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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - DECEMBER 18, 2023 12 office and a small manufacturing footprint, but not build to suit. At a Planning Commission meeting Mr. Lux said there is something like a million square feet of commercial space that is empty in the Twin Cities metro area. She thought it would be a good idea to have Mr. Lux come in to talk to the City Council about what he thinks would in demand for commercial space and the anticipated forecast. She also thought they should agree on an economic jobs plan that they recommend to the JDA. Because they have a developer, he can bring them things that they would want rather than just work within the codes. She thought zoning was just one tool to determine what goes in or to shape the city, and if they were really talking about jobs they should be doing that in an EDA meeting. They need to be an active participant in shaping the jobs, from incentives and programs. Councilmember Holden believed a lot of that was in the original JDA agreement. City Administrator Perrault said it was in the 2016 goals. They wanted 4,600 jobs that were either well or high paying jobs. Councilmember Holden said the developer was here to make money. If they have a 15 or 20 year build out she didn't want the first person who offers to pay for everything to get a prime piece just because they are willing to line the developer's pockets. She thought if they don't set expectations they're going to get what they get. Giant warehouses create giant parking lots that adds to run off and lower tax revenue. They have a master developer but they also have to take control of their own city and set expectations to protect the City's future and our resident's futures. Mayor Grant stated that's why you zone properties, to get something that the community desires. Mr. Lux builds apartment buildings, he can get someone else to build single family homes. Of course, he will say he wants more acreage to build more apartments. He didn't fault Mr. Lux for that, but he's not sure that was the City's vision. You can say let's be flexible but do you let the developers build what they want or to zone property to get something that is important to the City. Otherwise you'd just say the developer can build what they want where they want. He didn't know if they necessarily have to have a big box, he thought they didn't get the jobs. They sliced off 32 acres of jobs and they need to pay careful attention to what goes into the remaining 80 acres. You describe what you want in zoning and then you tell the developer to bring in something that matches. The developer's goals may not match up with what the City Council wants, at some point they need to be the leaders, not the followers. Councilmember Fabel said the Joint Development Authority adopted a term sheet with the developer last month. One of the specific provisions is an interest of the JDA and the developer in good paying jobs as part of the Rice Creek Commons project. It addresses exactly what the Mayor is talking about. It indicates the commitment of the JDA to pursue that along with the other objectives set forth in the term sheet. There is no reason to suspect that the JDA will say to bring in a bunch of parking lots and warehouses. That wouldn't be consistent with the term sheet. He thought the Mayor was trying to tie the hands of the JDA, developer and County by specifically telling them what they can talk about and not see what the free market brings in. The terms of the term sheet can be fulfilled in any number of ways under the existing zoning code, or there may be some amendment to that but let's see what's out there under the concept of the overriding terms of the term sheet.