01-11-96 Council Workshop Minutes

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL/PLb1NNING COMMI5SION JANi7ARY 12 ~ 1996 The Planner replied that the two mobilehome parks along Rice Street are the focus of the discussion. The Planner also indicated that the Rice Street/Little Canada Road area is the primary commercial node identified by the Development Guide. The Development Guide identifies County Road C as a residential area, but the Planner indicated that it is highly unlikely that the Rice At C Shopping Center will be redeveloped into residential. The Planner indicated that the concept of the Comp Plan is the use of neighborhood commercial as a separation for the commercial nodes rather than residential. Schletty asked what Little Canada's percentage of low income housing was. The Planner replied that Little Canada has a high percentage because of the number of mobilehome parks and apartments in the City. The Planner indicated that the plan would not designate the land use as low rent apartments, but rather as a high-density apartment district. The Planner stated that the City needs to reflect on the land use it expects so that when someone comes in with a proposal to redevelop the mobilehome park, he or she can get this information. Pedersen pointed out that there are some single-family homes on Rice Street as well as some areas which are not highly developed. Morelan stated that if the City accepts the node concept, he sees no reason not to rezone areas to residential. Fahey suggested that it will be difficult to convince someone with commercial property to rezone to residential. Fahey pointed out that the Development Guide is a 20-year plan, and questioned the need to rezone. Fahey suggested that the residential development between the commercial nodes be left open as a possibility, and that some language be added to the Comp Plan indicating that this is an acceptable alternative. Knudsen pointed out that this is not an issue that needs to be contemplated for existing residential development.