07-22-98 PCJUL-20-1998 07:43 NAC
2 595 9837 P.02i10
NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS
INC COMMUNITY PLANNING - DESIGN - MARKET RESEARCH
MEMORANDUM
TO: Otsego Mayor and City Council
Otsego Planning Commission
FROM: Daniel Licht / David Licht
DATE: 17 July 1998
RE: Otsego - Comprehensive Plan: Agricultural area growth options
FILE NO.: 176.14
At the last Comprehensive Plan workshop on 8 July 1998, staff was directed to contact
surrounding communities regarding their policies for development in unsewered
agricultural areas_ Staff was also directed to prepare a range of growth options to be
considered for the agricultural area in Otsego. This memorandum outlines the results of
the community survey and presents six growth options for discussion at the
Comprehensive Plan workshop meeting scheduled for 22 July 1998.
Vacant Land Demand
In considering a development strategy for the agricultural area, the first question that
needs to be discussed is the likelihood and timing of sewer extension to the area over the
life of this Comprehensive Plan. The answer to this question will address if agriculture is
a permanent use of the area or it is an interim use, until sewer is ultimately available. The
rate of development in City of Ostego and surrounding region is a critical factor that must
be considered.
To date, the Comprehensive Plan has been drafted assuming that the majority of new
development in Otsego would occur within the sanitary sewer service district. The growth
projections utilized for the design of this first phase of sewer service extension in the
community anticipated that approximately 875 new households would be added to the
community over the next 20 years. Eighty percent of those new households were
projected to develop within the sanitary sewer service district. Based upon a residential
density of 2.5 units an acre, approximately 423 acres of land will conservatively be
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absorbed by new residential, commercial and industrial development over the next 20
years within the sanitary sewer service district. The projected absorption rate within the
sanitary sewer service district is equal to approximately 21 acres per year. The projected
development over the next 20 years is equal to approximately one third of the potential
total development within the sanitary sewer service district. The Urban Service Area
Reserve, where development is to expand into when the Sanitary Sewer Service District
becomes saturated, has an area of approximately 4,000 acres.
Likewise, the City of Albertville Comprehensive Plan includes projections for the
absorption of vacant land within that community. Prepared in 1995, the projections
anticipate that Albertville has enough vacant or agricultural land that would be converted
to urban uses to support development through the year 2020. These projections were
prepared prior to the detachment/annexation of land from Otsego and former Frankfort
Township to Albertville, which added developable land to Albertville's vacant land supply.
The projected development in Albertville will likely require expansion of their existing
treatment plant.
The St. Michael Comprehensive Plan indicates that the majority of new growth in the City
will occur to the east of Albertville and to the south of the existing developed area. The
St. Michael Comprehensive Plan anticipates that approximately 3,000 acres of agriculture
or undeveloped land will be absorbed over the next +/- 25 years_ In response, St. Michael
is also planning for expansion to their existing sewer treatment facilities.
Development in Ostego, Albertville and St. Michael could occur at a faster rate than
anticipated over the next 20 years. However, the projections outlined above indicate that
there is no demand, in terms of vacant land supply, for development of the agricultural
area of Otsego. The size of the agricultural area, as currently defined, is approximately
7,340 acres. The anticipated development in both Otsego and Albertville does not
approach absorbing this much land, not even considering areas already planned for urban
development.
Community Survey
Staff contacted the communities of Corcoran, Elk River, Greenfield Hassen Township,
Monticello Township, St. Michael and Sherburne County regarding the density allowed in
unsewered agricultural areas, minimum lot size standards in these areas and feedlot
regulations. The results of this survey are presented below.
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The results of the survey indicate that, for the most part, surrounding communities limit the
density of development outside of areas planned for immediate residential development
to at least 4 units per 40 acres. Greenfield and Sherburne County allow for higher
residential densities in area planned for unsewered residential development. The City of
Elk River allows the highest density of the communities surveyed both outside and within
their urban service area.
