08/08/1994 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 1 CITY COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST 8, 1994 it will be an island surrounded by open space. Mr. Sepanen referred to two (2) different articles in the Minneapolis paper. One referred to Robinsdale and Brooklyn Center and specifically Brookdale Shopping Center which is experiencing loss of tenants and loss of revenue because the more affluent residents are moving farther to the suburbs leaving residents who are either elderly or less affluent and unable to support businesses who have been in the area for years. The second article deals with another development in another area that has fallen on hard times. The anchor store, J C Penny is leaving the shopping center. This will cause other stores to leave as well. Mr. Sepanen said the point of this that Lino Lakes has been here for many years, however all of the development is taking place between 1990 and 1999. It is possible the same problems will occur here. He preferred to see a more orderly process of development. Mr. Sepanen referred to the state of Massachusetts and noted that there are metropolitan areas in that state that are limiting new building permits each year. They have a long range view. He said he would like to keep his open spaces and he sympathized with his neighbors, however his real wish is that the City Council and subsequent City Council take a longer term view in spite of the fact that there are utilities in the ground that need to be paid. Mr. Sepanen sensed an obligation on the part of the City Council to accept developments. He has heard comments and read articles about "running out of developable land" and "running out of MUSA" and this does not seem to have the right balance or the long term view. Mayor Reinert thanked Mr. Sepanen and his neighbors for their comments. CONSIDERATION OF A PROPOSAL FOR 20/20 VISION, A GUIDE TO LINO LAKES FUTURE, MAYOR REINERT Mayor Reinert explained that he has been bothered by the way the City has been growing and was aware that many citizens had the same feelings. He said he would like to give the residents in Lino Lakes the opportunity that they have been seeking and that is to determine their own future by providing input into a variety of issues that face the City. Mayor Reinert referred to a plan that he is asking the City Council to adopt titled, "20/20 Vision, A Guide to Lino Lakes' Future". Many times "visionary" planning is done by staff and Council in conjunction with the Planning and Zoning Board and other citizen boards. He noted that Lino Lakes has about reached the half way point in its growth potential. There are between 12,000 and 13,000 residents in the City at this time and considering the developable land available for future development, the City will have about 26,000 residents. Mayor Reinert felt that this is probably the best PAGE 9