Agenda - Planning Commission - 05/05/2011

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Regular Planning Commission 6. 3. Meeting Date: 05/05/2011 By: Tim Gladhill, Community Development Title: Consider Ordinance to Amend Section 117-90 "Map" of Chapter 117 of the Ramsey City Code Related to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Background: Every ten (10) years, municipalities within the Metropolitan Council's jurisdiction are required to adopt an updated Comprehensive Plan per Minnesota Statute 473, which includes a Future Land Use (FLU) Map. The City recently completed this round of updates and officially instituted a revised FLU Map. Within nine (9) months, the City must now update its official controls, including zoning code text amendments and amendments to the Official Zoning Map to be consistent with the Future Land Use Map. Notification: The Public Hearing was properly notified in the Anoka County Union. Although mailing notices are not required if the amendment involves more than five (5) acres, City Staff attempted to notify affected parcels of the Public Hearing via Standard US Mail. Observations: The City is processing these amendments in phases. This first phase included amendments that did not include revised or new zoning districts be established. This second phase consists only of the current Central Rural Reserve District as a follow up to the Central Rural Reserve Study. The final phase is anticipated to include those areas which require new or revised zoning districts. These districts include an 'Office Park' and 'Park' zoning district, which are currently not established in the zoning code at this time. Prior to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update, the City undertook a study to review the redevelopment potential of the area known as the Central Rural Reserve. The study ranged from land use types, to current traffic pattern concerns, to aging private septic stems, to protecting existing land owners and natural resources. The City received a great deal of feedback and data as part of the process and the Open House was well attended. The ultimate decision based on completion of the study was to make no formal redevelopment effort at this time nor make any permanent changes to the land use designation based on the Study itself. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan guides this area now as Rural Developing consistent with the remainder of the rural -type zoning surrounding this area. The minimum lot size in this area is currently ten (10) acres. The proposed Rural Developing category has a minimum lot size of 2.5 acres. Also, the Rural Developing category is not guided for city sewer and water. Based on questions from the public, Staff has revised the map that was mailed to impacted parcels. The revised map attempts to clarify the actual area of change. It should be noted that the proposed amendment does not have any negative impact to wetlands, which are protected under Minnesota Statutes related to the Wetland Conservation Act. Also, the proposed amendment is not an indication of any pending development, simply reverting back to the original zoning following completion of the Central Rural Reserve Study. The revised map also overlays existing wetlands to illustrate areas of protected wetlands. Funding Source: All costs associated with the amendment are being handled as regular staff duties. Staff Recommendation: