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Folz, Fivem); Duey e. Assoc., Inc. <br />To: <br />Honorable Mayor & City Council <br />From: <br />TimodryJ. Freeman <br />Date: <br />Tuesday, April 20, 1999 <br />Subject <br />Amendments to OP Ordinance <br />Lake Elmo stands at the forefront of communities that are striving to preserve <br />open spaces, while creating quality neighborhoods. Lake Elmo has created, <br />with it's ordinance, developments that the other communities strive for. I am <br />proud to have been a part of many of these projects. <br />The purpose of this memo is to provide a USER'S prospective on the <br />proposed amendments to the Open Space Preservation Ordinance. It is <br />agreed that changes need to be made to this ordinance to update the items <br />related to the amendments in the way this ordinance is used. By deleting the <br />OP designation on the Future Land Use Map in the Comprehensive Plan, and <br />adding the use of this ordinance with a Conditional Use Permit in the RR and <br />AG districts, several housekeeping amendments are in order, but there are <br />several amendments being proposed that are not related to these housekeeping <br />items. Also, some areas that have not been addressed should be updated. <br />The most detrimental of the proposed amendments is the change in total <br />density units allowed. The reduction of density units will make economical <br />development extremely difficult. There are many items required by the <br />ordinance to promote quality projects, that are only affordable with the <br />densities currently allowed. To reduce the density, and still expect the type of <br />quality developments that we have seen in the prior developments, is too <br />optimistic. <br />The proponents of reducing the densities will say that the developers aregettirtg rich <br />with the current densities. The cold hard fact is that the developers do not pay <br />for anything that is required in any ordinance. The prospective new citizens of <br />Lake Elmo will pay the cost of any reduction in the densities or increase in the <br />development costs. This only serves to continue to drive up the cost of lots <br />and homes in Lake Elmo. <br />1815 Nordnvestem Ave. 1 <br />Stillwater, MN 55082 <br />651-439-8B33 Office <br />651-430-9331 Fax <br />ffdsurv®attoet <br />