12-12-2019 Planning Commission Packet

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City of Little Canada 2-4 Land Use Plan Existing Land Use The City of Little Canada is designated a “suburban” by the Metropolitan Council’s Community Designation Map. The Council defines Suburban as communities that experienced continued growth and expansion during the 1980s and early 1990s, and typically have automobile- oriented development patterns at lower densities than in previous eras. As stated in Thrive MSP 2040, 30 percent of the region’s new households and about 50 percent of the region’s new jobs will be located in these types of communities, primarily through infill development and redevelopment. Projected growth for developed communities is anticipated to occur through reinvestment at higher development densities, such as greater than 5 dwelling per acre. The City’s land use policies and strategies reflect this regional strategy. According to the Metropolitan Council’s estimate, Little Canada is approximately 2,869 acres, or just under 4.5 square miles in size. As shown on the following map, existing land use in the City is predominately low density residential, encompassing 36% of the city’s total acres. Road right- of-way, lakes and ponds cover another large portion of the City’s area, totaling 973 acres or 34 percent. [ This table will be generated from the new map of existing land use, 2018. ] Table 2-1: Categories of Existing Land Use Category of Existing Land Use, 2019 Acreage Percent Description Low Density Residential Single- and two-family houses Medium Density Residential Attached housing in which each unit has an individual exterior entrance, such as townhouses High Density Residential Attached housing in which each unit has an entrance from a shared hallway, such as apartment buildings Manufactured Housing Housing commonly known as mobile homes; located in a centrally managed development Commercial Retail and service businesses Industrial and Office Manufacturing, warehousing and research & development; may include office buildings Public, Institutional and Utility City buildings and facilities, schools, places of worship, cemeteries, and public or private utility sites or corridors. City Park or Open Space Lands owned by the City for park purposes; includes areas for natural protection and interpretation; does not include wetlands. Road Right-of-Way Lands used for public streets or highways. Railroad Corridor Land used for railroad tracks. Agriculture Land used for farming Undeveloped Land not converted to any of the uses listed above. Open Water Lakes and ponds, not including other wetlands. Wetlands Land in which the soils are normally saturated and not suited for development; protected by governmental regulations for environmental protection and flood mitigation