CC_Minutes_2009_0713 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Regular City Council Meeting Monday, July 13, 2009 Page 22 Councilmember Ihlan concurred with Mr. Grefenberg's comments related to this site not coming up for potential change of land use classification during the year- long comprehensive plan update process, even though lots of brainstorming and discussion was held related to potential areas for high density to accommodate the charge of the Metropolitan Council for additional housing. Councilmember Ihlan opined that the City Council needed to take seriously the neighborhood input pro- vided for common sense issues during the process; and cautioned about possible projects if the property is classified high density and if this project didn't materi- alize. Councilmember Ihlan questioned if age-restrictive housing was what the Metro- politan Council was referring to in their mandate for high density housing; and concurred with Mr. Enzler's concerns that, if this project proceeded on a super majority vote, others in single-family homes next to such a site could not rely on comprehensive plan designation either. Councilmember Ihlan spoke in opposition to the Comprehensive Plan amendment, opining that the site was too small and had inappropriate access; and that the City Council should make any zoning changes after more careful consideration, and not based on a single development request. Councilmember Pust stated, for the record that while she had missed several re- cent Council meetings, she had been present each time this project had been dis- cussed. Councilmember Pust noted her interest in public comments expressed; and thanked audience members for their respectful participation. Councilmember Pust recognized Mr. Enzler's request that the City Council make a decision based on process, and noted her service on the Comprehensive Plan Update Steering Committee, and limitations of time in completing an extensive review of every parcel within the City and whether specific zoning should change on aparcel-by-parcel basis. Councilmember Pust noted that, had the Steering Committee held such a discussion on this parcel, it would have been similar to that provided during the Planning Commission and City Council meeting discus- sions and public input, and that given that input, she opined that the Steering Committee would have most likely recommended guiding the land for medium density at the very least. Councilmember Pust noted that, while staff had pro- vided alist of comparable projects within the City over the last ten years, other projects had been done in the last 20-40 years, under different circumstances, dif- ferent City Councils, and based on different rationale. Councilmember Pust opined that, while those comparable projects may have made perfect sense in the past and had served as informational, they didn't make sense in this particular case, and spoke in opposition to the motion. Councilmember Johnson thanked the public for their participation in this process and for providing interesting perspectives and for being forthright during the deci- sion-making process. Councilmember Johnson opined that the City Council had