Agenda - Charter Commission - 11/29/2001

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unreasonable - then we should move forward with this. He wondered if it is even reasonable to expect five people to make this decision. Commissioner Ebe] stated that she would like to know more what's going on. She felt that this was "thrown at" the Commission. John Bertzyk, 6001 - 146th Avenue NW, Ramsey, stated that Mr. Hendriksen wanted the 1999 Comprehensive Plan passed. It's been dragging on for four years. The 1999 Comp Plan was not passed by the Metropolitan Council. It will not work. Margaret Connolly, 16235 Kamacite Street NW, Ramsey, stated that the Comp Plan has been a laborious process. It forces people to sit and work with each other. There are quality of life issues that go along with this. She stated that a zoning change takes a super majority and she wondered if that would be changed too. She suggested the City should be having a public hearing on some of the comp plan items to get more input from the people. She stated that negotiations are not a bad thing. Mr. Norman reported that State Legislature changed the law and a zoning change can be implemented now by a simple majority. Commissioner Henke stated that some members on the Commission are seeing our Comp Plan being held up as a loss of revenue. Many meetings were held to see what the citizens wanted and she stated she was part of that. She stated that the reason you see this deadlock is because you have two people on the City Council who want~ what the citizens wanted. You have the interest of the dex!etoper and the interest of the citizen. Commissioner Swanson stated that the talk is again about this particular comp plan. It's important we decide if it makes sense that four out of five people agree on a plan. If that makes sense, we make no change. If it does not, then-we should make a change. He added that there may be a potential to lose revenue, but what we need to discuss is - is it unreasonable to require four out of five people to vote on this. Commissioner Deemer stated that this comp plan has been in limbo' for'a long time and this is about the fifth revision. It says the Planning Commission shall create this Plan, not the City Council. Mr. Hendriksen stated that the density in the 1999 Plan reduced the current density. Commissioner Deemer stated that the increase in density is just restoring what was in the City's zoning codes. Chairperson Vogt stated that the question we have in front of us is whether a simple majority or a super majority should rule. Jeffrey Menthe, 14726 Ramsey Boulevard NW, Ramsey, asked who made up the 4/5 rule. -6- Charter Commission - September 6, 2001 Page 6 of 11