5. Staff Report-ScandiaPCDensity4 1 14
Memorandum
To: Scandia Planning
Commission
Reference: 4 per 40 Dwelling Unit Density
Continuing Discussion
Copies To: Kristina Handt, City
Administrator
Brenda Eklund, Clerk
Project No.: 15486.000
From: Sherri Buss, RLA AICP,
Planner
Routing:
Date: March 26, 2014
Background
The Planning Commission discussed the City’s goals and ordinance requirements for density in
the Ag Core and General Rural Districts at the January meeting. The Commission reviewed the
Comprehensive Plan goals and Metro Council requirements.
The Metropolitan Council policies for the rural areas, the City’s Comprehensive Plan, and
Development Code are specific in calling for a maximum density of 4 dwelling units per 40 acres
in the Agricultural Core and General Rural Districts. However, Chair Maefsky summarized
discussions during the Comprehensive Plan development that indicated that the City’s intent of
the 4 per 40 language was not meant to allow landowners to divide their land into multiple 2-5
acre dwelling sites that if developed, would violate the density standard.
The Commission requested that the staff provide
1) Revised ordinance language that would clarify that the density standard means 4
buildable lots per 40, not 4 dwelling units per 40.
2) Language that could be added to the ordinance or adopted as City policy to clarify
the density requirement.
Items for Discussion on April 1
The Planner provided some draft language for the Planning Commission to consider in the
attachment to this memo.
The Code sections for the Agriculture District and General Rural District could be revised
as shown to indicated that the Density requirement is a maximum of “4 buildable lots per
40 acres (original quarter-quarter section).” The language could also read “4 dwelling
units and 4 buildable lots per 40 acres” if the City wants to reflect the Metro Council
requirement in the Code.
Scandia Planning Commission
4 per 40 Dwelling Unit Density Page 2 April 1, 2014
Some draft text is included for Chapter 2, Section 3.0 that discusses the density
requirement. This could be included in the ordinance, or could be adopted as policy, but
it would be better to include it in the Code.
The density language in the code was created to allow for the variable lot sizes allowed in the
AG C District, while maintaining the overall density of 4 per 40 acres. Other communities in
Washington County use lot averaging to provide flexibility, with less complexity. A final option
for consideration is to consider changing the language that allows the variable lot sizes in the
AG C District, and instead allowing lot averaging (described in the Development Code in
Chapter 2, Section 5.1) in both the AG C and GR Districts, with a minimum lot size of 2 acres in
both districts. The Commission could review subdivisions that have been created in the AG C
and GR Districts since the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, and determine if the flexibility in
lot sizes in the AG C District is being used as envisioned during the Comprehensive Plan
discussions about the district. The Planning Commission could discuss this issue now, or
during development of the next Comprehensive Plan.