Citing frustration over the long-delayed Rice Creek Commons development, four Arden Hills residents have filed for office against the mayor and city council. Running under the slate “Advance Arden Hills,” they say they’re seeking to end the current stalemate with Ramsey County over key infrastructure costs and housing density.
In 2013, Ramsey County purchased a 427-acre parcel of the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant from the federal government with the intent to clean up, redevelop and return the property to the economic engine it once was — this time with homes, businesses and retail. The area, now known as Rice Creek Commons, would heavily expand Arden Hills, but has been put on pause due to disagreements between the city and county over spending on a new water tower, utilities and parking, among other concerns.
The challengers behind “Advance Arden Hills” include mayoral candidate Gregg Larson and council candidates Emily Rousseau, Tena Monson and Tom Fabel. They believe that the redevelopment delay has led to wasted money and resources.
Working together with master developer Alatus, Arden Hills officials have proposed up to 1,460 housing units on what’s currently county-owned land. County officials have rejected that proposal, saying the development needs something more in the vicinity of 1,700 housing units for the county to recoup some $100 million in infrastructure investment through property taxes.
The “Advance Arden Hills” candidates say, as a result of the impasse, the city is missing out on new market-rate and affordable housing, senior housing, a grocery store, a new YMCA or health club, and walking trails and other infrastructure.
“The failure of our city to move past their current position of 1,460 housing units has brought continued delay, litigation that cost city taxpayers $300,000 in legal fees, and no return on public funds already invested in the project,” reads the candidates’ website.
Arden Hills Mayor David Grant said Larson’s claims are misleading. According to the “Advance Arden Hills” website, these four candidates would seek a return on the $4 million Arden Hills taxpayers have already spent on the project.
“What he fails to mention is the vast majority of that was reimbursed from developers,” said Grant, who was on the city council from 2000 to 2010 before becoming mayor in 2011. “The other thing he doesn’t mention is that’s over the last 26 years.”
Larson served on the Arden Hills city council from 1997 to 2006 and was involved in the early stages of this project.
“I’ve been involved with this for 27 years, and it’s just time to get it done,” Larson said. “Our city council right now seems incapable of doing it, and what it means is that we’re putting off the opportunity to have a lot of new housing in the north metro.”
Housing is part of the city’s plan for Rice Creek Commons, but Grant hopes it will be more than that.
“My goal is a mixed-use development up there based upon the plan that … residents defined what that should be,” Grant said. “And the residents in the area came up with a vision, and I would like to see that vision become reality.”
However, it has been difficult for Arden Hills to reach an agreement with Ramsey County on how these plans will work out. In June, the Ramsey County board rejected a new term sheet agreement between the city and master developer Alatus to install some 1,460 housing units on the 427 acres of county-owned land.
The county attempted to dissolve the partnership in 2019 and took the city to court, but that effort was rejected last year by a Ramsey County District Court judge.
The ballot for the Nov. 8 election will include the following Arden Hills candidates:
- Mayor David Grant will face Gregg Larson.
- Voters will be asked to elect two candidates to the city council from among four options: Council Member Fran Holmes, Council Member Steve Scott, Emily Rousseau, Tena Monson.
- There will be a special election to fill a seat on the city council, where voters will decide between Tom Fabel and David Radziej. This election is for a 2-year term to fill the remainder of Council Member Dave McClung’s term, who died of cancer Dec. 1.
