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EN HILLS MEMORANDUM DATE: August 4, 2010 TO: Planning Commission FROM: Meagan Beekman, City Planner SUBJECT: Zoning & Land Use Information Background Land use and zoning regulations can be some of the most contentious issues and lead to some of the most productive outcomes for a city. Cities have wide discretion in some types of land use applications and very little in others. While the answers to land use questions are rarelyclear or simple, there are State Statutes and legal precedent to guide the evaluation of land use applications. State Statute gives cities the authority to regulate how land may be used. The Municipal Planning Act creates a single, uniform procedure that applies to all cities. Ordinances may vary from city to city, but all must comply with both the substantive and procedural requirements contained in the Municipal Planning Act. Metropolitan area cities are also empowered and governed by the Metropolitan Land Planning Act. These acts adopted into State Statute occupy the field of the process by which municipal land use laws are finally approved or disapproved. Role of the Planning Commission The Municipal Planning Act defines the role of a PlanningCommission and the procedures through which they operate. State law requires that the Planning Commission must review comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance amendments, as well as amendments to the official map. The Planning Commission is also tasked with holding official public hearings required by State Statute and the Zoning Ordinance, required for land use applications. In many cities including Arden Hills, all land use applications are submitted to the Planning Commission for review. With limited exceptions, the Planning Commission's role in reviewing all types of zoning and land use applications is generally advisory. The City Council usually gives the 1