Agenda - Planning Commission - 08/05/2010

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H) Industry that does not depend on commercial navigation is not as prevalent along the river as it once was, but it remains as part of the riverfront community. Stormwater management is important, and shoreline vegetation should be preserved or reestablished where possible. I) Townships in the MRCCA are primarily rural with natural areas, open space and agriculture predominating. Heights of non-agricultural buildings will be limited, shoreline vegetation will be protected, rural densities and agricultural or open spaces will be maintained. J) These districts include the urban cores of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Building heights will not be limited in these districts. Where practical, opportunities to view the river or access the riverfront should be provided. A majority of the City is proposed to be in either District B (rural) or E (separated). A small portion of the City is proposed as District C (suburban). This is fairly consistent with the existing ordinance, which the City has struggled with conformance with the Comprehensive Plan. It should be noted that the figure below inadvertently excluded areas separated by a roadway from the river as District E. Staff has forwarded a request to amend areas proposed as District B to District C as well as commercial areas to District F to be consistent with the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. It is anticipated that stormwater management will be sufficiently covered by the approved Surface Water Management Plan. Furthermore, it is anticipated that screening and vegetative buffers will be proposed along riparian lots. The City of Ramsey recently repealed a similar ordinance that prescribed vegetative buffers along delineated wetlands. 100