It should be noted that Corcoran, Greenfield and Hassen Township are all within the Twin
Cities Metropolitan area and are therefore subject to Regional Blueprint Development
Guide, prepared by the Metropolitan Council, as required by State Statutes. The Regional
Blueprint outlines that Greenfield is to remain in Permanent Agriculture, Corcoran is to
remain almost all Permanent Rural and Hassen Township is half within the Permanent
Agriculture Area and Permanent Rural Area. The Regional Blueprint states that density
in the Permanent Agriculture Area is to be 1 unit per 40 acres, while the Permanent Rural
Area is to have a gross density of 1 unit per 10 acres.
Special attention should also be given to the plans prepared for St. Michael and Monticello
Township as these areas are directly adjacent to Otsego's Agricultural area. The western
half of St. Michael is planned for continued agricultural use for at least the next 25 years.
Residential density of 1 per 40 is allowed in the agriculture area to ensure that
development does not occur in an inefficient and unplanned manner or interfere with
Density in unsevered Areas
Minimum Residential
Feedlot Regulation
Lot Size
1:10 w/ access from paved
2 acres (both)
CUP required
Corcoran
road
1:30 w/ access from unpaved
road
Elk River
Equal to minimum lot size
outside Urban Service
No specific regulation
Area: 2.5/10 acres.
Inside Urban Service
Area: i /10 acres.
Greenfield
1:11 Agriculture
2.5 acres
Under consideration
1:6 Residential
Hasson Twp.
1:20, Rural Agriculture -
4 acres
No regulations
planned for residential
Monticello Twp.
1:40 (4:40 in OAA)
1 acre in 1:40
Wright Co. Ordinance
10 acres in 4:40
St. Michael
1:40
2 to 5 acres
CUP
Sherburne Co.
1:40 in agriculture area
1:5 in wooded areas
5 acres (west'A)
2.5 acres (east 'rs)
CUP - studying
additional regulation
The results of the survey indicate that, for the most part, surrounding communities limit the
density of development outside of areas planned for immediate residential development
to at least 4 units per 40 acres. Greenfield and Sherburne County allow for higher
residential densities in area planned for unsewered residential development. The City of
Elk River allows the highest density of the communities surveyed both outside and within
their urban service area.
It should be noted that Corcoran, Greenfield and Hassen Township are all within the Twin
Cities Metropolitan area and are therefore subject to Regional Blueprint Development
Guide, prepared by the Metropolitan Council, as required by State Statutes. The Regional
Blueprint outlines that Greenfield is to remain in Permanent Agriculture, Corcoran is to
remain almost all Permanent Rural and Hassen Township is half within the Permanent
Agriculture Area and Permanent Rural Area. The Regional Blueprint states that density
in the Permanent Agriculture Area is to be 1 unit per 40 acres, while the Permanent Rural
Area is to have a gross density of 1 unit per 10 acres.
Special attention should also be given to the plans prepared for St. Michael and Monticello
Township as these areas are directly adjacent to Otsego's Agricultural area. The western
half of St. Michael is planned for continued agricultural use for at least the next 25 years.
Residential density of 1 per 40 is allowed in the agriculture area to ensure that
development does not occur in an inefficient and unplanned manner or interfere with
JUL-20-199e 07 45 NAC 612 595 9e37 P.05i10
continued agriculture_ According to Wright County Planning, the area of Monticello
Township abutting Otsego is planned for long term continued agriculture. As such, density
in the Township outside of the Orderly Annexation Area with the City of Monticello and a
few unique areas, is limited to 1 unit per 40 acres.
The minimum lot sizes required by the various communities were almost all within the 1
to 5 acre range for residential uses. The exception is Monticello Township, which requires
a 10 acre residential minimum lot size within the 4 per 40 area. Again, this district is
primarily within the DAA with the City of Monticello.
Finally, regulations on feedlot operations varied from no regulation to requiring approval
of a conditional use permit for new or expanded feedlots. In this regard, Otsego's existing
feedlot regulations may be considered more restrictive. A number of communities were
in the process of possibly developing new feedlot regulations. Also, a number of
communites that were contacted indicated that they had not had much issue with feedlots
to date.
