Agenda - Planning Commission - 05/06/2004

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CASE # PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 9.24 (SHORELAND MANAGEMENT) OF THE CITY CODE By: Loren Gordon, Consultant, Hoisington Koegler Group, Sylvia Frolik, Community Development Director Background: The Environmental Overlay regulations of City Code are the remaining sections of Chapter 9 in need of updating as a result of the adoption of the new Comprehensive Plan. These sections include Flood Plain, Rum River Overlay District, Shoreland Management, Mississippi Overlay District, and Wetlands. For the May 6th Planning Commission meeting, proposed Shoreland Management sections will be reviewed. Observations: The Shoreland Overlay district is proposed to be amended with some minor revisions from the 1990 State Shoreland Model Ordinance, the model that all lake and river communities adopt in some form. Shoreland Management regulates all lands adjacent to state designated public waters, with the exception of the Mississippi and Rum Rivers in Ramsey where Critical Area and Wild and Scenic regulations are in place. Below are Ramsey's proposed modifications to the State Shoreland Management model ordinance: Section 9.24.05 subd. 6 - State model provides a maximum height of 25 feet for residential structures. The City is requesting flexibility under MN Rules 6120.2800 Subp. 3. Implementation Flexibility, to allow structures to be 35 feet in height. A typical two-story single family home in Ramsey with a walkout basement is commonly in the 30 to 35 feet range with this measurement. Many other communities have adopted a 35 feet height maximum to be consistent with typical single family residential zoning district maximums. Section 9.24.05 Subd. 5. Lot Area and Width'Standards o The City would like to describe the unit types in'a more identifiable manner using the number of units per building: single unit, two-unit, three-unit and four-unit. o Condominium ownership is a common arrangement in twinhome and townhome residential developments. Platting techniques for these developments makes it difficult to apply bulk standards when the land area of a unit includes what is within the confines of the walls. Yard area is typically held in common, usually, by an association. The City would like to be more specific on how to calculate the required area per unit in this situation. The proposed ordinance aggregates the private unit land with the common areas and dividing it by the total number of units to get square feet per unit. The result is the same as proposed under the State Model, but recognizes more contemporary platting techniques. 77