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Michael P. Gaffron, Assistant City Administrator <br /> August 12, 2009 <br /> Page 5 <br /> FrameN�oi•k(RDF). In its description of urban and rural areas of the community, the Update <br /> indicates that development in the urban area"will remain relatively low (ranging from 1 unit <br /> per acre to as much as 4-6 units per acre, with a few individual multi-family sites as high as <br /> 15 units per acre)" (p. 3B-10). As described above, the Update does not provide sufficient <br /> information to assess whether new development and redevelopment will occur at densities <br /> consistent with Council policy for sanitary sewer serviced areas. In addition, because the <br /> Update has a stated policy of not expanding the MUSA, it is unclear how and where the City <br /> will accommodate new sewered development and/or redevelopment. <br /> The policy described above and text elsewhere in the Update indicate that it may be unlikely <br /> that overall new development receiving sanitary sewer would achieve an overall net density <br /> of at least three units per acre (Text on page 3B-13, Policy# 1 on page 3B-19, Policy#12 on <br /> page 3B-23). The City is advised of the Council's Revised Metropolitan Urban Service Area <br /> Implementation Guidelines <br /> (http://www.metrocouncil.o�planning/assistance/MUSAGhanaeGuidelines.pd�, which <br /> indicate the conditions under which properties may be connected to regional wastewater <br /> services as well as the Council's method for calculating residential development net density. <br /> The City has participated in the Council's Plat Monitaring Program, having submitted data <br /> from 2000 to 2008. In that time period, the City approved 9 subdivisions for a total of 272 <br /> units on 79.64 net acres, resulting in a net residential density of 3.42 units per acre. The City <br /> has shown the capacity to accommodate development at urban densities, but the Update does <br /> not reflect City planning policy to continue to do so. <br /> Rural Densi�v <br /> The RDF designates the area of Orono that is outside of the MUSA as "Diversified Rural," <br /> which has a density policy of no more than 1 unit per 10 acres. Maps of this area and <br /> descriptions in the text show that this area is largely developed at rural densities higher than 1 <br /> per 10, closer to 1 unit per 4 acres. Policy descriptions on page 3B-10 indicate that <br /> development in the "rural" area will continue on 2-7 acre lots, inconsistent with the 1-per-10 <br /> density policy, and that no additional areas within the rural area will be designated for <br /> MUSA expansion due to the existing rural development pattern. <br /> The Council's 2030 Water Resources Managenzent Policy Plan designates this area as a <br /> Long-Term Service Area for the Regional Wastewater System, development in this rural area <br /> needs to be consistent with the Council's recently adopted Flexible Residential Development <br /> Guidelines. However, much of this land has already been subdivided at densities greater than <br /> 1-per-10 and is therefore inconsistent with the Flexible Residential Development Guidelines. <br /> The Council staff would propose to meet with the City to discuss potential options for <br /> addressing these issues in the Update. <br /> PARKS (Jan Youngquist, 651-602-1029) <br /> The comprehensive plan update is incomplete for regional park review purposes. Lands <br /> within the regional parks system need to be guided with a future land use of"Park, <br /> Recreational and Open Space" and regional parks and trails need to be appropriately <br />