04-23-25 EDC Agenda Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – FEBRUARY 26, 2025 11 opportunity for those funds. The grant is specifically for marketing to encourage visitors to spend money in our businesses. Last year Arden Hills received $18,000. The City gave some of the funds to Bethel University for their homecoming, to encourage parents to come and spend the night in a hotel. This grant money can be used by for-profit businesses. She encouraged the Commissioners to let the Council know if those types of opportunities arise. Council Liaison Rousseau said the Council’s next agenda includes Rotary’s application to Adopt- A-Park. They are adopting Floral Park. They love that it is 25 acres of wilderness. The Park and Recreation Manager position was approved. There was also a Public Works Park Lead position established. Council hopes that these staffing resources will help with the Adopt-A-Park program. She encouraged the Commissioners to let businesses know that in the spring of 2026 the City hopes to expand the program. There is hope that Boston Scientific will step into Cummings Park. There are a lot of other opportunities. The Rotary came to Arden Hills because Shoreview’s parks and trails are all adopted. She explained adopting a park is a two-year commitment. Commissioner Brausen asked if they will be cleaning up the park. Council Liaison Rousseau said the Rotary really wants to get their hands dirty. They are excited about working on garden spaces and cutting down buckthorn. They chose Floral Park because they want it to be labor intensive. Commissioner Sorenson said the Rotary’s plan is to partner with the schools and bring in school clubs to complete these projects. The kids don’t typically get to garden or do yard work. So it’s a cool opportunity for the students. Council Liaison Rousseau said civic groups and individual residents can adopt the parks, as well as businesses. Council Liaison Rousseau updated that the senior living apartments at the North Heights Church was approved. She pointed out that the Planning Commission is not happy that there is zero affordable housing included with the plan. This is the third Senior Housing project that has been approved in recent years and there is no affordable housing in place. Our Comprehensive Plan states that we want affordable housing but the City Code does not require it. Projects can’t be legally rejected based solely on that criterion. The developer is well aware of that. The Planning Commission knows that there is a gap. They will be on top of fixing that code. Seniors are often on fixed incomes and have generally left the job market. It seems like building affordability into projects like this seems appropriate. Council Liaison Rousseau wondered if the EDC will have input with the City Code work the Planning Commission is reviewing. Senior Planner Fransen said previously the City Council had been asked which stakeholders were to be included in the conversation regarding zoning code updates. Primarily it will be the Planning Commission because they administer the Zoning Code through land use applications that they review. She thinks the EDC is welcome to be a part of those conversations. Some of these code updates will be on the agenda for the Planning Commission’s April meeting. That is where they will talk more about the business districts. The Planning Commission meeting will be April 9th. She will provide an update on that topic at the April EDC meeting. She said the EDC is welcome to have discussion and make recommendations. There will be ongoing discussions and the EDC will have great insight on business district updates.