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� , I.._.. <br /> ; — . . ,..___.._. <br /> � � �� <br /> L ....._ � _.. .. �_f <br /> I� <br /> .� SrF�� �, IA( ..�� r)1 j <br /> VL� � v c��1�V I <br /> Inereasing Property Taaes And Levies With No End In Sight! I' �„_, ,_ <br /> (�.�.: .; -,. � <br /> - — <br /> There are recent nunblings u�the City of Minnetrista due to the increase in property ta�ces over the past few years. ot - <br /> only have properiy taxes risen by twelve percent 12%to fifteen percent 15% per year over the past two years,now <br /> many residents are faced with additional levies for city infrastruct�se including a new public safety building and a <br /> public works facility. <br /> Unfortunately the City of Minneh-ista had found itself in a compromised position when the Metropolitan Council came <br /> calling in 2005.Let me exptain. <br /> In 2005 the Metropolitan Council recommended that the City of Minnetrista amend their current Comprehensive Plan <br /> from the 1990's due to the city not reaching their density goals and the fact that they were short of their housing <br /> proj ections. <br /> The Comprehensive Plan was amended in 2006 and the development focus was along Highway 7 West between <br /> County Road 44 and County Road 11.There were over one thousand(1000)units planned just in this area. Later that <br /> year a local developer requested a subdivision for this area and went before the city for review.T'he result of the <br /> required stvdies showed that even without this development, the level of congestion was already severe.According to <br /> the Mn/DOT 2008-203U Transportation System Plan the only hoped for improvements to really fix this problem was <br /> to address the entirety of Highway 7 West from County Road 44 all the way to Highway 100 in St.Louis Park..This <br /> proposed project is not currently funded and would require an overpass at every single stoplight from County Road 44 <br /> to Highway 100.The problem is the cost and that is$380,000,000 cnillion(38MM)dollars.There are other priorities <br /> in the Metro area that would psovide a much better value than this one.The consensus to everyone I talk to is that it <br /> will never happen and it is unrealistic to think it will. <br /> Now the City of Minnetrista is faced with two different options.One option is to continue on the current course and <br /> adopt the planning done in 2006 as the basis for the newly crafted 2008 Comprehensive Plan Update modeled on the <br /> above scenario.The other option is to change direction and do what is logically sound based on the facts and whai is in <br /> the best interests of the residents of the City of Minnetrista <br /> Many residents main concern is the lack of proper land use planning related to different mning options along the major <br /> roadways and transportation corridors thai wili support a development of this size.Planning properly with diverse <br /> zoning and by concentraTing development along the main roadways will preserve the rural natwe of our community <br /> and provicie a solid financial tax base especially in uncertain times.Another benefit is that this new plan will reduce <br /> congestion and minimize gowth in our community and protect our precious natural resources.Preserving the rural <br /> nature of our community is a top priority among the majority of our city residents. <br /> Currently the proposed 2008 Comprehensive Plan Update is out for review and comment to the neighboring <br /> communities and per the resolution from the July 21�`2008 City Counci]meeting.This process can take 6 months and <br /> thai will bring us to Febraary,21,2009.Met Council needs now to offer an ea�tension to complete the plan unril May <br /> 2009.Anoiher main concern that I have is that the City of Minnetrista now relies almost entirely on a residenfial single <br /> fami]y tax base.Out of the available land anly a fraction is being used for other zoning purposes.Currernly barely more <br /> than one half of one percent('/:%)is wned,retail,commerciat or industrial.This is hard to believe when the 2030 <br /> Reponal Framework from the Metropolitan Council suggests thirry percent(30%)to forty percent(40%)for this <br /> type of zoning. <br /> The 2008 Comprehensive Plan Update that is imder review is hased on the 2006 Comprehensive Plan Amendment thaf <br /> is centered around a congested transportation corridor with over one thousand(1000)units planned that will never <br /> happen.One has to only look so far as the Alternative Urban Areawide Review(AUAR).Also the city is <br /> completely reliant on a single type of zoning thai is totally unrealistic based on the facts.Now as a result,you have <br /> skyrociceting taxes,in a down real estate market with no end in sight.Then to top it all of�;the city is planning on a new <br /> Public Safety building and Public Works facility at a cost to the local taxpayers of between$6,OOQ,000 million <br /> (6MM)dollars to$12,000,000 mil(ion(12MM)dollars.What this amounts to is approximately two thousand <br /> $2000 dollars per resident as there are approxunately six thousand 6,000 current city residents.Can you imagine the <br /> tax impact on a family of four,five or six? <br /> It even gets betYer,now the current resoli�ion from the Minnetrista City Counci(st2tes that there will be a review of <br /> other alternatives to the current 2008 Comprehensive Plan Update but only after the six month review is finished by the <br /> affected communities and associated agencies.Does that mean we only have from February 21�`2009 until the final <br /> deadline in tvlay 2(309?That is only three months and it has talcen the city at]east two years to get to the current point <br /> that we are at <br />