Minutes - Planning Commission - 07/09/2015 - Work Session

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Community Development Director Gladhill explained that the City has had a strategy to implement shared parking, but does require an up front investment and has required some form of public assistance in the past in Ramsey's examples, namely through grant awards. Gladhill reviewed the history of the Ramsey Municipal Ramp and the feedback the City originally received in the early stages of the development before uses such as Residence at The COR was completed. Commissioner VanScoy remarked how there needs to be a new strategy to shared parking because parking supports density and retail. Commissioner Bauer explained how the original plan had plans for a second parking ramp. He then explained how it should be pursued in a development which has the developer paying half and the City paying half. Commissioner VanScoy asked how we define parking counts and how there are conflicting methods for parking counts/requirements. Community Development Director Gladhill then went through the rest of the components on the board which were the West 30; transit; storm water; density; and streetscape. He then remarked how the streetscape portion has been redesigned different than the original plan, especially Ramsey Parkway. He explained how in the original plan the Parkway continued west with landscape. He then asked what components should be in the streetscape. Chairperson Levine remarked how Ramsey Parkway was an attraction on the original plan. Community Development Director Gladhill asked the commissioners if there were anything in the COR plan that they would like to strike out or add to the list. No commissioners had anything to strike from or add to the list. Chairperson Levine asked what the `strong downtown feel in center' meant. Chairperson Levine expressed concern about the West 30. FUTURE POLICY QUESTIONS Community Development Director Gladhill asked if there were additional questions to add to the list of policy questions from city staff [handout]. Chairperson Levine asked about McDonalds, remarking on the question of whether Ramsey wants to continue to allow uses with a drive-thru and gas station. He said McDonalds certainly has a drive-thru and where they go, other restaurants [and retail] will follow. Commissioner Bauer responded with the reconstruction of Armstrong [Boulevard], it will have the effect of getting people off Highway 10, for example weekends when gas, groceries, and meals are needed on the way [in and out of the city and metropolitan area]. Community Development Director Gladhill responded that drive-thru and gas station type business should be acceptable in portions because Ramsey needs and wants those types of businesses. Planning Commission Special Work Session/July 9, 2015 Page 5 of 8