Agenda - Council Work Session - 03/15/2005

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Topic: ComprehensivePlan Process/Development Projects' By: James Norman, City Administrator Patrick Tmdgeon, AICP,:community Development Di~ect°r Background: In 2005, the City has already recdved 14 applications for residential Subdivisions. The proposed subdivisions range from one unit to 235 units. Some of the proposed subdivisions will need a Comprehensive Plan Amendment in order tobe developed. As the City Council knows, the City is in the process of updating its Comprehensiye Plan to anticipate and facilitate furore development, including some ofthepending development proposals. The Council is also aware that due to the need for the Metropolitan C°uneil to finish its systems plan, the City will not be able to complete the overall Comprehensive Plan update until the Fall of 2005. The City Council will soon be consid ~edng two Comprehensive Plan Amendments (CPAs); one for the Gun Club property (Sweet Bay Ridge) and another for the Brookfield subdivision near Trott Brook. Several members of the Planning Commissi°n expressed a desire to wait for action on these items until the overall ComprehensiVe Plan UPdate is completed in the Fall of 2005. At their March meeting, the Planning Commission recommended denial of the Comprehensive Plan Amendments due to the pending update of the Ramsey Comprehensive Plan. Since the March meeting, Staffhas received another subdivision application that will require an expansion of the MUSA line (Marigold Ponds along Hwy. 47) from Oakwood Land ·Development. Given the fact that we are entering into the 2005 building season, Staff is concerned that not allowing any of the proposed develOpments to be donsidered until the Fall of 2005 will effectively bring to a halt several oppommities for residential development in 2005. Since the City Council is currently considering some very important and expensive investments into the Town Center, decisions not to allow developments will adversely affect the City's ability to undertake these investments. The City has utilized moratoriums in the past to stop development. While they can be effective if used correctly, they can also be damaging, as We found fi.om the moratoriums'of the late 90s. Not only do moratoriums send out a negative message to developers and the business community, they also create a backlog of development that explodes:once the moratorium is lifted. Stafffeels that delaying action on developments that require a CPA will createthe same negatives as a moratorium. Staffwould like to discuss drafting a letter .from the City Council to the Planning Commission that would explain the Council's position regarding the consideration of development applications prior to the completion of the City's Comprehensive Plan Update later this year. -5-