04/24/2006 Council Minutes (3) - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • COUNCIL MINUTES APRIL 24, 2006 APPROVED • To map current and future trails and to develop a long-term planning relationship with Anoka County to provide connections between the city and county trail systems. The final section of the 20/20 Vision Plan deals with Commercial Development. That advisory group said the city should pursue commercial business with characteristics that "fit" the community, including ones that are compatible with the environment, provide a business center, support multiple types of zoning, and support community activities and family values. Tonight I am proud to say that the city has made much progress towards these recommendations, and has set the stage for how we can continue to grow in a way that protects, enhances and preserves our valuable amenities. Lino Lakes was one of the first cities in the state to complete a detailed natural resources inventory. Our "Parks, Natural Open Space/Greenways and Trail System Plan" is a comprehensive study of our natural resources and provides guiding principles for the future. Those principles include: • An interconnected network of natural landscapes, greenways, parks and trails. • Finding ways to foster a high quality living environment within the context of ecological protection, land stewardship, long-term sustainability and economic viability. Now, those are all very lofty words. But words in a study by themselves don't accomplish much. It was critical to find a way to implement these principles. The city took a significant step forward when it amended the growth management ordinance in 2004 to encourage ecologically based "Conservation Development". This amendment has since brought recognition to Lino Lakes for being on the leading edge of "Conservation Development." Other cities, environmental and planning organizations, and the development community, are turning to Lino Lakes to find out how we're making it work. The idea was to provide design flexibility in creating new neighborhoods to achieve desired public values. Our first "Conservation Development" is underway. It has received much attention because it is environmentally sustainable, and workable. Our "Parks, Natural Open Space/Greenways, and Trail System Plan" can be implemented and paid for largely with private development dollars. In the past year our city staff has been asked to speak about conservation development at conferences sponsored by the Regional Greenways Collaborative, the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association, the Minnesota Depal lment of Natural Resources, the American Planning Association, and Minnesota Land Trust. The Pioneer Press recently reported on the Foxborough Estates conservation development in Lino Lakes. So, we now have a plan and a way to implement that plan. We are proud of our progress. We have tools, resources and experience we did not have 10 years ago. Since 2003, the city has increased funding for trail development. We have partnered with Anoka County to provide a paved trail segment connecting the Town Center with the regional park trail system. Soon, residents will be able to get from Pheasant Hills to city hall and the YMCA via off-road trails. Anyone who has lived in this city for any length of time is aware of the years of planning this city has put into creating a "downtown" Lino Lakes. We are proud to say it is underway, and the initiative we took as a city is paying off. As the 20/20 Vision Commercial Development Group recommended, it is compatible with the environment, provides a business center, supports multiple types of zoning, and supports community activities and family values. 7