delay and <br />litigation left the City with frustrations and lost opportunity costs. He stated now the City was <br />close to realizing the benefits of more housing, more commercial development and more <br />employment opportunities. He thanked staff for all of their efforts over the past year and for their <br />renewed collaboration with Ramsey County. He acknowledged the work of the Planning <br />Commission, who carefully reviewed these recommendations before recommending approval. <br />
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