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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES <br /> AUGUST 21, 2012 <br /> <br />Page 13 of 15 <br /> <br />overwhelmed with ordinance updates at the time of implementation. In addition to presenting the <br />proposed zoning districts necessary to move the I-94 Corridor Land Use Plan forward, the <br />reorganization of the Zoning Ordinance will provide a framework to make the adoption of future <br />zoning districts and performance standards more seamless. With this phased approach, the City <br />may adopt the necessary future updates related to the Village Area and design standards at the <br />appropriate times. It is important to understand that until the Comprehensive Plan Amendment <br />process is complete and the City has adopted a new official zoning map, the properties in the I -94 <br />Corridor will not be rezoned to allow for new development. In other words, these new zoning <br />districts, if adopted, will serve as placeholders to ensure that the City is adequately prepared for <br />growth at the appropriate time. <br />Throughout the period of review of these proposed amendments to the Zoning Code, Staff has <br />worked to revise these updates to reflect discussion and comment received from the Planning <br />Commission during the review period and during the public hearings. The bulk of these revisions <br />were related to performance standards and allowable uses within the proposed new residential <br />and commercial zoning districts. In addition, efforts were made to better define buffering <br />requirements between rural and sewer development through treatments know as opacity <br />requirements. However, these revisions have since been removed in favor of a greenbelt provision <br />within the Comprehensive Plan Amendment. In the future, buffering through the mechanism of <br />opacity may be revisited through either performance standards or future design guidelines for <br />these districts. Districts related to future sewer overlay will be included in future revisions. <br />Numbering will provide greater flexibility to vet out new standards in the zoning code. He noted <br />the existing code will remain in effect until the new code can be incorporated and implemented. <br />The Planning Commission is recommending that the City Council approve five amendments to the <br />Zoning Ordinance to add new sections as follows: <br />Article 1 – Introduction: current zoning code is weak in severability and validity and this addition <br />would ensure that if one portion was invalidated it would ensure the code valid for other properties <br />within the community. <br />Article 2 – Definitions: expounds on the definitions and allows for definitions within various <br />chapters of the code. <br />Article 6 – Not included: will be amended at a later date. <br />Article 8 – Zoning Districts: Outlining the new zoning districts and those replacing the general <br />commercial district which include commercial (standard-large scale) and convenience commercial <br />(smaller scale). <br />Article 10 – Urban Residential Districts: Containing use charts of what is allowed for these <br />residential districts. Includes allowances for commercial uses in our high density residential <br />districts which support mixed–use. He noted lot standards have been lowered with the allowance <br />to provide open space for the developments, allowing for smaller residential lots provided the <br />developer provides for open space within the development.