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I+ J r 3 a=: e f: Hugo City Hall • 14669 Fitzgerald Avenue North • Hugo, Minnesota 55038 spotlight on Hugo: advancing the City's Vision The Hugo Planning Commission is designated by 1993,points to the Smart Growth Standards,initi- the City Council as the official planning agency ated by the Commission in 1999-2000,as a good for the City. The seven members are appointed example of long-range planning. "We knew that by the City Council to four year terms,and they development was coming," Schumann explains, work closely with the City's Community "so we decided to take the initiative and try to Development and Engineering staff. control it as prudently as we could to get the max- imum quality of development possible." He cites The Planning Commission's primary job is to Victor Gardens as a direct result of that initiative. review and make recommendations on all applica- "Victor Gardens is one of our'crown jewels.' It's tions for development,land use,and zoning ordi- the kind of development that will be here for a nance changes. "That means that all new devel- long time and will allow future generations to opment—residential as remain in the community," well as commercial and Schumann states. He explains industrial—comes before Hugo Planning that by including a wide vari- the Planning Commission," iii6iiuer s ety of housing options,it keeps notes Hugo Community David Schumann,Chair the door open for people who Development Director John want to remain in Hugo but Rask. In 2002,the Sandy Malaski,Vice Chair might not be able to without Commission received Ron McRoberts affordable housing—usually applications for 45 new Theodora Peltier young people and senior citi- planning projects. They Kelly Bailly zens. began meeting twice a month in April 2002 to Bob Rosenquist Another important aspect of accommodate the large Bronwen Kleissler the work of the Planning number of planning appli- Commission involves listening cations. to the citizens of Hugo. "We often rely on citizen input," Schumann states. One of the most important duties of the Planning "For example,in the three times we've been Commission is long-range planning for the City, involved in planning for downtown Hugo,we not which is essentially accomplished through the only heard what the citizens wanted for down- preparation of the Comprehensive Plan,a guide town,but we also got a clear indication that they for future development in the community. "The want to maintain a rural atmosphere in Hugo." Planning Commission is the single governmental This desire to preserve the rural area of the City body that is really responsible for looking at has led to the formation of the Rural and Open development and land use in the long term," Space Committee. (See related article on page 3) ' - - explains Rask. "When they look at development plans,their focus is on the future—planning for Other major accomplishments of the Planning the needs of the community for the next 20 years Commission over the past few years include the or beyond." Everton Avenue Neighborhood Study,the Comprehensive Plan for the area west of down- Planning Commission Chair Dave Schumann, town,the community-wide Charrette visioning who has been a member of the Commission since process,and the updating of zoning ordinance Spotliubt on Hugo:Continued on Page 6