08/14/2000 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

AGENDA ITEM 8 F STAFF ORIGINATOR: Jeff Smyser C. C. MEETING DATE: August 14, 2000 TOPIC: Town Center Development Standards Endorsement CITY COUNCIL ACTION: 3/5 vote BACKGROUND The Planning & Zoning Board opened the public hearing on the new Town Center Development standards in April. We kept it open to allow extensive discussion and public input. The Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) met on August 3 for further discussion of the proposed standards and voted on a recommendation. P & Z closed the hearing August 9. The public hearing and discussion has been for educational purposes: to educate the public about the City's intent to create the new zoning district and standards, and to educate City staff and officials on what developers, land owners, and others think about the draft standards. We have not yet begun the formal process for amending the zoning ordinance and rezoning the Town Center area. The City has applied for additional grant money from the Metropolitan Council under the Livable Communities program. We received a grant in 1998 to plan our Town Center. We have applied for additional money to help implement the plan. The Met Council has let us know that the development standards are important to show the City is serious about implementing the mixed use, compact development plan. While we have yet to process the formal zoning amendment that is needed to officially adopt any new zoning district or standards, we need to show substantial progress. EDAC voted to adopt a statement indicating support for the standards. The P & Z voted 6 -0 to adopt the statement with two minor changes, which are underlined. Endorse the preliminary and draft Town Center standards as recommended by staff with the understanding that the City may revise specific language and requirements in the standards. (The signage standards (section 3.8) will be temporarily pulled from the standards for further review.) Revisions would occur as part of the process for amending the City's zoning ordinance to include standards for a new Town Center zoning district. As noted above, we will have to process the Town Center standards as an amendment to the zoning ordinance. There will be two elements to this zoning amendment: