HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-28-13-WS -Al EN ILLS
HILLS
Approved: April 8, 2013
CITY OF ARDEN HILLS,MINNESOTA
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING
JANUARY 28,2013
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
ARDEN HILLS COMMUNITY ROOM
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CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Grant called to order the City Council work
session meeting at 8:15 p.m.
Present: Mayor David Grant; Councilmembers Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes, Dave
McClung, and Ed Werner
Absent: None
Also present: City Administrator Patrick Klaers; Public Works Director Terry Maurer;
Community Development Director Jill Hutmacher; City Planner Meagan Beekman; and
Deputy Clerk Amy Died
1. AGENDA ITEMS
A. TCAAP Market Analysis and Comprehensive Plan Discussion
City Planner Beekman stated that the County has commissioned a market study to be done by
Maxfield on the market potential for the TCAAP site. The study has been completed in draft
form and will be released in public form once finalized. The draft executive summary has been
provided to the Council in their packet. She discussed the preliminary findings.
City Planner Beekman requested the Council review the City's current Comprehensive Plan and
Zoning Code with regard to TCAAP. She commented that the City has two land use designations
on the property and caps the number of housing units at 1,750. This was based on the mixed
use/Ryan plan. This number has since been reviewed and reduced to 1,500 with parameters for
the amount of single family versus multi-family and rental housing.
City Planner Beekman discussed the mixed business district and what that encompasses and also
reviewed the park dedication framework. She stated the build-out scenario in the market study
was planned over the next five years. The County's plan is to complete another market study in
two years with updates each year after that. This would provide the County and City with moving
guidelines as shifts and changes in the market are anticipated.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—JANUARY 28, 2013 2
City Planner Beekman reviewed a table summarizing the comparison between the draft
Maxfield analysis and the City's zoning regulations. She reviewed the definition of single family
and multi-family units. She noted the biggest difference between the market analysis and the
Zoning Code is the number of single family units compared with the number of multi-family
units.
City Administrator Klaers reiterated that this market study was preliminary in nature. He
recommended that the focus of the Council's conversation be on the City's Comprehensive Plan
and Zoning Code.
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Mayor Grant stated that he was not surprised by the variances between the study and the
Comprehensive Plan. He questioned if this information was discussed with the County.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated that the density and numbers were
discussed with County staff. The City had some initial discussions about the County's goals in
the TCAAP development to create a commercial/industrial tax base with good jobs. The County
is willing to hold off on some of the residential in the short term, which is consistent with the jobs
and tax base goals of the County Board.
Councilmember McClung commented that he is looking forward to seeing the study in more
detail, and he is not uncomfortable with where the City is with the Comp Plan going forward.
Mayor Grant asked what direction staff was seeking at this time.
City Planner Beekman stated that the market study was provided for informational purposes this
evening and after the final analysis is provided to the City, further discussions can be held on the
Master Planning Process/Comprehensive Plan. She discussed the Master Planning Process in
further detail with the Council.
Councilmember Holden asked for further clarification on the differences between the Master
Plan that the City is currently working to complete and the Comprehensive Plan.
City Planner Beekman noted the Master Plan will be more detailed than the current Comp Plan.
She anticipates the Master Plan will grow out of the Comp Plan's vision for the TCAAP property.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated a fine level of specificity will need to be
finalized by the Council within the Master Plan and that would need to comply with the
Comprehensive Plan.
Councilmember Holden questioned if there was a difference between industrial and commercial
properties.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated this category included all properties that
were not residential; for example, retail, office, Class I and Class II Industrial. She indicated that
the market study did not greatly define how the industrial and commercial properties were to be
broken down and it will have to be further reviewed by the City.
Further discussion ensued regarding the direction of the Master Plan.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—JANUARY 28, 2013 3
Councilmember McClung stated he was pleased with the document thus far and looked forward
to moving through this process.
Councilmember Werner agreed stating the market study will provide the City with a great deal
of information while planning for the TCAAP redevelopment.
City Administrator HIaers indicated that the benefit of the Master Plan is that the City will be
proactive and is allowed to provide land use feedback at the base level before development
proposals are submitted.
Mayor Grant asked if the City is to consider the market analysis when completing the Master
Plan.
Community Development Director Hutmacher commented that the Master Plan does not have
to genuinely mirror the study as it is only a snapshot for a short period of time. She indicated the
City and County were more interested in seeing high value commercial with fewer rentals. The
City will need to consider its long term goals when doing the Master Plan.
City Planner Beekman added that the City has the advantage of development being conducted
over the next 15 years and being able to adjust to the changing market shifts.
Councilmember Holden asked when the final market study would be complete.
Community Development Director Hutmacher anticipated this would be in the next few
weeks.
Councilmember Holden questioned which traffic study the Master Plan would be based on.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated the County provided specific information
for the Master Plan Request for Proposals with intersection improvements at Highway 96 and at I-
35W/County Road H.
B. TCAAP Request for Proposals for Master Plan AUAR
Community Development Director Hutmacher noted staff was seeking RFP's to assist the City
with the Master Planning process which includes three tasks. The first was the Alternative Urban
Areawide Review (AUAR), the Master Plan itself, and finally to draft Regulations and Policies.
