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EXCERPT OF COUNCIL MINUTES JUNE 25, 2001
<br />from cover to cover, but my remarks tonight are going to be mainly concerned with the, the tables on
<br />Page 3 and on Page 65.
<br />I think you'll all agree with this statement that a pending agreement on a gross strategy requires many,
<br />often heated debates at City Hall. Finally a compromise agreement has been, was reached and
<br />published in The Quad on two dates in 1998, September 9th, or 15th, and September 22nd and I quote
<br />from that particular edition of The Quad: "The proposed plan calls for moderate growth of 147
<br />homes per year, average growth (inaudible) 147 per year which slows growth in Lino Lakes by 70%
<br />over the growth rate of the past seven years. The population is now approximately 15,000." I'm
<br />continuing to quote now. "At full growth, it is expected to be 20,500. The Metropolitan Council
<br />made forecast for regional population growth and predicted that Lino Lakes would have 25,000
<br />people by the year 2020. The City decides its own future with it's Comprehensive Plan. The City has
<br />its population limit at 20,500 by 2020." That's the end of the quote.
<br />So, finally there were definitely goals of 147 new units per year and 21 0 as a maximum population
<br />to guide development to the year 2020. How well has the City co these goals? We now
<br />turn to the Comp Plan update being discussed here tonight for w `' O' age 1 of this plan it says:
<br />"The Comprehensive Plan and related support documents es ,� hs `.,he�`a for future community
<br />growth." The, on Page 3 it says: "The following issue su ctive of issues, concerns, and
<br />opportunities that have been identified to the 2020 Vis +n. °`¢ Sta nt, 1997 Community Survey,
<br />and a series of public meetings held at, part of the plcess. The issues which were
<br />identified..." In this group that I just mentioned. _ l in ti following basic categories: rate of
<br />community growth, land use, environmental pr. ction, ansportation, and public facilities and
<br />services. Note all of these categories and p c's . ', are heavily dependent on growth. To
<br />provide and use growth figures and proj as accurately as possible is essential in every facet of
<br />the plan if planning is to meet the ap Nothing can be done now to alter the fact that the
<br />agreed upon growth rate of 147 un ear not been followed. According to the table on Page
<br />3 of the Plan, the average annu s+ld growth was 241.5 for the decade of the 90s and we
<br />understand it has been that o for ' e years 2000 and 2001. US Census showed the City
<br />population to be at 16,79 in the 000. By the end of this year, our City population will
<br />approach 18,200.
<br />The table headed "Lino Lak Demographic Goals" on page 65 tells a different story. It shows the
<br />population for the year 2000 to be 14,540, not 16,791 the official census figure. Simple arithmetic
<br />shows that the difference between the present population and the goal population of 20,500 is about
<br />2,300 new residents. Spread evenly over 20 years, that amounts to 115 people per year and converted
<br />to houses at three per house, equals 38 houses per year. So, instead of 147 new homes per year as the
<br />Plan calls for, the correct number is 38, casting a very different shadow on the outlook for City
<br />management.
<br />If we stood by the original agreement, the whole picture changes regarding the need for extending
<br />MUSA, building new schools, providing other services, upgrading roads, and so forth and the threat
<br />to open space is reduced. At 147 units per year, the population would reach this 20,500 limit by the
<br />year 2006. Then what happens for the next 14 years until they the year 2020. Or, or, if the City
<br />grows at the rate prescribed, which is 147 units per year, by 2020 the population would reach about
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