Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 11/09/2017

Home

City of Ramsey 2030 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5: Land Use • Low and high density housing including predominantly single-family housing but also multi -family housing and accessory apartments • Limited, small-scale home occupations • Education and institutional services limited to schools and churches • Park & open space The principles of affordable housing and preservation of open space are addressed in the urban residential areas through the provision of density bonuses and density credits. These are voluntary provisions that provide incentives to developers who provide affordable housing or preserve significant natural resources and open space. Density bonuses for affordable housing should be based on a definition of affordable housing that reflects average wages and incomes of the region. In 2007, the Metropolitan Council defined affordable housing as housing which costs up to $201,800. It is intended that a density bonus formula may be established as part of the City of Ramsey zoning ordinance update. Subject to City Council approval as part of the PUD process, density credit may be given to areas of the greenway (see Chapter 13. Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management for a further description of the Greenway) that are significant environmental areas, which are not protected by ordinance or other legal means. For example, if a 40-acre parcel contained no major road right-of-way and no wetlands but contained 10 acres of land within the greenway', the developer may receive density credit for the entire 40 acres as net developable acreage. A maximum density of 5 units per net acre (for example) would then yield 200 units. The developer may be allowed to reduce lot sizes or mix housing styles in order to preserve some or all of the remaining 10 acres in the Greenway as permanent open space. This open space would not be left as unmanaged open space (or an outlot) but would be required to be preserved as permanent open space through park dedication or some land preservation tool such as a land trust or permanent conservation easement acceptable to the City Council. The following further defines urban residential uses: low density residential, medium density residential and high density residential. Low Density Residential s Lands within the Greenway may include significant natural resources, vegetative cover or habitat worth preserving or simply may be vacant land which should be preserved as open space to connect other pockets of open space, parkland, wetlands etc. Cite of Ramsey 2030 Comprehensive Plan Page 5-21