Agenda - Council - 02/22/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Hampton replied he does not' have a prOblem with the road being public and paved if it is moved. He does not want to lose his front yard. He explained he is not trying to stop development, but he wants this to be a Mn/Win Situation. Deb Sutherland, 6064 157th Lane; expressed iconcem that the road will be 25 feet from her back fence. She stated there is no landscaping thht will deter the light and noise pollution from the site on her back yard. That :has always been Icr~own aS a field of beauty and wildlife, and she would rather see her furry little friends than a flock, of Children and families they cannot afford in their neighborhood. Chris Pickard, 15751 POtassium 'Street, thanked the Council for hearing their comments. He stated he is a law enforcement officer ~and One of the main concerns is the amount of traffic that will flow up to 157th Lane and out:onto CR 5. 157th Lane was never designed for the amount of traffic that will come through there, and :this will be a safety hazard. He stated density is one of the biggest problems and it looks :like the developer crammed something everywhere they could. The plan does not include any open space land has encroached as much into the wetlands as it can. He understands the applicant wants t° develop the land, but he would like to see a single- family development. He explaiiled his house, is approximately 4,000 square feet and this development and the development idisCusse/l on the next case would put nine houses facing onto his yard that are only 1,500 square feet. :This plan would put high-density small units into an area meant for larger houses. Delores Fix, 6055 157t!~ Lane, questioned where they will school all of the kids from this development. She stated she was a substitute teacher for 17 years for the Anoka/Hennepin School District and she does not want the kids of Ramsey to go through what her kids had to go though because the building was way ahead:of the development. Her son went to kindergarten in a closet in Ramsey School and her daughter ;went to school outside of Ramsey School in a portable. When her daughter got to high school she went to the high school and her locker, left the school and got in a bus to travel to CorneliUs for three hours, returned from Cornelius and went to high school in the afternoon. She stated if they keep building these condos like they have been they will be in a worse problem than her kids were. She questioned if any developer can come into the City and put up these condos in any neighborhood. Mayor Gamec replied there are :zoning districts, but developers can request a PUD. The landowners have the right to deVelop their land. :He explained the City works closely with the school district, but the City cannot Solve the schOol district's problems. He has to look at the development in the City and the school district wOrks closely with ~he City on where the kids will go. Councilmember Cook indicated the school district is saying there is a decline in the elementary school enrollment, which will be a future decline in the middle and high schools, and there is room for growth. He explained these unitsl would be detached townhomes,, not condos. There are less children in townhomes than in single,family homes. These detached townhomes attract empty nesters and new homebuyers that mo-ce into different housing arrangements when they get to the point of starting families. city page 8 of 24 25, 2005