11/03/2004 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION NOVEMBER 3, 2004 APPROVED 1 2 Community Development Director Grochala stated staff is presenting the draft 3 amendments now to allow time for Council consideration and feedback. Staff anticipates 4 bringing the first reading to the Council at the November 22nd meeting. Staff also hopes 5 to have the Fox Den Acres project on the same agenda. 6 7 Mr. Jeff Shoenbauer advised staff is not suggesting the City disregard the current City 8 ordinances regulating growth. "Conventional development" is defined as a development 9 proposal that meets the minimum requirements of the City's ordinances regulating 10 subdivision and platting, zoning, street standards, and other pertinent requirements. 11 "Conservation development" refers to a collaborative process in which certain stipulated 12 public values are sought in exchange for greater flexibility on general development 13 requirements and the growth limits defined under the policy. 14 15 Mr. Shoenbauer reviewed a working example of greenways, trails and stewardship within 16 the plan as well as the Fox Den conventional proposal. The conservation plan includes 17 approximately 28 acres of open space that would be controlled and maintained. He 18 reviewed the goals achieved within the plan along with the proposed commitments to the 19 developer. He noted the most important commitment to the developer is approval to 20 deviate from the City's current Growth Management Plan. 21 22 Mr. Shoenbauer stated the Fox Den acres project offers a good opportunity to implement 23 the new parks and open space plan through the use of a conservation development. The 24 project is going through a very collaborative process that includes City staff, the Rice 25 Creek Watershed District, and the developer. The design includes such things as filling 26 and moving lower quality wetlands in order to preserve and increase higher quality 27 wetlands and upland areas. The overall gain in public value will be positive. 28 29 Mr. Shoenbauer recommended the City amend the Growth Management Policy to 30 accommodate conservation development. 31 32 Community Development Director Grochala stated staff does have the two options for 33 amending the Growth Management Policy. All growth restrictions would still apply for 34 conventional development. The proposed amendments include eliminating the 35 discretionary 20% additional annual growth for conventional development. The 36 amendment would only exempt conservation development from the growth restrictions or 37 annual MUSA allocation limit. The City would still have controls such as the Stage 1 38 and Stage 2 growth boundaries. These are areas within which growth is to occur. The 39 total MUSA reserve for Stage 1 would still apply and cannot be exceeded because that is 40 what the City received from the Metropolitan Council. The prohibition on premature 41 development would also still apply. The subdivision ordinance prohibits premature 42 development to ensure adequate infrastructure exists to support new residential 43 development. 44 45 Mr. Shoenbauer advised a list of public values within the amendment have been added to 46 discuss with developers early in the process. City Boards and the City Council should 47 then review a preliminary concept plan and determine if the project meets the City's