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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — APRIL 14, 2025 8 going to make this change. She is in support of doing that. However, if we allow this, the business owner probably has to come back to get a permit. She is open to Council discussing definitions of thrift and what it looks like. Mayor Grant said it was asked if there were other thrift applications, Salvation Army didn't apply but they wanted to be here. Will they still want to be here? Probably yes, along with Savers and a bunch of others. Our area is unique. The median income in North Oaks, Arden Hills and Shoreview is the reason the thrift stores want to be here. They want to be here for the donations they would receive. He read from an email from the business owner, replying to the process to change the use, he said "I guess I will walk away and table this one and not waste resources in Arden Hills to bring my business in." That was early 2024. Then one day he was there. He had conversations with the City. There was an avenue for him to follow. He refused to follow it and then moved in, anyway. Staff is good at documenting and researching things. They always follow up with notes. He appreciates that. It doesn't change the situation we're in, but it does tell us what happened, how it happened, who came in and what was said. Councilmember Weber asked if there is any documentation on the meeting with Savers. He asked when that was. Mayor Grant said it was the Salvation Army. He said Staff is good at keeping documentation, we could ask them to research it. He believes the location was near the McDonalds across the rail road track. They wanted a combination of the store and residence in a commercial district. Councilmember Rousseau said she appreciates the professionalism of Staff through out this process. She also wanted to note that she is a volunteer with Stewart Longfellow Senior Living and she sees a need for the services that are provided by this business. Not just the retail business but also the satellite business around that. She recognizes that owning a business comes with a lot of hard work. She asked what the fee is for a conditional use permit. City Administrator Jagoe said she would confirm, while discussion continued. Councilmember Rousseau asked if the conditional use permit was recommended to the owner. Senior Planner Fransen said in the current zoning code, there are certain zones where a thrift store could be allowed, with a conditional use permit. The zones that allow it currently are B-4, I - Flex districts. City Administrator Jagoe said the application fee for a conditional use permit is $400 and there is an escrow of $1,500. Councilmember Rousseau would be willing to consider waiving the fee, if the business owner will go through the process and allow the business to remain open while it goes through the process. City Administrator Jagoe said Council can give that direction. The current location of the business would trigger the need for an ordinance amendment and that application would have another application fee and escrow. If Council elects to change the ordinance to require a conditional use permit, this property also has a Planned Unit Development (PUD). A PUD is the overlay for that site, which allows for just a retail use. The PUD would also have to be amended