Agenda - Council Work Session - 04/05/2004

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Topic Report: Status of Residential Development Outside of the Urban Service Area By: Patrick Trudgeon, Assistant Community Development Director Amy Geisler, Associate Planner Background: At your recent Strategic Planning session, the City Council discussed the need to amend the 2001 Comprehensive Plan to more effectively plan for residential development outside of the current urban service area. The City Council held a joint meeting with the Planning Commission on March 16th, 2004 to discuss the need to amend the Comprehensive Plan. There was general consensus among Council and the Planning Commission that this planning process should begin soon. One concern expressed by Council (and shared by staff) is that additional 2.5-acre residential development may be initiated under current zoning regulations before the Comprehensive Planning process is complete. It is staff's opinion that such development may further complicate sewer and water extension scenarios, and ultimately make the comprehensive planning process more difficult. Based on Council direction, staff intends to bring forward a revision to the zoning code that will provide more guidance to rural landowners as to how their property can be developed while not jeopardizing the Comprehensive Planning process and potential extension of urban services. It will be several months before this revised zoning language can be drafted and brought before the Planning Commission and the City Council for review and approval. Based on this time lag, staff is recommending the City Council consider an interim ordinance to temporarily restrict development outside of the current urban service area. Staff will be bringing a draft ordinance to the work session for your review. Action Statement: Provide direction to staff regarding an interim ordinance to restrict develoPment outside of the current urban service area. CCWS: 4/05/04