City of Nowthen
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
SEPT. 23, 2014 @ 6:00 PM
RE:
Sheriff Contract – Renew or Not
Continued ROSP Material Review for Resident Open Houses
THEN
Planning & Zoning Mtg. Immediately Following
Special City Council Meeting
· Mayor Schulz called the Special City Council Meeting to order at 6:05 PM.
1. Sheriff Contract – Renew or Not – Continued discussion from Special City Council Meeting on September 10, 2014.
Pilon for discussion purposes asked does anyone else have a plan other than the Sheriff’s Contract?
Schulz said the City has looked at several scenarios which include hiring the City of Ramsey Police, having Private Police and having our own Police. When looking at these options, they were all much more expensive than contracting with the Anoka County Sheriff.
Scheffler said he felt that it is in the best interest of the City and residents to renew our Sheriff’s Contract but to also add to the City budget so if in the future there are other options that can be worked with.
Scheffler said if there is additional money in our budget we will not be so pigeon holed and forced into the Sheriff’s Contract as we were.
Scheffler made the motion to approve the Sheriff’s Contract at a cost of $226,617.00 to the Nowthen Budget for 2015. Pilon seconded the motion.
Schulz asked if there was any further discussion?
Meyer said if the City wishes to budget for another option, he said when previously looked at our own Police it was about two million dollars that included cars, Sheriff’s wages and benefits. His point is, to budget for that amount of money it would be a long time to just get up and running – not to mention keeping it going after that.
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Meyer said he doesn’t see budgeting an option at all – he sees it as either no protection at all or contracting with the Anoka County Sheriff as we are now.
Pilon said he thought the City should be assertive with the Sheriff’s office to keep costs down. To keep track of what calls there are – for instance, looking at calls that are dispatched to the Bar None Ranch. To minimize costs as much as possibly can be done.
Meyers agrees that if there is a way to decrease costs that should be applied.
Schulz said the Sheriff’s office has their own costs and they are Union.
Meyer said there is a need to start looking at options at least 6 months before the contract comes due in the future.
Pilon said the Sheriff had said take it or leave it. He said he thought other cities aren’t doing anything right now.
Discussion was that the Sheriff has mandated raises and is also Union.
Schulz commented that he had gotten a call from another City asking if Nowthen wanted to partner up with them, but he never heard back from them.
Rainville opposed; 4 in favor so motion carried by 4-1 vote.
2. Continued ROSP Material Review for Resident Open Houses that will be held:
Planner Stockman said she had made all changes that were discussed at the last meeting. One other thing to be added – is to also include page numbers as Pilon had requested.
Planner Stockman read the definitions of What is Open Space Preservation?
Pilon said in the definition it is important to say not mandated or guaranteed if no amenities of value to do. That nobody will be forced into. This is an opportunity and not a change in our plan.
Planner Stockman said some 40 acres of flat farm field might not be a good use either.
Pilon said yes and resident have to show why a benefit.
Planner Stockman said she will add a slide for this.
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Planner Stockman said she moved pictures toward the front showing the conceptual subdivisions. Then at the end gave more details of the ordinance.
Also more facts were put together with our existing developments of Country Meadows, Milestone Ponds for example. How many lots they had on the acreage that is there.
Pilon said that property owners still have the option of creating subdivisions like those that currently exist and that contain a variety of lot sizes at an average of 5 acre lots (8/40) with a minimum lot size of 2.5 acres.
Planner Stockman said the Morton Farm Preserve Planned Unit Development was platted in 2002 with 20 lots on 80 acres and a density of 1 lot per 4 acres. The lot sizes vary from 1.11 to 2.45 acres.
Pilon said on the next slide that says Issues and Opportunities – Are you looking to develop that or enhance the statement – why are those an issue? Planner Stockman said it was still more compare and contrast when showing with traditional layout.
Showing community wide that wetlands and drainage way sometimes prevents streets in some areas.
She also put maps that shows the 2030 Transportation Plan and the Wetland & Flood Map in Nowthen and ties into the Anoka county Biological Survey.
Meyer suggested that under opportunities to also say having smaller lots – with no maintenance this allows for seniors to stay in Nowthen. Even empty nesters might want this option.
Pilon suggested that possibly instead of Issues and Opportunities it state Considerations & Opportunities.
Pilon said one thing that the residents need to know is that the 40 percent of net buildable area preserved as open space – has not been decided on – as far as to how the taxes will be paid on this acreage. If it will be the City, the property owner or an Association who pays these taxes.
Jorgensen said that the City is not making any money on residential lots that are developed. We depend on the commercial to pick up the slack and because we don’t have much commercial – that’s what kills us.
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We are not like Ramsey – with a lot more commercial, they are so far ahead of
us – location also.
Pilon said is the main things we want to get across here is:
1. Nothing has been decided – Open House for discussion only
2. The Opportunities that present themselves with this
3. If we are going to be a bedroom community of some sort – what is that going to look like and how to make that most attractive to people
This for discussion only and no vote scheduled at this point. Just to get information only.
