1999 Correspondence - Laserfiche WebLink

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< e e METROPOLITAN COUNCIL Mears Park Centre, 230 East Fifth Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1694 651 602-1000 DATE: January 27, 1999 TO: Sylvia Frolick, City of Ramsey Brad Sheib, Hoisington Koegler Group FROM: Sandra Pinel and Virginia Burke SUBJECT: Informal Review of City of Ramsey Comprehensive Plan for consistency with state Critical Area standards and voluntary MNRRA plan policies. Based on December 21 amendments of Critical Area Chapter and November 9, 1998 plan General purposes and planninl! process (italics refers to language from E.o. 79-19 or MNRRAplan) Updated plan includes Highway 10 corridor issues to evaluate, and documents the public participation process. Although the plan references the purposes of the Critical Area in the preamble, it should adopt those purposes. The plan states an intent of conforming with MNRRA purposes and the MNRRA plan. There are additional general comments in the attached correspondence from DNR and NPS. Land use protection. riverfront land use Critical Area . The inventories are complete, many are included in the natural resource section of the comprehensive plan. Most of the corridor is in the rural open space district. This is mentioned briefly in Land Use policy #8 but the plan does not describe how it will be accomplished if the area is planned for five units per acre. The future land use map is difficult to read and does not account for what will happen in areas that are already platted (see DNR questions and comments on separate attachment). . Land use policy #7 should include Critical Area and rural open space purposes as part of the performance criteria for mixed residential. Land Use plan, now described under existing land use should be highlighted for the Critical Area corridor. How that plan will be staged in the Critical Area, and if some density will be transferred out to protect greenways and natural features should be discussed to address E.O. requirement that planned land uses are in accordance with natural characteristics and existing land use and the rural open space district. . Identify policies for new or expanded commercial or industrial development, if appropriate, where there will be no need for premature expansion or upgrading of Metropolitan systems. Proposed commercial riverfront uses may be inconsistent with protection of what is now a wooded part of the corridor. MNRRA . Riverfront Location Policies: The plan incorporates MNRRA riverfront policies by reference in Land Use policy #2. The plan should highlight the policies that apply to the riverfront area as distinct from the whole corridor. Currently, there is no discussion about new development needing to be related to the river, in need of a river location, or enhancing ofthe river environment. The 300' foot riverfront area is not discussed as it relates to the proposed greenway and proposed developments. The plan encourages shoreland and floodplain areas to be protected. If any uses other than preservation are