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City Council Minutes 11-28-2007 Jt Council/Planning Minutes JtCounciliPlanningMinule" 11128/07 MINUTES JOINT MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL A.I'lD MONTICELLO PLANNI:"IG COMMISSION \Vcdnesday November 28, 2007 - 6 p.Ol. Members Present: Council: Clint Herbst, Wayne Mayer, Tom Perrault, Brian Stumpf and Susie Wojchouski. Planning Commission: Rod Dragsten, Charlotte Gabler, Lloyd Hilgart, William Spartz and Barry Voight. Members Absent: None 1. Call to Order. The special meeting began al 6 p.m. with Rusty Fifield of Hoisington, Koegler explaining general concepts behind the development of the comprehensive plan. The purpose of the meeting was to obtain feedback on the draft plan and to make sure the Council and Planning Commission are in agreement when this plan goes to the public. Rusty Fifield reviewed the process followed for drafting thc comprehensive plan and emphasized that it is a new plan rather than an updated plan. He talked about the changes in the plan structure between the 1997 plan and the current plan. The 1997 plan was broken into four chapters: 1) 1nventory; 2) Goals and Policies; and 3) Development Framework. The new plan has a few more chapters with the poli<.ies being contained within the chapter rather than in a stand alone chapter. The chapters in the new plan are: I) Planning Framework; 2) Community Context; 3) Land Use; 4) Parks and 5) Economic Development. There is more emphasis on issues such as parking, economic development and transportation. The new plan gives more flexibility to deal with changing developmenttrcnds. A key policy is managing growth. In talking about housing it was noted that the residential growth should occur to the west along School Boulevard into the YMCA area. Rusty Fifield stated the Fallon Avenue bridge is lntical to this residential push and is needed for transportation and infrastructure purposes. On indu.strialland there is more emphasis on the bio-medical and technology type industries. Rusty Fifield noted three critical arcas: I) Expansion of the existing industrial park; 2) development south along TH 25 and 3) the northwest quarter area would be contingent on the westerly interchange being constructed. In the downtown area the TH 25iCSAH 75 junction is critical because il moves traffic through the area. Rusty Fifield also talked about the Community Greenway which will be created as developmentoeeurs In talking about parks, the focus is on the YMCA being a regional park A regional park will rcquirc a good amount of future park dedication fees to be used formainte nanceand development of the park. He also emphasized continuing the sidewalk and trail system beeauseitmakesforaconnectedcommunity. 1 Jt COUllciliPlalUliug Minutc.: 11/28/07 Economic development is important for I) Creatingjobs; 2) Diversifying the tax base; 3) Attracting bio-medical and technology business and 4) Enhancing the downtown area. Rusty Fifield then opened it up for questions. Brian Stumpf disagreed with the layolJt of downtown. He felt the boundaries should be expanded to the east to the Target!Hospital. SusieWojehouski agreed with Btian that dO....'11town doesn't feel like aresid cntialarea anymore. Clint Herbst felt the residential area downtown is needed to support what is currently the downtown and didn't feel the downtown commercial limits should be expanded. Brian Stwnpf felt for long toon planning this area should be opened up for future development. Wayne Mayer said he could see an extension to the east some time in the future. Rusty Fifield felt the City should be specific in their plans for the downtown. Susie Wojchouski said one problem with the original downtown plan was that they never had a good idea as faras traffie eounts. She did not feel there was enough consideration given to the TH 25/CSAH 75 intersection. It's a different kind ofto\\'11 because TH 25 bisects the city. Susie Wojchouski suggested looking at East and West Broadway as two different units. She felt the traditional downtown will be to the west ofTH 25. Jeff O'Neill stated that WSB had identified Broadway, 7'h Street and 4th Street as possible roundabOldlocations. WSB will be presenting this plan to the Council at a later date. Clint Herbst suggested a land use change fur a portion of the Chadwick property which is currently zoned B-4. Rusty Fifield had it zoned as industrial as he felt it was atoo far out for commerdal. Tom Perrault said there is an agreement relating to the interchange that requires Fallon Avenue to be constructed. Fallon Avenue is essential to taking traffic off ofTH 25. There was discussion whether the Fallon Avenue improvement plan is tied to the extension of utilities. Bruce Westby said when there is development, the City would extend utilities and at that time the Fallon Avenue improvement could take place. BarryVoightnOledtheplansaidtherewillre~isionsofthezoningordinancebutitdoesn't specify how the zoning ordinance should be changed. He felt there was too much flexibility and he would like to see more specific recommendations. Brian Stumpf said it is fine to designate some residential areas and put them in the comp land but he questioned how detailed about the housing the plan should be. Rusty Fifield pointed out that the comp plan does not want to encourage residential development to the wcst until the westerly interchange is built. Susie Wojchouski noted the plan contained demographic information from the 2000 census which she felt to be outdated. RlJsty Fifield explained that this was the most current information they could get. There was discussion on whether to designate certain areas until it is known where the westerly interceptor will be located. Wayne Mayer suggested those areas that are subject to change should be in a different color rather than designating it commercial or industrial. Rusty Fifieid felt when it has been determined where the interchange is going the City will want more detailed land use studies to be done. Susie Wojchouski felt economic development was more important than parks and should come before parks in the comp plan. Tom Perrault noted they expanded the industrial parkland into area that was previously residential. Rusty Fificld said it felt iogical to extend into that area because the land was there. Rust y Fifieid, before the cnd of the year, wants to 2 JtCouTIcil/PlaTIningMiTIU\e"lli28!07 reach an agreement Oil what should be in the plan that both the Planning Commission and Council can be comfortable with. JeffO'Ncill questioned whether the comp plan should be delayed until the transportation plan is brought up to date. Tftherearethin gs in the updated transportation plan to make Council re-think the land use plan, then Council should proceed with making the changes. Susie Wojchouski asked who owns the greenway. Rusty Fifield responded that they are generally public but there could also be private owners. Susie asked about the statement in the comp plan about housing in the downtown and the recommendation of housing 0 n top of commercial use. Rusty Fifield said corrunercial land is too valuablc for use as residcntial and therefore the housing should beon top of the oommercial Clint Herbst and Susie Wojchouski will not be present at the next oomp plan meeting seheduledforDecemberI2,2007. VQ>....;.;y'. ~----'-'-'-:,~~ RecordingSecrctary . ]