HomeMy Public PortalAboutChapter 5 Land Use and Growth-12-23-2016Chapter 5: LAND USE & GROWTH
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Introduction
Medina has significant natural resources,
high-quality neighborhoods and areas for commercial and retail development. The City’s extensive wetlands and limited infrastructure availability together with past community planning
have contributed to its rural character. The metropolitan area is a high growth area. Medina’s rural charm makes it an attractive alternative to the more intensely populated areas
found closer to Minneapolis and St. Paul.
This chapter discusses existing and future land use patterns in the City.
2010 Existing Land Uses [Will be updated with 2016 Numbers]
TABLE
5-1
EXISTING LAND USES
Land Use
Acres
Percent of Total
Agriculture
3,704
22%
Farmstead
163
1%
Golf Course
593
3%
Industrial and Utility
241
1%
Institutional
130
1%
Majo
r Highway
69
0%
Mixed Use Residential
6
0%
Multifamily
18
0%
Office
15
0%
Open Water
1,181
7%
Wetlands
3,829
22%
Park, Recreational or Preserve
2,588
15%
Railway
6
0%
Retail and Other Commercial
145
1%
Single Family Attached
35
0%
Single Family Detached
1,923
11%
Vacant Land
2,474
14%
17,120
Agricultural Use includes
farms and other parcels greater than five acres in size used primarily for agricultural, pasture and rural purposes. A large percentage of the City is designated as agricultural.
Residential Use is divided into four designations:
Rural Residential consists of large tracts of land and homesteads, including hobby farms and horse stables on parcels greater
than five acres in size without City sewer and water service.
Single Family Large Lot includes residential properties between 0.5 acres and 5 acres in size. This designation does
not differentiate between sewered and unsewered lots but does include larger lot subdivisions.
Single Family Small Lot includes single-family residential properties less than 0.5 acres,
sewered.
Multi-Family includes apartment buildings, fourplexes, duplexes, condominiums and townhouses and attached single-family homes.
Industrial Use is primarily in the TH 55 corridor
and includes light industrial, office, warehouse and manufacturing facilities.
Commercial Use is primarily in the TH 55 corridor. Businesses tend to be clustered in and around the
Uptown Hamel area and become more dispersed west of Uptown Hamel along the existing sanitary sewer system. A large commercial/retail development north of TH 55 and west of CR 101 anchored
by a Target retail store opened in 2006.
Park and Recreation Use includes parks and public recreational open space. Baker Park Reserve has a significant impact on planning due to its
size and regional attraction, its effect on the City’s tax base and use.
Private Recreation Use includes areas used for recreational purposes held under private ownership, including
golf courses and a campground, but could be expanded to include other recreational uses not publicly maintained.
Open Space Use identifies areas that are public or privately held
including known conservation easements, important preserved natural resources such as Wolsfeld Woods (SNA) and other areas that are protected through active measures.
Public and Semi Public
Use includes City, county, or state owned property, churches, cemeteries, and other similar uses. Most of these properties are community oriented and blend into other land uses permitted
in the supporting zoning districts.
Undeveloped Use identifies areas that are currently described as vacant. There are no known agricultural uses or residential uses on parcels with
this designation. This land is considered available for development or is currently on the market. These areas also include unknown land uses, or uses that do not fit into the land
use designations identified.
Lakes comprise approximately 10.2% of the City and are identified in the land use designations because of the obvious impact on surrounding development
and land uses.
Wetlands are not identified on the existing land use map. However, wetlands and lakes play an important role in the City because together they affect 35.4% of the City
land and significantly impact the City’s ability to develop.
Natural Features and Areas
The City contains many ecologically significant natural resource areas that provide value to all residents by providing natural beauty and wildlife habitat,
improving water quality and adding to land values. These natural areas are described in further detail in the Open Space Report but merit discussion from a land use and development
perspective.
The City has an extensive network of wetlands and lakes that significantly impact the developable areas in the City. Woodland areas are located throughout the community,
including a number of remnants of the Big Woods along with many other significant stands. The community has made conscious choices to preserve and protect the natural areas and to improve
their quality. Because 35.4% of the land area in Medina is comprised of lakes and wetlands and many of these areas are under private ownership, it is critical for the City to educate
residents about the importance of maintaining healthy wetlands, woodlands and lakes.
