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<br />the Council packet. The revised elevations show the brick and shakes wrapped around the sides <br />of the building as requested by staff; however, staff continues to have some concerns about the <br />dominance of the garage doors, The applicant has stated that many different building <br />layouts/plans have been reviewed, and that this plan is needed to provide one-level living and <br />meet the desired price point. Ms. Geisler stated staff is looking for direction from Council <br />regarding whether or not the most recent elevations are adequate;, if not, what other specific <br />changes are desired by Council. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Geisler stated the Planning Commission reviewed the preliminary plat and site <br />plan at their September 7, 2006 meeting. The Commission recommended denial of the <br />Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezoning requests, but did want to provide comments on <br />the plan and site plan in the event that the City Council is inclined to approve the plat. The <br />consensus of the Commissioners was that the current plan was an improvement over the previous <br />plan that showed 8 townhome units. Based on this, the Planning Commission recommended <br />approval of the preliniinary plat and site plan, with further review of density transitioning <br />requirements for the site. <br /> <br />Acting Mayor Elvig noted staff recommends moving forward with this, and the Planning <br />Commission recommended denial based on there being no compelling reason to use it as a <br />buffer_ <br /> <br />Councilmember Look questioned amending the Comprehensive Plan for this project, as the <br />Comprehensive Plan will be changed in 2008. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Trudgeon explained the Comprehensive Plan will look at all <br />the parcels in the City, although it may not go into the detail of a lot this small. There is a public <br />participation process with the Comprehensive Plan and the property owners have the ability to <br />come forward and state their wishes. Council can decide what they choose to do; this rezoning <br />would amend the 2001 Comprehensive Plan that shows the property as a commercial use. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dehen inquired about the opposition among the neighbors for putting this <br />housing in. <br /> <br />Acting Mayor Elvig stated there were a couple of neighbors that spoKe agamsnlie housing, <br />feeling as though it may be less valuable than some of th~ hou,ses along the river. There was <br />contest to that, and whether the homes up the road were of like and similar values. The position <br />of the neighbors that spoke was that it may take the value of their neighborhood down. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dehen questioned what the neighborhood can rely on for future development if <br />they cannot rely on a blueprint such as the Comprehensive Plan, and that anyone can come to the <br />Council with a request for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to do what they want. <br /> <br />Acting Mayor Elvig explained no one can automatically receive a Comprehensive Plan <br />Amendment; anyone can ask. The Council has been discussing that this is a very difficult piece <br />of property to do anything with. It has been on the market for years as commercial and no one <br />has picked it up, and it does not work well for single family lots, The other side of this is that <br /> <br />City Council / January 9, 2007 <br />Page 13 of 24 <br /> <br />-111- <br />