Responders to the RFP are required to submit proposals for each of the three tasks. She explained
the draft RFP was reviewed by Mike Norton with Kennedy & Graven, Joel Jamnik the City's
Attorney, and Ramsey County administrative and engineering staff.
Community Development Director Hutmacher explained that the RFP is scheduled to be
released to proposers by February 1, 2013. The submission deadline is March 15, 2013, and a
recommendation will be made to the Council on April 8, 2013.
Councilmember Holden asked if the City is required to choose the low bidder on this RFP.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—JANUARY 28, 2013 4
Public Works Director Maurer explained that the Council will select the most qualified vendor
and that it did not have to select the lowest bidder.
Mayor Grant questioned how much documentation could be reused with this bidding process.
City Planner Beekman stated that as much as possible will be reused to assist with the RFP
process.
Councilmember Holmes inquired if the Council will continue with the RFP process if the Offer
to Purchase does not go through.
City Administrator Klaers stated that the RFP will be delayed if the Offer to Purchase is delayed
as the City does not want to get ahead of the County in this process.
Councilmember Holmes asked if the City would be responsible for the Regulations and Policies.
Community Development Director Hutmacher indicated it would be in the City's best interest
to draft this document to be aligned with the City's zoning and design standards. She
recommended the City have authorship of this document.
Councilmember Holmes questioned the estimated expense for the required documents.
City Administrator Klaers stated that the cost for this work is uncertain and that staff has only
been able to obtain an estimate for the AUAR. He stated that a guess is that the cost could be as
high as $500,000 for the AUAR, Master Plan, and the Regulations and Policies.
City Planner Beekman anticipated that the number could come in lower due to the high level of
planning that has already been completed by the City for the property. She hopes that by
providing all of the detailed background information, the necessary documentation could be
completed more easily and lower the expense for the project.
Councilmember Holmes expressed frustration that staff never addressed the need for the
Regulations and Policies document prior to this evening. She questioned where the money would
come from to cover this expense.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated the Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) did
include Regulations and Policies and staff found it a crucial part of the planning process.
Councilmember Holden indicated when this issue was previously discussed the Council
anticipated spending $450,000 for the Master Plan and AUAR. She questioned if the Regulations
and Policies would increase this amount.
City Administrator Klaers clarified the Regulations and Policies document was included in the
original estimate. Since the Joint Powers Agreement discussions in November, staff has gotten a
better understanding of the importance of the Regulations and Policies part of the Master Plan.
Accordingly, staff has highlighted this importance by making it a separate document within the
RFP.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—JANUARY 28, 2013 5
Mayor Grant explained that the expense for these TCAAP planning documents would be
recaptured by the City through certain permitting fees. He questioned if staff was seeking
direction from the Council this evening.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated this was the case.
There was a consensus of Council for staff to proceed with the RFP.
C. Joint Development Authority (JDA) Interviews Update
City Administrator Klaers explained that letters were sent to the four applicants regarding the
February 4th interviews for the JDA citizen appointment. At this time, staff has confirmed with all
four applicants and he suggested the meeting/interviews begin at 6:00 p.m. He requested further
direction regarding the interview questions and how the Council would like the interviews to be
conducted.
Councilmember Holden indicated some of the proposed questions were leading. She asked if
the questions had to be preapproved.
City Administrator Klaers indicated this was the procedure that the Council followed when
interviews were held for the open Council seat.
Mayor Grant agreed with the topic areas suggested by staff but requested the questions be
reworded.
Councilmember Holmes agreed and recommended that each topic area be turned into questions.
Councilmember McClung also supported this recommendation and wanted to be assured the
questions were general in nature.
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Mayor Grant requested the questions be drafted and finalized prior to February 4th to assure that
each candidate was asked the same list of questions in the interviews.
The Council directed staff to reword the questions based on the stated topics and send them back
out to Council for further review prior to the interviews.
2. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND STAFF UPDATES
Councilmember Holmes presented staff with an article from the Star Tribune regarding the need
for City and tax exempt groups to pay for services.
ADJOURN
Mayor Grant adjourned the City Council work session mee g&V17 p m.
Patrick Klaers David Grant
City Administrator Mayor
'-It'
--A EN HILLS
Request for City Council Work Session Meeting
A special meeting may be called by the Mayor or by any two Councilmembers.
Reason for meeting: TCAAP Discussion (Market Study, Comprehensive Plan Update)
Requested Date: 1/28/13
Requested time: Immediately following the Regular City Council meeting.
Open meeting X Closed meeting
Signature persons) making request:
a I/ / /- / iy
Mayor or Council Member Date
Council Member Date
-This section to be completed by City staff-
Date received: 1/ 1 5 / 1?a
Date meeting to be held: 1/28/13
Time of meeting: Immediately following the Regular City Council meeting.
Location: Council Chambers, City Hall
All necessary posting and notices have been completed.
�/__)41�1 1 ) / is / 13
Signature of Deputy Clerk Date
City of Arden Hills + 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills,MN * 55112-5743
Phone 651.792.7800 * Fax 651.634.5137 www.ci.arden-hills.mn.us