These natural features comprise the City’s green infrastructure system: the City’s natural support
system that promotes healthy sustainability of the community. As the City grows, the natural areas will be a critical element of every decision-making process. The City undertook an
extensive natural resource and open space planning effort that will be the foundation for land use decisions. The Open Space Report indicates the ecologically significant areas that
require protection and the areas that will be maintained as a part of the City’s conservation network.
Solar Access Protection
Medina is committed to encouraging and promoting solar
energy as a clean, alternative form of energy production and reducing carbon-based emissions. Protecting solar access means protecting solar collectors (or the location of future collectors)
from shading by adjacent structures or vegetation. Existing structures and buildings in the city generally do not present significant shading problems for solar energy systems. Most
single family attached and detached homes are one or two stories and most multi-family, commercial, and industrial buildings are two stories or less.
Solar energy systems and equipment
are generally a permitted use if attached to structures and freestanding solar arrays are permitted with a conditional use permit in most districts. The zoning ordinance provides standards
for the protection and establishment of these solar energy systems.
While these ordinance standards help protect solar access, it is not possible for every part of a building or lot
to obtain unobstructed solar access. Mature trees, topography, and the location of structures can limit solar access. However, on most properties the rooftop of the principal building
would be free of shading by adjacent structures. Therefore, the majority of property owners in the city could utilize solar energy systems, if they so desired, as a supplement or alternative
to conventional fuels.
Historic Preservation
The City of Medina currently does not have any sites or structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The City of Medina has a strong interest
in preserving representative portions of its history. The City previously worked with the West Hennepin Pioneer's Museum to restore the Wolsfeld Family cabin which was originally built
in 1856. It is thought to be one of the original homes in Medina. The city further commits to providing the following general guidelines related to historical preservation:
Partner
with organizations that want to preserve historically significant areas, landmarks, and buildings in Medina;
Modify zoning regulations as necessary to help preserve areas that may be
historically significant.
Future General Land Use Policy Direction
As described in the Vision Statement, the City of Medina strives to promote and protect its open spaces and natural
environment. The City has historically been and intends to continue to be primarily a rural community. The City has planned for a limited amount of future development consistent with
regional forecast and consistent with Community Goals.
Future Land Use Plan Principles
The Future Land Use Plan guides the development of Medina through 2040, and will be used to
implement the City’s goals, strategies and policies. The Plan is guided by the Vision and Community Goals as furthered by the following principles:
Development Patterns and Neighborhood
Form
Encourage open spaces, parks and trails in all neighborhood development. The survey indicated that a high quality of life is found when residents have visual access to green spaces.
Create
neighborhoods with a variety of housing types that are well connected with roads, trails or sidewalks.
Maintain the integrity of rural neighborhoods and promote development patterns
consistent with existing rural residential development.
Recognize neighborhood characteristics and promote new development compatible in scale, architectural quality and style with existing
neighborhoods.
Stage residential growth to minimize the amount of adjacent developments which occur within the same time period.
Guide density to areas with proximity to existing infrastructure
and future infrastructure availability.
Concentrate higher density development near service oriented businesses to help promote walkability.
Consider planned development in surrounding
communities when making land use decisions in the City.
Road Patterns
Recognize regional highway capacity and planned improvements along with use forecasts as major factors in planning for growth and land use changes.
Establish collector
streets with good connections through the community’s growth areas.
Promote trails and sidewalk access near roads and thoroughfares to encourage multi-modal transportation choices.
Consider
opportunities to improve north-south travel within the City.
Open Spaces and Natural Resources
Preserve natural resources throughout the community and provide educational opportunities
to residents to help them understand the value of natural areas.
Preserve open spaces and natural resources.
Protect wooded areas and encourage improvement of existing resources and
reforestation. Evaluate existing woodland protections and supplement as necessary.
Support the guidelines identified in the Open Space Report to preserve the City’s natural systems.
Business
Districts and Commercial Areas
Focus service businesses and development near urban residential densities and along primary transportation corridors.
