Agenda - Council Work Session - 12/09/2014

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Armstrong Boulevard Interchange as well as participating in the current Highway 10 Access Planning Study. Both of these scenarios will help address existing development patterns and highway levels of service (note: most of Highway 10 is currently operating as Level of Service 'F' at peak periods). That being said, the Metropolitan Council and Minnesota Department of Transportation should still consider long-term planning and designing improvements in the area to allow for future capacity improvements. Secondarily, when considering origin and destinations of many of Ramsey's future growth areas, the importance of addressing Highway 47 becomes an important component of our transportation plan and goals. It will take the partnership of the cities of Ramsey and Anoka, Anoka County, Mn/DOT, and the Metropolitan Council to address this difficult, yet important transportation priority. Finally, a piece of Ramsey's regional transportation priorities is a future river crossing of the Mississippi River to create a connection to the City of Dayton. Due to anticipated future growth, coupled with existing congestion on the US Highway 169 river crossing at the cities of Anoka and Dayton, it will be important for the success of the area and the region from the perspective of affordable housing, life -cycle housing, economic development, and the inter -related connections between them all, to eliminate this existing barrier and allow for the creation of un-tapped economic development potential. Water Supply Ramsey is very encouraged to see that the Metropolitan Council is providing consideration of water supply as a regional issue. Although not as clearly visible as in other areas of the region, the issue of reduced ground water supply is still clearly a concern of our community for a multitude of reasons. We are blessed to be bordered by not one (1), but two (2) rivers; the Mississippi River and the Rum River. We hope that the emphasis placed thus far leads to effective policy, followed by true implementation. Ramsey is willing to work together with others in the region to address this important issue, but we feel that the burden of implementation should not by Ramsey's alone, but rather be shared by the greater region. Although we are located in close proximity to a surface water supply and that we are just now entering as part of the emerging suburban edge, it should not be our burden alone to implement alternative supply and reduced reliance on groundwater supply. Community Designation Ramsey also is encouraged to see a new classification of community designations. A key land use goal and priority for Ramsey is to maintain a balance of urban and rural development patterns to provide variety and respect the unique urban, rural, and natural environment character. Generally speaking, Ramsey finds the designation of 'Emerging Suburban Edge' as appropriate. This is with the assumption that Ramsey can maintain the balance of urban and rural character as currently reflected in our Future Land Use Map and Comprehensive Plan as well as maintaining the ability for future MUSA expansions. We desire the ability for local control to make future adjustments only as identified through citizen -focused collaborative processes. We acknowledge the need to work through regional planning processes and partnerships with the Metropolitan Council to identify strategic investments to reach our common goals.