6.b Comments submitted for Comprehensive Plan Hearing4-24-18
SCANDIA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Christine Maefsky
COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/SUGGESTIONS/CONCERNS/EDITS
I. INTRODUCTION
B. 1. Vision Statement
Maintain and promote the City's cultural character and history
Scandia includes several historical structures. The Gammelgarden museum in the Village
Center attracts people to learn about Minnesota history and Swedish immigration to
Minnesota. Rural buildings and sites endowed with Scandia's history and identity are
preserved or incorporated into development and redevelopment while protecting their historic integrity, and
family farms can still be found within the City.
p.3
Transportation
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As new development or redevelopment occurs, provide an integrated, internally- connected, efficient street
system connecting village and higher density neighborhoods to the Village Center.
NOTE: IF WE EXPAND THE VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD AREA TOO FAR, ALLOWING HIGHER
DENSITY DISTANT FROM THE PRESENT VILLAGE CENTER, AND DEVELOPMENT FIRST
OCCURS ON THE OUTER EDGES, THIS GOAL WILL BE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH.
IBM
Background/History of the Community
History of the City
USING WCHS INFORMATION, I'M SUBMITTING A MORE INCLUSIVE DESCRIPTION THAT
INCORPORATES HISTORY FROM THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE CITY.
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An interactive website was developed and remained active from January 2017 to December 2018.
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Residents could view the previous 2030 land use plan and stay informed about all public meetings and events
regarding the comprehensive plan. All material from steering committees, ADD "planning commission
discussions", and open houses were provided online.
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A steering committee was formed to inform the overall comprehensive process, engage traditionally
underrepresented communities*, and guide policy goals and recommendations. The committee was comprised
of key community leaders from public, private, and government spheres. The committee met three
times throughout the comprehensive planning process and appr-eved of the „'a„ submitted to the City Goo
and the Metropolitan Council. * *
*WHO WERE THE TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES?
**UNLESS THERE IS A PLAN FOR THE COMMITTEE TO RECONVENE TO APPROVE THE PLAN,
THIS LAST STATEMENT SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT.
p.7
Goal:
Ensure a variety of lot sizes to create affordable development opportunities to best meet the needs of residents
and businesses in Scandia.
Objectives:
• *
• Ensure suitable land is available for potential commercial and industrial employment and business
opportunities.
*AS THAT STATEMENT SEEMS TO APPLY TO ALL DISTRICTS, IT CAN BE SEEN AS
CONTRADICTORY AND CONFUSING.
p.7
Goal: Ensufe agr4eultufal uses afe part of the eenununivy as a viable long term land use.
Protect and encourage agricultural production to ensure it is a part of the community as a viable long-term
land use.*
*THIS WORDING ABOVE IN GREEN FROM A PREVIOUS DRAFT IS STRONGER AND I THINK
MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY WISHES.
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Goal: Allow for the safe and orderly extraction of aggregate resources now and in the future while protecting
sensitive resources on or near those properties and providing for transitions to other uses when resource
extraction is complete.
Objectives:
•Implement performance standards for the management of existing mining operations in order to minimize or
prevent negative impacts to resources and nearby land uses.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO BAN OR OTHERWISE LIMIT FRAC MINING? IF SO, CAN WE PUT IN A
STATEMENT TO THAT EFFECT?
P. 10
DOES THE RURAL CENTER AREA ENCOMPASS THE VN, VMUA, VMUB AREAS THROUGH
EXPANSION? IF SO, THIS SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR.
THIS MAP NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY SHOWN WITH STREETS — IT IS TOO VAGUE AS PRESENTED.
Rural Centers are local commercial, employment, and residential activity centers serving rural areas in the
region. Proposed Rural Centers in Scandia are surrounded by agricultural lands and serve as centers of
commerce to surrounding farmlands and the accompanying population. Rural Centers are expected to plan for
forecasted population and household growth at average densities of at least 3 - 5 units per acre for new
development and redevelopment. In addition, Rural Centers should strive for higher density commercial uses
and compatible higher density residential land uses in the commercial core of the community to ensure
efficient uses of existing infrastructure investments.
DOES THIS MEAN THAT ALL DEVELOPMENT IN THE RURAL CENTER AREA MUST BE AT
LEAST 3-5 UNITS PER ACRE? OR, HOW IS AVERAGE DENSITY DETERMINED?
p.13
Housing Tenure
A COMMENT — IN THIS TIME OF GENERAL HIGH MOBILITY, THE FACT THAT SCANDIA HAS
HIGH PROPOTIONS OF RESIDENTS LIVING IN THEIR HOMES FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME IS
SOMETHING WE SHOULD CAPITALIZE ON AND CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE BY KEEPING
THOSE ASPECTS OF SCANDIA THAT HAVE MADE THEM WANT TO CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE.
