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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—OCTOBER 28, 2024 3 easier to access and understand by the public. There are several specific topics that should be reviewed and then potentially updated or added to reflect changes to state statutes, model ordinances, or best practices, including addressing and wireless uses. As part of the update, the code will be assessed for compliance in each of these areas. Jason Zimmerman recommended eliminating or Consolidating Zoning Districts. To gain understanding of the City's zoning practices, HKGi examined the 17 base zoning districts, as well as the Planned Unit Development overlay district. At 17, Arden Hills has considerably more base districts than many peer communities in the Twin Cities metro area. At least two base districts are so little utilized that they could be eliminated with very little code adjustment. Two other districts are similar in their function and location, and there is considerable overlap in the purpose statements for both. This suggests that they could potentially be combined, allowed for a more clearly defined use and further reducing the large number of base districts. Regardless, the purpose statements for all of the districts should be revisited and adjusted to ensure clarity and alignment with current usage. Note that the newer zoning districts created as part of the TCAAP Redevelopment Code are not included in the update project and therefore were not evaluated. The zoning chapter contains a detailed District Requirements Chart that documents a wide range of standards for all the base zoning districts. City staff have indicated that there have been numerous variance requests related to the Side Yard Corner setbacks for single family homes, and that modifications to this standard should be considered. HKGi will work to determine if other yard requirements should be updated. In addition, there are a few overlapping standards that either conflict or create potential redundancies in what they purport to control. One example is Floor Area Ratio (FAR), which limits the amount of a building's total floor area in relation to the lot on which it is built. The same restrictions can be achieved through a combination of setbacks, height limits, and maximum lot coverage. A second example is the use of a maximum density figure (which is also established in the Comprehensive Plan). This standard is also regulated through minimum lot width and depth, minimum lot area, and minimum lot area per dwelling unit. Using these standards sets up the potential for competing calculations and additional challenges for those trying to understand and apply the City's regulations. Kendra Elmer said Arden Hills is facing pressures around housing and the lack of options in housing types, including affordable options. At least three goals from two chapters of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan call out the need for new approaches to housing. The existing Land Use Chart is limited in the types of housing that are defined and permitted. It also limits the districts in which housing that is more intense than one- or two-family dwellings is allowed. Expanding the number of housing types and the districts in which they are permitted would help address this issue, as identified in some responses to the survey taken by members of the City Council and Planning Commission. As part of the request for proposals for the code update project, the City's asked for recommendations on land use or development standards that are missing from the current ordinances or that should be modernized to reflect new market trends and technologies. Items such as planning for electric vehicles, revisiting existing minimum parking requirements, considering complete streets policies, and embracing sustainable/green construction practices have been identified. HKGi is looking to the City for direction on prioritization and the addition of any other topics for investigation.