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Page 6 required due to poor soils and difficult topography. There were three very old structures that had to be demolished as well. This developer too, applied for and received the use of HRA funds for soil corrections. The development will provide approximately 18 two three bedroom units. The construction of these two projects will increase the residential density, provide life-cycle housing opportunities, and are to be owner-occupied by the City's "empty nesters" and first time home buyers. The City in its redevelopment efforts will continue to encourage this type of housing redevelopment. Flexible Use of Local Land Use Plan and Zoning Regulations. Flexible use of local land use planning and zoning regulations has always been necessary in St. Anthony because of the limited amount of land available for residential development and the need to provide several varied housing opportunities. The City's Comprehensive Plan, written in 1979, states the following in its Housing Goals section, page 31: "2. Provide new housing which complements the existing housing stock and attempt to meet the housing needs of a variety of potential City residents. In order to ensure some degree of heterogeneity among the City's population as well as to avoid totally excluding all members of some particular segment of the Region's society who may have a need to live in St. Anthony, a variety of housing types should be developed in St. Anthony. Although limited opportunities exist for further residential development, the City should not,through its Zoning Plan, place excessive restriction on the ability of the private housing market to meet perceived housing needs. However, the City should actively encourage the • development of townhouses, duplexes, quadraminiums, and apartment buildings so as to be able to satisfy various housing needs." The City's Housing Policies on the next page state various policy objectives in trying to achieve these housing goals as stated in the City's Comprehensive Plan (See Attachment A). Also, several of the residential lots in St. Anthony are considered substandard because they are less than the required lot width, square footage or require soil corrections of some sort. The City through its HRA, flexible application by the City Council and Planning Commission of the City's zoning requirements and the creative abilities of some contractors, has been able to coordinate the construction of affordable homes. on many of these "less than perfect" lots. Being flexible in land use and zoning regulations has allowed St. Anthony to provide housing opportunities which in the past may not have existed. Most'of the housing projects requiring assistance from the City's HRA also require rezoning, replatting and/or variances in order to take the concepts from paper to reality. Construction of multi-family housing, single-family dwelling construction on smaller lots or residential construction on poor soils will help the City maintain its density goals as established by the City in conjunction with Metropolitan Council's benchmarks and provide housing that is affordable. The Metropolitan Council suggests that a community's most important and most •