TABLE II -H Existing Net Residential Density
WHERE ARE THE EXISTING 30 MULTI -FAMILY NUMBER OF UNITS?
TABLE II -I
...The Rural Commercial District, Village Mixed Use B District, and Industrial Park District all allow a
maximum lot coverage of 65%.
IN THE TEXT BELOW TABLE II -I, RURAL COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PARK ARE
MENTIONED. SHOULD THEY NOT THEREFORE ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE TABLE?
p.19
TABLE II -J
WHY ARE THERE SUCH DIFFERENCES AND SOME DISCREPANCIES IN TABLES II -J AND II -G?
IT SEEMS, IN ORDER TO COMPARE THEM THEY SHOULD BE SIMILAR IN CATEGORIES OR
ELSE HAVE THE DIFFERENCES EXPLAINED.
e.g.
COMPARING TO TABLE II -G:
- ARE "MINING" AND "EXTRACTIVE" SYNONYMS?
- WHY IS THERE SUCH A JUMP FROM PRESENT (197) TO FUTURE (443)?
II -J — NO MENTION OF INDUSTRIAL
AND SEVERAL OTHER MISSING CATEGORIES.
THE CONFUSION MAY BE A MATTER OF LACK OF CONSISTENT TERMINOLOGY.
p.23
TABLE II -K — WHERE IS INDUSTRIAL? IS IT INCLUDED IN VMU?
TABLE II -L — THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON THE LARGE EXPANSION OF THE VN DISTRICT
WEST ALONG HWY 97 AS PROPOSED ELSEWHERE.
p.24
PERHAPS VMU SHOULD BE EXPANDED WITHIN THE RURAL CENTER? = THIS COULD SERVE
TO CONCENTRATE DENSER DEVELOPMENT CLOSER TO THE EXISTING VNNMU A AND B.
PERHAPS MULTI -FAMILY SHOULD BE ALLOWED ONLY IN VMU?
p.24
d. Village Neighborhood
The primary land use for the Village Neighborhood Areas will be small -lot, single-family residential uses.
Public and private institutions, civic buildings, and parks and recreation uses will also be allowed.
Townhomes and multi -family units will be allowed as an incentive for providing community value through
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agricultural land protection, life cycle housing, or natural resource protection. A community sewer system or
connection to the regional sewer system* may be necessary** in order to allow for lot sizes similar to existing
village lots.** * By concentrating development in the Village Neighborhood Area, the City of Scandia hopes
to protect agricultural and natural resource areas from development pressure.
* IS CONNECTION TO THE REGIONAL SEWER SYSTEM IN ANY MET COUNCIL OR LGU PLANS
FOR THE TIME PERIOD OF THE 2040 COMP PLAN? IF NOT, WHY IS THIS MENTIONED AS AN
ALTERNATIVE?
** WHEN WOULD THEY NOT BE NECESSARY?
*** IF WE EXPAND THE VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD AREA TOO FAR, ALLOWING LOT SIZES
SIMILAR TO EXISTING VILLAGE LOTS, AND DEVELOPMENT FIRST OCCURS ON THE OUTER
EDGES, THIS WILL NOT BE AN ORDERLY EXPANSION OF THE VILLAGE CENTER.
p.25
St. Croix River Corridor Area
The St. Croix River Corridor Area recognizes the unique historical and natural resource aspects of the
floodplain and bluffs of the shoreland area of the St. Croix River. This area includes historic crossroad and
resort communities* , parkland
*WHERE ARE THERE RESORT COMMUNITIES IN THE ST. CROIX RIVER CORRIDOR?
p.25
Mining
The Mining Area includes areas in the City of Scandia with active, permitted mining operations....
AGAIN, IS IT POSSIBLE TO BAN OR LIMIT FRAC MINING?
p.26
RESIDENTIAL:
SHOULD THERE BE MENTION OF THE DENSITY BONUSES AVAILABLE IN THE AG CORE AND
GENERAL RURAL FOR OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION SUBDIVISIONS?
UNDER LAND USE DESCRIPTIONS STARTING ON P. 24, WHY WAS THE LAKESHORE
CONSERVATION OVERLAY ELIMINATED? IN A PRIOR DRAFT IT WAS JUST BEFORE DENSITY
CALCULATIONS
p.27
TABLE II -M
CAN THIS BE BETTER LABELED TO REFLECT THESE NUMBERS ARE ADDED UNITS NOT
TOTAL UNITS? IT IS A BIT CONFUSING.
