Agenda - Council - 08/13/2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-100- Case #7: Proposed Ordinance to Establish Density Transition Methods City Administrator Non'nan explained that for the past several years, the City has discussed a density transition ordinance to help mitigate the effect that new residential development has on existing residential development. There has been proposed ordinance language since 2000, and in 2001, the City entered into facilitator led discussions of the Comprehensive Plan and Transition Ordinance with Larry Baldcen. During the final session with the facilitator in November 2001, the Council provided final direction for a density transition ordinance. An introductory to that case was presented to the City Council at their meeting on January 8, 2002, and the Council referred it to the Planning Commission for a public hearing. That public hearing was held on June 6, 2002, and they recommended approval of the density transition ordinance subject to correcting inconsistencies and ambiguities raised during their meeting. He noted that the proposed ordinance requires transitioning methods to take place if a new residential development is proposed to have a higher density than the adjacent existing residential use. The ordinance outlines several transition methods that can be done to mitigate the impact to adjacent lower density developments, Options include the use of natural and built features such as hills, wetlands, rivers, County and State roads, or a 300 foot wide undeveloped buffer strip, the use of landscape buffering, the matching of density, or other alternatives. The ordinance gives the ability for other transition options to be used provided there is agreement with both the City and developer. The transition ordinance also requires that every new development will have a traffic generation analysis conducted in conjunction with the approval process. City Administrator Norman noted the revised ordinance that was reviewed by the City Attorney. Councilmember Hendriksen stated a density transition ordinance that followed Chapter 14 of the Charter was introduced in November or December of 1999. City Administrator Norman stated the ordinance was actually introduced in December 2000. Motion by Councilmember Hendriksen, seconded by Councilmember Zimmerman, to introduce that ordinance introduced previously. Further discussion: City Administrator Norman stated no one has a copy of that ordinance tonight. Mayor Gamec stated the City has spent time on a facilitator and four or five meetings with a facilitator to review this ordinance. He stated that is the ordinance that the Council considered adopting, not the old ordinance under the motion. Mayor Gamec stated that he cannot vote in favor of the motion to introduce the old ordinance. He stated the old ordinance was discussed several times already. Councilmember Hendriksen stated there was a year and a half of work with the Plalming Commission and an outside facilitator to adopt that density transition ordinance also and it actually got introduced and remains at that point. He stated that before the Council discusses something that provides less protection to citizens, he would like to try one last time to get it approved. Councilmember Anderson stated between that time and within the last year Councilmember Hendriksen had again introduced the old ordinance and it was voted down. Councilmember Hendriksen stated that some people may have changed their minds. Councilmember Anderson stated she had understood Councilmember Hendriksen had City Council/July 23, 2002 Page 18 of 30 I I I I I I I I I I