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:� . y�;� � i� �:� � � �- ' ;� 7�, 3.Ma.�.�;ab ��. Request for Proposal: TCAAP Zoninq Preparation Assistance February 22, 2010 Purpose The City of Arden Hills is seeking proposals to assist the City in preparing and evaluating zoning regulations for the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) property. Background In 1941, the United States Army purchased approximately 2,400 acres of land for what would become the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP). During a 16 month period, over 300 buildings were constructed to manufacture and test munitions for World War II. At its peak, TCAAP employed more than 25,000 people. The TCAAP property was included in the City of Arden Hills' borders when the City incorporated in 1951. Befinreen 1974 and 1985, the Army decommissioned most of the operations at TCAAP. The federal government formally declared 774 acres of the original TCAAP property as excess property in 1994. Since then, much of the original TCAAP property has been transferred or leased to other public entities, including the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Ramsey County, and the Minnesota National Guard. With much of the original TCAAP property dedicated to other uses, only 585 acres remained for sale and potential redevelopment. The City partnered with a private developer to purchase and redevelop the remaining 585 acres in 2007. Building off of previous planning efforts, the City embarked on a community planning process to create a master plan for the TCAAP property. However, the developer withdrew from the project in May 2009 before the planning process was completed and a plan adopted. When the developer withdrew from the project, the offer to purchase the property was terminated. The General Service Administration (GSA), on behalf of the Army, subsequently initiated a process to sell the TCAAP property through a public auction process. The sale is tentatively set for June 2010. Although a TCAAP master plan has not been adopted, the City's 2030 Comprehensive Plan supports a mix of residential, business, park, and open spaces uses for the TCAAP property. The existing zoning needs to be updated because it does not support the future land uses described in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The City continues to support the mixed use concept in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, but a detailed master plan will not be completed prior to the public auction. In order to support the mixed use concept, the City has initiated a rezoning process for the TCAAP property to bring the zoning into conformance with the Comprehensive Plan. Due to the unique nature of the property and the auction, the primary purpose of the new zoning will be to layout a process and parameters for creating a master plan in the future it will be a"plan to create a plan." The new zoning must provide flexibility, encourage creativity, and advance the City's goals for the property. Page 1 of 2