Agenda - Council - 12/15/2020 - Special

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Thrive MSP 2040 and Land Use Reviewer: Eric Wojchik, CD —Local Planning Assistance (651-602-1330) The 2040 comprehensive plan is consistent with Thrive MSP 2040 and its land use policies. The Plan acknowledges the Thrive community designation of Emerging Suburban Edge (Figure 2). Thrive describes Emerging Suburban Edge communities as places that are in stages of transitioning into urbanized levels of development. Emerging Suburban Edge communities are expected to plan for forecasted population and household growth at average densities of at least 3-5 units per acre for new development and redevelopment. Furthermore, communities designated as Emerging Suburban Edge are expected to target higher - intensity developments in areas with better access to regional sewer and transportation infrastructure, connections to local commercial activity centers, transit facilities, and recreational amenities. Unlike many other emerging suburban edge communities, Ramsey is uniquely characterized by a wide variety of land uses from higher intensity commercial and industrial uses along major transportation corridors to an extensive array of housing types ranging from rural residential homes to apartment buildings and mixed use develoments in the Center of Ramsey (COR) area. The existing land uses in the City of Ramsey are predominantly residential (40%) and undeveloped land (29%). The majority of the commercial (1%), industrial (3%) and institutional (1%) uses are near transportation corridors and within the Center of Ramsey area. Approximately 10%of the City consists of parks and open space (Figure 3). Future residential land use categories include Low Density Residential, Medium Density Residential, High Density Residential, and Mixed Use (Figure 4). The latter land use category carries a residential share of 50%. The Mixed Use category includes subcategories of MU Low (5-l5dua), MU Medium (8- 25dua), and MU High (15-75dua), all within the Center of Ramsey (COR) planning area. To determine the planned residential density calculation of the Mixed Use land use category in Table 3, the minimum of MU Low and the maximum of MU High are utilized because the Mixed Use land use category is mapped as a standalone land use in the Future Land Use Map (Figure 4). Within the unsewered portions of the City, primarily the northwest, central, and northeastern portions of the City, the Plan guides land at low densities with the Rural Developing land use (1 unit per 10 acres) to allow for the future expansion of urban services to these areas. The Rural Developing land use recognizes existing development within this land use at 1 unit per 2.5 acres while seeking to transition lower density rural land to sewered development where minimum densities for urban services can be achieved. For the most part, the 2030 and 2040 Plans are similar in terms of land use categories. Over the last few years, the City has adjusted the MUSA boundary through plan amendments. The principal difference between the 2030 and 2040 Plans is the MUSA boundary, wh ich now extends further along US Hwy 10/US Hwy 169 and into the central, northern portion of the City. The COR has continued to develop, and the City has been very proactive in terms of small area planning and more detailed studies of its residential, mixed use, and commercial sectors. This work is reflected in the 2040 Plan. The Plan is consistent with Thrive for land use and residential density policies for an Emerging Suburban Edge community designation. Thrive calls for Emerging Suburban Edge communities to plan for forecasted population and household growth at overall average densities of between 3 and 5 units per acre. As shown in Table 3 below, the overall planned residential density in the City is between 3.2 and 6.3 units per acre, and target opportunities for more intensive development near regional transit investments at densities and in a manner articulated in the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan. Page -9 I METROPOLITAN COUNCIL