Laserfiche WebLink
Fostering Economic and Residential Growth <br />Experience mill <br />Weber Community Planning believes that economic and residential growth <br />can be promoted and enhanced through comprehensive planning and zoning. <br />Guidance and regulation should improve the quality and quantity of private <br />investment by providing confidence to developers, minimizing conflicts, <br />attracting better participants and reducing costs. Properly administered, <br />zoning should help build lasting value. <br />There are two major elements in wise land development regulation: attitude <br />and design. <br />Each review ought to begin with a positive attitude, the expectation that each <br />increment of development will enhance prior neighborhood growth. <br />Although some proposals simply are not suited to achieve that objective, it is <br />a good place to begin. The reviewer should understand that he or she is <br />working for both the current residents (or businesses) as well as the future <br />citizens. To play that role well requires dexterity and skill because the <br />interests of the current and future citizens are sometimes in conflict. The <br />regulations often make the decisions easy, but the best outcomes <br />occasionally require compromise. Beginning the discussion with the <br />expectation that a mutually beneficial outcome is possible will usually bring <br />to the City Council a proposal that can be approved with minimal headache. <br />Design is the other major element in zoning administration as there is <br />usually more than one way to arrange a site. The elements of design that are <br />typically regulated through suburban zoning include transitions, plantings, <br />traffic access, density, clustering, orientation, signage, lighting, loading and <br />trash handling. Massaging the site plan or plat with the developer or <br />consultant will often lead to improved results. <br />Building some flexibility into the zoning ordinance will open the door to <br />creative design that protects existing conditions while fostering high -quality <br />growth. Although it is often more work, increased reliance on the PUD, <br />MU-PUD and Town Center districts will avoid many of the problems <br />associated with conventional "Euclidian" zoning. It is important that these <br />districts be used within the framework of a plan and provide a benefit to the <br />community not otherwise possible; they should not simply be used to <br />circumvent the limitations of the zoning ordinance. <br />Proposal to Provide City of Ramsey Planning Services 3-3 <br />