Staff Update
 

• General Development Update
• Update on City Council Action on Planning Commission Cases

Staff will provide a verbal update on the various development projects occurring around the community and recent City Council actions of interest to the Planning Commission.

Closed Landfill Plan
The consensus of the City Council was to move forward with adopting the Closed Landfill Plan as presented by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Upon reviewing the guiding Statute in additional detail, the City Council determined that now was not the appropriate time to focus resources on a request for special legislation on the 40 acre parcel north of Sunwood Drive currently guided for future business park in light of more recent discussions of a future business park west of Armstrong Boulevard. MPCA Staff agreed to language in the City's Comprehensive Plan that would identify this as a goal for redevelopment at such time the area is no longer located in the groundwater area of concern and no longer needed for the operational purposes of the closed landfill operation. This would continue to be reviewed and discussed with each subsequent Comprehensive Plan Update (once every ten (10) years).

Expanded Environmental Policy Board Role in Development Review and Comprehensive Planning
As part of strategic planning for the Environmental Policy Board (EPB) and a subsequent joint meeting with the City Council, the core duties of the EPB are being expanded on a trial basis to include development review of select land use applications and a key proactive role in reviewing and developing the Natural Resources Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan Update. The EPB will now take on a more collaborative and advisory role directly with the Planning Commission. To ensure that their expanded role does not increase timelines on development review, the EPB will also consider a date change of their regular meeting to the third Monday of the month to allow their comments to be included prior to Public Hearings held by the Planning Commission.

Fire Station No. 2
The City Council approved the site plan, accepted final plans and specifications, and authorized Staff to advertise for bids for the new Fire Station No. 2 to be located at 5650 Alpine Drive. Staff will now complete the final plan set and advertise for competitive bids. The Project Team will then tabulate the bid responses and forward a case to the City Council to consider awarding a contract to commence construction this spring on the new Fire Station No. 2.

Organizational Strategic Plan & Boards/Commission Survey
The City Council authorized a contract with the Prouty Project to update the City's organizational Strategic Plan last completed in 2013. This process is scheduled with the City Council and Department Heads in February. In preparation for this process, Commissioners were asked to respond to a brief survey by Monday, February 2nd. Staff will update the Commission on the results of this survey once available.

Small Area Planning Exercise: Area South of Highway 10 between Llama Street and Bowers Drive
Consensus of the City Council was to proceed forward with the citizen engagement/stakeholder engagement for the area south of Highway 10. Staff will now schedule and advertise for this process for late-winter or early-spring.

Approval of Purchase Agreement for Parkview East: PSD, LLC
The Planning Commission previously reviewed a concept plan for this proposed high density residential development within The COR. The area was also subject to a Zoning Amendment related to Floor Area Ratio. The City Council approved a new Purchase Agreement with PSD, LLC for this site.

Cancelation of Purchase Agreement for 6710 Highway 10 NW
The City Council previously approved a Purchase Agreement for this site. Throughout the preliminary design process, All Seasons Garage Door determined the site was not large enough to suit their long-term growth needs. However, All Seasons still plans to re-locate to Ramsey and purchase an existing business park site.

Request for Home Occupation Permit: Frozen Food Sales and Delivery at 14920 Chameleon Street NW
The City Council approved this request.

Casey's General Store: Request for Plat, Site Plan, and Conditional Use Permit
The City Council approved this request.

Ridgepoint and Associated Joint Power Agreement with City of Anoka for Sanitary Sewer and Water Utilities
As a positive outcome of the Ridgepoint plat along Rivlyn Avenue near the border with the City of Anoka, utilities will be pulled closer to the border with Anoka. The City Council has approved a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with the City of Anoka in which the City of Ramsey agreed to allow Ramsey sanitary sewer and water services to be extended into the City of Anoka to serve that small area.

Request for Special March Meeting
N.I.K. Management, Applicant for Harvest Estates, has requested a Special Meeting for March 19 to review the Preliminary Plat. Please inform Staff at the meeting if you cannot make this meeting. If Staff does not receive an objection to the March 19 date, the Special Meeting will be scheduled.

The Regular Meeting on March 5 will still be held due to a timely land use application impacting title and closing of a single-family home. Details on this case will be included in the next packet.

Also at the March meeting, Staff will be forwarding ordinances to amend the City's accessory structure and fence standards due to a recent change in Minnesota State Building Code. Additionally, Staff will be forwarding an ordinance amending the City's topsoil requirements based on builder feedback and recent changes in common topsoil specifications. If you have thoughts on either of these ordinances, please forward your thoughts in preparation.

Preparation of the monthly updates are being handled as part of normal Staff duties.

For update only. No action requested.