Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-23-86 PZMThe Planning Commission is an advisory body to the City Council. One of the Commission's functions is to hold public hearings and make recommendations to the City Council. The City Council makes all final decisions on these matters. Lake Elmo Ordinances require that certain documents and information be included in applications. The Planning Commission may postpone consideration of an application that is incomplete and may for other reasons postpone final action on an application. For each item, the Commission will receive reports prepared by the City Staff, open the hearing to the public, and discuss and act on the application. If you are aware of information that hasn't been discussed, please fill out a "Request to Appear Before the Planning Commission" slip; or, if you came late, raise your hand to be recognized. Comments that are pertinent are appreciated. AGENDA LAKE ELMO PLANNING COMMISSION June 23, 1986 7:30 p.m. Meeting Convenes 1. Agenda 2. Minutes: June 9, 1986 3. Comprehensive Plan Update: 1990 Future Land Use Plan and Map a. Agricultural areas b. Rural Residential areas c. Residential areas d. Urban Residential areas e. Select review items for 7-14-86 meeting 4. I-94 Overlay District 5. Other 6. Adjourn APPOV[II a5� LAKE ELMO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 9, 1986 Secretary Don Moe called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. Present: Novak, Raleigh, Haacke, Reuther, Schiltz, Bucheck, Graves (arrived 7:40), Williams (arrived 7:45), City Planner Rob Chelseth and City Administrator Overby. 1. Agenda Add: 4. Resignation of Nancy Prince, 5. Reconsideration of I-94 Overlay (if time permits). M/S/P Novak/Schiltz - to approve the June 9, 1986 Planning Commission agenda as amended. (Motion carried 7-0). 2. Minutes: May 27, 1986 M/S/P Novak/Reuther - to approve the May 27, 1986 Planning Commission minutes as presented. (Motion carried 6-0-1<Schiltz>). 3. Comprehensive Plan Update a. Comment letter from R. Thomas Armstrong on neighborhood convenience centers in residential areas. Mr. R. Thomas Armstrong explained his proposal for providing neighborhood conveniences and services to the residential areas being developed in the City of Lake Elmo. The purpose was to have this concept considered in the long range plan being reviewed by the Commission this summer. Mr. Armstrong owns a piece of property which might qualify under the limits below. Armstrong suggested that acceptable neighborhood business should be limited to those that satisfy the following conditions: 1. The primary function must be to serve the immediately surrounding neighborhoods. There must be some assurance that it will not attract traffic into the neighborhood from outside the area. 2. The primary activity must be the fulfillment of the day-to-day needs of the residents in the surrounding neighborhoods. 3. The architecture and landscape design must be consistent with that in the neighborhoods around it. Mr. Armstrong felt that his concept is important to help achieve the objective of preserving the life style as it now exists in Lake Elmo. Some reasons for considering this concept are: 1. Such a plan provides the convenience to the new neighborhoods that are currently only available to the long established ones. LAKE ELMO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 9, 1986 PAGE 2 2. Having such conveniences available eliminates the needfor these residents to travel considerable distances to take care of even the slightest need and get involved in the more commercialized areas they moved to Lake Elmo to avoid. 3. Filling the void with limited neighborhood convenience and service projects defuses the pressure for larger scale commercial developments by eliminating the argument that such larger scale developments are needed by area residents. Armstrong added that locations can be used which help buffer the neighborhoods from less desirable scenes or noise such as highways, railways, utilities, industrial sites, etc. The locations should be such that they do not increase traffic through the neighborhoods they serve and the sites should be developed only as the neighborhoods they serve are developed, so that an orderly progression is maintained. After some discussion of this concept plan, Chairman Graves responded that the general attitude of the Planning Commission was not favorable for giving consideration to this concept, but this would not stop this kind of concept from coming in after the development moratorium. Mary Jean Dupuis, property owner of 2 1/2 acres on Hwy 5 in Lake Elmo, voiced concern about any proposed rezoning and if the property owners would be notified. Chairman Graves advised her that the property owners that would be affected would be notified and there would be a public hearing. b. Proposed change in Table of Contents Format The 1979 Plan Format starts with an Introduction, then several chapters of Planning Inventory and Analysis, Planning