Planning ProcessCommunity involvement is critical to the success of this process and approval of the new Unified Development Chapter (UDC) by the City Council. That is why this process will utilize a three-pronged approach - a Zoning Advisory Committee, Technical Advisory Committee and an active community engagement process. A consultant will assist Planning staff in drafting the UDC.
Community EngagementFinally, and most importantly, the planning process will include a number of opportunities for the general public to review and comment on the code as it is being written. Information will be posted and updated regularly on this webpage, at local libraries and through the media.
ConsultantThe creation of a new Unified Development Code is a major undertaking. Therefore, the City has hired a consultant to assist Planning staff in drafting the new, contemporary land use regulations. A request for proposals was issued in August 2008 for consultant services to develop the code, with four consultant teams submitting proposals. All four consultant teams were interviewed by the Zoning Advisory Committee. It was the recommendation of the Committee to hire the Clarion Associates team, which also include Farr Associates and Ayers Associates, due to their extensive experience developing unified development codes as well as their expertise with form based codes, sustainable design and land use law. The entire process to develop the new code will take 12 to 18 months to complete. It is anticipated that the final Unified Development Code will be presented to City Council in early summer 2010. The consultant contract amount is $260,000 of which $110,000 is being funded with grant monies - $70,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and $40,000 from Minnesota's Lake Superior Coastal Program, administered through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The remainder is being paid with General Fund dollars. Consultant Work Plan (2.2mb) Consultant Proposal (222 kb)
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