01-20-2009 Planning Commission Packet

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f f #09-3393 875 Wayzata Boulevard January 14,2009 Page 5 "To more closely approach the development density goals established by Metropolitan • Council, Orono has defined certain areas of the City where conversion from planned Rural densities to planned Urban densities is appropriate. These are areas where - p"rovision of urban services can be efficient, cost-effective, and have the least negative � � impacts on the City's environmental goals and on surrounding development. In defining � where these newly-defined urban areas should be located, the City considered the following criteria: 1. Proximity to existing higher density development; . 2. Proximity to existing municipal sewer lines with available capacity; 3. Proximity tio existing urban services; 4. Adjacent to existing transportation corridors; .. 5. Located high in the watershed to limit stormwater impacts. Based on these criteria a number of properties have been identified for change from low � density residential to medium density residential uses in Orono's Land Use Plan. These properties are identified later in this section." � 2007 CMP Amendment. The applicanYs properEy was not among those identified for such a . � change in the 2000-2020 CMP, but it was the subject of a CMP Amendment in 2007. The .� Planning Commission and Council took into consideration the Land L�se Goals, General Land Use Policies, Urban Land Use Policies, and Rural Land Use Policies on pages 3B-14 thru 3B-23 of the 2000-2020 CMP in reaching their conclusions in 2007. Two key elements of those goals .and policies are General Land Use Policies 13 and 14, where it is notecl that development must benefit the community and the environment: 13. Future development must enhance the community. Land devslopment should respect and °• � enhance neighboring properties and existing developed character of the neighborhood and the � City,preserving the value of the land and the integrity, stability and beauty of the community. 14. Future development must enhance the environment. Land development should respect and enhance the unique natural features of the site and the general environmental assets of the community. Preservation of natural views, vegetation, drainage and general respect for unique site features always produces more aesthetic results and lasting value for the property owner and � . the community than does wholesale alteration of the landscape or mathematical division to the highest possible density. Additionally; Urban Land Use Policy No. 9 and Rural Land Use Policy No. 4 provide an � indication that conversion of lands from Rural to Urban is not part of the City's long-term plan: 9. The existing urban area will not be expanded. Orono's Community Management Plan is not a staged growth plan. The urban service area will not be expanded into the defined rural area and urban services and'facilities will not be extended into the rural area for purposes of fostering or allowing increased development density in those areas."