Issues and Alternatives, Land Use Management Polices and Future Land Use Plan. City Administrator Overby suggested that it would make sense to follow his proposed new format. See Appendix A. The new sequence would follow from the Introduction right through to the Implementation Program. The issues, alternatives, goals, policies and future land use are the central parts of the plan. The balance of the planning inventory, maps, tables and charts would fit appropriately into an Appendix Section. Overby added that the two potential benefits from using this new format were: 1. Once the Planning Commisson has completed its review and discussion of the Future Land Use section, it would make sense to send that section and the goals/policies section to the City Council for their review, in order to see if we are recommending things which they would support and approve. In the meantime the Planning Commission could discuss the revisions to the city codes and ordinances. Also, the City staff would have time to update the physical inventory information and present it in a completed draft version for their approval. LAKE ELMO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 9, 1986 PAGE 3 2. The new format emphasizes up -front information which is most useful and important for a casual reader not familiar with the material as the Planning Commission is with this material. It would be very easy to develop an "Executive Summary" of the Comprehensive Plan using all or part of the new first four sections. The purpose here is to provide needed information in a concise format which will be conveniently accessible --rather than having to search for the relevant sections as is the case with the 1979 Plan. Concerns were raised about the would have to review it to see be factual and straightforward planning issues, it should not readable for the public. reshuffling of data because someone that we didn't lose any. It should for those people that deal with be a document necessarily made Reasons in favor of the new version were that stating the facts first and presenting it in a more readable fashion would make it easier for people to read and the commission would get more of a response from the public. M/S/P Schiltz/Haacke - to accept the new table of contents as proposed by City Administrator Overby and submit to the City Council the completed draft of the goal and policy section and future land use section in preparation for a joint meeting proposed for the July 14th meeting. (Motion carried 9-1<Williams: Not in favor of piecemeal information, but believes in presenting a total package at a set time for a meeting with the Council›). c. 1990 Future Land Use Plan and Map Commission member Novak submitted for their review a revision of the General Rural Use category which he feels reflects the conclusions of the commission. See Appendix B. A concern was brought up as to what we can do for a farmer that wants to sell his land because they no longer want to farm. A suggestion was made that they could look at individual circumstances. It was further added that you can't make decisions on land use issues based on economics of the current property owner. Every piece of property will sell for a price, but they might not get the price they want. You have to plan on what is in the best interest of the community. City Planner Rob Chelseth questionned if they were planning on two planning districts and that Agricultural use was one per 40 acres which was agreed on by Novak. The plan by definition is a guide and is not just zoning. It is an attempt to build a consensus and bring out facts and information because there are two sides to everything. Novak explained that in the current General Rural Use description there are ambiguities which allow the commission to draw conclusions on either side of an issue. This draft language is intended to correlate future land uses to the current zoning ordinance districts. LAKE ELMO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 9, 1986 PAGE 4 Rob Chelseth explained that General Rural use is used now in the plan and borrowed from the Metropolitan Development Framework Guide. When you apply this district from a mechanical standpoint of 1 per 40 you have to be very careful to have good forties or you freeze up the entire area. He strongly encouraged the commission to be very careful in just arbitrarily proposing a 1 per 40 average density for landowners that do not actively want to participate in it. Even at a density of 1 per 10 acres, people can participate in many of the Ag preservation programs. Chelseth also asked what type of problems, such as development or traffic, are caused by the 1 unit per 10 acres to change it to 1 per 40. It was brought up that this was drafted because it reflects the opinions of others and it is consistent with the problems that were identified in the past and would like them to be resolved. Problems such as being unable to correlate between the future land use map and our current zoning