Agenda - Council - 01/22/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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- 3 - The plan recomme~ds a policy that a strong drainage plan be completed prior to urba~ development occurring within- a watershed, but sta~dards for the rate and quality of runoff provide little guidance, to protect water quality and limit the increased rate of runoff. Policies on the maintenance of vegetative cover are also unclear and seemingly inconsistent. The plan states that a continuous vegetative cover is to be maintained. The plan also states that clear cutting is prohibited except by permit and depending on the slope and soil conditions. No criteria for such conditions are set. Clear cutting should be prohibited along the riverbank in the required structure setback area and policies established for selective cutting if necessary. The city's proposed vegetation management regulations should reflect these policies. 2. Land use element As noted in the plan summary, the eastern one-quarter of-the Ramsey Critical Area is designated urban developed-- reflecting the existi~g commercial arid residential uses--and the western three-quarters is designated rural open space. See Map 2. The .intent of ths. latter designation is to retain the open, scenic and natural characteristics of the lands and waters within the district. Much of this land is in agricultural use or designated as public open space. The Metropolitan Development Framework designates the western one-half of the river corridor as rural service area and the eastern one-half as urban serv'Yce area, indicating that urban services could be made available by 1990. As a result a portion of the Critical Area rural open space district is located within the proposed metropolitan urban service area. The possibility of a conflict between the two " designations can be avoided by relocating the Critical Area urban developed district boundary to coincide with the urban service area once the location and staging of urban development has been determined by the Ci6y of Ramsey consistent with Metropolitan Council policies. That option has not been addressed in the city's Critical Area plan. In accordance with the Development Framework designation, the City of Ramsey's comprehensive plan is to include appropriate policies for the preservation of commercial agricultural and/or general rural use areas addressing land uses, densities, and the development, operation and maintenance of on-site sanitary disposal systems in the general rural use area and policies for the timing and staging 'of urban development and services in the MUSA portion of the city. These policies are to be coordinated with the Critical Area land use district requirements. The Development Framework states that the platting of 2.5 acre iots in the general rural use area constitutes' urbanization and will create demands for urban services (schools, recreation, safety and fire). The recently