Laserfiche WebLink
Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday, September 25, 2017 <br /> Page 16 <br /> Mr. Schroeder expounded on the above-referenced narrative and Planning Com- <br /> mission presentation; and brought greetings from the schools' administration that <br /> were unable to attend tonight due to schedule conflicts. <br /> Mr. Schroeder thanked city staff for their assistance to-date and thanked the City <br /> Council for their vibrancy in working on behalf of the community. <br /> Mr. Schroeder stated that the university shared the same deep commitment to the <br /> community and provided a history of the value with that faith-based education to <br /> the community, their role as one of the largest private employers in the communi- <br /> ty, and the value added from the many school alumni living in Roseville. <br /> Specific to this request, Mr. Schroeder reviewed the 2012 start of the nursing pro- <br /> gram for the university, and growth of that program necessitating additional space <br /> beyond current facilities. Mr. Schroeder also noted the partnership of the engi- <br /> neering program with the University of Minnesota and additional opportunities <br /> available with expansion for permitted use for labs and consistency with that re- <br /> quested use with the original PUD. Mr. Schroeder reviewed other uses in Centre <br /> Pointe buildings, and the significant turnover in tenant facilities, and historic <br /> range of businesses. <br /> Mr. Schroeder stated the school's dispute with the rigid definition by the city of <br /> "office" and asked for more flexibility and amendment of the PUD. Mr. Schroed- <br /> er referenced staff's admitted difficulty in managing the current PUD, and dis- <br /> played the city's zoning code definition for"laboratory" (Chapter 1001.10) asking <br /> that the city apply that broader definition to this PUD. <br /> Mr. Schroeder provided job projections with this expansion, including support <br /> staff and faculty, as well as with increased student enrollment, and ramifications <br /> of higher-quality professionals for future job growth. <br /> Specific to this building and parcel, Mr. Schroeder reviewed traffic disbursement <br /> and signage as the only external change; and asked for equitable treatment by the <br /> city in comparison with similar requests, allowing the school's biology and engi- <br /> neering programs to grow, creating a win-win for the city and school with this <br /> sustainable growth. <br /> Councilmember Etten thanked Mr. Schroeder for his presentation and asked for <br /> further information on the formal cancellation of the University of Minnesota's <br /> engineering program and subsequent request by the University of Northwestern to <br /> expand their engineering program. <br /> Mr. Schroeder reported that the current class at the U of MN would graduate in <br /> the spring of 2018, impacting 70 students; and responded to Councilmember Etten <br /> that the University of Northwestern had hired faculty to start their own campus <br /> including at this proposed location as well as the formerly-referenced Edina Real- <br />