map. M/S/P Williams/Reuther - to accept Dan Novak's description of the Agricultural Use area. (Motion carried 6-3<Schiltz: questions what non-traditional uses are and finds it too restrictive, Haacke: concept is fine, but too restrictive, Graves: has no problems with the definition, but we are turning the future land use map into a zoning map and will cause us some difficulty in interpretation of the compehensive plan in the future>). Based on the consensus of the commission, the term alternative ag uses will be used instead of non-traditional uses and there will be an itemized list of these uses. M/S/P Williams/Raleigh - to accept an amendment to the above motion to include a density of 1 home per 40 acres. (Motion carried 8-1<Schiltz>). Commission member Novak will proceed on a voluntary basis to incorporate the 1 per 40 statement and will come back to the commmission with the revision. 4. Resignation of Nancy Prince Because of personal committments, Nancy Prince has resigned her position of Vice -Chairman of the Planning Commission. Steve Raleigh and Barbara Haacke were nominated for this position. After a secret ballot, Barb Haacke was voted as Vice -Chairperson of the Planning Commission. M/S/P Reuther/Graves - to adjourn the Planning Commission meeting at 10:25 p.m. (Motion carried 9-0). APPENDIX A 6-9-86 DRAFT PROPOSED FORMAT REVISION FOR THE LAKE ELMO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Issues and Alternatives III. Land Use Management A. Goals and Policies B. Future Land Use Plan and Map IV. Implementation Program A. Local, Ordinances V. Appendices A. Population - Existing and Projected B. Land Use - Existing C. Housing - Existing and Projected D. Land Needs Forecast E. Local Economy.- Existing and Projected F. Natural Features and Resource Assessment G. Transportation Facilities H. Recreation Facilities I, Sewage Facilities - On -site and Sewered J. Other Community Facilities K. Supplemental Planning Considerations L. Index of Amendments to Plan APPENDIX B 6/8/86 Proposed revision to the "General Rural Use" category of land under the "2000 Future Land Use Plan and Map" section of the Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan on Page 93. The "General Rural Use" category is proposed to be broken down into an "Agricul- tural" category and a "Rural Residential - R-R" category. Agricultural Use - This category includes land held in agricultural preserves -0,-Q.371 or a cfe as well as other lands that are currently farmed in,sog The continued piecemeal encroachment of non -farm development into these areas must be restricted. Efforts must be made to prevent the loss of agricultural lands to any type of residential development. Rmxsimpmaxixmitaiximmtiuddottm pxaxantxtkaxpramaztnxa The preservation of prime agricultural soils as well as other soils currently being farmed, must be given priority. Development must be limited tD prevent the premature subdivision of these lands that will in- crease the demand for municipal and metropolitan services and utilities. The preservation of agricultural lands is tiawYpx also the primary mechanism by which open spaces, in general, can be maintained. For this reason, "alterna- tive Agricultural Uses" will be encouraged to permit uses including animal husiandry, greenhouses, berry farming, nurseriespyptlenkyladtilatingand other non-traditional uses.nSri gmpU4,4Nan-traditional uses must be compatible in all respects with the maintenance of agricultural lands andpyyttittpMe open spaces. i[(L) It is important to note that no urban services will be provided to agricultural areas and public services and improvements such as roads, police and fire pro- tection, etc., will be maintained at rural levels. These sections of Lake Elmo designated as part of the agricultural use area include the northeastern, western, southern and southeastern portions of the city. -2— Rural Residential — R—R — The continued Piecemeal encroachment of non —farm development into these areas must also be greatly restricted to 4] Prevent the Premature subdivision of these lands that will. increase the demand for more municiPal and metropolitan services and utilities and 2] afford the secondary mechanism by which oPen sPaces can be maintained. Permitted uses will include 4] single family residences with aocomPanyin9 uses as hobby, farming, horse raising, etc. with a minimum density of 4 residence Per 40 acres, 23 clustered development on 4 4/2 acre lots at a density not to ex— ceed 4 homes Per quarter/quarter section (40 acres] and 33 single family residences without accomPanyin9 uses at a minimum density of 4 home Per 40 acres. The transfer of densities for clustered develoPments be Pro— hibited. Although residences without acoomPanrin9"uses are Permitted, they must be strongly discouraged aver the other uses: No urban services will he Provided to the Rural Residential area, and Public services and imProvements such as roads, Police and fire Protection, etc., will 'be maintained atn rufai levels. f