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Dear Neal and Council, I will not be at Monday night's lneeting, because I am going to be a parent chaperone for my daughter's 5th grade trip to the Laurentian Envirolunental Center in nOlihern Minnesota. I have reviewed the packet, and will watch the tape of the meeting when I get hOlne. My understanding is that the council will not be n1aking any policy decisions or taking votes (since this is a work session), and I ask that if anything does con1e up it be put on the agenda for a future n1eeting so I can paIiicipate. I do have a few questions and COn1l11ents I would like to raise as paIi of the work session discussion, if I could: Group HOlnes 1. I'ln \vondering what kind of aInendn1ents to state law we would suggest to Representative Greiling? The statute applies to zoning and land use, and says that group hOlnes are to bepen11itted uses in R-1 zones. Is the staff suggesting any zoning changes for group h0111es, and if so, what kind? 2. Aren't n1any of the neighborhood con1plaints noted (traffic and parking, trash Inanagen1ent, outdoor storage, staff lneetings) covered under other non-zoning ordinances? What are the applicable ordinances for business activities in residential areas? 3. If we adopt the Inten1ational Property Maintenance Code, will the occupancy restrictions prohibit group hOlnes with 6 residents or otherwise conflict with state law? 4. I think the council needs to do a cOlnprehensive review and update our parking ordinances across the city. I an1 willing to consider asking for aInendn1ents to state law regarding group hOlnes, but only if con1plaints can't be addressed by reviewing and revising our other ordinances applicable to all residents (parking, business activities, maintenance, etc.) COlnprehensive Plan Process 1. I believe strongly that the con1prehensive plan review process should be part of a larger conununity visioning process, and that the process should be citizen-driven, not staff or consultant-driven. The role of both the council and plam1ing cOlnlnission should be to n1ake sure that the public is heard, and to facilitate input fron1 the whole con1n1unity and a wide range of plam1ing perspectives -as well as city con1n1issions. 2. As paIi of goal setting and strategic plam1ing the council should identify issues that need to be addressed as paIi of the con1prehensive plan revision (for eXaInple, the study and possible revision of residential subdivision policies) and work with the plaIu1ing cOlnn1ission, HRA, con1n1unity groups and the public to design a process.