Agenda - Council Work Session - 08/13/2013

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COUNCIL MEMO FORM Meeting Date Agenda Section Item Description Submitted By August 5, 2013 Planning Commission ORD/Amending Chpt 74, Article V, Division 6, Section 74-270 Relating to Sensitive Development District. (2nd reading) Crystal Paumen, AICP, Associate Planner 7.1.B BACKGROUND INFORMATION: A lst reading on this item was held on July 15, 2013. The City of Anoka is proposing amendments to the zoning code pertaining to the Sensitive Development District that would allow for single family residential in the area west of the Rum River Library. The Sensitive Development District ordinance was drafted and approved in 2010. At that time, the land west of the Rum River Library was guided Medium Density Residential in the 2030 Land Use Map in the Comprehensive Plan. When the Developer presented to the City Council in April and was chosen as the preferred developer to prepare a plat for the City to consider for the city owned land north of County Road 116 and east of the Rum River, the Council guided the Developer to come up with a plan that included single family lots to provide a high -end single family housing product that is currently not available within the City of Anoka to provide more housing options for the public and fulfill life -cycle housing in the City. The Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment will be considered as a separate item. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS Attached to this report are the proposed text changes to Anoka City Code Chapter 74, Section 74-270 relating the Sensitive Development District. Deletions are shown in strikethrough font, and additions are underlined. The proposed amendments include: • Allow the zoning to permit single family use east of the Wild and Scenic Boundary. • The lot sizes east of the Wild and Scenic area may be reduced to 10,000 square feet. This lot size is consistent with the R-1 Single Family Residential zoning district. • The proposed change in the ordinance is to remove the provision that the garage must be stepped back 5 feet from the front line of the house. When the original ordinance was created in 2010 and the front - facing garage design features were discussed, the main focus of the discussion was providing design elements that aimed at eliminating the garage being the dominate feature of the house and the public view from the street. The Planning Commission held the public hearing on July 9, 2013. The Planning Commission discussed the provision regarding the garage stepped back 5 feet from the front of the house at length. The decision was to apply the provision to the property south of County Road 116 only and was recommended to the City Council for approval unanimously as written. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None COUNCIL REOUESTED ACTION: Hold the second reading and adopt the Ordinance.