Development Depends on Arsenal's Fate

Plans are moving along for the US Dept. of Defense to declare the property surplus and make it available for development in the next decade.

In fact, nearly 1,245 acres were set aside last month for parks and mixed-used development. The city has already begun work on building a $2.7-million city hall on 2.7 acres of the site.

In reviewing the city's comprehensive plan, the Metropolitan Council suggests that the city focus on mass transportation and affordable housing.

"The army land, if it becomes available, has great potential for a transit-oriented development that incorporates affordable housing, a mix of uses, and parks and open space," says District 11 Council Member Roger Williams.

But some of the city's residents do not like the idea of building transit hubs and low-income housing, which they argue would not fit the Arden Hills' quiet character.

Assuming this land becomes available, the Metro Council forecasts Arden Hills should plan to accommodate 12,000 people in 4,000 households by 2020, an addition of 1,500 households.

The city's existing and proposed residential density of 2.3 units per acre is considerably lower than the 4.4 units per acre target for fully developed cities, according to the Metropolitan Council. That's largelybecause 77% of the city's housing is single-family, and given the limited growth opportunities in the developed portion of the city, the city's housing plan is consistent with regional policies, according to the Metro Council.

If it does not become available, the city has only 175 acres of vacant land available for development, of which 35 are in residential areas. The city is unlikely to grow by more than 300 households to 2020 unless the Army land becomes available.