Planning Commission Meeting Date: March 21, 2024
To: Members of the Planning Commission
From: Jake Reilly, Community Development Director
Title
Staff Updates.
Body
Action Requested:
The Planning Commission is asked to hear updates from staff.
Summary Report:
1. Comprehensive Plan - Staff will provide a verbal update on the status of the Comprehensive Plan process. Due to unforeseen circumstances, a written report will not be available until after the March 21, 2024 meeting. Planning Commissioners will receive the written report as soon as it is available. It will also be posted on the Comprehensive Plan website.
2. Kraewood Development - If Commissioners hear concerns about the leasing of 30 apartments in the new Kraewood Flats apartment building by Saint Olaf College, they can provide the following facts: The apartment building is expected to be open for occupancy May 1, 2024. Starting in fall 2024, Saint Olaf has leased 30 units in the 106-unit apartment building. This is a private arrangement between two private business entities. The arrangement is to provide housing for students while the connected pair of dormitories known as “Hill-Kitt” are renovated during the 2024-2025 academic year. Arrangements have been made in on-campus housing to increase the per-student occupancy when possible, thereby limiting the number of students who will have to be housed off campus. The housing option is clearly identified and described on the Saint Olaf website (hyperlink included). The apartment itself has 106 units with identical finishes. The Development Agreement and TIF agreement state that 40 percent of the units must be rented to families at or below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI). The college is not able to lease units for the income-restricted rate, therefore there are and will always be approximately 42 income-qualified families/individuals living in the building, in addition to the families/individuals leasing the remaining 64 units at market rate. There will therefore be approximately 34 units available to individuals/families who are not income restricted during the academic year in which Saint Olaf students are living at Kraewood. Saint Olaf’s agreement is for five studios (for double occupancy); 15 one-bedroom units (for at least triple occupancy); and 10 two-bedroom units (for at least quad occupancy).
3. Southbridge HRA-owned property - The Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) entered into a memorandum of understanding with Northcountry Cooperative Foundation (NCF) in November, 2023 in order for NCF to complete due diligence items associated with a potential single-family home development proposed to be built on remaining land in the Southbridge neighborhood. More than 100 people attended the community meeting in the Southbridge neighborhood, at the High School’s Lower Cafeteria, on Thursday, February 29, 2024.
4. Bridge Square - The Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold a work session prior to the April 6 regular meeting of the HPC to discuss the decision-making process associated with the Certificate of Appropriateness for the Bridge Square improvement project, in order to facilitate the conversation when the application is before that commission. That application must include 90% complete construction and design plans in order for the full review of the HPC and is anticipated before the end of the year.
5. The City has updated the Construction and Development Projects site with more information, see hyperlink in attachments.
6. Educational Resources - Resources and information available on planning and related topics are listed below. Feel free to share articles, podcasts, books, etc.
a) The League of MN Cities (website attached as a hyperlink) has a variety of documents and guides, which explain all types of planning related processes.
b) Several webinars are available for viewing (websites attached as a hyperlink):
i) American Planning Association
ii) Center for New Urbanism
iii) Smart Growth
iv) Urban Land Institute
v) MN Dept. of Natural Resources
7. City Council upcoming agenda items list is attached for reference.
8. The State of the City Address was March 19, 2024 at Kracum Hall Weitz Center at Carleton College.
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Tentative Timeline:
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