Agenda - Planning Commission - 02/01/2007

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Chairperson Nixt called the public hearing to order at 8:32 p.m. Presentation Associate Planner Geisler stated at their April 11, 2006 meeting the City Council adopted a 9- month moratorium on all subdivision and platting in the R-1 Rural Developing District. The moratorium expires on February 15,2006. The purpose of the moratorium is to provide time for consideration of revisions to the cluster subdivisions standards which were added to the R-1 Residential District in early 2005. Associate Planner Geisler stated as noted in the attached City Council Work Session minutes, the Council has had significant discussion of the cluster subdivision standards. Council direction to staff was to bring forward a Comprehensive Plan Amendment that would change the density in the Rural Developing Area from 1 unit per 2.5 acres to 1 unit per 10 acres. A Zoning Amendment is also under consideration that would change the lot standards in the Rural Developing Area from the existing cluster standards, to a minimum lot size of 10 acres, or 4 in 40 (the proposed lot standards essentially match those already in place for the Central Rural Reserve and Rural Preserve). Staff would also note that the Rural Developing Area was under the 4 in 40 rules up until 2002. Ms. Geisler advised as noted above, the moratorium expires on February 15, 2007. This does not provide sufficient time for the Planning Commission, City Council, and Metropolitan Council to review the proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment. Staff will be bringing forward to the City Council a proposal to extend the moratorium an additional three months to provide enough review time, and to allow time for the zoning ordinance to take effect. Ms. Geisler advised staff recommends adoption of the proposed changes. She indicated a letter was received from a property owner regarding this issue and has been distributed to the Commission. Citizen Input Mr. Robert Szewski, 17220 Tiger Street NW, stated he is happy and proud of the City and the Planning Commission for revisiting this issue. He has had a lot of concern about the density and the fact that the density in the rural part of Ramsey was totally inappropriate for what is going on out there with the size of the lots and the lay of the land. If the Planning Commission could take another look at the cluster development on Highway 116 just west of Highway 47, there is a cluster development there that does not do the City much good; it is not a very well designed or executed cluster. Even the word cluster has some connotation; if anyone were in the military there is a whole new definition of cluster, which he thinks applies to this original development sketch. He is proud they are taking another look at this and hopes the City continues with the existing neighborhoods and continues with the feel of the rural portion of the City. Mr. Dennis O'Keefe, 179th Lane resident, stated he is against the cluster housing and common septic, but he is also against landowners being disallowed their current zoning. The zoning should not be arbitrarily changed. Planning Commission/January 4, 2007 Page 17 of36 P17