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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-23-09-TCAAP WS EN 11LLS Approved: October 26, 2009 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL TCAAP WORK SESSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 23, 2009 6:00 P.M. - ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Stan Harpstead called to order the City Council TCAAP Work Session meeting at 6:00 p.m. Present: Mayor Stan Harpstead Council Member David Grant Council Member Brenda Holden Council Member Fran Holmes (arrived at 6:04 p.m.) Council Member Dave McClung. Absent: City Attorney Jerry Filla (excused) Also present: City Administrator Ron Moorse Community Development Director James Lehnhoff 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. TCAAP Mayor Harpstead stated the item on the agenda tonight would allow the Council to talk through their various positions on TCAAP. He encouraged the Council to come together and try to find consistency or a majority position before meeting with the County Board. Councilmember Grant agreed that this would be an important discussion and stated the Council would need to come together in order to approve future votes for TCAAP. Mayor Harpstead suggested each Councilmember provide their strong interests and priorities without opposing comments. After each member has had a chance the Council can then review the list to find the common positions. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL TCAAP WORK SESSION-SEPTEMBER 23 2009 2 I.A. TCAAP (continued) Councilmember Grant started the discussion by stating he wants to see the TCAAP property reused, meaning that if it becomes a park it is used and not just green space. He indicated that if the property were to be developed, he would like to see affordable housing that is owner occupied. Councilmember McClung stated his vision for the site would be a mixed use development similar to the mixed use proposed with Ryan Companies. He explained that the economic downturn affected the proposed density and suggested that it be reduced to 60-70% of the previously proposed master plan. Councilmember McClung noted the land not developed should become green space and additional park space. Councilmember Holden stated the primer tracer tract and the wild life corridor should not be discussed with this site. The Council was in agreement with this suggestion. Councilmember Holden indicated the Council did need to take into consideration the access issues with this property. She noted it could create future concerns due to the limited access. Councilmember Holmes stated her top priority was for the entire site to become a park. Councilmember Grant questioned at what point does the Council abandon the park theory if there are no funds for cleanup. Mayor Harpstead reviewed his priorities. He indicated he would like to see a trail connection from County Road 96 to the Rice Creek Park. In addition, he felt it would be great to have a major local road from County Road 96 to the County Road H connection to provide connectivity. Mayor Harpstead added that he would like to have places for people to live, work, shop and play. There is a need for housing, retail and open space for parks and amenities. Mayor Harpstead indicated he would like to see this site be seen as the gateway to the future AHATS Regional Park. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL TCAAP WORK SESSION-SEPTEMBER 23 2009 3 I.A. TCAAP (continued) Discussion ensued regarding the AHATS regional park and how the site may change over time. Councilmember Holden believed a major trail corridor from County Road 96 to the Rice Creek trail would be important for pedestrians and cross country skiing. She agreed that if affordable housing were on the site it should be owner occupied. Councilmember Holden indicated she would like to see the corridor split in two sections with a park in the middle. Councilmember Grant stated he would like to see a diversified business space on the site, with a corporate campus and small businesses. He explained he would like to see the development provide something back to the City, whether it is financial, or trails and amenities. Councilmember Grant indicated that TCAAP would have to pay its own way. Councilmember McClung stated he would like to see a mix of commercial, retail, residential and parks or open space. The housing stock would need to be diversified to include workforce and affordable housing, along with market rate housing. Mayor Harpstead noted he would like to have open space, but would like to see the space outside of the primer tracer site be a 50/50 mix of development and open space. He indicated infrastructure for ponding would need to be included in the open space. - Mayor Harpstead explained he was in favor of owner occupied affordable housing with smaller lot sizes adjacent to parks or green space. Councilmember Grant indicated the open bidding process would bring about a variety of buyers, some non-traditional and suggested the Council would need to be open to new market driven concepts. Councilmember Holden explained density would need to reflect existing City policies. Councilmember Holmes questioned if the Council was in favor of using TIF to assist the developer in providing affordable/workforce housing. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL TCAAP WORK SESSION-SEPTEMBER 23 2009 4 I.A. TCAAP (continued) Councilmember Bolden indicated she would be in favor of subsidizing to achieve the City's density and affordability goals. She added that anything above County Road H, except the 53 acre thumbnail should be parkland and open space. Councilmember Grant noted this would be reducing the number of acres developed. He stated he would like to see some green principles incorporated on the site. Mayor Harpstead reviewed the list of suggestions and asked if there were any observations of consistency within the comments. Councilmember Grant indicated there were several comments regarding mixed use. Councilmember Holden stated there were also several similar comments for parkland. Councilmember Grant noted there were two camps at this time, one for parkland and the other for mixed use. There was consensus to have the TCAAP site reused, whether an active park or as retail, commercial and living space. Councilmember Holmes stated the space could be an active park but that many grants would need to be applied for and given before the site could be cleaned and made ready for use. Councilmember Grant expressed concern about the land being handed over to the County and them not being developed or actively used. Councilmember Holmes stated this would be a process and that grants would need to be applied for but that Ramsey County has proven they can develop the site as they did with the wildlife corridor. She explained there were a number of grants available through the Legacy Fund and Met Council to assist the County. Councilmember Holmes indicated the Council could ask them for their plan for the site. