Agenda - Council - 04/02/2024 - Special

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COLUMN:Missing Middle Housing Bills are missing the mark I Free I... https://www.hometownsource.com/press and news/free/column-missi... St. Michael has long held that opportunities to own a home are important. Home ownership creates stability in the community and is the starting point of generational wealth. City officials have worked to ensure those opportunities exist in St. Michael with a large variety of housing types and densities having been built in recent decades. Additionally, the proposed bills would replace existing zoning and land use authorities - such as the St. Michael Planning Commission and City Council - with an overly broad and rigid framework that eliminates the ability for cities to account for and be responsive to local conditions. In addition, the opportunity for public input in the residential development process would be removed. The legislation would essentially silence the voices of residents and city leaders at the local level. The proposed bills would allow construction of duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes in single-family areas without regard for existing zoning ordinances, the environment, the character of the neighborhood, or impacts to traffic and infrastructure. While housing is a statewide issue, addressing affordability and availability must continue to be locally driven to account for each city's respective needs. In St. Michael, we are fortunate to have established great relationships with the state lawmakers who represent us. They have historically been supportive partners to the city and have worked tirelessly to advocate for St. Michael and the surrounding communities they represent. The city has reached out to each of them about our concerns with the proposed legislation. We are working to ensure that the voices of St. Michael residents continue to be heard. If you share these concerns, we encourage you to do the same and contact Senator Eric Lucero sen.eric.lucero@mnsenate.gov and 2 of 3 4/2/2024, 1:07 PM