04-14-25-R - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – MARCH 10, 2025 13 has to be somewhere that retail can succeed. That will have to be B-2 or B-3. If there is consensus on an ordinance amendment, do we want to continue enforcing it in the meantime? Mayor Grant does not want to add thrift into the B-2 District. So, this is non-compliant by definition. Staff and Planning Commission should not be put in the position of having to overlook the zoning code. We are trying to guide the development of the City to its best use. That shopping area is one of our more coveted spots. He thinks there is a place for thrift store. We have Goodwill. We are a small community. He would not vote to add thrift store into B-2. Councilmember Monson understands the desire to select who gets to come in and shape the City. Zoning isn’t always the right tool for that. The market sometimes makes the decision for us. The City doesn’t have an EDA that says we really want something specific in a certain location because our community could use it. Then we could go seek it, find it and create incentives. Without that, she has a hard time using zoning as a way to exclude certain uses. She actually agrees that it would be nice to be able to select what we have. She has been to this store and she liked it. She thinks it’s more of an antiques shop vs. a thrift store. Mayor Grant said zoning, by definition, permits some uses and not others. Councilmember Monson agreed, it is a tool. Councilmember Weber said if our two coveted zones are B-2 and B-3 are the only viable retail centers in Arden Hills and thrift is forced to be in B-4, he doesn’t see how a change is warranted right now. He asked if Mayor Grant thought B-3 was acceptable for a thrift store. Mayor Grant said no. B-3 would be right along Lexington. Councilmember Weber asked how a thrift store is supposed to survive in Arden Hills. If we pick which businesses can and can’t survive. Setting aside this specific business, as far as thrift stores goes, he thinks there is a strong desire for it, and he thinks B-2 is a good fit. As for this particular business, he would like to see this move forward fast and get it on the next available Council agenda for a decision. He said with two Councilmembers absent, he assumes that will be April. City Administrator Jagoe sought clarification on decision. She asked if he meant a Work Session for a recommendation of the full Council to act. The Planning Commission will have to hear this first. Councilmember Weber said he hopes to see it at the next available Planning Commission meeting followed by the next available City Council Meeting. He said adding the discussion to the agenda tonight takes the place of having a future Work Session on it. Mayor Grant said we are short two Councilmembers. Councilmember Weber understands that but the issue is in front of us. Mayor Grant said this is a discussion we need to have and be in agreement. Councilmember Weber said we are having the discussion.