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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-13-18-SWS A"ENILLS Request for Special City Council Work Session A special meeting may be called by the Mayor or by any two Councilmembers. Reason for meeting: 1. TCAAP Discussion Requested Date: 11/13/18 Requested time: 6:00 pm Open meeting X Closed meeting Signature of person(s) making request: 11/9/2018 Mayor or Council Member Date Council Member Date -This section to be completed by City staff- Date received: 9 Date meeting to be held: 11/13/18 Time of meeting: 6:00 pm Location: City Hall All necessary posting and notices have been completed. K�Yjf.& 0 ) I/ / I / �� Sign re of Deput le Date City of Arden Hills•1245 West Highway 96 •Arden Hills Minnesota 55112 Phone 651.792.7800•Fax 651.634.5137 •www.cityofardenhills.org �-A DEN HILLS Approved: December 10, 2018 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION NOVEMBER 13,2018 6:00 P.M. -ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Grant called to order the Special City Council Work Session at 6:00 p.m. Present: Mayor David Grant; Councilmembers Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes, Dave McClung and Steve Scott Absent: None Also present: City Administrator Dave Perrault; Finance Director Gayle Bauman; City Attorney Joel Jamnik; City Clerk Julie Hanson; and Bloyce Olson, Fluent Media 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. TCAAP Discussion City Administrator Perrault stated the original intent of this work session was to discuss the letter received from the County on November 6. He reported this letter was made public and the City had made a public response to the County's letter. Mayor Grant recommended the Council go through the issues in the letter and take a stance on each issue. Councilmember Holden suggested the Council take a step back and respond to the fact that the County has accused the City of taking no action. She discussed how the City has worked to meet the every changing needs of the County. She commented further on how the softball fields were changed, while also completing a FIT test. She stated the Met Council would like 10 units per acre within this development and at this time TCAAP has over 10 units per acre. She indicated there were lots of instances where the City changed its plan for the developer and County. She reiterated that the City of Arden Hills was not the bad guys in this situation. She feared that County staff may have this information but the County Commissioners did not. Councilmember McClung commented whatever has happened at the County Board level, the original RFP was no longer good for them. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 13, 2018 2 Mayor Grant explained he did not want the City to feel like the County could push them around. He stated he looked forward to holding this meeting. Councilmember Scott agreed. Councilmember McClung cautioned the City from continuing to hold meetings and spend money on TCAAP items that would not be reimbursed. Councilmember Holmes encouraged the Council to consider how many questions could be raised about what was going on. She indicated the residents know the County has put a halt to everything. She reported the Council had to address this issue. She commented the City also had to understand what the County meant by putting this project on hold for the next six months. Councilmember McClung explained the City of St. Paul was a willing partner with the County for the core plant project. Mayor Grant supported the City moving forward with the meeting on Thursday. Councilmember Holmes agreed but questioned how the City was going to address the questions that will be raised at this meeting. Blois Olson, Fluent Media, explained the idea for a meeting was brought about after speaking with the public about TCAAP. The premise of the meeting was to provide the public with a platform to provide the City with input regarding TCAAP. He commented the County has a couple of obstacles in place given the fact they have two projects there were trying to manage at the same time and for this reason, sent a letter to the City as a piece of leverage. He was of the opinion the density issue was the main concern for the County. He reported there were advocacy groups in place that were pushing the issue of affordable housing throughout the County and Twin Cities metropolitan area. For this reason, the County Board may be pushing each other to get more density out of the TCAAP development. Councilmember Holmes stated the biggest hang up for the County right now was 161 units. Councilmember McClung indicated the number of affordable housing units may be a moving target. Councilmember Holden explained the project will not make any money if TIF has to be offered for a higher percentage of affordable housing units. Mr. Olson commented affordable housing was a regional issue that the Met Council was stressing at this time. He noted affordable housing would be addressed at a State level in 2019. Councilmember Holmes questioned if the TCAAP site could absorb more density. She supported the City asking the residents of Arden Hills if they wanted more density in TCAAP. Mayor Grant feared that too much density may be placed on this site as well and questioned how the development would support itself. