10-23-2019 Workshop Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP OCTOBER 23, 2019 himself and updated the Council and Planning Commission on the progress he has made on the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Weber stated that walking and biking were hot issues in the community survey that was done for the Parks Master Plan, and asked if the City should take a more pro -active approach to adding sidewalks and is it feasible or practical to retrofit existing streets. He noted that the Comprehensive Plan could suggest that MNDOT build a pedestrian bridge over I-35E in Little Canada. He stated that the Comprehensive Plan does not yet tie the Parks Master Plan in with it. Westadt stated that it would be good to have documentation in the Comprehensive Plan of the City studying the feasibility of additional sidewalks and trails, and pedestrian bridges over the freeways. Johnson stated that stressing safety into the need for more sidewalks is important. Fischer stated he hears consensus that this subject should be addressed in the Comp Plan, but some prioritization of locations will need to be done. Mr. Weber stated that he will add language into the plan that the City will consider doing a study on adding sidewalks and trails. He noted that the Council can decide later if they want to move forward with a formal study. Mr. Weber reviewed the three manufactured home parks and noted that they are all fairly old, but noted they provide good affordable housing options. He stated that they are currently zoned industrial and commercial, except for a part of Terrace Heights that is actually zoned mobile home park. He suggested that the Council discuss whether to rezone the parks to R-4, Mobile Home Park, in order to preserve the affordable housing. Fischer asked Mr. Weber how they could be zoned in order to preserve the intent of truly affordable housing on these sites, while looking towards the future of possibly different types of structures. Johnson asked how this can be addressed in the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Weber explained that goals in the Comprehensive Plan are statements of philosophy. Torkelson stated that the parks may change over the years, but the City should want to avoid mass evictions due to a park shutting down and putting the residents on the street. He explained that when there is not the manufactured home zoning on the land, the land use protection is not there for the residents. Mr. Weber stated that the Metropolitan Council would like the City to add 79 additional affordable units, but noted this is not a mandated number. He explained that the number is not unreasonable so the Council should accept this number and simply monitor the situation over time. Mr. Weber stated that the Zoning Code could use some work. He explained that the first indicator that it should be amended is the large use of Planned Unit Development as a zoning district. He stated that this is hard to use for both the developer and City Staff. He explained that he 2