Growth Options
Staff has prepared a number of growth options for the agricultural area. The growth
options outlined below were developed based on a number of factors including potential
availability of sewer service to the area from the City of Albertvile and the need to plan for
efficent extension of sanitary sewer lines, need to minimize agriculture and residential use
confilict, and the needs of sustainable agricultural uses.
The growth options that have been prepared represent a continum between likely sewered
development of the area and maintaining permanent agriculture. It must be noted that the
growth options provide only for possible future sewered development of the area. This is
because the specifics of actually providing sewer service to the area have not been
determined. Factors such as the ability to expand Albertville's existing treatment facility,
the costs associated with such an improvement, and the need or ability to provide water
service to the area are all unknown. The discussion at this stage, therefore, is more
similar to planning for the Urban Service Area Reserve than planning the Sanitary Sewer
Service District_ The following outlines briefly the factors considered in developing the
growth options:
Density. The density of development allowed in the agricultural area will have the
greatest impact to achieving the desired goal for this area. If agricutulture is to be
preserved, then the lowest possible density should be maintained so as to limit
encroachment of residential uses that confilict with modern agricultural practice.
However, even if agriculture is viewed as an interim use until sewer service can be
extended, the density allowed in the area must be somewhat limited so as to allow
rd
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for easy and efficent extension of service lines. A rural growth option provides an
opportunity for an immediate increase in density for it anticipates the long term
phase out of agriculture, but recognizes that sanitary sewer service is likely not
immediately available. Rural growth options with large lot suburban developments
do result in a less dense development pattern, which can increase service delivery
costs.
Minimum Lot Size. Minimum lot size requirements are provided for through the
Zoning Ordinance. The Comprehensive Plan should outline if the minimum lot size
standard in the agricultural area that should be established so as to maintain as
much contiguous open land as possible for continued agriculture or if it should be
established to allow for the greatest redevelopment opportunity. Again, this
standard is dependent upon the view of agriculture as a permanent or interim use
and the anticipated rate of development.
Density Transfer. Transfer of development rights has the effect of allowing more
residences to be developed in a given area. If the City's goal is long term
agriculture preservation, then the Comprehensive Plan should be drafted to
discourage density transfers and the Zoning Ordinance subsequently ammended.
However, density transfers may be appropriate for rural character areas and could
be maintained if that is direction of the community.
Feedlot Regulations. The regulation of feedlot operations has an impact on the
ability to sustain agriculture as a viable land use, according to farmers that spoke
at the public meetings. Too stringent regulations makes it difficult for individual or
smaller family farms to be competitive as an agriculture business. However,
residential uses in rural areas often precieve the realistic characteristics of feedlot
agricultural uses as a nusance or even a potential health safety issue. An
agricultural preservation growth option would allow for the establishment of new
feedlots and expansion of existing opertations, whereas a urban service growth
option would not allow any new feedlots and prohibit expansion of existing ones.
Growth options in the center of the spectrum of development may allow for
expansions of existing opertations, but no new feedlots, etc. One important factor
that should be considered growth scenario that anticipates continued agriculture
would be reciprocal setbacks: That is new residences must be setback from exsiting
feedlots as new feedlots would have to be setback from existing residences.
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The growth options prepared for consideration are outlined in the table below. The growth
options become slightly more restrictive in terms of protecting agricultural uses and limiting
development moving left to right accross the columns. There is flexibility to alter the
options to accomodate the community's goal for this area. However, caution must be
excersied so as not to utilize a mix of concepts from opposite ends of the continum. The
existing situation in the agricultural area is an example of plans and policies that support
both continued agriculture (density, lot size standards) and development of residential
uses in the area (feedlot ordinance, density transfer).
AGRICULTURAL ARF.r4 GROWTH OPTIONS I
-
All of the presented options require implem Cation by Zoning Ordinance amendments.
Any necessary amendments would be undertaken following completion of the
Comprehensive Plan update. Each of the growth options is described below.
