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CR 99-216 Comprehensive Plan c\ T Y Or:: - December IS, 1999 HOPKINS Council Report 99-216 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ProDosed Action. Staff recommends the following motion: Move to approve the Comprehensive Plan and forward the Plan to the Metropolitan Council for approval. Overview. The Metropolitan Land Planning Act requires local government in the seven-county metropolitan area to develop comprehensive plans. The City ofHopldns did update the Comprehensive Plan in 1990; however, other cities in the metro area have very obsolete plans, which have not been updated for 20 years. The Met Council reviews the comprehensive plans of local government units to determine the following: · Conformity with metro system plans · Consistency with other adopted plans of the Council . Compatibility with each other The Metropolitan Land Planning Act was amended in 1995 to include a requirement for decennial review of local plans to ensure that local fiscal devices and local controls are consistent with the plan, and respond to recent changes in the regional system plans. No zoning ordinance, fiscal device or other official control can be passed by a local unit of government that is in conflict with the local comprehensive plan. Attached is the updated Hopkins Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission has reviewed and approved the Plan and forwarded it to the City Council. No one appeared at the public hearing to provide comments on the Comprehensive Plan. There is ~ome proofing, formatting and fine tuning that need to be completed, but the subject matter in the document will remain the same. Primary Issues to Consider. · What are some of the policies of the Comprehensive Plan? SUDDortim! Documents. · Comprehensive Plan ~.Ml1rl~AOO\. Nancy . Anderson, AICP Planner CR99-216 Page 2 What are some or the policies or the Comprehensive Plan? The following are some of the policies of the Comprehensive Plan: Residential NeiS!hborhood Policies The City will work to protect the integrity and long-term viability of its low-density residential neighborhoods and strive to reduce the potential negative effect of nearby commercial or industrial land development through zoning. site plan review. and code enforcement. The City will work to provide an overall mixture of residential land use in the City. The City will work to correct the disproportional amount of multiple family land uses within the City. The City will examine the existing Zoning Code in order to determine if more flexibility is required for provisions regulating residential properties. Downtown Policies The City will work with Downtown landowners and merchants to improve parking. access appearance. and land use pattern. The Downtown will be kept in a compact arrangement in order to increase its commercial function and also to protect adjacent residential area. Expansion of the commercial area will generally be limited to areas that do not displace single family housing. On a limited basis. as noted in the Plan, the City will allow the conversion of older. single-family homes in Downtown Hopkins to attached. owner-occupied housing. Indust" and Business Policies The City will continue to actively promote the development and redevelopment of its industrial areas through marketing and public relations efforts, land use planning, and careful financial incentives. including tax increment financing. Industrial zoning will be expanded only where and when it would not have a detrimental effect on a nearby residential neighborhood. When commercial property abuts residential property. extensive landscaping, fencing and/or berming should be used to protect the housing. CR99-216 Page 3 Community Structure Policies The City will protect the long-term viability of its greatest asset-its residential neighborhoods-through zoning, land use planning, rehabilitation assistance, traffic engineering, parks improvements, and replacement and infilling with compatible housing styles. Alternatives. I. Recommend approval of the Comprehensive Plan. By recommending approval of the Comprehensive Plan, the Plan will be forwarded to the Metropolitan Council for review and approval. 2. Continue for further information. If the City Council indicates that further information is needed, the item should be continued. However the Plan will be submitted to the Met Council by December 31.