Agenda - Council - 05/25/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

are 3 major components to the economic development framework (including confirming the work of the Planning Commission's land use vision work). 1. Future Land Use Planning/Zoning/Non-Conforming Uses 2. Economic Development Tools to Facilitate Cleanup/Blight Removal and Redevelopment 3. Infrastructure and road redesign and reconstruction plan Notification: Notification is not required. Observations/Alternatives: This case specifically focuses on the land use planning and vision for the area. The City's Economic Development Authority (EDA) will be discussing potential scattered -site acquisition(s) and other economic development tools to implement the vision. The Public Works Committee will discuss potential road reconstruction, extension and utilities to facilitate redevelopment and encourage private reinvestment in the area. Economic Development staff is seeing an increased demand for industrial property for development. 43 acres of land in Bunker Lake Industrial Park is under contract for development by a private developer and only 25 acres of land (owned by PSD, LLC) remain for development. Developing a plan to bring more industrial land online (approximately 25 acres west of Ferret Street, north of Hwy 10) to satisfy the demand should position Ramsey nicely over the next 5-7 years. Economic Development Staff believes that Ferret St and its northerly extension would serve as a good buffer for the industrial use from the current COR zoning to the east. Staff assumes, given the recent approval of the Comprehensive Plan, that the broad vision for the area will remain a redevelopment and revitalization vision with half redeveloping as retail and half redeveloping as residential. However, since most of the uses existed prior to the current vision and zoning, many of the uses are protected by lawful, non -conforming statutes. With those protections in place, those previous uses are generally easy to review. However, Staff has observed a noticeable increase in zoning requests that are less desirable and are not protected by lawful, non -conforming (most notably significant outdoor storage). Funding Source: This case is being handled as part of normal Staff duties. Potential Funding Sources to implement the vision include, but are not limited to the following. 1. EDA Fund 2. Anoka County HRA (Housing and Redevelopment) Fund 3. TIF District 14 (Tax Increment Financing) 4. Assessments (commercial/industrial properties for redevelopment purposes/not a standard pavement management program project) Recommendation: The Planning Commission met on April 8, 2021 and recommended approval of the below policy statements, until the Planning Commission and City Council can meet in a joint work session to address the COR. 1. The City desires to maintain the current redevelopment and revitalization vision long-term. 2. In order to implement this vision, especially in the interim, the City desires to focus zoning review on those items that are protected by lawful, non -conforming statutes and limit interim uses that are not protected and would further deviate or otherwise detract from the longer -term vision. The EDA met on April 8 and May 13 to discuss these policies as it relates to economic development plans and tools. • Does the EDA support making more industrial zoned property with sewer and water infrastructure available? Yes, The EDA recommends making more industrial land available. The EDA Also reconfirms that the property to the west of Ferret St be zoned Industrial and the land East of Ferret Street be zoned COR.