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<br />ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - March 31, 2008 <br /> <br />12 <br /> <br />MOTION: Councilmember McClung moved and Mayor Harpstead seconded a <br />motion to support the PTRC recommendation to designate the land <br />donated by Mr. James Shacker and Mr. C.E. Sheehy as Johanna Marsh. <br />The motion carried unanimously (4-0). <br /> <br />G. A ward of Contract for the B2 District Studv. <br /> <br />City Planner James Lehnhoff stated that Staff was looking for authorization to contract for <br />planning services for the B-2 Small Area Business District. The B-2 District includes those <br />properties located along the County Road E corridor between Lexington Avenue and Hamline <br />Avenue, Connelly Avenue and Pine Tree Drive. From the RFP, there were four proposals <br />received. Upon review, Staff is recommending that the City proceed with McCombs Frank Roos <br />Associates (MFRA) for an amount not to exceed $63,005.00. The $28,005.00 difference in the <br />budgeted costs and this cost can be covered by the savings from the vacant Community <br />Development Director position, which has been reviewed by the Finance Director. If this motion <br />is approved, MFRA is prepared to start as soon as possible. A Steering Committee will also <br />need to be formed and will need to be nominated and appointed by the City Council. Council <br />may suggest potential members or Staff can also prepare an announcement to request <br />applications from the public. <br /> <br />Councilmember Grant asked for more details concerning the deliverables from this process and <br />also who MFRA is subcontracting with and for what services. <br /> <br />City Planner Lehnhoff stated that MFRA will remain the point of contact for this project but <br />they will be working with Maxfield Research, Spack Consulting, which is a traffic engineering <br />firm, and Hay-Dobbs, which is an urban design firm. The final product will be a document <br />listing out existing conditions and the planning process, analysis and discussions and <br />recommendation for changes for the existing area and potentially for code changes for the future <br />development. The timeline to have this report is by the end of September to allow the City time <br />to implement recommendations before the moratorium expires in the first part of December. <br /> <br />Councilmember Grant clarified that this document would include design standards. <br /> <br />City Planner Lehnhoff stated that the final document would contain design standards and <br />recommendations for the B-2 zone that would be more specific than what the City has currently. <br />Additional work may be needed to finalize the design standards. <br /> <br />Mr. Bill Webber, Project Manager for McCombs Frank Roos Associates, stated that MFRA is <br />eager to get started on this particular project. They would be working with the committee to <br />provide a land use plan and urban design guidelines, along with specific design ideas for a <br />couple of sites. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden asked how large of a market area will be looked at surrounding the <br />area they will be working on. <br />