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Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes – Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Page 12 Chair Boguszewski therefore corrected his previous statement to state that the City 546 Council was seeking a more appropriate zoning level based on their opinion of the 547 current and potential circumstances that is driving their request, with Mr. Paschke 548 confirming that this was his interpretation. As noted in the staff report, Chair Boguszewski 549 noted that the comprehensive plan did not specifically mention this subject site, indicating 550 that while there was no intent indicated in the comprehensive plan against current zoning, 551 there was also no specific guidance either. 552 Mr. Paschke responded that these parcels were not specifically identified in the 553 comprehensive plan, as was true for numerous parcels in the community, with the 554 comprehensive plan not identifying this particular area or these two lots, or speak to it in 555 other facets. 556 Member Daire noted that the existing developments off Old Highway 8 - Woods Edge 557 Townhomes and Executive Manor Condominiums – are already at such a density this 558 area would not qualify as MDR-3; with Mr. Paschke clarifying that neither of those parcels 559 were included in the rezoning or comprehensive plan changes completed in 2010, and 560 were not of interest to the City Council, and on their face were not supported for MDR. 561 Member Daire noted that those two previous parcels had developed as HDR which 562 apparently worked there, but now as part of the justification for this request, the city was 563 saying HDR is no longer appropriate although two existing developments and one across 564 the road in the Village of St. Anthony are HDR. Member Daire asked if that weakened the 565 City Council’s recommendation that the comprehensive plan guidance and zoning 566 densities should be lowered. 567 Mr. Paschke noted that this was the question before the Commission to make that 568 judgment whether or not they recommended support of MDR or HDR on these two 569 parcels. Mr. Paschke advised that the existing HDR developments had done so under a 570 Planned Unit Development (PUD), but whether or not it was appropriate at that time was 571 not under dispute or weakened the position that now MDR might be better suited for 572 these two parcels versus HDR. 573 At the request of Member Stellmach, Mr. Paschke reviewed the rationale for this request 574 for 3253 and 3261 parcels, and why there were not already zoned as parcels 2900 and 575 2946 as show on the displayed map. Mr. Paschke advised that they were not developed 576 with those types of uses and were single-family homes which could be future 577 redevelopment sites. 578 An unidentified audience member stated that the 2900 parcel was an apartment complex, 579 with Mr. Paschke advising that those parcels had not been included in staff’s analysis as 580 the City Council had directed that these two parcels be reviewed, not others already 581 having been developed. 582 At the request of Member Murphy, Mr. Paschke confirmed that those two referenced 583 parcels were currently used as single-family residences. 584 Public Comment 585 Numerous written comments were included in the meeting packet as part of this record. 586 John Runquist, Trustee of the John P. Henz Trust, 3253 parcel 587 Mr. Runquist’s extensive written comments were included in meeting materials 588 (Attachment C) and he expounded on and referenced them as part of his verbal 589 testimony. 590 Mr. Runquist clarified that only one subject property was used as a single-family (3253) 591 and should be condemned and demolished, opining it was a health hazard, advising that 592 as Trustee, he would not allow anyone to redevelop that parcel as a single-family use. 593 As the Commission views the plan, Mr. Runquist reviewed the parcels in this immediate 594 vicinity – whether in Hennepin or Ramsey County – noting that only several had 595 significant setbacks from the boundary lines, including the drainage easement area he 596