4.c) Density Discussion C Maefsky's NOTESChristine Maefsky (CM) Notes
Christine Maefsky, 1/29/14
The notes below and the accompanying excerpts from the Scandia Comprehensive Plan and the Scandia
Development Code, are meant to facilitate the Planning Commission discussion related to Scandia’s density
policy and development issues. The current language related to “density”, “buildable lots”, “dwelling units”
and “units”, and various ways of interpretation invite confusion and misunderstanding among Scandia
citizens and potential problems of compliance with the Comprehensive Plan, the Development Code and the
Metro Council.
I.
1998 Comp Plan, in relation to density referred to 4 “Units per 40”; did not define “Unit”.
“Unit” was interpreted to mean “lots”.
II.
In 2008 Comp Plan, in relation to density, referred to “dwelling units” as “units” (p.197 et al.)
In 2008 Comp Plan, there are no definitions for
o Buildable lot
o Dwelling Unit
o Unit
In 2008 Comp Plan, it seems the term “dwelling unit” = “buildable lot”.
III.
In Current Development Code , Administration Section 4. Rules and Definitions, there is no
definition for
o Buildable Lot (there is for “Buildable Land” but that is for a different intent and purpose e.g.
drainage, slope, setbacks etc. - as well as for “Lot, Buildable” but that again is for a different
intent and purpose “a lot that meets or exceeds all requirements of the City of Scandia
Development Code without the necessity of variances.”)
o Unit
In Current Development Code, the definition for
o Dwelling Unit is not particularly helpful for this discussion, except that it means single family
unit – “A residential accommodation including complete kitchen and bathroom facilities,
permanently installed, which is arranged, designed, used or intended for use exclusively as living
quarters for one family.”
The concepts and meanings of “density”, “dwelling unit”, “unit”, “buildable lot”, seem to be thought
through and defined only when applied to “building developments”, “building projects”, “Open Space
Conservation Subdivisions” or platting parcels, not as they would apply to individuals dividing off their
land piece by piece. This oversight invites confusion, misunderstanding and potential problems of
compliance with the Comprehensive Plan, the Development Code and the Metro Council.
o E.g. OSCS applicants are required to submit “Number and type of housing units proposed, the
number and size of lots, and a calculation of the proposed OSCS density.” (CM Note:
overarching density w/o bonuses being 4 per 40)
o (CM *** )E.g. OSCS requirement “Yield Plan: The applicant shall submit a “yield plan,”
showing the maximum number of dwelling units that would be permitted given the minimum lot
size and lot widths for conventional subdivisions and other requirements of the development
code and subdivision regulations, as described in Chapter 2, Section 5.1. (CM i.e. density at
4 per 40).
In Current Development Code, Chapter 3 Subdivision Regulations
o “dwelling unit” mentioned only twice and not in a way that adds to the issues under discussion.
IV.
How would adding definitions in the Comp Plan Glossary and/or the Development Code Definitions
clarify these issues? For example, Dwelling Unit = Buildable Lot