HomeMy WebLinkAbout2B, Bethel University Master Planning Process ,ARVEN HILLS
Request for Council Review
2B
Prepared By: Meagan Beekman, City Planner Work Session Date: October 17,2011
Bethel University Master Planning Process
Discussion Topic:
Bethel University Master Planning Process.
Supporting Documents:
1. Memorandum dated October 17, 2011, from Meagan Beekman, City Planner.
2. October 4,2011, Letter from Kathleen Nelson,Bethel University.
--A�EN HILLS
MEMORANDUM
DATE: October 17,2011
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
Patrick, Klaers, City Administrator
FROM: Meagan Beekman, City Planner �`1
SUBJECT: Bethel University Master Planning Process
Background
Bethel University is working through a campus master planning process that began at the end of
the summer. Bethel University has asked to meet with the Council early in their process in order
to provide an update of their timeline, share their goals for their future master plan., and get input
from Council on some critical issues and concerns as they move through their visioning and
planning phases.
This process is`similar to the one Northwestern College underwent in 2006 and 2007. In the case
of Northwestern College, once their internal master planning process was complete, they
approached the cities of Roseville and Arden Hills to get an approved Master PUD. It should be
noted that the internal master planning process is distinct from the public approval process for a
Master PUD. Bethel has not yet formally indicated that once their internal master plan is
complete they will continue with an application for an approved Master PUD, though that may
certainly be a logical next step.
As part of their master planning process, Bethel University is examining its classroom, office,
and other space needs now and into the future. This includes evaluating the existing campus
property, but also properties owned by Bethel outside of the main campus area. Furthermore,
Bethel will be identifying immediate, short-term, and long-term projects that will move the
campus master plan forward, as that vision is developed.
City of Arden Hills
City Council Work Session for October 17, 2011
P:lPlanninglCity Council Memos1201 P10-17-11-Bethel Maier Plan Update-Memo.doc
Page 1 of 2
Requested Action
Bethel University has requested an opportunity to share their process and timeline with the
Council. Based on their presentation, they are seeking feedback from Council on critical issues and concerns as they move through their master planning process.
Attachments
October 4, 2011, letter from Kathleen Nelson, Senior Vice President for Finance and
Administration, Bethel University
City of Arden Hills
City Council Work Session for October 17, 2011
P.OanninglCity Council MemosOJ P10-17-11-Bethel Maier Plan Update-Memo.doc
Page 2 of 2
BETHEL
LWPvTRSITY
Kathleen I Nelson
Senior Vice President for Finance
and Administration
3900 Bethel Drive
St.Paul,Minnesota
55112-6999
October 4, 2011 651.638.6126
www.bethel.edu
Meagan Beekman
City Planner,Recycling Coordinator
City of Arden Hills
1245 West Highway 96
Arden Hills,MN 55112
Dear Meagan,
Thanks again for coordinating our visit to the Arden Hills City Council to discuss our -
campus master planning process. Ultimately,this process will result in a graphic
illustration of Bethel University that encompasses our strategic goals and facilitates
providing the student experience that we believe is unique to Bethel.
We formally began the process with colleagues from Performa Higher Education(PHE)
at the end of the summer. PHE is a consulting firm that works exclusively with small,
private colleges and universities around the country. They have developed campus
master plans for 14 institutions just in the past two years. Their team also includes
experts in branding and marketing, enrollment,strategic planning, and student success,
along with a full architectural staff.
The PHE process starts with gaining an understanding of the institution, including its
neighbors,local codes, and related requirements. They then work collaboratively to
clarify our goals and our vision for the future,to measure the impact of those goals on
space and land use, and to develop alternative scenarios for the final campus master plan.
Your participation in one of the first workshops was highly valued and we look forward
to meeting with you again as we develop some alternatives for the campus. We
anticipate that we will arrive at a preferred scenario by the end of November and will test
and refine that scenario in December and January in preparation for a presentation to our
Board of Trustees at their meeting on February 8-9,2012,
We look forward to meeting with you and the council to review with them the process
and some of the critical issues we have already identified in the process. We are early in
the process and are seeking input from all of you as we move toward our vision. Thank
you again for the opportunity to share our exciting view of the future.
Sincerely yours,
Kathleen J.Nelson