Urban Service Area Reserve. This option represents the most rapid phase out of
agricultural use in anticipation of sanitary sewer service. A residential density of
4 units per 40 acres would be established so as to maintain the area as relatively
undeveloped until sanitary sewer service would be available. A 10 acre minimum
lot size for residential uses would be established so as to absorb as much of the
existing agricultural land as possible. In conjunction with the development of
residential uses, the development of new feedlots or expansion of existing feedlots
would be prohibited.
Urban
ng Rang
Rural
Rural
,agriculture Agriculture
Service
Reserve
Agriculture
Reserve Preserve
Area
Service
Reserve
eserve
Area
esery
Density
:40
40
4:40
1:40 /
1:40
1:4
gh r
4:40 (Co.Rd_)
Mn. Lot
10 cre/
abs 'on
2.5 acre
2.5 acre
2.5 0 cre
2.5 acre
Size
b on
(mi ax)
(m{ max)
d
Density
n!a
n/a
4:40
1:40
14
0
Transfer
Feedlot
No ei
o ne
No new
New feedlots
N feedl is
w f ots
Ord.
fee ots ar
fe dots b t
feedlots but
or
or
and
ex nsi n
imited
limited
expansions
ansion
expansio s
of Asti
a ansion
expansion I
allowed I
allowed !
allowed
f edl
r gistration
reciprocal
reciprocal
reciprocal
n ciproca
setbacks!
setbacks/
setbacks I
setbacks
regi alio
registration
registration
registration
-
All of the presented options require implem Cation by Zoning Ordinance amendments.
Any necessary amendments would be undertaken following completion of the
Comprehensive Plan update. Each of the growth options is described below.
Urban Service Area Reserve. This option represents the most rapid phase out of
agricultural use in anticipation of sanitary sewer service. A residential density of
4 units per 40 acres would be established so as to maintain the area as relatively
undeveloped until sanitary sewer service would be available. A 10 acre minimum
lot size for residential uses would be established so as to absorb as much of the
existing agricultural land as possible. In conjunction with the development of
residential uses, the development of new feedlots or expansion of existing feedlots
would be prohibited.
JUL-20-1998 07:47 NAC 612 595 9837 P.08i10
Long Range Urban Service Area Reserve. This option anticipates that the
extension of sanitary sewer service to the area is not going to occur in the near
future, but does provide for a transition away from existing agricultural uses. In that
sanitary sewer service would likely not be readily available, the City could consider
a possible higher density in the area. However, a higher density may ultimately
make sewer extension to the area in the long term difficult by not allowing for easy
redevelopment. This option would also likely increase the City's service delivery
costs in the short term because of the less efficient pattern of development. Again,
so as to phase out existing agricultural uses, the minimum lot size should be set so
as to absorb an entire 40 acre parcel at maximum density. Consideration could be
given towards allowing limited expansion of existing feedlots to allow continued use
until such time as the property developed.
Rural Reserve. Sustained agricultural uses would be considered a consistent use
in a rural area and desired to continue under this growth option. So as to ensure
that agriculture was a viable land use, a density of 4 units per 40 acres coupled with
a minimum lot size standard intended to maintain large contiguous parcels would
be suggested. The ability to transfer development rights at a density of 4 units per
40 acres would continue as exists today. With regard to feedlots, no new feedlots
would be allowed, but provisions supporting limited expansions should be enacted.
Additionally, the concept of reciprocal setbacks would be included as part of a
revised feedlot ordinance.
Rural Agricultural Reserve. The distinguishing element between this growth
option and the Rural Reserve is that the Comprehensive Plan would be drafted to
support the development of new feedlots in the area. As the allowance of new
feedlots would suggest limiting the number of new residences in the area, a density
of 1 unit per 40 acres is suggested along all local roads. Properties adjacent to
paved County roads would be suggested to develop at 4 units per 40 acres.
Density transfer would continue to be supported, however, only at a density of 1
unit per 40 acres. Reciprocal setbacks would also be encouraged as part of a
revised feedlot ordinance.
