Vision for ammo plant begins to take shape

As the city of Arden Hills looks to a public auction of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP), the city has scheduled a community meeting to update residents on the status of the huge redevelopment site.

Before the Tuesday forum, the city's community development director, James Lehnhoff, answered some questions about the project. Here is a summary:

Q Why is the property going to public auction?

A It's been the goal of the U.S. Army to move the property into private ownership since it was surplused in the mid-'90s. The city once was set to purchase the property and transfer it to developer Ryan Companies. But faced with a dismal real estate market, Ryan withdrew last year; the city also withdrew its offer. Shortly afterward, the Army announced that the land would be sold in a public auction, now slated for late June. Nearly 430 acres will be available for sale.

Q How will the auction work?

A The General Services Administration, which is handling the sale, will pre-qualify bidders to make sure they have the money to purchase the property and complete environmental cleanup. The required qualifications should be available in mid-May, before the property goes to auction in June, at www.auctionrp.com/Property_details.cfm?id=1114.

The land will only be sold as one large piece, not divided up and sold piecemeal.

A The Vikings ownership has not approached the city with a proposal or an inquiry. And while investors did express interest in a racetrack on the site, they never took a proposal to the city council. Neither use would conform with the city's plans for the site.

"We just don't think something like that would be compatible with the residential areas and commercial areas close to this site, particularly related to the noise," Lehnhoff said. "We are looking at other creative and interesting uses."

Last week, the city and the county learned that the U.S. Army will transfer 109 acres to the county for a wildlife refuge, trailhead and a trail linking the Hwy. 96 Regional Trail to the Rice Creek North Regional Trail. The county is anticipating that the land will be cheap or free. The land would be removed from auction, but the transfer probably won't happen until after the sale.

Q What will be the future use of the property?

The city of Arden Hills has made plans for the site as part of its 2030 Comprehensive Plan. It doesn't control every detail, but it designates three zones: wildlife/recreational land, mixed commercial and residential use. Generally, the recreational areas run across the top of the California-shaped tract. The business area runs along Hwy. 10 and I-35W to the west, and the residential area will be in the strip between the commercial area and the trail.

A The city is completing zoning regulations for TCAAP to try to make sure that future uses fit what the city and the region want, Lehnhoff said. The plan is similar to one that has been on the table since the mid-'90s.

"It's important to have that in place prior to the auction, so whoever bids on the property understands what the community is looking for in terms of redevelopment on the property, and so they understand how to make an appropriate bid," Lehnhoff said. "It makes the process smoother to have people coming into the project already understanding the direction the project is going, rather than trying to figure that out with a new developer in the future."

Q What will happen to the National Guard training area, Arden Hills City Hall and other facilities already on TCAAP?

A Nothing. All of those are located outside the TCAAP Reuse Area.

Q What are the environmental issues on the site?

"We do want to make people understand that nothing we've learned would imply this property cannot be reused and become a productive part of the community," Lehnhoff said.