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL TCAAP WORK SESSION- SEPTEMBER 23 2009 5 I.A. TCAAP (continued) Councilmember Grant questioned the timing of action to delay or terminate the GSA's public sale process. Councilmember Holmes stated this call would be up to Betty McCollum and that this would occur if an entity was willing to take the property by the end of 2009. Councilmember Grant asked what the Council would be willing to do with the site if Ramsey County was not willing to assume the property by the end of 2009. Councilmember Holmes stated the Council would need to have another discussion or the GSA would just continue as is with the public sale process. She indicated the City was not in control of this process. Discussion ensued regarding the public use of the land and if the federal government can give the land to the County. City Administrator Moorse stated at this time three councilmember's wanted to try to have all of the land become park and open space if the County was so inclined. If things do not work out with the County, then there is openness to look at mixed use. Councilmember Holden stated there may be middle ground where if the County - would assume 50% of the site the other 50% could be developed. Councilmember Holmes stated she would like to see everything north of County Road H become a park, as previous discussed, even the thumbnail Councilmember McClung left the meeting at 6:55 p.m. Mayor Harpstead indicated that he would not prejudge which parcels of land had to be park land and which could be developed. He was more in favor of a 50/50 split of development to green space on the site. City Administrator Moorse questioned if the Council wanted to wait on a definite answer from the County before continuing this conversation. If the answer from the county was no, that the site was not going to be park land, then the Council could discuss other alternatives. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL TCAAP WORK SESSION- SEPTEMBER 23 2009 6 LA. TCAAP (continued) Councilmember Holden and Councilmember Holmes were in favor of waiting on this decision until hearing from Ramsey County. Mayor Harpstead agreed to wait. Councilmember Holmes indicated she was not willing to waiver on her position and that she wanted to go into the Ramsey County meeting offering them the entire site and if they were not interested the option could be raised to see what they would be willing to take. She felt a large park would be a valuable asset to the community. Councilmember Holden agreed that the park land was harder to hold on to and that this should be approached as Councilmember Holmes has suggested. Councilmember Grant questioned if the Council was supporting the GSA moving forward. Councilmember Holmes stated the current resolution stated the Council was not in support of the GSA moving forward but that the Council could not stop the federal action being taken on the site. City Administrator Moorse indicated that if the City received a positive response from the County, Representative McCollum could approach the GSA to stop or - delay the public sale. Discussion ensued regarding the upcoming meeting with the Ramsey County Board. Councilmember Holmes indicated that this discussion may be getting to hypothetical at this time and that further discussion could be held after meeting with Ramsey County. Councilmember Holden explained that she has heard numerous times that the public is leery of building homes on a superfund site. Mayor Harpstead indicated this discussion has made it clear where everyone stands. He stated the ability to obtain financing and support would be a struggle. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL TCAAP WORK SESSION--SEPTEMBER 212009 7 1.A. TCAAP (continued) The Council agreed to continue the TCAAP discussion at the October 21 St TCAAP work session meeting. There was further discussion on the TCAAP meeting date and if consideration should be given to allow Councilmember McClung to attend. Mayor Harpstead indicated this issue could also be discussed November 9th before the regular Council meeting as well. Councilmember Holmes stated she would be in favor of having the scheduled TCAAP meeting held on October 21 St to discuss the Ramsey County Board meeting. Mayor Harpstead questioned if there would be minutes taken at the Ramsey County Board meeting. City Administrator Moorse stated there would have to be minutes as it was a - posted meeting of the Council and that a quorum of the members would be present. Councilmember Holmes explained she felt it would be more productive to hold the TCAAP worksession on October 21St to discuss the Ramsey Board meeting. Councilmember Holden agreed. Mayor Harpstead asked that Attorney Filla be contacted to see if a scheduled TCAAP worksession meeting could be cancelled. He felt it was a mistake to hold the meeting as it would not allow for comment from Councilmember McClung. Councilmember Holmes indicated that three members of Council were in favor of the meeting and felt it should be held as scheduled. City Administrator Moorse indicated he would report back to the Council on this issue. I COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS There was nothing at this time. ' ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL TCAAP WORK SESSION-SEPTEMBER 23 2009 8 Mayor Harpstead adj rne �y Council TCAAP Work ssio meeting at 7:26 p.m. Stan Ha tea Ronald J. oorse Mayor City Administrator