Agriculture Reserve. This growth option suggests that sanitary sewer service is
unlikely to be provided to the area within the planning period and that agriculture
should be the dominant land use. So as to encourage new residential development
in the community to occur in the existing developed areas or sanitary sewer service
district, a density of 1 unit per 40 acres would be proposed and density transfers at
the same density would be provided for as it is currently. Minimum and maximum
residential lot sizes would also be provided so as to maintain contiguous parcels
for agriculture. Feedlots would be allowed to develop and expand with protective
reciprocal setbacks established
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612 595 9837 P.09/10
Agriculture Preserve. This concept supports the idea that agricultural land uses
are a permanent land use in the community for the foreseeable future and that
every protection for them should be provided and all reasonable opportunity to
expand allowed. As such, a density of 1 unit per 40 acres would be established
with minimum and maximum residential lots sizes to preserve contiguous parcels.
The ability to transfer development rights should be discouraged to further limit
residential development. Feedlots would be allowed to develop and expand with
protective reciprocal setbacks established.
City officials have the option of utilizing one or more of the growth options as part of the
Comprehensive Plan for the agricultural area. Areas that are likely to be sewered first,
such as areas abutting Albertville, could be designated under one of the urban service
area reserve concepts; areas that are less likely to receive sewer in the near future could
be designated as one of the rural or concepts; finally areas likely not to receive sewer and
water in the conceivable future could be designated as one of the agricultural concepts_
This growth strategy assumes that any sewer service to the area would be staged from
Albertville. Alternatives, such as privately constructed package systems could be
proposed within the agricultural area. In that the location of these proposals cannot be
anticipated, it is difficult to plan for them. As such, it is best to prepare the plan
anticipating eventual extension for Albertville. Any proposals for a package system could
be considered on a case by case basis. A request for a Comprehensive Plan amendment
would need to be made part of any development application that included a package
treatment plan. Again, Comprehensive Plan amendments are processed in a manner
similar to rezoning requests with the costs of considering the amendment borne by the
applicant.
The Planning Commission and City Council must consider the commitments that have
been made for development of the City's own sanitary sewer system. The financing of the
City system is dependent upon a minimum number of hook-ups in order to achieve cash
flow. Even in this positive economic climate, there is a limit to the market for new homes
in the area. Under the current plan, Otsego must compete primarily with the adjacent
communities of Albertville, Elk River, St. Michael, Rogers and other west Hennepin
County communities for new construction to fund the sanitary sewer system. Allowing
development that is connected to Albertville's system takes some of the market that could
be paying for Otsego's sanitary sewer system. Further, those connection fees help fund
an expansion of Albertville's treatment facility, subsidizing competitive development in that
community.
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City officials must also consider that the anticipated commercial and industrial
development suggested for the Highway 101 corridor is dependent on the market factors
outlined in the Comprehensive Plan. One of the primary location factors for commercial
uses is population density of an area. Development of housing adjacent to Albertville
strengthens the attractiveness of their commercial locations, which compete with those in
Ostego along the Highway 101 corridor.
Based upon the considerations outlined in this memorandum, our office would recommend
that the area that may be identified as being possibly serviced with sanitary sewer from
Albertville be established as an Urban Service Area Reserve. This designation would plan
for the efficient extension of service lines into the area by phasing out existing agriculture
with very low density residential uses in the interim.
Until that area is defined, the agriculture area in Otsego should be designated as Rural
Agriculture Reserve. The Rural Agriculture Reserve designation would subsequently be
maintained for that area that is beyond what is determined to be Alberville's urban service
area. This Comprehensive Plan strategy of a mixed growth plan for the agricultural area
in Otsego offers the best opportunity to plan for potential sanitary sewer service from
Albertville. Until the service area is defined and sanitary sewer service is actually
available, the Rural Agriculture Reserve option would support agriculture as a viable use
in the community, protect the City's financial commitments for a sanitary sewer and water
system, and protect the City's service delivery capabilities.
pc. Mike Robertson
Elaine Beatty
Andy MacArthur
John Harwood
0
TOTAL P.10