PUBLIC HEARING-Proposed Amendment to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan

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

The COR Master Plan

Attached for review is the approved Development Plan by the City's Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA).  The HRA acquired approximately 150 acres of the former Ramsey Town Center development (now called The COR).  Through a series of public open houses and HRA workshops, the City, through the development management services of Landform Professional Services, has developed a proposed new master plan for the development.

The area of the proposed change is focused on the west approximately 50 acres.  A majority of this area is currently guided as COR-4b, which is best characterized as medium density residential.  This area is now proposed to include larger scale retail to anchor the development to support the smaller scale retail still currently envisioned in the center of the development.  The plan also impacts what was previously envisioned as West Meandering Commons, which is now configured as Lake Ramsey Park.  The grading activities for Lake Ramsey Park will accommodate at least a portion, if not all, of the fill required to complete the development.  The plan also envisions additional small-lot single-family lots along North Commons (park).

No actual change to the Future Land Use Map is required, as the area is listed as Mixed Use.  However, due to the level in change in households and employment, an official change to the Master Plan is required.

Planned Transportation System

Due to a series of completed and planned projects, several revisions to the Planned Transportation System Map are required.  These include Metropolitan Council-initiated System Statement Amendments, Legacy Christian Academy, Variolite Street, 167th Avenue, and McKinley Street near the Public Works Campus. 

The System Statement is a Metropolitan Council approved framework for all Comprehensive Plans.  Amendments were made to system-wide System Statements for transportation as well as Parks and Open Space.  Two changes are required of the City.  The future river crossing must be re-classified from a Principal Arterial to a Minor Arterial.  The text of the Transportation Section must be amended to note the fact that the City is located within Transit Service Areas III and IV.

Staff would like the recommendation of the Planning Commission to include the flexibility to include language and/or maps that depict the City's current proposed alignment of Highway 10 related to the planned expansion to freeway status.  Additionally, Staff would like the Planning Commission's recommendation to include flexibility to finalize future alignments of collector roads west of the proposed Legacy Christian Academy site.  That project has locked in a portion of these alignments, thus potentially impacting future alignments to the west.

Parks, Recreation, and Open Space

An amendment to the Central Anoka County Regional Trail is being requested by City Staff to capitalize on several regional systems.  Staff proposes amending this planned regional trail to connect through the center of The COR, connecting to the Transit Station and future Northstar Commuter Rail Station and continuing across Highway 10 across a proposed pedestrian crossing.  This pedestrian crossing is proposed to connect to Mississippi West Regional Park as well as the Mississippi River Trail (MRT).  The MRT has regional as well as national significance.

Future Land Use Map

Based on feedback during the amendment to Official Zoning Map to implement the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, two (2) areas requested further study and essentially objected to the re-zoning.  These two (2) areas included an area at the southeast intersection of Nowthen Boulevard and Green Valley Road guided as Commercial and a parcel south of Highway 10, west of the former Diamonds parcel guided as Medium Density Residential (MDR).  These areas are proposed to revert back to Commercial and LDR respectively.

Saint Francis Boulevard (TH 47) and 167th Avenue Special Area Plan

The City Council and Economic Development Authority (EDA) have identified a need for further study and master planning in the area of the commercial node at 167th Avenue and TH 47.  This commercial area has shown indications of under performing as a commercial area as seen by several vacancies.  In addition, the City acquired a larger parcel in order to construct Water Tower #3.  There is excess property for development.  The City Council and EDA wish to explore potential for redevelopment.

Wellhead Protection Plan

In 2009, the City completed a Wellhead Protection Plan as required by the Minnesota Department of Health.  The plan requires that the Comprehensive Plan set up an overlay district on the Official Zoning Map in certain areas surrounding all municipal wells.  The overlay is intended to identify, mitigate, and prevent potential hazards from entering the public water supply.

All costs associated with processing the Comprehensive Plan Amendment are being handled as part of regular staff duties.

Staff recommends approval of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment.

Motion to recommend that the City Council approve the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, contingent upon finalizing the transportation section as noted.