Agenda - Planning Commission - 04/20/2015 - Joint with EPB

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RELEVANT LINKS: Minn. Stat. § 473.175. Minn. Stat. § 473.175, subd. 3. Minn. Stat. § 462.355, subd. la. Minn. Stat. § 462.356, subd. 1. Minn. Stat. § 462.357. For more on zoning see LMC information memo, Zoning Guide for Cities. Cities in the seven -county metropolitan area must submit their comprehensive plan to the Metropolitan Council for review of its compatibility and conformity with the Council's regional system plans. When the Metropolitan Council determines that a city's comprehensive land use plan may have a substantial impact on, or contain a substantial departure from the Metropolitan Council's regional system plans, the Council has the statutory authority to require the city to conform to the Council's system plans. Cities within the seven -county metro area must review and update their plan, fiscal devices, and official controls at least every 10 years, and submit their revised plans to the Metropolitan Council for review. Adopting and amending a comprehensive plan should be a dynamic public process with an eye towards implementation. Public participation ensures broad and ongoing support, brings a variety of information and perspectives, and instills a sense of community ownership in the plan. Once adopted, the city should actively consult the plan, periodically review it for consistency with current policies and practices, and recommend amendments whenever necessary. State law provides that comprehensive plans should be implemented through zoning and subdivision regulations, as well as coordination of public improvements and city services, and a capital improvements program. V. The zoning ordinance State law authorizes a city zoning ordinance as a tool to implement a comprehensive plan. Zoning is a method of establishing a land use pattern by regulating the way land is used by landowners. A zoning ordinance has area standards that regulate the size and location of buildings and structures in the city. Comprised of text and a map, most zoning ordinances also typically divide a city into various zoning districts, and set standards regulating uses in each district. "Area standards" are rules that constrain the size and location of building and other structures. These typically include rules about building location and size, including height, width and bulk; and the percentage of lot space that may be occupied, and required yards or open spaces. Other standards might be performance standards such as related to density, parking or lighting. Most zoning ordinances use a map to divide the community into zoning districts that establish similar compatible land uses. By creating zoning districts that separate uses, the city assures that adequate space is provide for each and that transition areas of buffers exist between distinct and incompatible uses. Examples may include, but are not limited to residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural. Larger cites will often have districts of varying density or intensity, such as single-family residential and multi- family residential, or light industrial and heavy industrial. League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 3/1/2011 Planning and Zoning 101 Page 5