Minutes - Council - 05/25/2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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forefi'om that pose a serious challenge to the project. Staff has been asked clarification in two general areas that would lend assistance to the marketing of the Town Center. One question is concerning the possible development of"super big boxes", or grocery stores attached to a large commercial retail center. The other question deals with the transportation policy surrounding Armstrong Boulevard and the eventual extension of Bunker Lake Boulevard to Highway #10. City Administrator Norman explained staff has discussed the matter of the large retail grocery with the Teclmical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Committee agreed that restrictions in the zoning ordinances would be ill-advised, and the restriction may not fit into the Development Guidelines either. The recommendation of the TAC suggested that City Council adopt, by simple motion, direction to staff to discourage a large grocery complex west of Armstrong Boulowtrd. The recommended motion would be as follows: Direct City staff to develop language to the extent possible which would discourage grocery uses west of Armstrong Boulevard in TC-2 Zoning District of the Ramsey Town Center consistent with City Ordinances, Development Guidelines and State law. City Administrator Norman indicated the other issue relates to the transportation policy. Future plans for fi'eeway standards on T.H.#10 call for grade separated interchanges in Ramsey at Ramsey Boulevard and the eventual extension of Bunker Lake Boulevard (CR itl 16) to provide highway access to the Ramsey Town Center. Since the future grade separated interchange located at Bunker Lake Boulevard/T.H.#10 would have significant impact on the Armstrong Boulevard access to Highway iil0, it has been suggested that marketing efforts will be hampered. The Town Center developers desire to assure potential users and tenants that there will be no changes in traffic pattern for more than ten years. Once the marketplace has been established, the changes of traffic access can be changed with little to no significant impact on the marketplace. Staff has worked with The Tinklenberg Group to develop a framework of policies that would eventually be used in future amendments and drafts to the City's Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan sets out a vision for the future community. It contains goals that define the vision in public policy that is designed to help realize the vision. The proposed policy (Official Transportation Policy Statements) that would be included as part of the transportation element in the Comprehensive Plan has been included in the Council's packet. Mayor Gamec asked if Shingobee has looked at this and also sent it on to their potential C[IS[OII'ICrS. City Administrator Norman replied they have not sent it on to Cobums or the other companies they will be working with. Councilmember Strommen commented the language suggested in the direction sounds vague, and could mean a convenience store as well as big box. Councilmember Elvig suggested "large retail" be inserted between "discourage" and "grocery" in the staff dircction. City Council/May 25, 2004 Page 24 of 27