Agenda - Council - 03/12/2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-62- be to fill the area with houses instead of businesses and have a worse ratio of businesses to residents. The smart growth opportunity site proposes 2,000 additional homes, which was once intended as a business park. Ms. Horn requested that when the Council considers the land use amendments they look at each property individually and decide how they can move that many additional people into the City. She felt that higher density developments should be located close to county roads and shopping. Mark Labone, stated that some people are worried about the impact on schools others are saying medium density will bring in less people. He felt what was important was getting accurate information out to the residents so that they know the true impact of a development. Richard Krueger, 7640 175t~ Lane NW, Ramsey, stated that people are worded about moving traffic but when they add the river bridge crossing they will be adding more traffic and they need to develop the City otherwise they wilt be a bunch of'farmers in the middle of the City. Mr. Feges agreed with Councilmember Hendriksen regarding the approach to the town center site. In their analysis and doing overlays on the site it becomes less of an option to put in housing, but more of an option of an enterprise and business district. What they would see is more like 800 to 1,000 housing units. A collaboration of everyone working together makes it better defined. Councilmember Hendriksen questioned in the model Mr. Feeges was referring to how many of the units would be free standing and how many would be second or th/rd floor units above retail. Mr. i~eges replied that about 60 percent would be free standing units and the other 30 to 40 percent would be blending retail/commercial with housing. He explained that there is some resistance with combination type of housing because it has yet to be proven successful in this area. David Elvig, Tungsten Street NW, Ramsey, stated that his main concern is with writing a good document and plan to move forward with the town center: The land is vacant and nothing is happening with it. It is not generating any income to the City as it currently exists. If they focus solely on industrial it could present a problem. They learned in Chicago that they took a four square mile area and turned a net revenue of 25 million dollars. The Met Council did not force the pipe to be extended to Ramsey, but the City made the request and at that time they had suggested that 49,000 units be connected. When the pipe was put it in the Met Council agreed to a system of 19,000 units and the City is obligated to that mount. He felt that there is a way to design townhomes so that they can get empty nesters and young professionals into the City. Margaret Connolly, 16235 Kamocite Street NW, Ramsey, stated that she has lived in Ramsey for many years and she has seen Ramsey do things that expedite a short term accomplishment. Currently the city is part of a study on where to locate the river bridge crossing in which the City has been asked to place land in a moratorium to accommodate that bridge. The City is also Planning Commission Joint Meeting/January 24, 2002 Page 12 of 15 I I I I' I I I I I I I I I