Minor Amendment-MUSA Expansion Requests

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I 11 I: I~ i I. I: I' I I- I, I , Ii I I I I i ; There are no designated agricultural preservation areas in Ramsey. There are a few large contiguous areas remaining which have either a significant agricultural history or long term future prospect of remaining "productive agricultural land". Approximately 3,130 acres, however, are currently enrolled in the "Green Acres" Program. These parcels are shown on Figure 6. The character of the City is generally a transition from the more densely developed urban use through less densely developed suburban to rural use areas. This transitional character extends well beyond Ramsey. Neighboring communities of Andover to the east and Burns to the north are significantly developed with two and one-half (2.5) acre residential lots. To the west, Elk River has three zoning classifications with minimum lot sizes of one (1) acre in the future sewered area, minimum lot sizes of two and one-half (2.5) acres in the transitional non- sewered areas and minimum lot sizes of 10 acres in agricultural preservation areas. Given the existing development and character of the City, and considering that outlying communities beyond Ramsey have zoning that has resulted in similar lot size developments, no portion of the City can be construed as being totally rural. Rather, Ramsey is a transitional Community which may be more accurately classified as having a sewered urban area and a non- sewered residential transition area. Rural Use Policy Prior to January 1, 1990, the policy of the City was to limit development outside of the MUSA to one lot per 10 acres of remaining undeveloped property with a minimum lot size of two and one-half (2.5) acres. Table 6 indicates that 3,687 acres of land in the "rural" area would be undeveloped (approximately 25%). Also indicated on Table 6 is the existing development density of the "rural" area which is one lot per 1.9 acres. With the City's 2.5 acre minimum lot size applied to remaining undeveloped land, that density can be reduced to one lot per 2.8 acres. As a contrast with the implementation of "four in forty" zoning on the remaining developable land, the lowest average overall density that can be achieved is one lot in 3.6 acres. The City of Ramsey adopted Ordinance #89-33 to implement "4 in 40" land use density for remaining undeveloped parcels outside of the designated MUSA. The ordinance is in compliance with regional goals for rural density with recognition of development rights associated with parcels of record as of January 1, 1990. The ordinance does not and cannot reverse the development pattern of past years but does create land use zones which will allow future public service expansion into the City's urban reserve area. In addition, the ordinance provides for a diversity of living styles in the community by assuring long term rural areas that development will be restricted to compatible uses and densities appropriate to rural areas. Implementation of 4/40 Zonina Numerous subdivisions were proposed and entered into the City's subdivision review process while the City was considering adoption of MC's 4/40 rural use policy. City Staff worked with MC Staff to provide an orderly transition period such ,that all plats or PUD's which received the City Council's preliminary approval prior to January 1, 1990 (the anticipated effective date of adoption for 4/40 zoning) would be allowed to develop under the then current ordinance (2.5 acre lots). This provided slightly less than a six month transition process to convert from two and one-half (2.5) acre density to 4/40. Figure 2 illustrates the subdivision locations which received approvals prior to January 1, 1990. Ordinance #89-33 further allows development of existing lots of record as of January 1, 1990. 1 2