The City of Scandia will assess market conditions and land capacity to determine when the next staging area
will be opened for development.* The staging plan cannot force development to occur, but can be used as a
tool to guide development appropriately. While there are legitimate reasons why cities should stage and time
growth in an orderly and contiguous manner, there is nothing about adopting a staged growth plan that forces
and private property owner to sell their land before they wish to do so.
*WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? CAN THE CITY NOT ALLOW GROWTH IN CERTAIN AREAS OF A
DISTRICT EVEN THOUGH THE DENSITY PROPOSED IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT PERMITTED?
E.G. IN VN
p.28
TABLE II -O
THIS TABLE COULD BE BETTER LABELED TO REFLECT IT MEANS THE # OF ADDITIONAL
DWELLING UNITS ADDED EACH 10 YEARS.
p.29
Improve designated physical access to the St. Croix River corridor and other important or high quality natural
areas where public lands may provide access opportunities. ADD "while preserving natural and historic
integrity."
p.30
AGGREGATE RESOURCES
INTERESTING, BUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING? WHERE ARE
THE DEPOSITS?
pp. 30
REFERENCED FIGURE II -G ADD "p.17."
p.31
The Village Center is architecturally diverse with a variety of early 20th-een4i century commercial building
types, the b.,,.,, like muset ffl the 1850's Swedish Farmhouse style museum * and its outbuildings, and the
Gothic Revival style of the church, built in 1931.
* THIS IS THE WORDING GAMMELGARDEN USES TO DESCRIBE THE BUILDING
p.37
Scandia is currently a Step 1 City.
AREN'T WE A STEP 2 CITY? OR, WON'T WE BE BEFORE THIS PLAN IS PUBLISHED?
p.38
Minnesota Statutes §473.859 Subd. 1 states local comprehensive plans "shall contain objectives, policies,
standards, and programs to guide... redevelopment and preservation for all lands and waters within the
jurisdiction of the local governmental unit." This comprehensive plan will address this requirement through
the implementation chapter at the end of the plan.
WHAT DOES THIS STATEMENT HAVE TO DO WITH ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS?
c) Promote new businesses small businesses appropriate for the size of the town * that create synergy with
existing businesses and overarching goals.
* THE STATEMENT AS WRITTEN IN RED IS DIRECTLY FROM THE SURVEY WHERE IT WAS THE
HIGHEST MENTIONED BUSINESS DESIRED.
p.40
FIGURE V -B
WHY ISN'T AGRICULTURE MENTIONED? PERHAPS COULD BE NOTED THAT AGRICULTURE IS
INCLUDED IN THE "ALL OTHER" DESIGNATION.
p.42
HOUSING
Goal:
Support a variety of housing types and densities for residential uses in and surrounding the Village Center and
other- areas where appropriate. *
* SUCH AS? DOESN'T THIS UNNECESSARILY OPEN A CAN OF WORMS AND, AFTER WORKING
SO CAREFULLY TO STAGE GROWTH, POTENTIALLY THREATEN STAGING AND OPEN -SPACE?
PERHAPS AT THE VERY LEAST, CHANGE "APPROPRIATE" TO "ALLOWED".
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pp. 42-42
Goal:
Encourage a range of housing choices that fit with the character of the community
Objectives:
• Review current development ordinance for districts to allow smaller lot sizes or higher densities while
respecting the rural character and land uses.
WHAT DISTRICTS? AGAIN, WHILE THIS PLAN WORKS TO STAGE DENSITY, THIS STATEMENT
SEEMS TO OPEN UP GREATER DENSITY CITYWIDE. A POTENTIAL PROBLEM.
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"the current homeownership rate in Scandia is estimated to be the lowest rate the city has seen in 25 years."
BASED ON THE NUMBERS ON FIGURE VI -D, THIS STATEMENT SEEMS UNNECESSARILY
ALARMIST. CURRENT HOME OWNERSHIP IS STILL OVER 90 PERCENT VS. 94 PERCENT 25
YEARS AGO. THAT SEEMS HARDLY SIGNIFICANT TO ME.
p.51
TABLE VI -F
ADU ORDINANCE — SEQUENCE OF USE —
"DEVELOP AN ORDINANCE" IS THE INCORRECT WORDING. WE ALREADY HAVE SUCH AN
ORDINANCE.
Thanks for your continued good work on this plan.
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