Agenda - Council - 12/14/2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Density bonuses for affordable housing should be based on a definition of affordable housing that reflects average wages and incomes of the region. In 2007, the Metropolitan Council defined affordable housing as housing which costs up to $201,800. It is intended that a density bonus formula may be established as part of the City of Ramsey zoning ordinance update. Subject to City Council approval as part of the PUD process, density credit may be given to areas of the greenway (see Chapter 13. Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management for a further description of the Greenway) that are significant environmental areas, which are not protected by ordinance or other legal means. For example, if a 40 -acre parcel contained no major road right -of -way and no wetlands but contained 10 acres of land within the greenway the developer may receive density credit for the entire 40 acres as net developable acreage. A maximum density of 5 units per net acre (for example) would then yield 200 units. The developer may be allowed to reduce lot sizes or mix housing styles in order to preserve some or all of the remaining 10 acres in the Greenway as permanent open space. This open space would not be left as unmanaged open space (or an outlot) but would be required to be preserved as permanent open space through park dedication or some land preservation tool such as a land trust or permanent conservation easement acceptable to the City Council. The following further defines urban residential uses: low density residential, medium density residential and high density residential. Low Density Residential Low density residential places an emphasis on single - family detached housing but is designed to allow a variety of housing types and styles (life -cycle housing) including attached single - family housing (townhouses) and two - family homes (twin - homes, duplexes). This area represents over 3,000 acres of total land use in the community. In order to ensure that low - density mixed - housing projects can be made viable and acceptable to the community, all low- density mixed- housing projects are intended to be the subject of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Any residential development proposal containing unit types other than exclusively single - family detached housing will be required to be processed as a PUD. Individual elements (or housing types) within a PUD may range in density as long as the overall density of the PUD does not exceed a maximum of 3 units per net acre. Low Density Residential Performance Criteria: Projects within the Low Density Residential areas as shown on the Future Land Use Plan shall adhere to the following performance criteria: 1. The project shall be planned as an integral element of the larger neighborhood with interconnecting streets, pedestrian trails and greenways. 2 Lands within the Greenway may include significant natural resources, vegetative cover or habitat worth preserving or simply may be vacant land which should be preserved as open space to connect other pockets of open space, parkland, wetlands etc. The Planned Unit Development is a process by which land use can be more closely tied to design decisions during a subdivision approval process. It allows for more opportunities to preserve open space and natural features and provide a variety of housing types through greater flexibility with zoning regulations.