Arden Hills City Council election could change fate of former army ammunition site development

The future of one of the largest pieces of undeveloped land in the Twin Cities metro, the 427-acre former site of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP), is at the heart of the race for control of the City Council in Arden Hills.

If this sounds familiar, that's because it is. TCAAP's future has been in question for years as the entities that jointly govern its development — Arden Hills and Ramsey County, which spent tens of millions to buy the property in 2013 and clean up contamination — have failed to strike an agreement to start building at the site, dubbed Rice Creek Commons.

Voters will choose two council members from four candidates. Incumbent Brenda Holden and David Radziej have been skeptical of the plans, citing density and cost concerns. Richard Priore and Kurt Weber have campaigned on pushing it forward and are backed by outgoing Council Member Thomas Fabel, who has supported TCAAP's development.

The debate centers on whether or not proposed plans, which include more housing units and less commercial space, are right for the city.

Ramsey County and Arden Hills govern the development of TCAAP through a Joint Development Authority (JDA), a largely uneasy partnership that Ramsey County unsuccessfully sued to end in 2019, calling it "deadlocked over fundamental aspects of the plans for the project including financing, density, and affordable housing."

Relations between the county and city have warmed since a new council majority was elected in 2022. This year, the Arden Hills City Council approved zoning changes for up to 1,960 housing units, adding residential in areas previous plans designated commercial. The developer and county are in negotiations for the parcel's sale.

Holden and Mayor David Grant are the two current members skeptical of the council majority's direction on TCAAP issues. "They want to develop at any cost," she said in an interview.

Holden said at at a League of Women Voters forum in September that she supports development at TCAAP, but that she did not feel zoning changes allowing up to 1,960 units were vetted. Among her concerns are cost to the city, traffic, and whether there will be public transportation to support the level of affordable housing at the site.

Holden said her other priorities include public safety, trails and infrastructure. In her time on the council, she said she is proud of her work on the city's infrastructure and to help get the city grants to pay for improvements.

"I don't care how nice your parks are or how wonderful your trails are, if you come home to a basement full of sewage, you are not going to be happy. And that has always been my big thing," she said in an interview.

Priore declined an interview for this story. At the candidate forum, he said he believes in continuing the progress the council majority has made with the county on TCAAP and supports the density limit of 1,960 units. He said he would prioritize developing the property without adverse effects to the city.

Priore criticized his opponents' stance on TCAAP. "On the one hand, you have two candidates, Kurt Weber and me, with a forward-thinking, fresh perspective and strategic vision," he said, arguing others want to defer and delay the city's long-term needs.

The most recent campaign finance reports do not cover the fall and show little raising or spending for any candidate. Priore 's report indicates he received $600 from Fabel's campaign fund.

David Radziej was appointed to the Arden Hills City Council in 2022, and has been involved with the city for more than a decade through work on its Economic Development and Finance councils, as well as TCAAP planning groups. He lost a reelection bid in 2022.

In an interview, Radziej raised concerns that the new density limit for TCAAP is out of character for Arden Hills and said he fears adding housing units at the expense of commercial development will harm the city's tax base.

At the candidate forum, Radziej said his other priorities include park design for a wider age and ability range, crisis counseling for sheriff's deputies, and reviewing rental housing regulations to ensure housing — especially student rentals — are kept up. He said he would like to see the city continue to plan ahead to cover its infrastructure expenses.

"We're always looking to stretch as much of the tax dollar as we can," he said.

He declined an interview request for this story but said in the candidate forum that as a planning commissioner, he supported the zoning changes to allow 1,960 units at TCAAP, citing the housing shortage, and said data show the shift to remove commercial development and add residential properties is likely to reduce traffic at the site.

Weber said he believes it is possible to strike an agreement to develop the site that does not hurt the budget: "In a several hundred million dollar project, I find it hard to believe there is no compromise where the city doesn't end up at least budget-neutral, if not in the positive as far as tax base gains."

Weber said his other priorities are a comprehensive parks and trails plan to help the city qualify for funding, and encouraging businesses to move into high-vacancy areas, such as along Lexington Avenue.

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