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<br />HKGi 800 Washington Ave N Suite 207, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 (612) 338-0800 ~ www.hkgi.com <br />CITY COUNCIL SUMMARY MEMO <br /> <br />TO: Arden Hills City Council <br />FROM: Jason Zimmerman and Kendra Ellner, Consulting Planners <br />DATE: February 17, 2025 <br />SUBJECT: Summary of Work Session #1 – Zoning Ordinance Update <br /> <br />OVERVIEW <br />On February 5th, HKGi held the first work session with the Planning Commission to discuss various <br />recommended updates to the City’s Zoning and Subdivision ordinances. The report to the Planning <br />Commission is attached. This summary memo is intended to brief the City Council on the material <br />presented, the questions and discussions that occurred, and the general direction offered by the <br />Planning Commission. <br /> <br />WORK SESSION TOPICS <br />Five broad topics were discussed at the first work session; the discussion around each will be <br />summarized in turn: <br />• Base Zoning Districts <br />• District Purpose Statements <br />• Expanding Access to Housing <br />• Lot and Site Standards <br />• Accessory Dwelling Units <br /> <br />Base Zoning Districts <br />HKGi recommended that the B-1 and I-2 zoning districts be eliminated due to the large number of <br />zoning districts generally and the infrequency with which these two have been used. The sole site <br />zoned I-2 could be rezoned to I-1, and any concerns related to outdoor storage could be addressed <br />through use specific standards for lumberyards. The Planning Commission supported this <br />recommendation. <br /> <br />A second recommendation was to rename/rebrand the B-3 and B-4 zoning districts, as the uses located <br />there are not consistent with the stated purposes. It was recommended the B-3 district be renamed <br />the Corridor Business zoning district and the B-4 district be renamed the Business Park zoning district. <br />Planning Commissioners also supported this recommendation, stating that the naming and purposes of <br />these two districts had often been confusing. <br /> <br />Finally, HKGi suggested modifying the names of the residential zoning districts to remove the focus on <br />housing types and instead make the names more descriptive. Similarly, it was recommended that the <br />B-2 district, which allows a mix of uses, would be better served by being renamed as a Mixed Use <br />district. The Planning Commission supported these recommendations.