Provide connections between residents
and commercial areas and promote businesses within mixed-use areas.
Work to create job opportunities in the community for Medina residents to reduce traffic and commuting demands.
Emphasis
service and retail uses which serve the needs of the local community and provide opportunities for the community to gather.
Support business development with a corporate campus style
which provides open spaces and protects natural resources.
The Guide Plan
Medina's Future Land Use Plan, Map ###, maintains Medina’s rural character and protects the City's natural resources while accommodating limited growth and development
which is consistent with the City’s Vision, Community Goals and Land Use Principles.
Table #5-2 below demonstrates the expected 2040 land uses in the community.
TABLE 5-2
FUTURE LAND
USE PLAN
Future Land Use (2040)
Gross Acreage
Net Acreage
Rural Residential
8742.35
6481.02
Agriculture
265.46
204.92
Future Development Area
396.16
366.67
Business
716.92
503.
04
Commercial
246.58
195.53
Rural Commercial
87.42
59.41
Uptown Hamel
44.98
38.98
Low Density Residential
1103.65
879.18
Medium Density Residential
58.25
44.89
High
Density Residential
29.31
26.31
Mixed Residential
136.95
97.05
Institutional
262.12
194.40
Private Recreation
294.67
260.54
Parks, Recreation, Open Space
3106.48
2053.96
Righ
t-of-Way
673.11
672.38
Closed Sanitary Landfill
192.09
124.28
Lakes and Open Water
763.5
Totals
17,120
12,202.56
Future Land Use Designations
Rural Residential
(RR) – identifies areas for low-intensity uses, such as rural residential, hobby farms, agricultural, horticulture, conservation of ecologically significant natural resources and passive
recreation. Density within the RR land use shall be no more than one lot per 10 acres and the area is not planned to be served by urban services during the timeframe covered by this
Plan.
Agricultural (AG) identifies areas which are planned for long-term agricultural uses. Density within the land use can be no more than one lot per 40 acres which will not be
served by urban services. Property within this land use is eligible to be part of the Metropolitan Agricultural Preserves Program.
Future Development Area (FDA) identifies areas which could potentially be planned for future urban development in the City that will be provided municipal sewer and water services.
This area will remain rural unless and until designated for urban services in a future Comprehensive Plan update. The purpose of the FDA designation is to communicate the future planning
intentions to the community. This designation is tentative and depends greatly on future infrastructure improvements, including to regional highway capacity.
Low Density Residential
(LDR) identifies residential land uses developed between 2.0 units per acre and 3.0.units per acre which are served or are intended to be served by urban services. The primary use in
this area is single- and two-family residential development.
Medium Density Residential (MDR) identifies residential land uses developed between 5.0 and 7.0 units per acre that are
served, or are intended to be served, by urban services. The primary uses in this designation will be a mix of housing such as single family residential, twin homes, town homes, row
homes, and small multiple family buildings.
High Density Residential (HDR) identifies residential land uses developed between 12.0 and 15.0 units per acre that are served, or are
intended to be served, by urban services. The primary uses will include town homes, apartment buildings and condominiums which should incorporate some open space or an active park.
Mixed Residential (MR) - identifies residential land uses developed between 3.5 and 4.0 units per net acre that are served, or are intended to be served, by urban services. The land
use provides flexibility for the type of housing developed, provided the overall density of a project falls within the range noted above and provides some higher density housing. Some
portion of each site shall be developed at densities over 8.0 units per net acre. At a minimum, each development in the land use shall include one higher density housing unit per net
acre, which shall be complemented with open space and recreational activities.
Uptown Hamel (UH) the Uptown Hamel land use is allows residential and commercial to be mixed on adjacent
sites and to be mixed within the same building or property. Residential development in this designation may be between 4.0 and 15.0 units per acre. The mixed-use business areas will
be served by urban services.
Commercial (C) provides areas for highway oriented businesses and retail establishments including commercial, office and retail uses. These uses are concentrated
along the arterial corridors and are served or will be served by urban services.
Business (B) provides opportunities for corporate campus uses including office, warehouse, and light
industrial. This designation identifies larger tracts of land that are suitable for office and business park developments and are served or will be served by urban services.
