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Public Hearing <br /> <br />Chairperson Nixt called the public hearing to order at 9:30 p.m. <br /> <br />Presentation <br /> <br />Principal Planner Trudgeon explained that the City Code states multiple dwelling units <br />(including duplexes, twinhomes, townhomes, and apartment buildings) in the R-2 Residential <br />District shall contain no more than 10 units per building. Allstate Development LLC is <br />requesting an amendment to increase the number of housing units that can be contained in a <br />building located in the R-2 District. Allstate Development would like to construct a townhome <br />development with eight 16-unit buildings as part of the Villas at Meadow Point subdivision. The <br />previous ordinance governing medium density residential district had no cap on the number of <br />units allowed per building. Staff contacted several neighboring cities regarding caps on building <br />size (in terms of units per building) in their medium density residential districts: Anoka: No size <br />limit on buildings other than overall density, minimum lot size, and lot coverage. Coon Rapids: <br />Eight-units/building maximum for townhouse development. No cap on multiple-unit dwellings. <br />Elk River: R-3 (townhome) district allows 6 units/building if situated in a row, 8 units/building if <br />situated back to back. No cap on units/building for apartments. Andover: Two density districts - <br />low density: not to exceed 8 units/building or 2 stories; high density: not to exceed 24 <br />units/building or 3 stories. Blaine: All 3 multiple dwelling unit-districts require a minimum of 3 <br />units/building and a maximum of 6 units/building. Flex Development District (mixed use, <br />residential uses permitted) has no cap. Fridley: No size limit other than overall density, <br />minimum lot size, and lot coverage. Champlin: In low-density multiple-dwelling unit district (R- <br />3) maximum of 6 units/building - in medium-density multiple-dwelling unit district (R-4) <br />maximum of 12 units/building. Previous townhome developments approved in Ramsey have not <br />exceeded 12 units per building. Principal Planner Trudgeon reviewed a list of the townhome <br />units in Ramsey and the maximum number of units in each building. He noted that as can be <br />seen from the review of neighboring communities, each city regulates the size of buildings in a <br />medium density residential district differently based on community preferences and desires. In <br />determining what is appropriate for Ramsey, the Planning Commission should consider the <br />building scale and massing that the city would like to see in the R-2 Medium Density District. <br /> <br />Chairperson Nixt stated that 16 units are quite extensive for this area. He stated he thought 16 <br />units was too dense for this area and is out of line considering the zoning district. <br /> <br />Citizen Input <br /> <br />Mr. Bridwell stated he has the same concerns in regard to the proposed change. He stated the <br />plan shows five homes abutting his property line east of the development. He stated that to some <br />extent this mitigates what he can do to his property. He stated that 16 unit homes do not improve <br />the quality or raise the value of the land. He stated there are some serious drainage issues that are <br />not being addressed. <br /> <br />Planning Commission/August 29, 2002 <br /> Page 12 of 18 <br /> <br /> <br />