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DRAFT Land Use Districts <br />City Staff has been participating in a series of Working Groups hosted by the DNR and several <br />supplemental meetings with adjoining communities affected by the MRCCA. To date, the only <br />deliverable created through the process is DRAFT descriptions of proposed land use districts and <br />accompanying DRAFT land use district maps. These descriptions are brief and do not provide detail of <br />proposed rules at this point. The purpose of these DRAFT descriptions is to frame the discussion that will <br />decide if changes to existing rules are required. The DRAFT districts attempt to take a tiered approach in <br />which the strongest protection is provided in those areas with the highest quality sensitive resources. The <br />MRCCA would continue to be an overlay district, defaulting to the underlying zoning regulations where <br />feasible while providing for additional regulations where necessary. The DRAFT discussions are as <br />follows: <br />A) This district is limited to specific publicly -owned park lands adjoining or readily visible from the <br />river. These areas generally have vegetation in a natural state, and do not include urban riverfront <br />parks with visually dominant constructed features such as plazas, bandshells or parking areas. <br />These lands will be subject to restrictive vegetative management standards; structures will be <br />lower in height than in other districts and screened from the river unless a waters -edge location is <br />essential. <br />B). This district includes lands developed at rural densities that are riparian or readily visible from the <br />river. Structure heights will be lower than in other districts and vegetative screening will be <br />required. In riparian areas, more restrictive stormwater management, erosion control, or <br />vegetative buffers may be required. The rural character of these areas should be preserved <br />C) This district includes lands developed at suburban densities that are riparian or readily visible <br />from the river. Structure heights will be lower than in other districts and vegetative screening <br />will be required. In riparian areas, more restrictive stormwater management, erosion control, or <br />vegetative buffers may be required. The suburban character of these areas should be preserved. <br />D) This district includes specific downtown areas where the developed landscape extends to the <br />shoreline with predominantly mixed uses and, frequently, small lots. Controls should focus on <br />protecting historical and cultural resources, limiting height of new structure to ensure consistency <br />with the surrounding land uses, and managing stormwater. Shoreline vegetation should be <br />preserved or reestablished. <br />E) This district includes non -riparian lots separated from the river by distance, development and/or a <br />transportation corridor. Developed lands exist between this district and the river, and the land in <br />this district is not readily visible from the river surface or opposite bank. Standard building <br />height and stormwater management and erosion control will apply. <br />F) Highly urbanized mixed -use lands are part of the urban fabric of the community. In riparian <br />areas, shoreline vegetation should be preserved or reestablished and stormwater management will <br />be required. These areas may include urban park lands and institutions. Public access to the <br />riverbank should be maintained or provided where practical. <br />G) River -dependent industry has a place on the Mississippi and is protected by E.O. 79-19. It is not <br />possible to ship commodities by river without altering the riverbank. Stormwater should still be <br />properly managed. <br />99 <br />