Agenda - Council - 02/25/2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-56- Background Information: Ramsey is a-suburban city located in the northwestern part of Anoka County, with a population of nearly 19,000. Ramsey with over 15% of its area as protected wetlands is a water dominated landscape. Two scenic rivers, the Rum River and the Mississippi River, define much of the city boundaries. The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area reaches its northern-most boundary in Ramsey. Additionally, hundreds of small Minnesota DNR wetlands are scattered throughout the city. Ramsey has been proactive in retaining green spaces for parks and open spaces in its neighborhoods. The City of Ramsey has over. 520 acres of municipal parks, many of which are connected by a rapidly developing trail system. The community is also advantaged by Rum River Central and Mississippi West Parks - both a part of the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission system. While the City has been proactive in open space protection, development pressure has been increasing exponentially since the recent adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, which relaxed minimum lot sizes. Over 900 residential units were platted in 2002. This trend is expected to continue, and Ramsey risks losing much of it's remaining open space. Moreover, because water quality is enhanced by open space protection, Ramsey potentially risks degradation of its wetlands and rivers. Currently Ramsey has a small group of citizens involved in the discussion of open space protection, but there is an urgent need to educate and engage residents on a wider scale. Citizens should be aware of all the values of open space, such as maintaining air and water quality, preserving community identity, protecting ecological diversity and habitat at the local level, and enhancing property values. As a water dominated city, it is critical that we understand that the long-term health of our waters depends on adequate open space protection. 2 I I I I I I I