02-08-2005 PC MIN - Laserfiche WebLink

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. . . WORKSHOP MEETING NOTES ELK RIVER PLANNING COMMISSION HELD AT ELK RIVER CITY HALL TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2005 Members Present: Chair Ropp, Commissioners Anderson, Lemke, Offerman, Scott and Stevens Members Absent: Commissioner Westgaard Staff Present: Michele McPherson, Director of Planning; Scott Harlicker, Senior Planner; Chris Leeseberg, Planner; Terry Maurer, Gty Engineer Also Present: Parks and Recreation Commissioner Paige and former Councilmember Kuester 1. Call Meeting To Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Planning Commission was called to order at 6:29 p.m. by Chair Ropp. 2. Greenway Implementation Strategy Parks and Recreation Commissioner Paul Paige was present to review the recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Commission regarding implementation of the Natural Resource Inventory- (NRI). He distributed a memo to the Parks and Recreation Commission from Director of Parks and Recreation Bill Maertz which included the implementation benefits of the NRI, protection and management strategies, and a requested action. Commissioner Paige stated that the Parks and Recreation Commission is soliciting Planning Commission support to form a joint subcommittee between the Commissions and a Councilmember to develop a plan to implement the recommendations of the NRI and to preserve the resources that it identified. Commissioner Stevens stated that he supported the proposal, but is concerned with the Gty's ability to strictly enforce items like the wetland buffer areas. Commissioner Paige stated that he is familiar with the Chanhassen standards and that there needs to be large community support for this endeavor, and that extensive signage and education will be a key component of certain parts of the process. Commissioner Stevens asked for a more detailed explanation of the transfer of development rights (fOR). Commissioner Paige explained in general how this program would work and cited examples from Washington County, Minnesota and Mary-land. The Commission discussed the issue of takings and how this type of program may be hindered by the perception of violating personal property rights. Director of Planning McPherson noted that the ordinance will need to be carefully crafted in order to provide incentives to encourage the use of transfer of development rights or other programs. Commissioner Paige cited the Rice County example in which the cluster ordinance has significant bonus incentives for developing with clusters.