07/13/2000 EDAC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Jeff Knutson asked if it was appropriate for the city to mandate design. Mr. Fefercorn stated from his experience in Mendota Heights that the overlay zoning plan are design oriented. Mr. Smyser said the city zoning ordinances are design standards, and the city has the right and responsibility to regulate design. The question is merely to what degree can the city regulate design before people don’t get a return on their investment. Mr. Knutson said the developer/landowner is taking the risk, and also takes the hit if it doesn’t work. Mr. Bart Rehbein stated he agrees with the vision and the goals, but wants to eliminate over-regulation. A variance is difficult to get once the ordinance is in place. Mr. Smyser stated that if the standards need a lot of variances than the city has not done a good job of creating the ordinance, and likewise, if the city doesn’t get what it wants, it has also done a poor job. He noted the “devil is in the details” and if detailed requirements are taken out of the standards, people should prepare to be disappointed with the results. He noted that these standards are not requiring uniformity, and that is not the intent. Mr. Fefercorn compared the standards to a Swiss watch, noting that there is not a vocabulary for cities and developers to use to combine retail and housing, and design standards establish that vocabulary. For example, while it may seem too detailed to regulate the type and color of trash cans, it is a big deal to people who live in housing behind the retail. Mr. Greg Hayes stated that when urban villages are created it is usually through the PUD process and the standards are melded to the marketplace. Ms. Schwartz questioned whether there is a difference in land value to land with design standards on it, versus land without. Will the design standards negatively impact the value, or increase it? Mr. Fefercorn stated it depends more on the economic realities of location and market. For example, to make the Village project work he believes it is necessary to infuse money through the Livable Communities grant to meet the asking price of the landowners and make it a viable project, along with city participation in such things as streetlights and public spaces. However, he believes he will have the ability to market the townhomes at a higher price, and people can make money on their resale, because of the uniqueness of the project and the higher quality environment. Mr. Fefercorn noted that while refinements may be made to the Calthorpe plan and the design standards, without that plan he wouldn’t be looking at this project. It was the opportunity to do this type of project that brought him to Lino Lakes. Mr. Wessel stated it was necessary to maintain momentum to get the design standards passed and that staff would come back with recommendations at the next EDAC meeting.