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-3- ~ocation first issue that exists ~ithlRamsey~s proposed Urban Service Area is The location. The Development FrameWOrk generally identifies southern Ramsey as the potential ' location of the Urban Service-Area. This southern location was identified in the absence of any local plan indicating otherwise. A southern location also fits most closely to the Development Framework concept of contiguous orderly and econ- omic development of the MetrOpolitan Area. Ramsey~s proposed Urban Service Area is also located in the southern part of the City. Thus, the City has very co~sistently followed the Metropolitan Development Framework plan. The problem, however, is that the vast majority, perhaps 80%, of the existing development in tbs City, is located north of the proposed 1990 Urban Service Area~ i~ the proposed Transition Area. Ramsey~s Rlan amendment does not address the ~ervice needs of these current residents. To be consistent with the Metropolitan Development Framework, it is not necessary for Ramsay to define its Urban Service Area exactly as it is identified in the Framework. It is simply necessary for the City's Urban Service Area to be sized appropriately a~d to allow for the orderly and economic provision of services. MDF Policy 10= The Metropolitan Council shall use its authority to promote a pattern of urbanization within'the Urban Service Area that allows the effic~ent, lor~erly, and economic expansion of metropolitan systems ~or future growth and avoids premature and scattered urbanization of rural areas. Further development in urbanized con~un'~ties and in cluster ~ommunities ~hat are conti- guous to the ctirrently built up areas shall be encouraged. The latter statement in the above policy is particularly significant to Ramsey~s situation. The City's Urban Service Area could be defined to include some of the existing development in the center of the City. There are three qeneral approaches Ramsay could take in locating its 1990 Urban Service Area. Each would be generally consistent with the Development Framework. The choice belongs to the City of Ramses. First, the southern part of the City could be defined as the Urban Service Area. This has the advantage of being ~ost economical to serve with local sewer systems since it will be the area contigUous to the metropolitan sewer service outlet. It is also contiguous'to the City of Anoka and Ramsay plans to develop co~ercial/ retail activities that will draw on the Anoka market. A disadvantage of this al- ternative is that the southern part of the City is the least developed. Also, .with this definit£on of the.Urban Service Area, urban services will not be provided to most current residents w~o live northwest of this area. A 9articular concern is that most current res/dents will, therefore, be forced to rely on on-site septic systems for the ~ext 20-30 years. The density of existing development and platted lots in the proposed Transi~ion~Area, coupled with a high water table and very porous soils, create potential groundwater pollution problems that should be addressed by the City. The second alternative location for the Urban Service Area is the center of the City. This has the advantage of being the location of most current residential development, although the development is of a low density, scattered nature. This area contains many undeveloped platted lots also. If this central area were defined as the Urban Service Area, ~Uture development could be clustered with existing development and both could be provided with urban services such as sanitary sewers, paved roads, improved police and~fire protection, and perhaps even nearby elementary schools. The major disadva~tageof this Urban Area designation is that it would require local trunk sewer construction from the Anoka border tbr~ughpresently undeveloped properties. The third alternative would be some combination of the first two. Ramsay might define the Urban Area to l~lu~e a linear co~eruial area adjacent to TH 47 and then widen the Urban Area adjacent to TH 47 further north to include some vacant lands and some of the existing residential area. This alternative may permit the City to pursue c~0mmer=ial d~velOPment to increase the tax base and also to upgrade services to some of the existing residents. Ramsey's planning consultants and city manager have indicated that the City Council and Planning Commission have considered these alternative definitions of the Urban Service Area. But the City believes that the only feasible location is that pro- posed in the southeastern quarter of the City. This area is the focal point of the current and plan~e~ hiqhway system and is the mos= economical point to begin construction of~!ocal sanitary sewers which will discharge into the metropolitan interceptor system in Anoka. Council staff would concur with this location for the Urban Service Area provided Ramsay strengthens its policies to manage development in the Transition Area as suggested later in this report. Size In the Development F=amework, Ramsay is classified as an Area of Planne~ Urbani- zation that is currently located within the Rural Service Area. Part of Ramsay has been designated for e~ans~on of the Urban Service Area during the 1981-90 period. This expansion ie;rec/~red at that time to provide an adequate supply of serviced land for urban~dev~opment in the North Minneapolis sector. This sec- tor needs a total of three,additional square miles of serviced land in the 1981-90