10/05/2005 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION OCTOBER 5, 2005 APPROVED 1 City Planner Smyser stated the current application is for amendment of the 2 Comprehensive Plan only. The other application would come later if the plan amendment 3 were approved. It is important to note that approval of this comprehensive plan 4 amendment does not grant or imply any right to an approval of applications that will 5 follow. As described in the zoning ordinance, the purpose of a PUD general concept plan 6 is "to provide an opportunity for the applicant to submit an application and plan to the 7 City showing the basic intent and the general nature of the entire development. The 8 concept plan provides an opportunity for the proposal to be publicly considered at an 9 early stage." 10 11 City Planner Smyser advised the concept plan does not require approval of any type of 12 vote. However, it is important that the Council provide staff and the applicant with 13 comments on the concept plan before the project design progresses. 14 15 City Planner Smyser explained the components of conservation development noting it is a 16 method of developing land in a way that is kinder to the natural environment than 17 traditional development. In short, conservation development is a method of development 18 design. Projects that are designed as conservation development can be exempt from some 19 Lino Lakes growth limits, at the Council's discretion. 20 21 City Planner Smyser stated the Hardwood Creek project would be a conservation 22 development. The applicants originally intended the application to be a conservation 23 design, and have been following the AUAR project. The AUAR mitigation plan requires 24 that all development incorporate conservation elements whenever possible. 25 26 City Planner Smyser outlined the two reasons the City cannot exempt this project from 27 the growth limits based on it being a conservation development. He provided detail on 28 the five elements of the proposed comprehensive plan amendment as it relates to the 29 Hardwood Creek project. He also reviewed the concept plan noting the site would 30 develop from south to north in four phases, with over half the commercial development 31 and some residential in phase one. The developer envisions full build out of the site over 32 six years. 33 34 Mr. Greg Hayes, Hardwood Creek Development, stated the Comprehensive Plan 35 amendment request is a tough decision for the City Council because detailed are needed 36 to make good decisions. The problem with master planning a very large area is the cost 37 to obtain those details. 38 39 Mr. Hayes advised the concept plan is a snapshot of what the project may look like. The 40 land use needs to be changed to get to the details of the project. A land use change does 41 not mean approval of preliminary plat. 42 43 Mr. Hayes stated an independent firm was obtained to do an analysis of the increase in 44 market value and property taxes resulting from the development. The analysis, based on 45 conservative valuations, indicated an increase in annual property taxes from $11,000 per