11/23/1998 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNCIL MINUTES NOVEMBER 23, 1998 asked when the utilities will be available on the west side of the street. Mr. Wessel indicated utilities on the west side will be available prior to 2010. Mayor Sullivan asked if this point would be an issue if a recommendation was made to change the neighborhood businesses to the two (2) corners. Council Member Lyden asked if a negotiation would be taking placing point by point in a public forum. Mayor Sullivan stated there is not a great divide concerning the Plan. She indicated they are at a point to encourage the submittal of the Plan on a 5-0 vote. Council Member Lyden stated the Comprehensive Plan is a ten year plan. Mr. Smyser's data indicated there is enough MUSA already designated in the MUSA reserve for ten years. Therefore, no increase is needed in the MUSA to move from 50 homes to 100 homes per year. Council Member Lyden indicated he would be in favor of the Plan if the Economic Health Index (EHI) is used as a control mechanism and if there is no increase in medium/low density housing and no neighborhood businesses on Birch Street. He added he would like to have snowmobile access to the Regional Park and no freeway interchange for Birch Street at I -35E. Mayor Sullivan stated there is no freeway interchange planned. The snowmobile access issue is not a Comprehensive Plan issue. Also, MUSA numbers are not transferable. MUSA will be assigned when development occurs. A significant amount of the MUSA numbers will change. Some of the current MUSA has already been assigned. Council has proposed to ask for less MUSA that what is currently in the Plan. The figure has gone from 1.5 times to 1.25 times. Based on items in the neighborhood business area, a change to Performance Zoning can be made. EHI has a place in the regulatory mechanism, however, it is not enough. The tax base percentage is just one item. The tax rate item is another item on its own. Residential/Commercial development is not the only factor impacting the tax rate. The EHI is in the Plan. Mayor Sullivan stated the proposal does not use an average per year regarding MUSA. Slow growth has been identified regarding MUSA, at 7575 homes per year. The Comprehensive Plan is just a piece of the overall plan. The peaks and valleys of development have hurt the City of Lino Lakes. The Plan offers a steady amount of growth over time. She indicated it is appropriate to remove issue #5. The housing issue is in conflict with the 20/20 Vision. Life Cycle options are needed. Mayor Sullivan asked for a show of hands of who has lived in apartments. She stated that everyone present has lived in an apartment at one time or another. She indicated she does not follow the no apartments theory. The medium and high density housing is limited to location. There will be 600 new units spread out in three locations with 200 units maximum. She stated she is okay with that proposal. The issue will be density vs. affordability. It is probable that very nice town houses will be built. The City does not want to over build and be left with unsuitable housing because of losing residents as they grow older and being left with vacant homes. 16