Agenda - Council - 06/10/2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Planning in a growing community is essential. Planners in Ramsey process 75 +requests per year for residential subdivisions, commercial site plans (essential elements to the City's financial activities), conditional use permits, variances, and other requests from property owners. Planners ensure that roads, rights -of -way, cul -de -sacs, sidewalks, and driveways /accesses are sized and placed properly to ensure adequate delivery of safety services. Planners respond to requests from City Council for City Code changes that would improve Ramsey, including architectural standards, sign regulations, subdivision design standards, and building regulations. The State of Minnesota mandates cities to update and maintain a Comprehensive Plan for every city in the metro area. Planners update and maintain this plan, according to the requests and values of the residents and City Council. Planners organize and facilitate meetings with the residents to ensure their values are represented. Public participation is a critical part to the planning and development process. It is integral in continuing to build a relationship of trust between the public and the City. It allows the City to demonstrate the importance of the voice of the public in the development and planning process and allowing citizen's input in how their community develops. Planners answer questions from the public and other professionals about zoning, building, and development many times per day. Planners in Ramsey update and maintain GIS maps for the city, including the Official Zoning map, future land use map, current development map, and prepare maps on demand from all other departments in the city. Planners staff the Planning Commission and Ramsey HRA, and prepare staff reports, professional recommendations, and presentations to these official bodies. Of the above duties, which would you classify as not critical? Which would be de prioritized? • Can the duties be reassigned temporarily or permanently? Please explain. In an effort to compensate for the vacant position, the responsibilities for the associate planner have been temporarily reassigned. On a short term basis, this has worked, but I do not believe this to be a viable long -term solution. The Management Intern, Environmental Coordinator, and Associate Planner have been re- assigned the work of the vacant Associate planner position. The Community Development Director and Assistant CD Director have also taken more responsibility for the day -to -day activities of the Associate Planner. The Management Intern has taken over approximately 50% of the work It is not in the Environmental Coordinator's job description to conduct any planning related work and accommodating it means his other work must be delayed. This position is entirely funding by Landfill Tipping Fee and is supposed to be funding environmental activities; which is why it would be problematic for this position to fill in for the planner long term. His work load is broken down as follows: ➢ Managing the residential recycling program • Curbside collection contract; • Coordinating periodic collection events; • Providing education; • Exploring new opportunities for convenient disposal options for residents