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Planning Manager Larson began review of the Zoning Code by focusing on sections the Planning <br /> Commission recommended the City Council discuss further. <br /> The first review focused on defining and setting expectations of what a single-family home is. <br /> Planning Manager Larson explained that Ramsey's Zoning Code references single-family homes <br /> and developments, however, a definition does not exist. He explained challenges associated with <br /> this, particularly in situations when a home is being rented out to a group of individuals who are <br /> not related. He further noted that it is common practice for cities to place limitations on how many <br /> non-related individuals may reside in a home. The benefit to this is to retain neighborhoods as <br /> single-family neighbors just as how they were developed, and where owner occupied homes exist <br /> to meet resident expectations. Defining or limiting non-related individuals would not prohibit <br /> rental homes in the city. He shared what a number of other cities identify for limitations with the <br /> majority of cities using four as the threshold, while some allow up to six. In some cases, cities do <br /> not identify a limit. Lastly, he noted that the proposed code defines and limits licensed residential <br /> facilities and unlicensed residential facilities to limit the number to six. <br /> Discussion amongst Council focused on the benefit of setting a limitation, as well as whether four, <br /> five or six individuals was best. Consensus was reached to limit six unrelated individuals for <br /> consistency with the licensed and unlicensed residential facilities. <br /> The second section of focus was car dealers. Planning Manager Larson noted that the City has held <br /> a desire to enhance the Highway 10 corridor. Staff has received feedback regarding the number of <br /> used car dealers along the corridor. These dealers are generally not invested in the community, and <br /> often times serve as secondary income. He explained that state regulations require dealers to hold <br /> a commercial office location, so this is the case where several dealers rent out office space on one <br /> property in multi-tenant buildings. The proposed code would require new dealers to be located on <br /> a minimum of two acres of land, have a building footprint equal to at least ten percent of the land <br /> and lastly limit a parcel of land to one dealer license. <br /> Council expressed concerns about restricting existing properties or limiting existing businesses <br /> from expanding. Planning Manager Larson explained that most existing car dealer properties have <br /> additional permitting that has been granted through the years. This permitting along with legal <br /> non-conforming use laws would allow these properties to continue as they do today, subject to <br /> conforming to the conditions in their special permits. He emphasized the new regulations would <br /> pertain to new operations seeking to open in Ramsey. <br /> Council continued discussion with a focus on parcel size. Consensus was reached to reduce the <br /> minimum parcel size to one acre of land, and to retain the requirement of ten percent of building <br /> footprint is required with a limitation of one dealer license per parcel. <br /> In the interest of time, review of the Zoning Code concluded, but City Administrator Hagen <br /> requested council's interest in holding a special work session to finish the review. He noted <br /> upcoming work sessions will begin to focus on the final budget, but the zoning code is important <br /> to finish reviewing. Council agreed and Hagen would seek availability for a special work session <br /> date. <br /> City Council Work Session/ September 26, 2023 <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br />