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Harstad Rezoning Report July 8, 2002 Page 2 Planning Commission Review On June 5th and again on June 19th of 2002, the Planning Commission held public meetings to review the Harstad rezoning request. Citing the impact to the neighborhood the more intense development would have, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend denial of the rezoning request. Their resolution is attached for Council review. Rezoning Requirements As the Council is aware, in order to approve a rezoning for any property, the Council must find that the requested zoning designation be consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and that it would not be detrimental to the neighborhood or adversely affect any adjoining properties. Resident input is required through the public hearing process and the recommendation of the Planning Commission is to be considered. Regarding the Comprehensive Plan, the Future Land Use Plan indicates three different land- use designations, as shown on the attached snapshot from the Plan. The area fronting County Road H2 (except the east 175 feet) is designated as single-family attached (SFA), the area fronting Long Lake Road is designated as open space natural (OSN) while the interior frontage on Greenwood is designated single-family detached (SFD). According to the Comprehensive Plan then, only the area designated SFA would be appropriate for townhomes. The other areas indicated would not be appropriate locations for townhomes. Regarding the second criteria, that the rezoning not be detrimental to the neighborhood or adversely affect any adjoining properties, it would seem evident that any development on the site would impact the neighborhood, be it single-family detached homes, twin homes or townhomes. The current R-1 zoning allows for the construction of single-family detached dwellings. The existing lots, however, were platted for townhomes and cannot support single- family homes without a replatting of the land or approval of excessive variances. By changing the zoning to R-3, the lots in question could be developed as originally intended. Broken down further and assuming that some impact is inevitable, staff would assert that there would be little adverse impact to the neighborhood if the lots fronting County Road H2 were developed as originally intended. The existing house at 2650 County Road H2 was platted around in 1974 and the six existing townhouse units were built and sold under the assumption that the remaining lots would be developed in the same manner. All of the units fronting County Road H2 would take access from County Road H2, a road designated for higher traffic volumes. The road is scheduled for a complete reconstruction this summer and a new storm sewer system will be constructed at the same time. The residents that would live behind and adjacent to the proposed development disagree, asserting that the impact would be significant and that they already suffer from poor drainage and periodic flooding problems due in part from the initial construction that was never completed.