Agenda - Council Work Session - 03/29/2011

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remaining commercial and residential tax base. After reducing our levy by more than 10 percent (over $1 million) the last two years, we still receive complaints during our Truth in Taxation hearings that their commercial taxes have increased by approximately 50 %! As you can see, this was a major land use decision that we urgently request your continued support. As you're aware, the City of Ramsey won national awards on some of their land use plans. You are also aware that because these plans aligned so consistently with the Met Council's visions for Smart Growth and the need for additional housing objectives within the region; the Met Council favored Ramsey with many grants to help spur this growth and concepts. It included park and ride funding, CMAQ funding for parking structures and road infrastructure costs. The City of Ramsey along with Anoka County and private development has resurrected a portion of the once failed project in efforts to continue to fulfill these long established visions. To date the City, County and private development have continued to invest over $165 million just within the COR project and its infrastructure needs. News of this proposed change of policy direction will devastate these investments and make the project substantially diminished in value and tax base. It will also not allow us to complete some of the required regional roadway improvements to make this project and the region safe. Chapter 4 references the importance and need to coordinate transportation and land use planning decisions so they are complementary. By Metropolitan Council requirement, the City of Ramsey must accommodate a 20,189 increase in population by 2030, which equals a 53.5% increase in our existing population for the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. In order to effectively utilize land that is or will be served with City services, there must be at least three units per acre. The City has gone above and beyond that requirement with the development of the town center area (COR project) adjacent to Highway 10. We accepted a Smart Growth Opportunity site grant to assist in the planning for this site where densities can be up to 55 units an acre. This area was specifically designed as a transit oriented development to take advantage of the NorthStar Commuter Line, Ramsey Star Express, and the proximity to Armstrong Boulevard., Ramsey Boulevard and Highway 10. The idea was that the transportation investments would be integrated with land use and development to have a high level of accessibility for businesses and residents. This seems to be the essence of this Chapter, yet because we are not on a freeway network, it will prohibit us from getting much needed improvements to the trunk highway system that would support this growth - the growth you mandated and helped support! It appears that the State wishes to support projects that integrate housing, offices, transit, retail, services, parks and open space. This is exactly the type of development that the City of Ramsey and Anoka County have already invested approximately $14 million in transportation funding for local and regional roads to meet the daily needs of residents and businesses and connect walkable neighborhoods with City services, homes, and other amenities. Additionally, the City had taken all necessary steps to position itself for transit development. As mentioned earlier, this includes intensifying population density along the transit corridor. The town center area (COR project) has density of up to 55 units an acre with a variety of housing choices, including senior housing, small lot single family, apartments, and townhomes in a variety of prices. The COR project was developed with structured parking in mind and specifically requires shared use parking agreements and has maximum parking standards. This area is adjacent to many large employers (Connexus, VisonEase) and has several employment centers itself; PACT Charter School, the City of Ramsey, Allina Clinic, NAU Insurance,