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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — APRIL 14, 2025 9 to allow for a thrift store use. There are a couple different applications that would be required in addition to the CUP. Councilmember Rousseau said that would just address this one issue. There is a larger conversation about the overall zoning to be had. Councilmember Weber thinks it is worth pointing out that in 2015, when the Planning Commission heard this, they recommended B-2 and B-3. They recognized that B-2 and B-3 are the only viable retail zones. The Planning Consultant just did a review of those commercial zones and they said that B-4 doesn't act as a retail center for Arden Hills. The only place where thrift is designated is tucked back behind Lexington, but not on Lexington. The only place you can build this retail use is in a non -viable retail zone, by conditional use. He supports moving forward. He understands Councilmember Monson's comments regarding stand-alone buildings. Drop offs are also something that will have to be considered. He is hesitant to make that a conditional use permit. The thinks that's counter to what we're doing with the zoning code changes. He thinks a big part of that process will be eliminating conditional use permits, as much as possible. Councilmember Holden agreed that we need define what a thrift store is. She didn't realize the decision has been made to get rid of conditional use permits. She doesn't think anyone is against this business. There has been such a lack of respect that the business owner has shown toward the City's rules and regulations. It amazes her that we have a developer spending $35 million to build an apartment and they are following every regulation and presenting multiple concept plan reviews with Council and are getting yelled at from the bench. And here we have someone who totally ignores City Staff, rules and zoning and then comes to us expecting us to bend over backwards for him. We need to analyze how a thrift store is defined and make sure we have what we want where we want it, instead of leaving it open ended. Mayor Grant said even if we change the zoning, the owner of Odds and Ends has been clear that he's not going to go through any of the processes. He refused to apply for anything. If we change the zoning, he'd still have to apply for multiple applications and he's not willing to pay for them, anyway. He disagrees with waiving application fees. Other applicants come in and the follow the zoning code and make the proper applications and pay the applicable fees. This shouldn't be treated any differently because he moved in when he wasn't supposed to. Councilmember Weber commented on Councilmember Holden's remarks regarding the $35 million apartment project developers being yelled at from the bench vs. bending over backwards for this shop. In the last meeting Council talked about not attributing comments to other Councilmembers. He thinks that applies here. She is misinterpreting a Councilmember's statements. He is not arguing for Odds and Ends. Mayor Grant said Councilmember Holden did not make the comment relative to him. Councilmember Weber said she attributed those comments to another Councilmember. He is talking about Odds and Ends now. He is not arguing in favor of Odds and Ends. He is arguing in favor of adding a retail use to a viable retail zone. That is what this is about. It isn't about Odds and Ends. This is about a use in the City that is stuck in an area where it can't survive and it's not a retail center. He does not agree with waiving fees or any other part of the process that every business has to go through as part doing business in the City. In order to be a partner with the City, you have to do the business that is required. This business model works very well for our