January 3, 2006 CCP - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Issues in Dispute #1/#2 The issues of PIanning Area designation (tent and Map W-7 of the System Statement) are directly related. The W-7 Map issue extends beyond simple Planning Area designation to the geographic extent. , Page 2, Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Lake Elmo System Statement (under the heading "Geographic planning area") states that Lake Elmo is partially designated "developing community" and partially as ."diversified rural". The City does not dispute designation of a portion of the City (if, geographically, the correct portion) as "developing community". The City does, however, dispute the System Statement text and Map W-7 designation of the balance of the community as "diversified rural", and requests that area be instead designated "rural residential" based on the following: I. A "Community Role" listed in the Development Framework for "Diversified Rural" planning areas is "Accommodate growth not to exceed forecasts at clustered development not to exceed 1 unit per 10 acres.'* The majority of the existing residential development in geographic areas of the City that will not designated "Developing Community" is at a residential density in excess of I unit per 10 acres; and new residential development over the past 10 years and into the future in those geographic areas responsive to the City's innovative conservation development ordinance ranges 3-4.5 units per 10 acres. 2. The MOU specifically states that "The City will determine the types of housing and businesses to be developed...". The only exception to this statement in the MOU is that regionally sewered housing (within the "Developing Community" portion of the City) must be developed at not less than an average of 3 dwelling units per'acre. The concept of "urban reserve" implied by the 1 unit per 10 acre specification of the diversified rural planning area designation was mutually understood by the parties to the MOU to not be applicable to the geographic areas of Lake Elmo not within the developing community designation. 3. The initial sentence under the heading "Rural Area: Rural Residential Areas" found on Page 25 of the 2030 Development Framework clearly best describes the portion of Lake Elmo not designated "Developing Community": "Rural Residential Areas are immediately adjacent to Developing Areas and have large numbers of individual sewage treatment systems at densities of 2.5 acres or less." Over 6 lineal miles of Developing Community designation will border areas of Lake Elmo not so designated by the City's pending Comprehensive Plan. Within those non -Developing Community areas of the City there are nearly 2,000 individual sewage treatment systems, many at densities of 2.5 acres or less. Map W-7 of the Lake Elmo System Statement also designates a portion of the City Diversified Rural,. which the City contends should be instead designated Rural Residential for the reasons cited above. In addition, the geographic area of Lake Elmo designated Developing Community does not correspond with the terms of the MOU and the 2030 Water Resources System Plan as follows: