2006 07-24 CC MINUTES - Laserfiche WebLink

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Formal Presentation (Tom Whitlock, Damon Farber Associates): Tom Whitlock (DFA) facilitated the meeting and presented three purposes for the meeting; 1. To provide a general background of the study area and an understanding of specific items related to the potential development site: 2.To elicit feedback from the community and stakeholders on issues that should be addressed with any development plan. 3. Creation of a subcommittee to work with City .and potential developer (submit name and contact info if interested). Tom Whitlock also presented the site's contextual surrounding, current zoning, potential parcel access points (English St. & International Dr.), and local parks, trails, trees & water context. Lastly Tom Whitlock displayed a number of other metropolitan area housing developments that have achieved a density of 3 units/acre, which is the targeted density for the Hansen parcels. Mayor Paul Emeott stated. that the right parcel zoning. changed in March of 2005 and is now zoned for Low Density Business or Residential, and the left: parcel. is zoned Residential (R1) Public Comments Received: 1. Buffer the new development from the existing homes in the area. 2. Why here? Others stated that it is inevitable that this parcel will be developed and the city of Gem. Lake is becoming increasingly pressured by the Met Council to increase their residential density. Infrastructure is already in place and public utilities would be available to all parcels within the city at some paint in the future. 3. Gem Lake has previously dodged the Met Councils immediate attention and looked. at Gern Lake as more .of a 'eighborhood not a city, but that has changed and Gem Lake is now being closely looked at by the Met Council for infll .aeveiapment. Examples such as Lake Elmo were brought up identifying other communities that tried to fight the Met Council's request far higher density and ultimately lost after spending a lot of time, energy, and money on the fight. 4. We should not desire or allow Vadnais Heights to annex any of Gem Lake's land because they already have a problem maintaining what they have, 5. Concerns for the abundant wildlife that currently use the site for their habitat, why it is necessary for housing developments to chew up this precious natural resource. 6. No multi -family homes, no structures over 35' tall, and clustering of homes along County Road E (C.R.E) should be considered. Can existing homes on the east side of Big Fax Rd receive new sewer connections from the development parcel side? 7. Desire for a Park/Pond Area for children within the new development site. 8. Three (3) Units/Acre is too dense for this location - that would amount to. around 54 homes which is too many in relation to the surrounding neighborhood. 9. If commercial businesses are allowed - it would be best if they are not open late at night or on weekends. 10. Prefer that any entrance at English Street veer to the right immediately and then run parallel behind the existingtree row if possible.. 11. Cul-de-sacs would be preferable if. is reduces the amountof new roadways thatneed to be built to service the new homes. 12. Traffic concerns about adding this new traffic onto. CRE - will a traffic study be done? Damon Farber Associates Page 2: of 4