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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION <br />Topic Report: Rura1 Developing <br />Subdivision Ordinance <br />Ely: Amy Geisler, Associate Planner <br />Patrick Trudgeon, AICP, Community <br />Development Director <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />Since last May, Staff has been working with the Planning Commission and the City <br />Council on a draft cluster ordinance for the Rural Developing Area. The Planning <br />Commission held a public hearing on.the draft ordinance in August. The City Council <br />last discussed the ordinance at the November 30th work session. Staff is bringing the <br />ordinance back to Council for further discussion, specifically on whether it should be <br />applied to the entire rural area (including the 4 in 40 areas). <br /> <br />The following items are enclosed: <br /> <br />a) Draft rural developing subdivision ordinance <br />b) City Council Work Session Minutes dated November 30, 2004 <br />c) Maps and descriptions of 5 metro-area cluster subdivisions <br />d) Staff memo (dated 1/4/05) regarding large-lot subdivisions <br /> <br />Observations: <br /> <br />Based on the discussion of the draft ordinance that has occurred to date, among the <br />Planning Commission and City Council, Staff would like to raise several points: <br /> <br />Intent andpurpose of cluster subdivisions. The concern has been raised that because <br />the draft ordinance does not permanently preserve open space, it is not a true cluster <br />subdivision ordinance. While many cluster ordinances do in fact require permanent <br />protection of open space, not all do. It was Staff's understanding that Council <br />direction on the ordinance was to prevent additional 2.5-acre developments, while <br />allowing property owners some opportunity to develop without urban services. Based <br />on this, the draft ordinance is more of an 'urban reserve' model than for permanent <br />open space protection. Some other cities have similar 'urban reserve' cluster <br />ordinances in place, most notably inver Grove Heights. <br /> <br />Compliance with the current Comprehensive Plan. There have also been questions <br />raised about whether the draft ordinance is in compliance with the current <br />Comprehensive Plan. Staff has reviewed the relevant sections in the Comp Plan and <br />finds that it does comply. It should be noted that this ordinance still requires the same <br /> <br /> <br />