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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes <br />August 20, 2024 <br />Page 7 <br />1 rental space to business is proposed for the basement. This would be income generation for <br />2 the center to portion of the center including the basement to small businesses. Mr. Hussein <br />3 reviewed the City and Community Partnerships. The ways they would do that is: <br />4 Recognizing the needs expressed by the City and anticipating other needs by the <br />5 community, we aim to be great partners in finding ways to use our facility to enhance <br />6 community needs. <br />7 We are open to utilizing our oversized parking lot for St. Anthony Village community <br />8 events, such as fairs and farmers markets. <br />9 We also welcome the opportunity to work with the City to have City signage on the <br />10 property since we are at a key gateway entrance to the City. <br />11 <br />12 Since May, there have been 9 attempts to vandalize the building and those crimes are under <br />13 investigation currently. Security protocols have been added and they are doing everything <br />14 they can to protect the building. The last incident was in July 2024. The damage was <br />15 estimated to exceed over $20,000. It appears to be a biased hate crime. The use is already <br />16 allowed in the PUD. The use changes but the building does not change. Mr. Hussein reviewed <br />17 the conditions proposed and the response from the applicants. The landscape plan they would <br />18 like to do but they do not have current plans. They would need to pay for that plan and the <br />19 Center doesn’t have the funds to do that currently. They requested the landscaping plan be <br />20 removed and when they are ready to do the plan, they will come back to the City. The same is <br />21 for the outdoor playground plan. <br />22 <br />23 Mr. Stan Ross, original applicant for the project, architect for this project and also The Ruby, <br />24 was available to answer any questions. <br />25 <br />26 Board Member Omar stated he supports the Center. He is a former student and now a teacher. <br />27 He reviewed the goals of the Center. He attended a center since he was 8 years old and will be <br />28 24 next week. He studied the Koran. The Center would be available for community events. <br />29 There are hundreds of students waiting to join the programs. Mr. Omar looks forward to the <br />30 Commission’s approval. <br />31 <br />32 Commissioner Rude asked if there were bus stops nearby. He asked where the students would <br />33 be coming from. Mr. Hussein stated students and attendees would be coming from all over the <br />34 Twin Cities. <br />35 <br />36 Commissioner Hark asked if Tibyan has acquired the property already and Mr. Hussein stated <br />37 they have. <br />38 <br />39 Vice Chair Morita stated there were six comments received from the public with four in favor <br />40 of the project and two against. <br />41 <br />42 Mr. Robert Wallin, developer of Hayden Grove, neighbor to this site stated this was the <br />43 former site of a dry cleaner and the site is contaminated. This site needs to be redeveloped and <br />44 needs to be rebuilt as a multi-family use. He is concerned about the fact that there is a <br />45 playground planned and when digging in the soil remediation is necessary and costly. He is <br />46 concerned with leaving the building the way it is when the ground is disturbed you need to go