Rural
Commercial (RC) – identifies commercial land uses which are not served by urban services, but rather by individual wells and septic systems. The scale of development in this land use
shall be limited in order to protect water resources.
Institutional (INST) – identifies existing public, semi-public, and non-profit uses such as governmental, cemeteries, religious,
educational and utilities.
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) – identifies publicly owned or permanently conserved land which is used for park, recreational, or open space purposes.
Private Recreation
(PREC) – identifies areas that are currently used for outdoor recreational uses which are held under private ownership that are not publicly maintained. Limited numbers of residential
uses may be included or have previously been developed within this land use designation.
Closed Sanitary Landfill (SL) identifies an existing closed sanitary landfill. The land is
owned by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) which also has jurisdiction over land use regulations.
Land Use Policies by Area
The following section provides policies for land use designations and is categorized into generalized subsections. The policies for each category as provided
below directly support the Community Goals and Land Use Principles.
These designations are generalized land uses and are not specific zoning districts. The City will update the zoning
ordinance and applicable codes to be consistent with the land use plan and designations identified in this section.
The planning process revealed a strong interest in promoting high
quality, sustainable development in the City. The Planned Unit Development (PUD) process for large scale or master plan types of development, regardless of whether they are residential,
commercial or mixed-uses will be available and will be supported through zoning.
Rural Designations
The rural designations include Agricultural, Rural Residential and Future Development
Area. A large percentage of the community falls into these categories. The purpose of these designations is to provide low-intensity land uses, such as rural residential, farming,
hobby farms, horticulture, conservation of natural and ecologically significant natural resources and passive recreation. This area will not be provided with water or sewer service
during the timeframe covered by this Plan.
The City's goal is to maintain the rural character of this area. The Metropolitan Council System Statement shows the majority of this area
as Diversified Rural, and the City utilizes the Rural Residential designation to be consistent with the System Statement.
A significant segment of this area consists of large, rural
parcels with single-family homes. The City recognizes that such low density, development will continue to be a desired housing alternative.
The City’s Open Space Report proposes several
different implementation techniques for allowing open space development and planning to maintain rural character and simultaneously preserve significant natural resources. This result
may take the form of innovative developments that clusters smaller lots on larger parcels with permanently conserved open space. Such innovative arrangements can help preserve the City’s
natural resources, open space and rural character, while still maintaining an average overall density of ten acres per unit. Medina’s wetlands, lakes, scattered woodlands and soil conditions
prevent smaller, unsewered lot development, but are ideal for low-density rural housing.
Medina's policy in the permanent rural area is to keep strict soil requirements for septic sites,
but allow flexibility for Open Space design developments and to ensure that the permanent rural area will remain rural by eliminating the need for future extension of a sanitary sewer
service to replace failing systems.
Objectives:
Allow low-density development in the Rural Residential Area including innovative arrangements of homes that preserve open space and natural resources.
Encourage conservation
of open space, farms and ecologically significant natural resources in the rural areas.
Enforce stringent standards for the installation and maintenance of permanent, on site sewage
disposal systems.
Allow public facilities and services, such as parks and trail systems, if compatible with rural service area development.
Allow land uses, such as home-based businesses,
hobby farms, horse stables, nurseries and other smaller scale rural activities, which will not conflict with adjoining residential development.
Regulate noise, illumination, animals,
and odors as needed to maintain public health and safety.
Maintain a maximum density of one unit per forty acres for property in the Agricultural land use.
Maintain a maximum density
of one unit per ten acres for new development in the Rural Residential and Future Development Area land use.
Consider exceptions to maximum density standards for open space developments
that protect natural features and put land into permanent conservation.
Urban services will not be provided to the Agricultural, Rural Residential, or Future Development Area land
uses during this planning cycle.
Require preservation of natural slopes, wetlands, woodlands and other significant natural characteristics.
Require that lots contain adequate soil
types and conditions as defined in the City's on site septic system requirements.
Protect property within the Future Development Area designation from subdivision and development by
requiring ghost plats for subdivisions so that future urban expansion is not compromised.
Reduce impervious surfaces where possible by applying low impact design standards and encourage
innovative materials and plans that reduce runoff.
