04-23-2014 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL APRIL 23, 2014 Blesener pointed out that this is a big issue for the City given it has six crossings in two miles, resulting in an almost continuous horn when a train passes through the City. The Administrator again noted that the Quiet Zone Study will be presented at the Council's May 14`1' meeting. MET COUNCIL The City Planner reviewed a draft letter to be submitted to the POPULATION Metropolitan Council in response to their Thrive MSP 2040 population PROJECTIONS projections for the City of Little Canada. The Planner noted that last fall the Met Council published preliminary population numbers that projected a significant increase for Little Canada. The City raised objections, and the Met Council has come back with even higher numbers. The Met Council Thrive MSP 2040 projections show a 40% population increase for Little Canada. The Planner indicated that part of the Met Council's rational for this level of increase relates to their transportation plan and that cities should plan for growth around transit corridors. The Met Council Transportation Policy Plan suggests that the Rush Line transit corridor may be one where new transit service could be planned. The Planner noted that it is yet undetermined if the Rush Line will prove to be a viable transit corridor, or if so, where it would fall on the list of priorities for the region. The Planner also noted that the City does not have available land to develop and there is no connection between the population numbers projected by Met Council and realistic development. The Planner noted that in the draft letter he is asking that the Met Council return to their 2030 population projections for Little Canada. McGraw asked the consequences of not complying with Met Council population projections. The City Planner indicated that the Met Council will want these population projections addressed in the City's next Comprehensive Plan update that is due in 2018. The Planner stated that this is where the conflict will begin because there is no functional way for the City to meet these numbers. The Planner stated that another conflict will arise in that Met Council classifies Little Canada as a suburban community and their policy requirement is that new growth should achieve a density of 5 units per acre. The Met Council 2030 classification indicates 3 units per acre. The Met Council is also projecting that employment in the City will increase by 3,300 jobs, which is a 60% increase. Blesener noted that the only way to achieve the population projections would be to redevelop with high -rise apartments and eliminate single- family residential. The Planner indicated that because the projections are 14