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Regular Planning Commission Meeting <br />Minutes – Wednesday, August 7, 2013 <br />Page 8 <br />Parks & Recreation System Master Plan. Eventually as development or redevelopment occurs, <br />346 <br />Mr. Brokke advised that a park dedication is part of that growth; with the goal of creating even <br />347 <br />more of a buffer or protection in that area as development came forward. Mr. Brokke reiterated <br />348 <br />that this parcel is a significant part of that buffer to preserve the Oak forest and natural area, as is <br />349 <br />the intent for managing that area. <br />350 <br />Member Murphy opined that the overall goal of buffering around Langton Lake seemed difficult, <br />351 <br />with other industrial uses and their respective parking lots, such as the area south of County <br />352 <br />Road C-2 and truck terminals abutting that now. While preserving older trees seemed a <br />353 <br />worthwhile goal, Member Murphy further opined that he wasn’t sure if the cost and overall <br />354 <br />success is adequately measurable with the goals. <br />355 <br />Mr. Brokke clarified that there was a significant amount of room on the south between the Park <br />356 <br />and future developments; and that the regulating maps addressed those situations at previous <br />357 <br />discussions among the Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council; and their goal of <br />358 <br />creating and preserving the tree line area between to preserve that buffering. <br />359 <br />Further discussion included possible scenarios if the City did not purchase that ¾ acre parcel, <br />360 <br />and future uses under the CMU zoning designation; and tree preservation. <br />361 <br />Mr. Paschke advised that parcels in this area had already been identified as being sensitive; and <br />362 <br />questioned if the subject parcel was even developable under the CMU designation given its <br />363 <br />topography and limited uses available. From staff’s point of view if someone acquired the subject <br />364 <br />parcel and adjacent land for development, Mr. Paschke opined that they would need to achieve <br />365 <br />the same goals of the regulating plan and dedicate park land to the City as a buffer, as negotiable <br />366 <br />with the Parks & Recreation Commission. Based on the regulating plan, Mr. Paschke opined that <br />367 <br />he could not fathom that area developing accordingly based on the parcels themselves; and <br />368 <br />further opined that the parcels were more amenable for preserving and buffering existing open <br />369 <br />space and park land. <br />370 <br />Mr. Lloyd concurred, noting that if the City did not acquire the land and it was eventually sold to a <br />371 <br />developer and dedication of land applied, the Commission would still be responsible to review <br />372 <br />that acquisition for dedication to determine its consistency with the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. <br />373 <br />Lloyd clarified that the role of the Commission was not one of cost-benefit analysis, but in whether <br />374 <br />or not the City’s natural resources were being preserved; and whether an acquisition or use was <br />375 <br />consistent or inconsistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan guidance. <br />376 <br />Member Daire asked staff is the phrase “in compliance” was the same as “consistent with.” <br />377 <br />Mr. Lloyd responded affirmatively for this purpose; while noting that there may be other situations <br />378 <br />where it would be important to distinguish between those two; but for this specific purpose the two <br />379 <br />were synonymous. <br />380 <br />At the request of Member Daire, Mr. Lloyd confirmed that both the map and policy statements <br />381 <br />detailed in the staff report were taken from the 2030 Comprehensive Plan’s policies and <br />382 <br />positions, as well as that of the map and zoning code. Mr. Lloyd clarified that by definition in this <br />383 <br />case; this particular land area is shown as CMU land use designation and therefore was not <br />384 <br />consistent with the Comprehensive Plan map, even though the purpose was to expand <br />385 <br />green/open space designations as was the nature of the Comprehensive Plan throughout. Mr. <br />386 <br />Lloyd opined that the fact that the green boundary ends on the Comprehensive Plan map or <br />387 <br />expands as displayed remained immaterial and the land acquisition was found to be consistent <br />388 <br />with the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan no matter current map areas. <br />389 <br />Member Daire noted that, on the displayed aerial photo, it appeared that there were additional <br />390 <br />trees to the south and west of the subject parcel; and he questioned if they were the same type <br />391 <br />as those of the subject property. <br />392 <br />Mr. Lloyd opined that there appeared to be some visually difference in the type of trees of the <br />393 <br />subject parcel and those of surrounding properties; however, previous reviews of the area and <br />394 <br />sensitive areas with mature trees had consistently found it desirable to preserve them for open <br />395 <br />space purpose, including the parcels west and south of the subject parcel. Mr. Lloyd further <br />396 <br /> <br />