06-26-1996 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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JUN -06 -1996 13:38 NRC 612 595 9837 P.02/04 Northwest Associated Consultants, Inc. C O M M U N I T Y P L A N N I N G • D E S I G N • M A R K E T R E S E A R C H MEMORANDUM TO: Little Canad Mayor and City Council Little Canada Planning Commission FROM: Stephen Grittman DATE: June 6, 1996 RE: Little Canada - PUD Zoning Text Amendment FILE NO: 758.10 - 96.07 Staff has uncovered a potential concern relating to the City's ability to enforce its intention that automobile related commercial uses be prohibited in the Rice Street and Little Canada Road Redevelopment District. The Development Guide does not specifically address this issue, and the current (1981) Comprehensive Plan suggests that automobile uses would be appropriate In this area. The new Comprehensive Plan generally references the Development Guide's treatment of the area, but is not adopted at this time, therefor, the 1981 Plan controls. The concern which this situation raises is that as the City proceeds to conduct appraisals of Rice/Little Canada area properties in anticipation of acquisition assistance, the appraiser must account for the highest and best use of the property. Since the current zoning is PUD, which conceivably allows any use listed in the various zoning districts, the appraiser would have to consider the possibility that some of the land could be put to an automobile related commercial use, such as a gasoline /convenience store. Even though the City would argue that such a facility would not meet the intent of the Development Guide or the current planning for the District (and thus would not be approved) the appraiser may not be able to make this assumption and would have to factor this in to the property value. As a result, the City's acquisition efforts would be complicated by the consideration of a land use which may not realistically be permitted. 5775 Wayzata Blvd. • Suite 555 • St. Louis Park, MN 55416 • (612) 595- 9636•Fax. 595 -9837 Page 84