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<br />ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - OCTOBER 29,2001 6 <br /> <br />concerns is having homes turned into rental housing. He noted he did not think it was a good .. <br />thing for Bethel College even temporarily to build facilities off the campus. . <br /> <br />Mr. Kunkle stated the issue is one of incremental growth. He noted the Bethel College Master <br />Plan has one residence hall yet to be built. He added this could happen within the next five <br />years. He stated this was just an incremental step to the College. He noted they see it as a <br />reasonable choice. He added it was difficult for the College to take that leap. He stated it was <br />difficult to build a facility to add 130 students one year and another 130 students the next year. <br /> <br />Councilmember Rem asked about the property in New Brighton. Mr. Kunkle responded the <br />College has owned it since 1977. He stated he did not envision them selling it. <br /> <br />Councilmember Larson asked if the College envisioned growing within the confines of its <br />campus. Mr. Konkel responded the nature of higher education is changing dramatically. He <br />stated one element of it is the impact of distance education. He noted Bethel College is now <br />doing adult education and more distance education. He added they also have campuses in San <br />Diego, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. <br /> <br />Mayor Probst stated he needed a better understanding of how this structure fits with the <br />topography and landscaping on the site. <br /> <br />Councilmember Aplikowski stated this was not a Bethel College issue. She noted she would <br />hate to penalize the College for being successful. She added they should be proud to have the <br />College in the City. She stated she is concerned with what happens after the Bethel College use <br />ends. She congratulated them on their success. Mr. Kjersten responded the current wning <br />would involve more traffic. He stated lights are brighter in retail uses and have more of an <br />opportunity for mischief than if it is a residential area. He noted this is a great place for an <br />apartment building. He added Bethel College envisions this housing for upperclassman who <br />have internships and are not always on campus. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Councilmember Aplikowski stated the issue then becomes one of height and the loss of trees. <br />Mr. Kjersten responded the trees are soft wood trees that would die in five years anyway. He <br />stated they could put some more trees in along County Road E2. He noted he had to deliver the <br />building by August of next year or there was no deal. <br /> <br />Councilmember Aplikowski asked about the viability ofthe project without Bethel College. Mr. <br />Kjersten responded Bethel College's involvement was the only thing that makes it financeable <br />for an apartment. He stated without Bethel College, he would go back to a commercial proposal. <br />He noted the market rate has been limited to ultra high-end townhouses. He added no one was <br />going after the family housing market <br /> <br />Councilmember Rem stated traffic was a major concern for her. She noted that without a <br />discussion with the County, she did not feel ready to approve putting in an apartment building. <br />Mr. Kjersten responded they were trying to minimize the traffic impact with this proposal. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Councilmember Grant stated if these were 20 units of market rate apartments, they would <br />average four trips a day. He noted that would involve 240 to 300 trips a day. He added it is <br />