Next slide is Future Development Options:
Traditional vs Open Space Development
Example subdivisions
Pilon said Scott County was hard to see and if possible to print without the gray line? Planner Stockman said no but maybe she can darken in the lot lines. Rainville said these are only examples and this example of and others will look different. If this is approved to do, the lay of the land is how it will look.
Pilon thought that residents won’t associate Monterey Heights or Stonebridge Concept because they don’t know where this is located or who these developers are.
Planner Stockman said backing up a bit before the Future Development Options, Rainville had wanted the Anoka County Biological Survey Map included. She asked if this was what she wanted? Rainville said yes except to maybe move the definition symbols up with the drawings on the page before. Planner Stockman said she might be able to remove the St. Francis portion.
Next slide if New Zoning District Options:
Planner Stockman said Development tool to be used by property owners who meet established criteria and feel that it fits with their needs/desires for subdivision. She said and it could be added that this is option only and case by case basis if natural resources are worth preserving or will add to open space plan – which this might work for you.
Then the next to the last page is the ROSP Details:
1. 12 per 40 density
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2. 40 percent of net buildable area preserved as open space (includes land that may be required to meet park and trail dedication requirements)
3. Minimum lot size of 1.25 acres
4. Minimum tract size of 30 acres (replats encouraged with adjacent properties applying jointly)
5. Private utilities
Pilon said could we go back to the minimum lot size since this was pulled out on this previously and put out in an anonymous letter.
Pilon asked why do we say minimum 1.25 acres?
Planner Stockman said that is based on what we currently have as what we say is our lot build ability. We have to have that up-land area free of wetlands that can accommodate a home, a primary and secondary septic system and a well.
Pilon says he thinks we need to capture that in here so people aren’t saying you’re going to 1.25 acres. We need to emphasize the reason you can’t go any smaller is because you still have to have the primary, the secondary septic system and well areas. In other words you need to meet build ability requirements.
Pilon said he wants to be clear – because it’s already been misconstrued that we are already zoning everything in the City at 1.25 acres. Pilon said he’s heard it over and over and over.
Planner Stockman said well yes it is 1.25 acres and we are encouraging the open space by the density incentive, but it still has to be that average. Pilon said right and have to make sure we’re making that clear and that it comes across clearly. We’re encouraging this and there are advantages to do this. There is still a minimum because still responsible for primary, secondary and well areas, which are the customary requirements.
Pilon said there are quite a few lots that are 2.5 acres already. He said he is not proposing 1.25 lots. Make it clear not proposing 1.25 lot sizes. Planner Stockman said well no Pilon, this is saying you could have 1.25 lot sizes.
Pilon answered and said yes, but he’s saying we’re not going city wide 1.25 acre lot sizes. The accusation was we’re rezoning the City to 1.25 acres.
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So to make it clear this is tied in only with this and there is a minimum lot size based on existing ordinances which require primary and secondary septic site and well site.
Pilon said on the last page where definition of Suggested Residential Open Space Preservation: There is Permit: allowing as a permitted use or Encourage: offer density bonuses and Require: mandatory use. Pilon questioned the Encourage: offer density bonuses statement? Planner Stockman said she was going to check if to leave this in or not. She said whether to leave it in and explain the difference between allowing as permitted use or opt with no density bonus or by using open space as incentive to encourage it to happen. And we are not required – possibly put an “X” through it and it goes back to just what was said here tonight – that it is optional and not rezoning the whole City.
Pilon said one of the options – number 6, we could say we’re not rezoning it and it’s by a case by case basis. If you might have a place down here in the non-numbered area you could come and make argument I’ve got a preservation option that would benefit the city in a place that the City may not have thought about.
Planner Stockman said well that is why she questioned some of the zones and whether it is appropriate because we will have to take a look at the rezoning because there are criteria for amendments just like there are criteria to meet when a resident applies for an IUP.
So generally when you look at rezoning you are looking at an area that is contiguous to an area that exists in that zone. Just as a commercial area – you would add new commercial next to or contiguous to an already commercially zoned area. So the same should apply to this ROSP District as shown on this map, unless we take away the numbered zones that we have and go like you said, on a case by case basis.
Pilon said he thinks that makes sense because like in the commercial zoned areas, it’s understandable you’re trying to be contiguous but this ROSP is land specific and it may not be contiguous, you may be next to a body of water or farm field but you have the Oak Grove or wooded creek bed and nothing around you would qualify.
Pilon said and it’s also going to be a minimum lot size considered, unless people work together and join their lands it’s going to be limited in order to do this. Planner Stockman said correct. Pilon said and they (large lots) are spread out all over the city.
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Planner Stockman said she thinks the emphasis is how does this fit into the overall park plan, conservation of our resources, around the lakes, streams and wetlands. And that’s pretty much city wide.
Pilon said he would propose that they recommend adding another number 6 on a case by case basis and ROSP would then be City wide.
Scheffler said so to confirm what Pilon has just said is you would:
1. Do nothing or
2. Have ROSP City Wide