09-13-2005 PC MIN - JOINT - Laserfiche WebLink

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Planning Commission Special Joint Meeting 4 September 13, 2005 Page Mr. Harlicker noted that the form based zoning would not have to apply everywhere and there may be some places where it would not fit. HRA Chair Wilson asked if staff was aware of some areas where form based zoning has been used. Mr. Harlicker stated that St. Paul, Minnesota is the closest area he is aware of. Planning Commissioner Offerman added that Ramsey Town Square incorporates form based zoning. HRA Commissioner Kuester asked if the City decided consider some form based zoning areas, is there enough information available to proceed. Commissioner Stevens stated that have looked at quite a bit of information over the past year, but they are not experts. He felt the idea is intriguing, in that the end result is what the City wants, instead of what the developer wants to give the City. Chair Wilson asked how receptive developers would be in marketing this concept. Mr. Harlicker stated that there are places all over the United States that have incorporated some type of form based zoning. Some areas are simply corridors; in others such as Saratoga Springs in New York the entire zoning code is form based zoning. Petaluma, California has neighborhoodss with form based zoning, and there are counties and towns in Kentucky that have adopted form based zoning. He summarized that there is mix of how the form based zoning is incorporated in various areas throughout the country. HRA Commissioner Kuester asked if there are workshops to learn more about the concept. Community Development Director Scott Clark noted that PICP has a 90-minute CD Rom on this subject that the City could obtain. HRA Chair Wilson stated that he also would be interested in learning more. EDA President Gongoll asked how the zoning would be incorporated. Mr. Harlicker stated that a formal written document would need to be adopted and the zoning map would need to be modified, as it would for any other type of change. Planning Chair Anderson stated that he feels it would be similar to a more regimented PUD. He felt the challenge would be to find the right developer who would understand the concept. He stated that the City would need to clearly define what they are looking for as an end result. He felt some of the areas under consideration would be a lend themselves well to form based zoning. Chair Anderson stated that there are definite challenges such as the highway, railroad, and existing institutional uses, and flow back and forth between this area and the downtown area south of the railroad. HRA Commissioner Kuester stated that she felt the concept was similar to cluster development, in that the adjacent uses would need to be taken into consideration. Planning Chair Anderson stated that he felt a complete plan was needed, so that it could be determined where each element would fit. Commissioner Kuester felt that there would be developers looking for this sort of challenge. Discussion followed the location of the retail service area and its proximity to Elk River Machine. HPC Commissioner Kragness asked at what the process will be, and at what point the Heritage Preservation Commission would be able to provide input. Commissioner Anderson stated that he felt that the various commissions and boards are able to provide comment. HRA Chair Wilson stated that the next step would be for the HRA to decide if they are willing to adopt the plan. He stated that the purpose of the meeting was to gather input from the Planning Commission and HPC to see if the plan is possible, and if so, to