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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1 2 07pcccworkshopLake Elmo City Council January 2, 2007 Agenda Section: Planning and Zoning No 9B. Agenda Item: Request to proceed with a joint city council and planning commission information workshop on the current foundations of municipal land use planning regulations and practices. Purpose The city council is being asked to authorize the staff to proceed with plans for a joint city council/planning commission workshop with the purpose of providing the two bodies with information on the basic statutory authority and requirements of land use planning – variances, conditional use permits, zoning and comprehensive plans as well as the roles and responsibilities of the different bodies in a city in land use decisions. The workshop will give both elected and appointed officials the opportunity to receive up to date land use planning information and to ask questions from an expert in the field. This joint workshop will allow both new and experienced officials to get the same information, the same way and at the same time. Related information  Extension request to Metropolitan Council. On December 19, 2006 the city council passed a resolution requesting an extension from the Metropolitan Council for updating the city’s zoning code. The Metropolitan Council is anticipated to take final action on this request on January 24, 2007. In anticipation of this extension, the staff advised the city council to concentrate on the zoning districts most affected by the changes in the comprehensive plan - the area south of Tenth Street and the Old Village. This is, in part, to be able to accomplish the rezoning within the time frame allocated by the Metropolitan Council. To accurately reflect the final Old Village plan, the Old Village zoning district will need to be defined after the completion of the master plan as well as for the results of the Alternative Urban Area Review (AUAR). The same time constraints are not involved in the area south of Tenth Street so this is the first area that should be reviewed for re-zoning.  Joint city council/planning commission workshops. As part of the staff report on the re-zoning process, it was recommended that the city council and planning commission have some joint workshops to go through the key components and regulations being considered in the zoning districts. This will allow the city council and planning commission to discuss the revisions. It will also allow the city council the opportunity to identify important policy criteria that the city council wants to see in the amended zoning code.  Education session. It was also recommended that the first workshop be an education session on land use planning – primarily the authority and regulations that govern this through statute as well as some examples. The planning presenter for the Government Training Services (GTS) course may be available for this training session, which has proved an efficient way to teach this material to many elected, appointed officials and staff. Recommendation: Direct the project director, to work with the staff and city attorney, to organize a joint workshop for the city council and planning commission for receiving training on land use regulations and related information; and to extend an invitation to the planning commission for this joint meeting. Action Items 1.Direct the project director to work with the staff and city attorney to plan a joint city council and planning commission worskhop on municipal land use planning regulations and practices. 2. Direct the staff to invite the planning commission to the workshop on behalf of the city council. Person responsible: Susan Hoyt, Project Director Reviewed by: Tom Bouthilet, Interim Administrator Attachments: None Time Allocated: To be determined by city council.