Agenda 07-06-1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Memo to Steering Committee Page 2 July 6, 1995 • impacts of uncontrolled growth. The benefits of a growth management strategy coupled with fiscal responsibilities, have supported larger lot sizes in rural areas. Development of this rural area of the community has encouraged cluster-type development. This type of development basically steers away from the minimum lot size and focuses more on an overall density. Exhibit B includes some articles and illustrations regarding cluster development and how this concept would apply in the A- 1 zoning district. The history of the 10 acre minimum lot size can be summarized as follows: • When the City and township consolidated the minimum lot size in the General Agricultural zone was 2-1/2 acres. • In 1980 the City considered increasing the minimum lot size to 5 acres; however, retained the 2-1/2 acre minimum lot size. • In 1986 along with other ordinance amendments, the City adopted a minimum lot size of 10 acres in the A-1 zone. • In adopting the existing comprehensive plan, the Growth Management • Task Force confirmed the importance of the 10 acre minimum lot size, in order to control and manage growth and utilize municipal service to its fullest capacity. Backup information from previous Growth Management and City Council meetings is attached as Exhibit C. • Townhouse Zoning District - The Steering Committee, Planning Commission and City Council have all discussed creating a zoning district that would allow exclusively townhomes. By creating this district, there would be a clear definition between townhouses and multi-family homes and not allow for one or the other to occur on a given piece of land. Currently, the R3 zoning district allows townhomes and multiple family developments. The benefit of a townhouse district provides assurance that no multi-family would be developed in areas where townhomes would be more appropriate. The Steering Committee may wish to discuss this further and confirm whether this is the appropriate change to take place in the zoning ordinance. • Multi-family - The main issue here is to evaluate the amount of multi- family housing that currently exists in the community. This has been done and is documented in the attached information that was presented to • the Steering Committee on February 9, 1995. Since that time, the Committee has recommended various parcels be rezoned from their s:planning:sc:7--8memo