Agenda - Planning Commission - 08/05/2004

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CASE # PUBLIC HEARING AMENDMENT TO R-1 RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT; CASE OF CITY OF RAMSEY By: Amy Geisler, Associate Planner Background: At their May 11t}', 2004 meeting the City Council adopted a 90-day moratorium on all subdivision and platting in the R-1 Rural Developing District. The moratorium is effective June 14, 2004 through September 12, 2004. The purpose of the moratorium is to provide time for the Planning Commission and City Council to consider additional development standards for the Rural Developing District. The Planning Commission held its first discussion of the standards at the June 4, 2004 meeting. The following items are enclosed for your information: a) Moratorium map exhibit b) Planning Commission minutes dated June 3, 2004 c) Draft Planning Commission minutes dated July 1, 2004 d) Draft Rural Developing Ordinance e) Preliminary plat and site location map of Elk River cluster subdivision - Meadowoods Village Notification: The public hearing was properly advertised in the Anoka County Union. Staff also sent a public hearing notice, map, and summary of proposed changes to owners of parcels 5 acres or larger in the Rural Developing District; this is the same distribution list that received notice of the development moratorium. Staff has received a few phone calls about the proposed changes. Observations: The current draft has not changed substantially since it was reviewed at the July 'lSt meeting. As a recap, the propgsed changes would allow the number of units currently permitted under 2.5-acre density restrictions but require them to be clustered on a portion of the property, using urban lot standards. Community septic systems would be required, as would a Home Owners Association (HOA) to manage and monitor the system. Infrastructure required to hook the system up to City sewer would be installed at the fi'ont end to avoid costly retrofitting doWn the road. The remainder of the parcel not 'utilized for cluster lots or the communal system would be platted as one or more outlots to allow further urban development when and if urban services are available to the site. As written, all new subdivisions would need to meet the new standards, regardless of lot size - there would be no exception for simple lot splits. Parcels that are 5 acres or larger would be eligible for subdivision under the new requirements, as is the case under the current code. Park dedication and density transition requirements in City Code would apply to new subdivisions under the new code.