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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/12/2001 Council PacketWORK SESSION AGENDA CITY OF LINO LAKES Wednesday December 12, 2001 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION 5:30 P.M. 1. Annual Appointments, Linda Waite Smith 2. Zoning / Subdivision Ordinance Update, Michael Grochala 3. Consider Off -Sale Liquor License Regulations, Ann Blair 4. CSAH 49 Reconstruction Update, Michael Grochala 5. Software Licensing Expenses, Al Rolek • 6. Regular Agenda Items 7. Adjourn Interviews beginning at 7 p.m. — Applicants for City Boards Revised 12/11/01 ajb 12:41 p.m. PAGE 1 • • • MEMORANDUM DATE: December 14, 2001 TO: City Council, City Boards, and staff FROM: Michael Grochala RE: Interim Ordinance prohibiting new residential subdivisions The City Council is in the process of considering the adoption of an interim ordinance prohibiting new residential subdivisions, residential rezonings and allocation of MUSA for new residential subdivisions. If approved the ordinance would go into effect on February 21, 2002. Attached is a question and answer sheet prepared by staff regarding the proposed interim ordinance. Staff will have copies of the Q & A available for distribution to the public, if requested, and will be mailing copies to other interest parties. Questions or comments regarding the interim ordinance should be directed to my attention. J:\ mgrochala \correspondence\Interim Ordinance.dot • • • FACT SHEET WHAT IS AN INTERIM ORDINANCE PROHIBITING NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT? State law allows cities to adopt an interim ordinance, often called a moratorium, restricting or prohibiting new development for up to one year. This interim ordinance can be applied to all or part of a city, or specific types of development. The City of Lino Lakes is considering this temporary measure to suspend requests for new housing subdivisions that would result in creating more than four new lots, for residential rezoning, and for the expansion of the urban service area to service new homes with city sewer and water. WHY IS THE CITY OF LINO LAKES CONSIDERING AN INTERIM ORDINANCE? The City of Lino Lakes recently completed its Comprehensive Plan. This plan was developed by a citizen task force to be used as a roadmap for the future. The plan calls for a limit on the number of new houses that can be built through 2020. It also encourages designing new neighborhoods to minimize the impact on the environment. The Comprehensive Plan sets the direction, but does not regulate how new developments can be built. The city's zoning and subdivision ordinances are the specific rules that developers must follow. The city will use the year that the interim ordinance is in place to update current ordinances and write new ones to provide the legal authority needed to achieve the city's vision for the future. HOW WILL AN INTERIM ORDINANCE AFFECT NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN LINO LAKES? Impact on new development will be negligible, since it will not affect the 400 housing lots that have already been approved for development. The interim ordinance will prohibit applications for new plats for housing subdivisions. But once the city has new zoning ordinances adopted and the interim ordinance expires, the rules for developing new neighborhoods will be much clearer. Updating the city's ordinances can also provide opportunities to developers that they have not had in the past. Rather than merely providing more developmental roadblocks, ordinances can be written to provide flexibility on such things as lot and building sizes. This helps developers to preserve more open space and save valuable environmental amenities within subdivisions. In addition, development costs can be lowered when a city's regulatory procedures are fair and consistently applied. WHY BOTHER WITH AN INTERIM ORDINANCE IF SO MANY HOUSING UNITS • HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED? IT REALLY WON'T STOP DEVELOPMENT. • • The interim ordinance will give the city time to devise stronger controls so that it can be proactive rather than reactive when future plats come to the city for approval. When the ordinance revisions are complete, the city won't be required to approve poorly planned developments merely because they meet outdated rules. WHY CAN'T THE CITY GET THE NEW ORDINANCES IN PLACE WITHOUT SUSPENDING NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR A YEAR? The city could, but it would take longer. City staff members, who will be key to rewriting the regulations to enforce the Comprehensive Plan, will have a window of time free from reviewing new applications to devote to this revision of the zoning and subdivision codes. WILL THE INTERIM ORDINANCE AFFECT COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN LINO LAKES? The interim ordinance will not prohibit applications for the construction of commercial or industrial projects. But it will give the city an opportunity to plan for higher quality residential growth, which helps spur higher quality commercial growth. The Village development on 35W and Lake Drive has been a priority in the city for several years. This plan calls for a higher density mix of uses — including housing, shops, a YMCA and a community green —all in a neighborhood setting. Housing is critical to creating a true "town center" for Lino Lakes residents, as well as generating enough users to make small, neighborhood retail shops viable. For that reason, housing in the Village is exempt. WHO WILL BE INVOLVED IN DECIDING HOW THE CITY'S ORDINANCES WILL BE CHANGED? A task force comprised of representatives of the Lino Lakes Planning & Zoning Board, Environmental Board and Economic Development Advisory Committee will work with staff and NAC, the city's planning consultant, to review proposed ordinance changes. Towards the end of the process the Planning & Zoning Board will hold a hearing to receive public comment. The City Council will make the final decision regarding proposed ordinance changes. WHEN WILL THE INTERIM ORDINANCE BE IN EFFECT? The Lino Lakes Planning & Zoning Board held a public hearing on the interim ordinance on Dec. 12, 2001 and recommended approval to the City Council. An ordinance requires two readings by the City Council —the first will be on December 17, 2001 and the second on January 14, 2002. If the City Council adopts the ordinance, it will be published in the Quad Community Press. It goes into effect 30 days after publication, or February 21, 2001.