Abby Nadeau
Staff Writer

According to the proposed zoning ordinance amendments, residential developers will have to jump through a few more hoops before the city will approve a Planned Unit Development.

During Monday nightís city council meeting Community Development Director Doug Borglund brought the proposed amendments to the city for consideration.

One of the biggest changes to the ordinance was that the minimum requirement of area for a residential PUD changed from three acres to 10.

Land less than 10 acres ìmay qualify only if the applicant can show that the minimum lot area requirement should be waived because a PUD is in the public interest...î

In order to be approved by the city for a PUD less than 10 acres, the developer must also show that two other conditions exist.

One is that ìunusual physical featuresî exist that would ìnot be appropriate in order to conserve a physical terrain feature of importance to the neighborhood or community.î

The other condition would be that the property is ìadjacent or across the street from a development that has been developed under the provisionsî and is ìwilling to contribute to the amenities of the neighborhood.î

Borglund explained that the planning commission wanted to find a way to ìget something backî from the developer.

ìWe want to see trade-offs that benefit the public,î Borglund said. ìThe discussion the planning commission had was that we were allowing these PUDs but we werenít getting anything back. They felt a minimum requirement would provide benefits like parks and trails for the public.î

Council member Rick Ashbach felt the acreage amount would ìraise the standard.î

ìWe are telling developers this is what we would like back,î Ashbach said.

Young had a different opinion of the increased acreage.

ìIím not comfortable with 10 acreage minimum,î she said. ìI think it is unreasonable, looking at the whole city. I think the 10 acres is something we are not going to be able to support in the future.î

Young suggested adding a third condition, which would ìprovide additional amenities and benefits to the city.î

In a move to compromise, Ashbach offered lowering the acreage to 7.5, which seemed to appeal to Young.

The council decided to approve the amended zoning ordinance, with an added third condition concerning ìbenefitsî and a change in acreage from 10 to 7.5.

City Attorney Dave Hebert will bring back the amended ordinance in correct form to the next city council meeting.

During the Open Forum portion of the meeting, Forest Lake resident James Heck questioned the move to extend the minimum acreage.

ìI found it interesting the changes in the zoning ordinance,î Heck said. ìThe proposed PUD acreage would further prevent another development like Duffy Development to gain a PUD in the city.î

Other Business

Dan Schuelender, from Bonestroo Engineers, brought the council the construction plans for the Headwaters 1st Addition.

The council approved construction plans and authorized private bidding on Headwaters 1st Addition.

The city adopted the new airport ordinance that now only allows Forest Lake residents to serve on the airport commission.

Tuesday, May 16, Washington County will hold a roundabout open house at Century Junior High School from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

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Forest Lake Times
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880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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