Laserfiche WebLink
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL —AUGUST 12, 2024 2 <br />presentation from the energy consultant on their work to date and requested the JDA give <br />direction on pursuing either a LEED certification for the site that considers a rating system for the <br />whole community and has designed guidelines with third party certification, or the second option <br />was for sustainable guidelines which the JDA would create. Following discussion, the JDA opted <br />to go with pursuing LEED for Communities certification on the site. <br />Councilmember Holden explained the City received financial information on TCAAP earlier <br />this year and the City was roughly $200,000 in the red each year and all of the sudden the City <br />was in the black. She stated after looking into this further, from 2012 to 2019, $1,000,000 was <br />borrowed from the City's general fund and this funding was supposed to be replaced into the <br />Arden Hills general fund. She indicated this $1,000,000 had been thrown into the TCAAP fund <br />and now it appeared the City was in the black. She questioned who authorized the $1,000,000 <br />going into the TCAAP pot. She asked when the City Council would have the opportunity to <br />discuss TCAAP funding. She requested staff provide the City Council with a presentation on <br />TCAAP finances. <br />Councilmember Holden stated at the last JDA meeting there was a comment from one of the <br />Commissioners that the City gave the County what they wanted. She questioned what the City <br />gave them. She asked that staff provide the City Council with a list on what promises have been <br />made. <br />Councilmember Holden requested further information regarding what would happen if the cost <br />was too high for the energy/sustainability goals and inquired who would make the determination <br />on what was too high of a cost. <br />Councilmember Holden commented it appears there would only be 10 affordable houses out of <br />400 homes on TCAAP and the remaining units on TCAAP would be apartments. She asked if the <br />City had a position on affordable housing. <br />Councilmember Holden stated she was concerned with protecting the City and questioned what <br />the process was to protect the City from the agreement between the County and Alatus. <br />Councilmember Holden indicated the City still has no protection on utilities. She stated she <br />didn't know if there would be a public works building or any civic space. She commented she <br />keeps hearing this was a partnership, but the development keeps being discussed between the <br />County and the developer. <br />Councilmember Holden commented further on how the City would be impacted if they had to <br />bond for $40 million in 429 bonds, especially if these bonds were not repaid. <br />Councilmember Holden stated if the developer wants to put a portion of the risk for TCAAP on <br />the City and the County, she wanted to better understand the profit margins for Alatus. She <br />reported Alatus has known about the soil conditions since 2016 and was now saying he needed to <br />be paid for it. She indicated the water system has always been an issue on this site as well. She <br />questioned who would be paying to move all of the pipes. <br />Councilmember Holden discussed how the use of TIF would put the City further in the hole. She <br />commented on how the spine road could have been installed through the use of MNDOT funds <br />