07/27/2009 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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SPECIAL WORK SESSION June 3, 2009 DRAFT 134 consideration especially if that is necessary to gain the support needed for 135 passage. 136 The Plan that came forward is a good one but there is room for discussion on 137 the numbers. 138 The council as a whole is committed to optionality and quality and the process 139 that brought this Plan forward has required those values all along. It includes 140 options for input from the city as growth is proposed. A great process brings a 141 great result and the advisory work has been a key element in the process and 142 that shows in the product. 143 - Although the Metropolitan Council forecast is a bit lower than the changes 144 proposed at this time, compromise is important also. The affordable housing 145 component is at least more realistic. 146 147 The question being if the council is ready to bring the Plan forward for a vote, more 148 discussion was requested. A council member suggested it's important to bring forward a 149 maximum of two options to the council meeting; more options would make reaching 150 agreement more difficult and moving forward less likely. Another council member 151 suggested that the consensus of this meeting should determine what will go to the council 152 floor. 153 154 The council discussed the request of Teresa Weinkauf (797 Main Street) and of Jeff Joyer 155 (Waldoch Farm Garden). Ms. Weinkauf is requesting a proposed land use change from 156 Low Density Residential to Commercial. Mr. Joyer is requesting that a portion of his 157 farm site be retained as commercial land use designation. 158 159 Planner Smyser first explained the city's responsibility under statute to conform its 160 zoning regulations to its Plan. The city's zoning follows the land use designation, 161 although there are differing zoning districts within land use categories. He showed maps 162 indicating the current land use plan and the proposed. The Weinkauf request relates to 163 how the property is guided. The existing zoning (general business) conflicts with the land 164 use designation (low density residential) and that conflict has existed for years and years. 165 The city would be correcting the situation by making the change proposed in the Plan. 166 Because of that conflict, the cun-ent use of the Weinkauf property is considered non- 167 conforming and the best thing to do with that type of a situation (in order to comply with 168 state law) is to make a change so that it conforms. The Planning and Zoning Board has 169 recommended concurrence with the Plan. Part of the consideration is that there is interest 170 on the part of the Weinkaufs to have a home business. When the city's home occupation 171 restrictions were reviewed, staff saw that the restrictions are quite strict and so they are 172 open to looking at some change when the zoning ordinance is reviewed. If the current 173 non conforming situation is allowed to continue, there is concern that there would be no 174 buffer for the residential area if businesses were to develop. 175 176 A council member noted that making all four properties commercial would not solve the 177 problem since only one of the properties would be true commercial 178 4 -35-