Encourage and incentivize landowners to participate in the protection and conservation of significant natural resources.
Urban Service Designations
The Urban Service Area includes the residential and commercial areas of the City that are currently or will be served by municipal water and sewer services.
Residential Uses
Objectives:
Require preservation of natural slopes, wetlands, woodlands, and other significant natural characteristics of the property.
Consider exceptions to or
modifications of density restrictions for developments that protect the natural features or exceed other standards of the zoning district.
Restrict urban development to properties within
the sewer service boundary.
Encourage green building practices such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)principles in neighborhood planning and residential building
and low impact development design standards.
Regulate the rate and location of development in keeping with availability of public facilities and the City's stated goals, including
the undesignated MUSA and growth strategies.
Restrict commercial and business development to areas designated in this Plan.
Protect property within the City's MUSA boundary from development
prior to the provision of urban services that will hinder future division.
Create flexible zoning standards that would allow for innovative arrangements of homes, conservation easements,
or other creative land use concepts that preserve the City's open space and natural features.
Promote attractive, well maintained dwellings on functional, clearly marked roads, with
adequate facilities and open space.
Emphasize resident and pedestrian safety.
Encourage a controlled mix of densities, housing types, age groups, economic levels, lot sizes, and living
styles that are of appropriate scale and consistent with appropriate land use, market demands, and development standards.
Establish design criteria for platting and developing site
plans which will be compatible with surrounding physical features, existing land uses and the preservation of ecologically significant natural resources.
Establish standards for higher
density residential development so that such development is compatible with surrounding uses. Such standards may include enclosed parking, green space, landscape buffering and height
limitations.
Require utilities to be placed underground wherever possible for reasons of aesthetic enhancement and safety.
Plan interconnections between separate develop ments to encourage shared
road use to reduce costs and minimize the amount of road surface required.
Require planning of trails and walkway systems in the early design stages of all new development so that residential
areas are provided safe access to parks and open space.
In urban residential zones with sanitary sewer service permit higher density in PUD’s in exchange for (1) reduced land coverage
by buildings, (2) provision of more multi-family units; and, (3) sensitive treatment of natural resources.
Implement standards for lot sizes and setbacks which recognize the development
characteristics and natural resources of each existing neighborhood.
Regulate noise, illumination, and odors as needed to protect residential neighborhoods and to maintain public health
and safety.
Uptown Hamel
The Uptown Hamel land use allows for a mix of residential and commercial uses to create a vibrant, walkable, and attractive place; a place to shop, work and live.
Objectives:
Allow
a mix of residential and commercial uses to co-exist on adjacent parcels as well as within the same structure or on the same parcel.
Consider alternatives for meeting parking requirements
including parking in the rear of buildings, shared parking, on-street, underground, or ramp parking.
Use building standards that enhance and maintain the small town heritage and traditional
small-town look including brick facades, traditional street lighting, overhangs over the sidewalk, boardwalks, and the like. Establishment of design guidelines to support this objective.
Involve
residents, businesses, community groups and other stakeholders in the planning of these areas.
Create master plans for mixed-use areas to ensure integration of uses and responsiveness
to adjacent land uses.
Establish design criteria for platting and developing site plans which will be compatible with surrounding physical features, existing land uses and the preservation
of ecologically significant natural resources.
Encourage underground or structured parking through flexibility to standards, including increased residential density up to 20 units per
acre.
Emphasize resident and pedestrian safety.
Require utilities to be placed underground wherever possible for reasons of aesthetic enhancement and safety.
Regulate noise, illumination,
and odors as needed to maintain public health and safety.
Commercial Uses
The following objectives refer to commercial land uses which will provide a variety of retail products and services mixed with smaller offices.
Objectives:
Require
preservation of natural slopes, wetlands, woodlands, and other significant natural characteristics of the property.
Provide convenient and attractive shopping and services to meet
the needs of City residents.
Encourage businesses that benefit the local community by providing employment opportunities offering convenience goods and services, utilizing high quality
design, and having limited impact on public services.
Require commercial activities that serve the broader metropolitan market to have access to a regional highway or frontage road.
Regulate the impact of commercial development along the border between commercially and residentially guided areas to ensure that commercial property has a minimal impact on residential
areas.
