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<br /> ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION - MAY 3, 2006 9 <br />. Red Fox Road building approximately a year ago with thc idea that it would be a mini- <br /> development project He notcd the B-4 Zone consists of nine buildings with three <br /> property owners and the B-4 Zone was really an odd category for this part of the City. <br /> He indicated there was no retail in this B-4 Zone. Hc stated the retailers did not see this <br /> arca of the City as a viable retail location and he agreed with that assessment He noted <br /> this area was an area for professional services. With the exception of the Civic Center <br /> Disl1ict and the R-I District, the City Code did not provide for higher education use in <br /> any other part of the City. He stated what they had in the marketplace right now was a <br /> tremendous opportunity to serve educational needs. He noted,?9ugational services were a <br /> huge industry and it was scrving a need for post-secondary education and masters <br /> programs. He stated this was a need that was totally ullder~~Fed, particularly in Arden <br /> Hills. He stated this building would fullill one 0[,,1I1e g()al~of the B-4 zoning as a <br /> transition to retail and the building would ultiillatel)l be upgr~ged and look like a <br /> professional office facility. Hc noted the building was a 30-ye'a!:io1d office huilding <br /> which was obsolete and needed to be rcnovated both inside and ouiSfdc. He stated he <br /> ... ''''7,,'>7:, <br /> wanted to make that this was an attractivc facility and a quality developl):i'~!)t;v'He stated <br /> the passport to compcte in the global economy was through education ana"l:l1e reason he <br /> purchased this property was because it was unique among the othcr nine bbildings as well <br /> as the availability of 100 parking spaces. He noted all of the other buildings had very <br /> limited parking. He stated hisjltoposal would be that half of the building would be <br /> occupied by traditional office spa2eian4tl1"",~ther half would h,e occupied in the evcnings <br /> and wcckcnds and used as a higher education:"space. <br /> . n<.'............."..n <br />. .: .-:0> .......10"'''.0''. <br /> Vice Chair Zimm~rlll~l1statcd Mr. I5aYj~~'6n's~F~miC)'l1~ development was a very nice <br /> deve1opmenL)ie' aSk",(j;t,if the institll!ion Mr. Davidson was considering was an <br /> accredited institlltion, or\VaS it a business!nto provide adult opportunities. Mr. Davidson <br /> responded the instHlltion was accredited, btt!"tllcy would provide adult opportunities also. <br /> He indicated he wag'f\qttIyil1gt') hide \Vhothe tcnant would be, but that potential tenant <br /> had reguestedJheir nauies notbe diseID.s~dat this timc, <br /> Vicc Chair Zimmerman ask?dif l'ylr. Davidson would be amcnable that this application <br /> be .a special use instead of a pcrll1ittcd use, He stated if this was a special use, any other <br /> higher education facility WOl\ld need to obtain City permission. Mr. Davidson stated a <br /> pennitted use would be more favorahle, but given the concerns he had heard he <br /> understoQd' ,that a special use was probably the vehicle to get this pennitted, so he was not <br /> in objcctiofrlo this request. <br /> Gary Lidstone, 1624 Plott Place, Eagan, statcd he was the manager of onc of the adjacent <br /> propel1ies, 1275 Red Fox Road. He noted with a school situation there was a lot of <br /> transient parking and he had a concern about overflow parking extending into their lot <br /> He stated in schools there 'vas also students "hanging around" outside the school, which <br /> he did not believe was appropriate for an office area. He asked how this would be <br /> controlled. Mr. Davidson replied with rcspect to the parking issue, he could not imagine <br /> the students would walk down to the 1275 building and they did have enough parking for <br />. the entire building. He noted the day time tenant would bc gone at 5:00 p,m., which <br /> would free up the parking in his lot. He stated there would be a lunchlbreak room in the <br />