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The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents November 2016 <br />State of the City meeting offers news and insight about City projects by Tina Kulzer <br />Sixty-seven guests attended the an- <br />nual “State of the City” community <br />meeting at Flaherty’s Arden Bowl <br />on Thursday, September 29. This year’s <br />meeting was a departure from the tradi- <br />tional overview of City issues presented by <br />City Council members and instead featured <br />presentations by community businesses and <br />partner organizations. <br />Bob Lux from Alatus spoke first and ex- <br />plained the role of the master developer in <br />the Rice Creek Commons project, reviewed <br />the history of and timeline for the redevel- <br />opment, and explained the goals for the <br />working relationship they now have with <br />the City. He explained that the current focus <br />of that relationship is to find a “middle <br />ground” between the Master Plan devel- <br />oped by the Joint Development Authority <br />(JDA) and City and the market realities <br />that drive the work done by developers like <br />Alatus. Lux fielded questions from the audi- <br />ence related to traffic increases, mass transit <br />accessibility, and planned housing mix. <br />One of the City’s largest business residents, <br />Land O’Lakes, had the second presentation <br />slot. Mayor Grant presented information <br />about the Fortune 200 company that calls <br />Arden Hills home, detailing the construc- <br />tion plans that will consolidate its Shor- <br />eview campus into the Arden Hills head- <br />quarters, as well as the tax abatement that <br />secured their future in the City. <br />Sheila Kauppi, North Area Manager for <br />MnDOT, concluded the meeting with <br />status updates on the many road construc- <br />tion projects coming to a close in our area, <br />as well as a summary of what Arden Hills <br />residents can expect in the coming years. <br />Kauppi disclosed that approximately <br /> $70 million in state road construction <br />funding was spent in Arden Hills from <br />2013-2015. As one of the busiest road con- <br />struction seasons in recent memory winds <br />down, area residents will have improved <br />road conditions to enjoy as a result. Kauppi <br />reported that the outlook for the 2017 <br />construction season in our area will not be <br />as busy, with eastbound lane closures on <br />I-694 (the next phase of the “Corridors of <br />Commerce” on I-694) being the main proj- <br />ect that will affect residents. There were <br />several audience questions and comments <br />for Kauppi, who addressed them all. <br />Local election results outlined <br />Residents and community leaders had the <br />chance to talk together during the State of the <br />City meeting on September 29. <br />Arden Hills voters elected three City Council Members during the general <br />election on November 8. They are incumbents Brenda Holden and Dave <br />McClung who will fill four-year terms and Steve Scott who will fill a <br />two-year term (completing the unexpired term of the late Bob Woodburn). <br />They will begin their duties in January. <br />Notes on a second meeting <br />The Arden Hills City Council <br />scheduled an additional open house to <br />provide information and gather input <br />on TCAAP development plans on <br />Wednesday, November 16, at 4:30 p.m. <br />in the Marsden Room of the Ramsey <br />County Public Works Facility, 1425 <br />Paul Kirkwold Drive, Arden Hills.