Regulate construction to ensure high quality, energy and resource efficient buildings and to promote such Green Building standards as LEED Certifications or the State of Minnesota
Sustainable Building Guidelines: Buildings, Benchmarks and Beyond (B-3) standards.
Encourage construction that enhances the visual appeal of TH 55 corridor and the rural vistas and
open spaces of the City.
Establish standards for the commercial area north of TH 55 at Tamarack Drive which results in a high quality, walkable and appropriately scaled development
which complements nearby residential neighborhoods, emphasizes goods and services for local residents over highway users and provides gathering opportunities for the community.
Require
frontage roads that do not directly access arterial roadways and limit access to arterial and collector roadways.
Limit the scale of commercial development where urban services are
not available in order to protect water resources and to integrate such uses with surrounding rural lands.
Use the site plan review process to ensure that commercial and industrial
uses are compatible with neighboring future and existing uses, and with the adjoining public streets and highways. PUD’s may be used to help accomplish this policy.
Emphasize pedestrian
safety.
Require utilities to be placed underground wherever possible for reasons of aesthetic enhancement and safety.
Regulate noise, illumination, and odors as needed to maintain
public health and safety.
Business Uses
The following objectives refer to business land uses that are connected to or planned for urban services. Businesses in this use generally include office complexes, business
park development, warehouse and light industrial opportunities.
Objectives:
Require preservation of natural slopes, wetlands, woodlands, and other significant natural characteristics
of the property.
Encourage businesses that benefit the local community by providing employment opportunities utilizing high quality design, and having limited impact on public services.
Regulate the impact of development along the border between business and residentially guided areas to ensure that business uses have a minimal impact on residential areas.
Regulate
construction to ensure high quality, energy and resource efficient buildings and to promote such Green Building standards as LEED Certifications or the State of Minnesota Sustainable
Building Guidelines: Buildings, Benchmarks and Beyond (B-3) standards.
Encourage construction that enhances the visual appeal of TH 55 corridor and the rural vistas and open spaces
of the City.
Create or update standards that promote a more rural appearance, or create campus style developments that protect ecologically significant areas and natural features.
Require frontage roads that do not directly access arterial roadways and limit access points to collector and arterial roadways.
Use the site plan review process to ensure that commercial
and industrial uses are compatible with neighboring future and existing uses, and with the adjoining public streets and highways. PUD’s may be used to help accomplish this policy.
Emphasize
pedestrian safety.
Require utilities to be placed underground wherever possible for reasons of aesthetic enhancement and safety.
Regulate noise, illumination, and odors as needed to
maintain public health and safety.
Staging Plan
The staging plan is tied to infrastructure plans, including water, wastewater and transportation, to ensure that growth and development are commensurate with services necessary
to support new residents and businesses in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
The staging plan, Map 5-3, utilizes flexible staging boundaries to direct where and when development
should proceed within the City and is built on the following principles:
Growth should encompass a balance of land uses to provide residential and business areas for development throughout
the planning period. The staging plan also is intended to reduce concentration of development within a location during a particular timeframe.
The staging plan identifies staged increments
of 5-year periods and provides some flexibility between adjacent staging periods. Development shall be limited to a maximum of two years prior to the existing staging period, and will
be tied to an incentive based points system.
The following table describes the amount of net acreage of the various land uses which is staged for development in each Staging Period:
Table
5-3
Staging Plan – Net Acreage
2018-2020
2020-2025
2025-2030
2030-2035
2035-2040
Total
Low Density Residential
35
47
65
24
171
Medium Density Residential
21
21
High
Density Residential
14
14
Mixed Residential
95
95
Commercial
53
53
Business
205
52
257
The following table describes the corresponding
number of residential units which could be developed upon property within each Staging Period. Although most of the property staged for development is available in earlier timeframes,
the City anticipates that actual growth will be more linear as described in the forecasts in Chapter 3.
Table 5-4
Staging Plan – Residential Development Capacity
Time Period
Total
Residential Units
High Density Residential Units
2018-2020
343
168
2020-2025
94
2025-2030
462
95
2030-2035
0
2035-2040
48
Total
948
263