Consider Ordinance to Amend City Code Section 117-118 (Town Center) of the Ramsey City Code;

Case of City of Ramsey

The intent of the proposed ordinance is to make a simple amendment to the title of the section to reflect the new name of the former Ramsey Town Center development, now known as The COR.  City Staff anticipates forwarding additional recommendations for amendments to the zoning district in terms of bulk standards, uses, and design guidelines in the near future to reflect work done by the City's Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) to present a revised development plan.  The current amendment is needed for some house cleaning purposes related to cleaning up existing agreements tied to the development, such as the Parking Use and Maintenance Agreement (PUMA).

The Public Hearing was properly notified in the Anoka County Union.

The intent of this ordinance is administrative in nature to reflect current naming schemes, processes, and laws.  All references to Town Center are renamed The COR.  The amendment also reflects the fact that the Architectural Review Board has disbanded and amends the review process accordingly.  Finally, one policy change that is proposed is related to religious institutions and assembly space.  The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) essentially states that all assembly uses must be treated equally.  In other words, by allowing a cinema/theater in the TC-2 district as a permitted use, the City should allow a religious institution as a permitted use, versus a conditional use as currently stated.

Amendments to the zoning code are being handled as part of regular staff duties.

City Staff recommends approval of the ordinance.

Motion to adopt the ordinance amending City Code Section 117-118 (Town Center).