06/22/2009 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNCIL MINUTES June 8, 2009 DRAFT • 179 not mandate the development of affordable housing but, as required, provides the opportunity for 180 it to happen. Earlier, statements from the Plan were mentioned that relate to affordable housing 181 and he clarified that statements are actually strategies and the city can consider as they wish. 182 Tax increment financing should be fairly portrayed as a tool for economic development tool and 183 includes taxation. The city has used that tool only once for a senior housing project 184 approximately fifteen years ago. 185 186 A council member asked fellow members to consider if the action being requested, authorizing 187 submission of the Plan to the Metropolitan Council, is appropriate at this time. While there have 188 been changes to the Plan in the right direction, there remains further work that should be done. 189 The council shouldn't accept a Plan that isn't complete because experience says that you should 190 see the completed product. 191 192 Council Member Reinert moved to postpone the action until a future time when staff can 193 complete their work. Motion lost for lack of a second. 194 195 Council Member Stoltz moved to approve Resolution No. 09 -23 as presented. Council Member 196 Gallup seconded the motion. 197 198 A council member commented that he did not support postponement because the approval of the 199 Plan at this time would be preliminary . The Plan should be forwarded to the Metropolitan 200 Council; it is time to move forward on that process. Regarding the Plan itself, there has been a 201 lot of input from many areas. He sees the passion of people and it is a good passion for the city. 202 There are as many opinions out there as there are citizens and voices have been heard.. The 203 council and staffs job is really ahead and the Plan sets the course for that work but is not the 204 final product. Affordable housing can mean many things and not necessarily "government" 205 housing. The city needs to be proactive and show leadership and guide the development of that 206 housing. It should be acknowledged that the council did direct changes to the forecast and that 207 is a result of input and the council has listened. It is a difficult decision to move forward but it 208 comes with commitment to work on the Plan in the future. 209 210 A council member responded that there is not general opposition to affordable housing but there 211 shouldn't be too much (the Plan has a lot now) and it is obvious that some subsidy will be 212 required. Once the Plan is submitted, the city cannot make fundamental changes and that is the 213 problem. The Plan as a whole is fundamentally different from what citizens have said they 214 want/hie about the City. There are obvious differences of opinion on that matter among the 215 council members. The council member stated that the three areas of most concern should be 216 pace, quality and density, or moderate/slow pace, high quality and low density and the Plan 217 doesn't represent those. It is most important to get the Plan done right rather than on a schedule. 218 219 A council member noted that the changes the council has asked for are well documented and so 220 there is a comfort level that they will be implemented into the Plan. As far as citizen input, there 221 was a visioning group and the Plan speaks well to what that group put forward.. 222 223 A council member added that process is as important as the decision. The unsung heron along