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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — APRIL 13, 2026 7 haven't completed step one. Homes are being bought up by corporations and they are renting them out and there's ten people living there. We can't stop that. There are so many issues with rental properties. One of the big things for this ordinance will be owner occupancy. We shouldn't support corporations increasing their rent potential by allowing them two units on one parcel. She doesn't like the idea of detached ADUs. She thinks it will change the neighborhood. The information in the packet says that was unfounded but that study was done in 2009. Things have changed a lot since then. Councilmember Holden continued, saying Roseville and Shoreview took two years and did a lot of work on their ordinances but we don't have that information. The packet outlines that this would not solve Arden Hills share of need, but we have met that need, based on the Metropolitan Council's numbers. She doesn't want ADUs to be detached. There should be no short-term rentals. We need to limit the number of ADUs allowed on each property. She would like to see rental licensing in place before allowing ADUs. She does not want to allow the ADU to be sold to another person. If a homeowner decides to build an ADU, those two structures should be owned by the same person. Otherwise, we have a duplex, and we have rules for that, already. She said having two units connected to the water and sewer system through one line, gets complicated. That is especially the case when you talk about the two structures being owned by different owners. Who's responsible for it then? Another thing to think about is we already know there are rental houses and people are living in basements with no egress windows. We know there are situations where there are more than four unrelated renters. We can't take blood samples. How do we deal with that? If ADUs are going to be open for everybody, the size needs to be big enough for everybody. If someone rents out an ADU, the utilities should be part of the rent with the ultimate responsibility falling on the owner. Mayor Grant would encourage that Council take the time to think this through. Once we do it, it can't easily be undone. He understands property rights. He thinks when most Arden Hills residents bought their homes, they didn't expect the neighbor to install a detached unit behind their home. What if someone lives on a lake? Can we allow construction of an ADU and block another resident's view of the lake? We have zoning code that says that it can't be done. He spent time in California where this is a popular solution, and they are using '/ and 3/ to identify three or four addresses for one home. He thinks one of the occupants must be the owner. That will keep corporations from buying up all the available homes. He would prefer to see them be allowed internally only, in an upper story, a basement or above a garage. He doesn't want detached. Lot size should be a consideration. He agrees short-term rentals should not be allowed. He doesn't know how we can enforce allowing only long-term rentals because we don't have a rental license program in place. He thinks that should come before the ADUs. Adding ADUs without a rental license program will be an issue. We need to keep the affordable housing inventory that we have. When those homes are sold to corporations, the only motive is profit. They will charge as much as they can. He said Minneapolis thought this would solve their affordable housing issue. It did not meet their expectations, at all. He is concerned about changing the character in Arden Hills. He encouraged Council not to rush and to take the time to get this right. Other communities took two years. We need to think through all the options before doing anything. Staff put together a lot of good information, however, this is a starting point not the end. Location is also a factor. They should not be allowed in the front yard. Setbacks should mirror the requirements for any other home. Lot cover and impervious surface need to be considered, as well. The list of what can be done is long. He wants to encourage Council to take the time to think it through.