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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — APRIL 13, 2026 5 Discussion ensued that the EDC can do a lot more, if Council wants it. It was suggested that the EDC have a booth at the 75 h Anniversary Celebration. Further discussion ensued regarding in -person visits and how EDC will proceed with the visits seeking sponsorships. Staff updated how much has been collected in sponsorship support, noting that a few emails have been received showing interest. Mayor Grant thanked the EDC Members. He thinks this is a great work plan. B. Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Discussion (Item 3E on published agenda) Community Development Director Reilly said an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a permanent, self-contained residence. They can be inside an existing structure, an attached unit that does not have a door between the new unit and the existing structure or a detached stand-alone structure. There is also something called a junior ADU. He is researching that a little more. He understands them to be smaller units to the primary dwelling and may not be suitable for more than one person. He outlined that ADUs are not temporary medical dwelling units or granny pods, they aren't tiny homes on wheels or any other semi -permanent structure that could be rolled away on a trailer. ADUs are occupied year-round and can be rented or owned. They are not typically used as short term vacation rentals in metropolitan areas. Community Development Directory Reilly provided options for the Council's consideration when writing the ordinance. Some of the items to be discussed include: lot size, location of the lot within the city, how many total structures are allowed, and how many structures can be occupied full time. Something that is common is to allow additions only. That could include demolishing an existing garage to build in the same footprint or finishing out a basement. Other considerations include parking, design standards, number of stories, and foundation requirements. An approach that is becoming more common is having local architects create a catalog of designs that municipalities can adopt to remove the uncertainty. Additional considerations that would be in an ordinance include landscaping, impervious surface, and hard cover. Community Development Director Reilly said one aspect that is open to debate is to decide if utilities can be extended from the primary structure or if they need to connect directly into the water and wastewater system from the new residential unit. Council can also consider how these residential units can be used. Is it work space? Does the resident of the new unit need to be related to the existing owner? Must the main residence be owner occupied? Because this is two living spaces on one lot, a decision about whether one can be sold should be made. Community Development Director Reilly said it can take a while for communities to ramp up ADU construction. It can be expensive to build or add an ADU. People often take out a home equity line of credit. If someone converts a basement or garage, there could be less cost than to build a completely separate structure. Councilmember Holden said she keeps hearing "a lot of cities". She asked how "a lot" is measured. Is it five communities? Is it ten? Are they all in Minnesota? Community Development Director Reilly said it's thousands across the United States and hundreds in Minnesota.