Minutes - 2005/05/23 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council May 23, 2005 Regular Meeting Page 7 • they amend the Comprehensive Plan to reflect this, would the City then be out of compliance with their own Comprehensive Plan. Director Ericson clarified that this is not suggesting that the golf course would be out of the picture. He stated that early in 2004 there was a lot of discussion as to what the City could do with the golf course. He stated that at the time of the discussions they did not know about the billboards yet. He stated that the current Mayor at the time, Mayor Linke, had urged Staff to think about and review all options available noting that many were considered. Mayor Marty acknowledged the discussions and asked what would happen if the amendment were made now and the City Council or EDA decides in the future that this would not be in the City's best interest. He explained that the City has been approached by two developers interested in developing the golf course area with some form of housing. He expressed concerns stating that if they were to make this amendment and something happens where Medtronic does not go through, they would have to re-amend. He suggested holding off on any decisions with this resolution until they know what they are going to do. He noted that in the Community Development Committee Report, dated April 18, 2005, under transportation it states that preliminary indications show, as of March 31St, that a variety of funding sources has been identified. He stated that it indicates that agencies are working cooperatively to ensure that the necessary road improvements are in place when Medtronic opens the new facility in September 2007. He noted that the funding for the second phase of improvements has not been identified and there would also be busing issues in this area. He stated that the Metropolitan Transit would • pick up at Medtronic and MTC would have to work together with Medtronic to determine the pickup points. He agreed that it does appear that this has taken a life of its own without any City Council action and even with the resolution it doesn't seem to leave the City with an out. Director Ericson explained that the reason they decided to go forward with the zoning is because the area is not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan for the City, as required by State law. He stated that the Planning Commission considered all possible designations and felt that housing would not be an appropriate Land use due to the surrounding industrial land uses in Blaine. He further explained that they felt that OFC would be the most appropriate designation. He stated that Staff recommends moving forward with the amendment if the City has to take action in order to be consistent with zoning. He noted that either way, there would be additional expenditures if they want to change the land use designation from what the Planning Commission has recommended. He referenced a letter received recently from the Metropolitan Council on affordable housing stating that the City has met and exceeded the Metropolitan Council's housing goals for the Last ten years. He stated that the City is very affordable and satisfies all of the Metropolitan Council's guidelines for affordable housing. He stated that it is no secret that an AUAR was created in connection with the land use and reviewed with Council noting that all of the work Staff has done has been on the direction of Council. He assured the Council that Medtronic is not a done deal and acknowledged that there is an association to what has been proposed. Duane McCarty, 8060 Long Lake Road, stated that according to State law Item 462.357, in • reference to authority, clarified that the Planning Agency, for the purpose of carrying out the policies, may prepare the proposed zoning. He clarified that the City adopts a Comprehensive