2025.01.27 CC Packet - Goal Setting Packet

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with developments. In early 2025, we expect to have draft ordinance revisions presented to the Ordinance Review Committee for discussion. Local Affordable Housing Aid. The City has started receiving funds from the State that must be spent to support affordable housing. The City will either need to develop its own program for use of these funds or contract with the Washington County CDA. Staff will discuss this with the City Council at the goal setting workshop. Apartments. Reacting to recent development approvals and new concept plans showing apartments, the Planning Commission adopted a goal in 2024 to evaluate whether higher density residential development should be encouraged in more areas of the City. This is a significant question that could impact sections of the City’s zoning ordinances and Comprehensive Plans. Discussion of High-Density Residential projects has involved land guided for commercial or mixed-use. In those circumstances, it would be prudent to also review the mixed-use areas, and commercial zoning districts. The City staff with help from its consulting staff is about mid-way through this effort, which will be complete this year. Single-Family regulations. With the market trending toward higher housing prices, and requests for smaller lots, the Planning Commission has initiated a discussion on zoning standards for single-family development. This discussion is running parallel with the apartment discussion and will be completed this year. Commercial and Industrial Design Guidelines. The City approved the construction of 3 buildings near 130th and Fenway with architectural metal as an exterior finish. The approval required a variance, since metal is prohibited as a primary building material. We also understand that there is a much wider variety of quality architectural materials that have been developed since the adoption of the existing guidelines. The Planning Commission is expected to evaluate and recommend whether to allow alternative quality materials in our construction standards. Cannabis. Use of cannabis is now legal, and related businesses will begin to review licenses from the State in 2025. The City adopted a cannabis ordinance in January. This winter and spring, staff will be preparing for implementation of the ordinance, including creation of application forms, documents, internal procedures, etc. Development Review. Ongoing review of developments in 2025 will include a multitude of residential projects, with many of them occurring along the 165th Street Corridor. The staff is anticipating other applications around the city, including land along County Road 8. 2050 Comprehensive Plan. This plan must be complete by 2028, and the City will likely not begin this formal planning process until sometime in 2026. Prior to that, the City has identified urgent needs related to land use and infrastructure planning due to recent events along Hwy 61, 165th Street, and Elmcrest Ave that might cause us to begin planning work on small area studies in 2025. The ongoing review of apartments and single-family uses will affect the comp plan, as will looming Met Council decisions that include minimum density requirements. The White Bear Lake Work Group recommendations may also have consequential impacts to the long-range development of the city. Unlike the 2040 plan, which was a simple plan update, the 2050 plan is lining up to be a major undertaking.