Minutes - Planning Commission - 01/10/1996 - Special Meeting

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Commissioner Deemer noted that the south side of C.R. #116 is not going to be heavy industrial as it is the site of Anoka Electric Company's (AEC) new headquarters which will consist of just one office building with no warehouses. Mr. Deemer stated that the AEC Energy Park will buffer this residential from the area to the south. Commissioner Deemer also noted that the development of Flintwood Hills 2nd (which was brought up at the public hearing) was originally slated to have quad home lots, and upon objection by neighboring residents, ended up being four homes on a quad lot to avoid having rental property. Commissioner Thorud, noting the neighbors' objection to the proposal's high density, questioned whether they would rather see Anoka Electric Cooperative than these houses. The consensus of the residents present was that AEC was preferable. Commissioner Deemer stated that this is in a sewer and water area, and this is the lowest density residential being allowed although it could be much higher by making it multi-housing residential. Commissioner Thorud pointed out that there is still the option to leave it zoned Industrial. Jeffrey Menth, pointed out that tax-wise, this development will not "carry it's load" unless $150,000+ homes are put on these lots, and he questioned why the City would make such a change. City Engineer Jankowski explained that a community is made up of a mix of land uses. To extend that rationale to an extreme, he questioned why the City should allow any residential zoning in the City when other land uses pay more taxes. Tom Kurak, 15001 Sunfish Lake Boulevard - stated that if the zoning remains Industrial, he envisions a lot of body shop-type businesses moving in---not another major business headquarters. Now that sewer and water is available to the site, he feels that within a year it will be developed either way. He concluded that the neighbors need to decide what they want, but he felt this seemed like a very nice neighborhood. Commissioner Thorud inquired if Mr. Kurak would approve of this neighborhood next to his place. Mr. Kurak stated he would approve, adding that it is currently happening all around him now. He also felt this development would improve the property values in the neighboring area. An unidentified resident stated that if everybody wanted a 1/4-acre lot, they would all be fighting for houses in Minneapolis. Micky Olson, 149th Lane N.W. - inquired whether there was a possibility of making these 1-acre lots, questioning the reasoning behind the 1/4-acre lots. Commissioner Deemer explained that with sewer and water being extended to this area, the developer would have to sell these 1-acre lots for $120,000 to cover his expenses. Commissioner Thorud suggested that if the developer didn't request sewer and water, then he would have to cover those costs. Ms. Frolik replied that since this area has been brought into the Municipal Urban Service Area (MUSA), it cannot be developed without sewer and water. Planning Commission/January 10, 1996 Page 3 of 9