Agenda Packets - 1989/01/09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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* MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: CLERK -ADMINISTRATOR PAULE DATE: JANUARY 6. 1989 SUBJECT: DRAFT RAMSEY COUNTY CHARIER At the January 3, 1989 Agenda Session I provided you with a copy of a draft chapter of the Charcer I received that day entitled, " County Planning". It was agreed at the meeting that t,,is item would be carried over to the January 17, 1989 Agenda Session at which time you would provide direction on a City response to the Draft Charter. The purpose of this memo is to address the county planning chapter as I nave already provided you with my thoughts on the other chapters in a memorandum dated December ?8, 1989. Rather than get into the details of this chapter I would like to male some general comments about County planning activities particularly as it relates to land -use planning. I agree that the County needs to be involving itself more in strategic (long-term) planning. In the past the only capital planning they have done has been in the area of road and bridge improvements. There are many other activities of the County where cities would be interested i becoming involved in the County's long-term plans including parks and r ^eational facilities development, health services and law e 'orcement. Any requirement for the development of a County -wide strategic plan should be a separate chapter of the Charter or a part of .the chapter on finances or budgeting. Also, should the Chp.rter require strategic planning, the County should be required to involve all of the ciites in the County in a significant way in that effort. When it comes to land -use planning, I approach it in a very parochial fashion and that is that no governmental .jurisdiction should have authority over the land -use planning activities of the jurisdiction having the ultimate responsibility. With that in mind, I would have to say that in the case of Ramsey County where there are no unincorporated areas, the County's land -use planning activities should be limited to controlling the land they own and coordinating the land -use planning activities of the local jurisdictions where overlap occurs. Such overlap occurs in such areas as parks and recreation, roads, and drainage facilities. There might be areas where the County can assist in planning and economic development activiti.es due to Economies of scale or the County havinq legislative authority not available to the cities, but the County's efforts should only be to assist the cities at their request and only w"'Ah the full involvement of all the cities in the activities of any formal organizations that might be established. Such organizations could include a County Fort Authority or Housing and F 'evelopment Authority or a County planning department that could k.�ist those cities having minimal or no staff with planning expertise. I would like to emphasize that I feel such County agencies should only become involved in the activities of a city when they are requested to do so and that any agencies or authorities are established with all cities having membership on their directing boards.