Agenda - Council - 02/13/2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

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, 179 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. Mr. Rick Aberle, 17290 Germanium Street, requested an explanation of what is being discussed tonight. Associate Planner Geisler explained the cluster ordinance was passed a couple years ago. That ordinance allowed property owners to take the permitted density at the time and put those houses on smaller lots in a portion of the property, leaving the remainder of the property, open for a time. When those cluster standards were put in place there was quite a bit of concern, which is why the Council put the moratorium on, in order to take another look at the cluster ordinance. When the moratorium was put in place there was concern about improving the cluster ordinance to make it a better ordinance. As the Council was reviewing the ordinance they were concerned there was not enough information to effectively amend the cluster ordinance. That is the reason for the interim Comprehensive Plan amendment with one house per 10 acres until they get to the 2008 Comprehensive Plan date. Mr. Aberle asked how this affects a 2 '/2 acre lot. Associate Planner Geisler replied there will be no effect to a 2 'h acre home. This has an impact on larger property owners who are looking to develop their property in the future. This would.. • reduce the number of units they could have on their property. Planning Commission /January 4, 2007 Page 17 of 35 -19-