5.1.
Park and Recreation Commission
- Meeting Date:
- 01/14/2016
- By:
- Tim Gladhill, Community Development
Information
Title:
Discuss Ramsey's 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update - Parks, Trails, and Open Space
Purpose/Background:
The purpose of this case is to review the process for updating the City's Comprehensive Plan, the guiding land use vision for the community. As the Commission will recall, the park related response to Metropolitan Council's call for comment on their Thrive 2040 plan was addressed in October 2014, and forwarded to City Council as a recommendation at that time.
Notification:
Notification is not required.
Observations/Alternatives:
According to the Metropolitan Council:
This System Statement begins the official process for updating the City's long term land use vision for the community.
The City has commented on the various System Plans previously adopted by the Metropolitan Council (Housing, Parks/Recreation/Open Space, Transportation, and Water Resources). Primarily, the City noted concern about the rate of forecasted growth in households, population, and employment, noting that these forecasts may be aggressive. Additionally, the City noted a lack of investment in System Plans for Parks, Transportation, and Water Resources as a contributing factor to a future reduction in growth if investment is not made.
That being said, there is no penalty for not reaching forecasted growth. This is an estimate of growth patterns based on known variables at the time of development. The City's current Future Land Use Map can sustain the forecasted growth, and actually provides for growth beyond the 2040 planning period. The City has received no formal requests to amend our Comprehensive Plan in a manner that would be inconsistent with the current System Plan. It is possible that there are requested revisions to the Comprehensive Plan during citizen engagement that may influence the City's final response.
Finally, it is noted that this is not the only opportunity to request a change to the System Statement. As the City embarks on a broader Citizen Engagement Framework beginning in 2016, the City will learn additional detail that may influence a desire to amend the System Plan. It is that time that Staff would feel more comfortable requesting an amendment to the System Plan as compared to disputing the System Plan today.
Metropolitan system plans are long-range comprehensive plans for the regional systems – transit, highways, and airports; wastewater services; and parks and open space – along with the capital budgets for metropolitan wastewater services, transportation, and regional recreation open space. System statements explain the implications of metropolitan system plans for each individual community in the metropolitan area. They are intended to help communities prepare or update their comprehensive plan, as required by the Metropolitan Land Planning Act:
Within nine months after receiving a system statement for an amendment to a metropolitan system plan, and within three years after receiving a system statement issued in conjunction with the decennial review required under section 473.864, subdivision 2, each affected local governmental unit shall review its comprehensive plan to determine if an amendment is necessary to ensure continued conformity with metropolitan system plans. If an amendment is necessary, the governmental unit shall prepare the amendment and submit it to the council for review.
Local comprehensive plans, and amendments thereto, will be reviewed by the Council for conformance to metropolitan system plans, consistency with Council policies, and compatibility with adjacent and affected governmental units. Updated local comprehensive plans are due to the Council for review by December 31, 2018.
Within nine months after receiving a system statement for an amendment to a metropolitan system plan, and within three years after receiving a system statement issued in conjunction with the decennial review required under section 473.864, subdivision 2, each affected local governmental unit shall review its comprehensive plan to determine if an amendment is necessary to ensure continued conformity with metropolitan system plans. If an amendment is necessary, the governmental unit shall prepare the amendment and submit it to the council for review.
Local comprehensive plans, and amendments thereto, will be reviewed by the Council for conformance to metropolitan system plans, consistency with Council policies, and compatibility with adjacent and affected governmental units. Updated local comprehensive plans are due to the Council for review by December 31, 2018.
This System Statement begins the official process for updating the City's long term land use vision for the community.
The City has commented on the various System Plans previously adopted by the Metropolitan Council (Housing, Parks/Recreation/Open Space, Transportation, and Water Resources). Primarily, the City noted concern about the rate of forecasted growth in households, population, and employment, noting that these forecasts may be aggressive. Additionally, the City noted a lack of investment in System Plans for Parks, Transportation, and Water Resources as a contributing factor to a future reduction in growth if investment is not made.
That being said, there is no penalty for not reaching forecasted growth. This is an estimate of growth patterns based on known variables at the time of development. The City's current Future Land Use Map can sustain the forecasted growth, and actually provides for growth beyond the 2040 planning period. The City has received no formal requests to amend our Comprehensive Plan in a manner that would be inconsistent with the current System Plan. It is possible that there are requested revisions to the Comprehensive Plan during citizen engagement that may influence the City's final response.
Finally, it is noted that this is not the only opportunity to request a change to the System Statement. As the City embarks on a broader Citizen Engagement Framework beginning in 2016, the City will learn additional detail that may influence a desire to amend the System Plan. It is that time that Staff would feel more comfortable requesting an amendment to the System Plan as compared to disputing the System Plan today.
Funding Source:
This case is being handled as part of normal Staff duties.
Recommendation:
The City Council has adopted the attached framework documents to set the stage for updating the City's Comprehensive Plan. By adopting these documents, the City Council would set into motion the update, beginning with establishing a Steering Committee. Details of the recommended approach are included in the attached documents below.
While no formal action is necessary, as part of this case, Staff would like to understand the commission's availably to participate in the Steering Committee's work (typically the Chair would be a key participant with at least one alternate). The expectations and format of the committee is outlined in the attachment entitled 'Steering Committee Structure'.
While no formal action is necessary, as part of this case, Staff would like to understand the commission's availably to participate in the Steering Committee's work (typically the Chair would be a key participant with at least one alternate). The expectations and format of the committee is outlined in the attachment entitled 'Steering Committee Structure'.
Action:
No action required at this time—however, the Commission should thoroughly familiarize themselves with attachments 1, 5, 7-9, and Chapter 10, the Park, Recreation and Open Space component within the existing City of Ramsey 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
Attachments
- System Statement
- Previous Response to Regional Development Framework
- Previous Response to Housing Policy Plan
- Previous Response to Housing Policy Plan Amendment
- Previous Response to Parks Policy Plan
- Previous Response to Transportation Policy Plan
- Citizen Engagement Structure
- Steering Committee Structure
- Preliminary Work Plan
- Chapter 10 - Ramsey Parks
Form Review
| Inbox | Reviewed By | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Hagen | Tim Gladhill | 12/28/2015 02:48 PM |
| Mark Riverblood | Mark Riverblood | 01/07/2016 09:10 AM |
| Grant Riemer | Grant Riemer | 01/07/2016 09:25 AM |
- Form Started By:
- Tim Gladhill
- Started On:
- 12/28/2015 02:45 PM
- Final Approval Date:
- 01/07/2016