Agenda - Council - 10/25/2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT BACKGROUND INFORMATION ■ F3EAL. CLASSIC A -2011-12b Official Zoning Map Amendment Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map Amendment Land Generally west of Anoka County Library and north of County Road 116 City of Anoka August 3, 2011 The City of Anoka is proposing a 2030 Comprehensive Plan Land Use map amendment and official zoning map amendment to approximately 22.5 acres located generally east of the Rum River and Anoka Nature Preserve, north of County Road 116 (CSAH 116), south of the Anoka Nature Preserve, and west of the Anoka County Library. The land use map amendment would change the land use on the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Land Use map from Planning Area to Low Density Residential and Medium Density Residential. Planning Area was a designation the Metropolitan Council allowed the city to use for this area because when the comprehensive plan was approved in 2008, discussions of future land use in this area had not been completed. The City Council did not want to designate the area public land use because of the anticipation it would change. The Low Density Residential area is approximately 12.8 acres and located entirely within the Rum River Wild and Scenic. The Medium Density Residential area is approximately 9.7 acres and located outside of the Rum River Wild and Scenic. The rezoning would change the entire 22.5 acres from R -F Rural Farm to Sensitive Development District. It has been a general goal of the City Council to continue to seek ways to increase City revenues by adding tax exempt property to the tax rolls and reduce the burden on all Anoka tax payers. In pursuit of this goal, all non -tax generating properties were identified; included city owned properties. One such property that has been discussed is the area identified in this application. In 2006 approximately 200+ acres of land was put into a conservation easement and is now called the Anoka Nature Preserve. A map is included that shows the Anoka Nature Preserve. This area generally abuts the subject area for this application to the west and north. Lands within the Anoka Nature Preserve are protected through the conservation easement and management plan and are not included as part of this application. Notably, the small strip between the Rum River and subject area that is in the Anoka Nature Preserve is approximately 120 feet wide. Trees and other vegetation are not permitted to be removed within that 120 feet. No private lot lines would extend to the Rum River over the nature preserve. At this time no development is proposed. Rezoning the property would prepare for it to be sold for development. If and when a development is proposed, there will be a public hearing before the Planning Commission and final determination by the City Council. Details relating to a plat, site design, stormwater management, etc. would be reviewed during this process.