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<br />---DRAFT--- <br /> <br />sorting through whether or not the community or the contractor is responsible for the repairs. <br />The importance of a Community Center also surfaced in several meetings. For some <br />participants, it was viewed as an essential community amenity that would make Roseville more <br />competitive with Shoreview and New Brighton in the housing market. For others, it <br />represented an essential element of community life, providing facility space for a variety of <br />programs ranging from pre-school care to senior citizen services and programs. Participants <br />mentioned the need to maintain the programs and recreational services (pool, gym space) for <br />the community that was offered by the Fairview Community Center and this is a broader <br />citywide responsibility rather than provided and funded by the school district. <br /> <br />Participants also noted a loss in "Open Space" or wildlife habitat. Many vacant lots, such as the <br />undeveloped area between County Road C2 and Josephine Road, assume the role of open space <br />when they remain undeveloped as the city has continued to grow. Surrounding residents, as <br />well as urban wildlife, become accustomed to the undeveloped areas and when property <br />owners choose to develop this land there is a significant change for both. Urban wildlife begins <br />to look elsewhere (yards and lawns) for food and shelter and residents begin to feel the <br />encroachment of urban development on the suburban environment. <br /> <br />3. Planning and Development <br /> <br />Participants conveyed general apprehension about the volume of new development. On one <br />hand, it is welcomed because it brings more housing choices to the local market and generates <br />tax revenue. But, on the other hand, it generates a significant amount of traffic which, when not <br />properly planned for, can result in congestion. Participants were not convinced that the City <br />had taken steps to provide necessary roadway improvements and traffic management strategies <br />to accommodate the increase in vehicles. <br /> <br />Participants observed that new development also created unintended impacts such as drainage <br />and flooding problems on sites beyond the development's boundaries. Participants raised <br />question about who is responsible for mitigating these impacts and who should bear the <br />financial burden for damages and mitigation. <br /> <br />In general, participants were concerned about long-range planning for housing, development, <br />and transportation. Realtors were concerned that the City Council had only short-term goals in <br />mind and that they give adequate consideration to the long-term dynamics of the current soft <br />market. Multi-family housing owners and/ or managers did not feel as though they had a firm <br />grip on how many and what type of new rental units the City anticipated needing over the next <br />20 years. In some meetings, participants expressed skepticism about the need for additional <br />commercial/retail space over the long run. And, finally, participants were interested in how <br />the City was going to address long-range transportation needs with regard to public transit and <br />traffic management. <br /> <br />The Twin Lakes redevelopment site, the expansion of Rosedale, and the future of the Hamline <br />Shopping Center were topics that emerged depending upon the geographic focus of the <br />meeting. Among the impacts participants were concerned about were: increased traffic and the <br /> <br />Roseville RHRA Community Dialogue on Housing ---DRAFT --- <br />Prepared by the Center for Policy, Planning, and Performance <br /> <br />7 <br />