Review Development Plan and Design Framework for The COR

The purpose of this case is to provide a high level overview of the existing land use and zoning standards for The COR. The zoning for The COR is considered a hybrid 'form-based' code as opposed to traditional 'one size fits all' zoning code of bulk standards and permitted uses. Additionally, the City has established the Design Framework to serve as the Zoning Code for The COR intended to be a more user-friendly, illustrative development guide compared to traditional zoning codes.

In the process of reviewing the past several land use applications for The COR, the Planning Commission has requested time with the City Council to discuss what the proper vision for The COR should be moving forward. The Planning Commission has suggested to add clarity to the zoning text to better clarify the vision and eliminate potential conflicting language for The COR. Before the Planning Commission embarks on this endeavor, the Commission desires a conversation with the City Council to better understand the preferred vision in order to better match actual development standards required by the Zoning Code. Additionally, Staff has been working on simplifying the layout of the Design Framework to better serve the users of said document, regardless of any changes to actual development standards.

The key topics for discussion include, but are not limited to:
 

1. Approach to achieve the vision of mixed use (vertically mixed use or mix of uses within a block).
2. Appropriate densities and floor areas.
3. Appropriate means to manage parking (shared parking, structured parking, etc.).

The outline for this discussion topic is as follows:
 

1. History of the transition from Ramsey Town Center Master Plan to the Development Plan for The COR.
2. Discussion on potential needs to adjust text in the Zoning Code/Design Framework.
3. Discussion on potential needs to amend the Development Plan (master plan).

30 Minutes

This case is being handled as part of normal Staff duties.

Community Development Director

The intended outcome is to identify potential changes, if any, necessary in the Development Plan or the Design Framework for The COR. A potential outcome is a revision to the zoning text to better reflect the vision of the Development Plan.