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<br />Case #8: <br /> <br />Introduce Ordinance Amendments to Off-Street Parking Regulations in <br />Ramsey City Code; Case of City of Ramsey <br /> <br />Interim Community Development Director Frolik reviewed that in July 2007, Council directed <br />staff to draft an ordinance amendment to regulate outdoor storage and parking by numbers of <br />items rather than by operability. She stated staff presented the proposed ordinance to the <br />Planning Commission for a public hearing on September 6, 2007. The Planning Commission was <br />not in favor of regulating outdoor storage and parking by limiting numbers. The Commission <br />directed staff to consider another method of regulating outdoor storage and parking, such as <br />putting limits on the amount of off-street parking surface that can be applied to parcels, based on <br />parcel size. Ms. Frolik stated in December 2007 staff reported back to the Planning Commission <br />regarding some ideas for regulating outdoor storage and parking by limiting the amount of <br />prepared parking surfaces on a parcel. A second alternative presented by staff was to use a <br />simplified number system based on an aggregate total that is not divided into categories. The <br />Planning Commission discussed the alternatives that were presented, and based on the recent <br />adoption and implementation of the new abatement program, the Commission's recommendation <br />to the City Council is not to adopt the ordinance being presented tonight, but to monitor the <br />abatement program in hopes that some of the outdoor storage of vehicles will self-correct. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec commented there are some outdoor RV's and snowmobiles that are stored very <br />nicely, and that more and more people have a lot of recreational vehicles. <br /> <br />Councilmember Look expressed his general support of the ordinance, and with the City getting <br />its hands around this issue. He stated it is important for people to realize this has to do with <br />vehicles that are parked outdoors; they can park as many vehicles and recreational equipment as <br />they would like indoors. He expressed concern regarding the recommendation in the ordinance to <br />allow two additional licensed vehicles per household. <br /> <br />Interim Community Development Director Frolik indicated if there were to be two vehicles <br />stored on one trailer it would be considered as one unit. <br /> <br />Councilmember Look stated he would also like to incorporate something in terms of a free <br />variance request to the Council for individuals that can show a hardship. He stated he is not in <br />favor of creating an additional hardship at the cost of approximately $400 for residents to argue <br />their point. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dehen stated he appreciates staffs efforts to try to put this together. He agrees <br />with Councilmember Look that the City needs to get their hands around this. He expressed his <br />support in limiting the number of units for outside storage. He pointed out this would allow for <br />enforcement to be done by driving by, rather than determining who is licensed, which requires <br />more law enforcement work. He suggested allowing a specific number of units for property <br />under five acres and a specific number for property over five acres. He also suggested requiring a <br />five foot setback from side and rear yards for outside storage. He expressed his agreement with <br />Councilmember Look's suggestion for a procedure to allow for consideration of a hardship <br />vanance. <br /> <br />City Council / January 22, 2008 <br />Page 16 of 22 <br />