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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-01-07-WS ~ ~~HILLS Approved: September 10, 2007 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION August 1, 2007; 7:15 P.M. ARDEN HILLS COMMUNITY ROOOM 1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Stan Harpstead called to order the City Council Work Session meeting at 7:15 p.rn. Present: Mayor Stan Harpstead, Council members David Grant, Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes, and David McChmg Absent: None Also present: Finance Director Sue Iverson; Stacie Kvilvang, Ehlers; Sid Inman, Ehlers; Steven Bubul, Kennedy and Graven; and John Dean, Kennedy and Graven. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM Mayor Harpstead reviewed the agenda. It was agreed the agenda would consist of discussion ofTCAAP. The motion carried (5-0). 3. AGENDA ITEMS Recap and Status ofMDA Discussions Steve Bubul stated that the Council needs to have a concept plan approved or an initial approval and the authorization for staff to go forward at this stage. We can then go back and revise as needed during the process. Stacie Kvilvang stated that Phase One was used for the first initial round with the government. The AUAR is already using the basis of "max" build out/capacity. Councilmember Holden would like to have the Hwy 10/96 meeting and have those issues resolved. She stated that this would be a major stumbling block for her to approve any plan. Conncilmember Grant stated that we need to consider that in light of tonight' s tragedy, transportation funding may likely be diverted as a result of the 35W bridge collapse. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - AUGUST I, 2007 2 Mayor Harpstead asked if we should hold offnntil the Highway 10/96 discussion is done or do we approve a plan which may drive the placement ofthe intersection. He asked if there was anything that the Council could do to help the negotiation team. Councihnember Holmes stated that we can't just use numbers; she wanted to know if we had any pictures or visuals. Review ofPreliminarv Phasing Plan for Environmental CleanuplDemolition Sid Inman stated that this plan can impact how the clean-up is done on the site. Stacie K vilvang stated that it was modeled after the open house plans as a basis for a starting point. Councilmember Holden emphasized that three to four years ago the plan had the same number of units on 450 acres but now the same number of units on 351 acres. She stated that she is not ready to accept the concept plan. Stacie Kvilvang stated that DSU categorized the acreage in the original plan; she didn't know who did the calculations in 2004. Councilmember Holden stated that we need to look at sewer cOlmections. Stacie Kvilvang informed the Council that there was a meeting next week with staff to talk about the resource plan. Steven Bubul stated that it depended on how fast the Council wants to move. Councilmember Holmes stated that we need to get the Hwy 10/96 issue resolved. Stacie Kvilvang asked what the timeframe was on Hwy 10/967 Mayor Harpstead stated that we clearly needed to have a number of things completed before the closing including the MDA and community awareness and expectations, environmental impacts, phasing, assessments, land use (revenue-density), financial impacts, and long-term impacts. We need to have all of the things done in a year. Sid Inman stated that if the Council was uncomfortable in approving the plan, what can we work off of? Councilmember Holden again stated that we need to have the Hwy 10/96 discussion. Councilmember Grant questioned the densities, stating that RRLD is using medium and low is still above what they are comfortable with. Mayor Harpstead stated that he needs to see visuals for the apartment buildings. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - AUGUST 1, 2007 3 Councihnember McClung seconded what Councilmember Grant and Councilmember Holden said, low density is still above what we want. It seems that we are putting in an Excelsior and Grand type density into Arden Hills. Conncilmember Grant commented that the water feature had disappeared from the plans. Councilmember Holden stated that the water feature is a necessary feature of any development these days. Steven. Bubul stated that RRLD is using the current concept; it would be more helpful ifthe Council would say that this is not what we want. Councihnember Holden feels like RRLD is leading the charge, not us. Stacie Kvilvang paraphrased, the message we want to take back is that the lowest density numbers they provided is not low enough. We also want to see the model in 3D and there are no big lots out there. Mayor Harpstead stated that we need to model population. Summary: Density is still too high, commercial too high, need 3D models to see what it looks and feels like, do not like finger parks. General consensus was that they do not want to move forward with any concept until Highway 10/96 is decided. Council discussed expectations: Helpful to get info matrix on what RRLD's position is; Council likes summary discussions; updates are more important than a meeting. They directed that staff schedule a meeting with us if you think that it is important. Ifthere is nothing to report then tell them there is nothing to report. Councihnember Grant stated that he wants the financial capacity of this project, why approve until we know what the numbers are? Stacie K vilvang stated that the developer is using an 8% fee on the land. They will always back into that number. Councilmember Grant wants to know what the capacity is in total. Councilmember Holden stated that they agreed to a purchase price, now they say that they assumed demolition was included in that price (which it is not) - they need to know what they are doing. Mayor Harpstead stated that he wants a development that works. Stacie Kvilvang stated that she would work through some examples with Councilmember Holmes. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - AUGUST 1,2007 4 Discussion on Housing Market Studv Stacie Kvilvang recommended that the City commission our own market study. The cost of a study is estimated at $20,000-$30,000. She recommends that the City pay for it. A nnmber of firms handle this and they can do both residential and/or commercial. Mayor Harpstead stated that he is more interested in the residential. Steven Bubul asked, "Is the market there to support the density that we want?" Other Stacie Kvilvanggave a preview of the MDAG presentation that will be given next week. 3. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Harpstead adjourned the Work Session meeting at 10:30 p.m. rv1~ AteJiPf Michelle Wolfe City Administrator 1 IMetro-inet\ArdenHills \Admin ICouncillMinutes 1 Worksession 12007\08-01-07 Draft. doc