Minutes - Council Work Session - 12/14/2021

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allowed, the density is coming in a lot lower. The last calculation of the Metropolitan Council was about 1.35 units per acre, with some exclusions it could be up to two units an acre, but there is essentially no way with the calculation the Metropolitan Council uses to get to the three units per acre threshold. Councilmember Riley asked if the Staff suggestion is to exclude this one property, noting the City as a whole, which is in the approval process, would help Ramsey as whole, but it doesn’t help with the issue with this property. Senior Planner McGuire Brigl confirmed this adding with all of the plats that have come in 2020 and this plat, if it came in with around two units per acre, the City would be at 3.00 units as a City. Riverstone South and North would bump the City up but due to the large acreage of this area, it would bump the numbers down. If any additional acreage would be allowed to go less than three units per acre, that could halt sewer extension permits from the Metropolitan Council. Councilmember Howell commented that the Metropolitan Council has a lot of power and the City is stuck with it. Councilmember Woestehoff agreed with the Staff that amending the Comprehensive Plan makes more sense than allowing more units in this set of properties. Councilmember Musgrove asked if it was correct that if the Council does approve the Urban Residential Low District, different areas of the Comprehensive Plan would be looked at that might also qualify in order to keep the City in compliance with the 3.00 housing rate. Senior Planner McGuire Brigl replied this would apply to this project and the adjacent project, Northbrook Meadows. If the Council wanted additional areas considered and mapped, recalculation would have to be done on the change to the City’s density. At this time, it is recommended that the two that have active projects associated with them be considered. A tool would then be available in the future if a project came in under the density which would have to be re-guided at that point. She explained a Comprehensive Plan Amendment is typically a stand- alone document on the City website. Revisions would not be done on the existing Comprehensive Plan. It would be done only for these two sites at this time and a map exhibit would be created to provide to the Metropolitan Council showing those sites. Councilmember Musgrove asked if the second property referred to is the Hunt Property. Senior Planner McGuire Brigl replied, yes, the Hunt and Makowske properties. Councilmember Musgrove commented in the case, wider areas are proposed and asked if that is a different discussion. Senior Planner McGuire Brigl replied that in the proposed amendment, the Makowske and the neighbor, plus the Hunt property are included to create a general planning area. Additional areas could be considered by the Staff if the Council wanted. She stated Staff is open to amending the City Council Work Session / December 14, 2021 Page 5 of 10