09/25/2000 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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case the EDA- must find that the granting of a subsidy meets the best interests of the City. The City Council is required to also approve the subsidy. The main component of this subsidy is to write down the cost of assessments. The development agreement •includes the Subsidy Agreement, specifying the requirements under the Business Subsidy Law, including wage and job goals and annual reporting. Council Member Reinert moved to approve the Business Subsidy Agreement for Twin City Fab, Inc., as presented. Council Member O'Donnell seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Town Center Development Standards Endorsement (3/5 Vote Required), Jeff Smyser - Staff advised the Planning and Zoning Board opened the public hearing on the new Town Center Development standards in April, 2000. It was kept open to allow extensive discussion and public input. The Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) met on August 3, 2000, for further discussion of the proposed standards and voted on a recommendation. Planning and Zoning closed the hearing on August 9, 2000. 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 other think about the draft standards. Staff has 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. The City received a grant in 1998 to plan the Town Center. The City has applied for additional money to help implement the plan. The Met Council has let the City know that the development standards are important to show the City is serious about implementing the mixed use, compact development plan. While the City has 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 Planning and Zoning Board voted 6- 0 to adopt the statement with two (2) 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, the City will have to process the Town Center standards as an amendment to the zoning ordinance. There will be two elements to this zoning amendment: One element is the rezoning of the Town Center area. Our intent has been to rezone the areas currently zoned SC Shopping Center and LB Limited Business. (A rezoning is an amendment to the zoning ordinance, because the zoning map is part of the ordinance. The other element is the development standards for the new district. Every zoning district has its own subsection in the zoning ordinance that lists the standards for that district. The Town Center standards we've been discussing will be the subsection for the Town Center zoning district. State statute as well as the City's zoning ordinance regulate how to process a zoning amendment. Approval of a zoning amendment requires a 4/5 vote of the City Council. • 9