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 13, 2018 3 Councilmember Holden commented TCAAP was proposing to have 40-foot lots, which was not found anywhere else in Arden Hills. Mr. Olson stated if the density question was raised by the public the Council could expect to receive feedback from the public. City Administrator Perrault discussed the order of the slides for the upcoming meeting and asked if the Council would like to make any changes. Mayor Grant recommended a speaking introduction be given prior to the slides being discussed. He recommended the financing of the project be addressed. Council consensus was to keep the slides as is. Councilmember Holden asked how the Council should proceed with the County. Mr. Olson informed the Council that he works for them and could proceed as directed by the Council. He anticipated that the County could be brought back to the table if this was what the Council wanted. He commented it was a move by them to create new leverage with the density issue but noted there was some authenticity to the letter that the County was close to walking away from the project altogether. Mayor Grant commented on the importance of holding JDA meetings. He suggested Councilmember McClung and himself urge the JDA to meeting again in December. Councilmember McClung indicated he did not support JDA meetings being canceled and stated he had expressed this concern with City Administrator Perrault. He stated he wanted to learn if this project was dead and if so, he did not want to invest any further City money. Councilmember Holden indicated if a line had been drawn in the sand by the County, she anticipated this would not be the last. Councilmember Scott feared this conversation was morphing into an us versus them situation. He reminded the Council that Arden Hills residents were Ramsey County taxpaying citizens. He stated this was not strictly our turf versus their turf. He noted the County has assumed a substantial risk for this project. Councilmember Holden expressed concern that if the City agrees to more density, there would be no tax revenue from this project and the City would be asked for further density. Councilmember Holmes commented the Council has agreed to not increase the density further. Councilmember Scott suggested the Council clarify with the County that the City is not interested in increasing the density again. Mayor Grant expressed frustration that the County Commissioner has not been speaking to the City Council or its staff regarding the development. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 13, 2018 4 Councilmember McClung stated he has been told that if the City does not move on density that the County would be pleased to put their resources elsewhere. Mr. Olson commented he believed this to be true. He explained the County needs to stay there was a potential for greater density. He suggested testing the County's interest in what they can swallow on density if the City only addresses that issue until it was resolved. City Attorney Jamnik stated the original concern was that a change to the density would require a Comprehensive Plan amendment and this could not be done within the timeline requested by the County and Alatus. He reported nothing precludes the County from making a request to amend the Comprehensive Plan and noted this could come anytime between now and 2038. Councilmember Holden asked why the County does not wait and propose a change in the future. Mr. Olson indicated if the County is looking for more affordability within the project, it would be unlikely Alatus would be the developer of those properties. He summarized the Council's points within the meeting and understood the Council was not interested in changing the density again. City Administrator Perrault reported all other negotiation issues have been moving in a positive direction except density. Mayor Grant asked if the letter from the County surprised the City Attorney. City Attorney Jamnik reported the letter had surprised him because the progress in negotiations was moving forward. He believed there was good give and take occurring on the part of all parties. Councilmember Holden questioned if County staff could make decisions without the County Board's input. Mr. Olson commented the County Manager may have a certain amount of latitude. He was of the opinion the County intentionally sent the letter from the County Manager and not anyone else. Councilmember McClung stated he has been led to believe there were members of the County staff that were surprised by the letter and its tone. Councilmember Holmes asked what happened at the meeting between the County Manager and City Administrator Perrault. City Administrator Perrault discussed the meeting that occurred between himself and the County Manager. He explained a face to face meeting was requested by the County Manager where he was told the County was pulling out and after the meeting the City was provided with a letter. 2. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND STAFF UPDATES None. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 13, 2018 5 ADJOURN Mayor Grant adjourned the City Council Work at 6:55 p.m. J 'e Hanson David Grant y Clerk Mayor