Minutes - Council - 01/11/2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilmember Specht suggested that in the future, given that the cost is low, Staff mail out a notification that a public hearing is being continued even though there is no legal requirement, as that would allow for as much public feedback as possible. Councilmember Musgrove referenced the case and read where it say that “the City attempted to notify all property owners as reflected in the Anoka County property records that properties within 700 feet of the subject project of the request of the US mail both for this meeting and for the October 28, 2021 public hearing.” She stated the case indicates a public notice was sent out but Planning Manager McGuire Brigl stated there wasn’t one. The record could reflect that notice was sent out but the minutes will reflect that there wasn’t one. She felt the case should accurately reflect whether notice was mailed or not. She understood that residents would have received a public notice based on what was written in the case. Councilmember Specht asked Planning Manager McGuire Brigl to speak to the question of changing the Comprehensive Plan but not the rezoning and why that is the case. Planning Manager replied in terms of zoning, it is zoned for quarter-acre, 80-foot-wide lots on City utilities, except the Southwest parcel. To meet the minimums, that is what is being used to move forward regarding zoning. The Comprehensive Plan guides this for three to four units per acre, typically that can align with it per acre lot but in practice, in order to get it to the three to four units per acre, they would actually need to put in 50-foot-wide lots and double the number of units because now it is around two units per acre. In talking to the Metropolitan Council, because that is what the Comprehensive Plan guided it as, the Metropolitan Council suggested they allow the applicant to go smaller and rezone the property because right now, the zoning and Comprehensive Plan are not in alignment. The options are to either allow smaller lots to meet the Comprehensive Plan or to meet the zoning and amend the Comprehensive Plan. The amendment to the Comprehensive Plan is to allow less density than what the Metropolitan Council says should be on site. The density right now would be less than three units per acre, which is why an amendment is needed. The City Council, based on resident feedback, recommended amending the Comprehensive Plan to allow for larger lots with three to four units per acre when the Comprehensive Plan would have required smaller units on this property because it is a unique property with a lot of wetlands, to meet the minimum density. She noted it is actually at a lower density, which she hoped would be good news to the residents. Mayor Kuzma asked City Attorney Knaak if an amendment to the case could be added to reflect that there was no notice given. City Attorney Knaak replied there is no legal requirement but suggested it is a good idea to be consistent in the record and that it be modified. Planning Manager McGuire Brigl commented she would do that. Brian Walker, 17289 Variolite Street NW, commented that this public hearing is similar to the 2011 public hearing based on the rezoning of over 190 properties in the City of Ramsey. He and several others didn’t receive notice about the public hearing. He stated that although the ordinance was published in the Anoka County Union Herald, it did not state the particulars of any property City Council / January 11, 2022 Page 8 of 25