03-18-1985 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minneapolis Star and Tribune Thursday March 7/1985 1Y lie zoning, baffle citizens h r -■3S' kuM V =„• ^d. Changes In the Coon Rapids comprehensive plan in effect rezoned t a nonconforming use, which restricts changes an J repairs. their zonin|i> orrllnances with com prehensive* plans. Mel ropoli tail ('ouncil officials have warned local officials that they run the risk of lawsuits If they don't. To avoid such problems. Plymouth officials spent hours in staff time and local hearing last year resolv ing differences between their zonir^g ordinances and comprehensive plan, said comprehensive-planning direc tor Blair Trernere Coon Rapids started just such an effort in 1^82, but got sidetracked by other development issues. Then late List year, when interest ratf*s dropped on lax^*xempl multi- family housing bonds, the city was flooded with developers’ proposiils to build apartment buildings .Among (hern wa.-» Nedegaard (.‘onstrui lion s M mm mm proposiil fnr two apartment buildings next to R.ismuxsen’s property. Rasmussen first learned of the plans in December, when the Planning (V»mrniss!on was considering a final site plan approval for the project. He and his neighbors argueii that the city should have rezoned the Nede* giiard land from low to high der. aty, which would have required earlier notices to affected residents, hear ings on the request and City Council action. Coon Rapids city officials dis-igree, hut they agr**ej to go through the re/i»ning prixess for the apartment development next to Rasmu.csen. Hut that might put the city in a a‘au h 22*’ situation. Starr and This tle s-iid Because ate pLins have al- r»*adv Vieen approved for the project. :he city is legally obligated to ap prove the rezoning. Starr told Coon Rapids City Council members. If It doesn't, the ciry may find itself in litigation with the developer, said It may he harder to change the zon ing than If w:is to make the compre hensive plan It lakes a simple ma jority of the city's five-member coun cil to adopt or change the plan, but it takes four votes to change zoning • With Council M»^mbe^ Carolyn Voss already opposed to the rezoning, Rasmussen and his neighbors need only one more council member’s vote to defeat the proposal Voss said she believes that the resi dents were denied due process be cause the city relied on its compre hensive plan instead of proposing to rczone several properties in the area from low- to hl^-dcnslty residential. "Some of those people have built hou^ies .since we adopted our plan showing the high-dcnslly designa tion." she siild, "but the zoning maps they picked up at City Hall showed that land as zoned for single- family homes, so they really feel milled." .As a result of its experience with the Nedegaard project, said Thistle. Coon Rapids will redouble its efforts to reconcile its zoning and compre hensive plan Starr said Coon Rapids also IS warning people requesting zoning maps to consult the city’s comprehensive plan as well To prevent such battles, the .Associa tion of Metropolitan Municipalities and member cities such as Plymouth are pushing for a state law requiring the same twothlrds majority vote for comprehensive plan changes and re- zonings, according to AMM execu tive director, Vern Peterson, Ironically. Coon Rapids officials who suggested that the association pro- p<ise such a change In state law two years ago now fear it may do them more harm than good The problem I see Is that you might not gel four votes for either ... There's a potential for stalemate/* Thistle said.