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I to provide many housing options—single-family,duplex,multi-family,studio apartment and more—but in a form 2 that complements the existing character of the neighborhood. 3 Ensure that new housing is properly scaled to the neighborhood and designed In a way that enhances the public 4 realm.If Pequot Lakes is to be able to afford to maintain the infrastructure in its historic neighborhoods,the value 5 of the investments in these neighborhoods needs to increase.This will not happen if the scale and design of new 6 investments is on a different model than the neighborhood is designed for. New housing must complement the 7 historic development pattern in order to attract additional investment. 8 Expand housing options and provide regulatory flexibility in the city's urban areas. Pequot Lakes is saturated 9 with rental housing in large, multi-family buildings.The majority of this housing is located in the downtown. It is 10 appropriate for the density but not for the scale of the buildings, which are not compatible with the 11 neighborhoods they are part of. Flexibility is needed so that affordable options for meeting the housing demand 12 can happen within these existing neighborhoods. 13 Land surrounding the downtown in the rural/urban transition zone is appropriate for expanding the downtown 14 development pattern.Such expansion should accommodate families as well as seniors. Providing for population 15 growth within the urban areas of Pequot Lakes will benefit commercial businesses located downtown,will make 16 efficient use of existing infrastructure investments and will provide viable alternatives to the suburban pattern 17 migrating into rural,more natural areas. 18 Ensure that public improvements in the right-of-way are properly scaled to the neighborhood it serves.The form 19 and intensity of private sector investments in housing will respond to the improvements that are made in the 20 public realm.Where streets are high-speed and reserved only for auto traffic,the adjacent development pattern 21 will tend to be low density and auto-oriented.Where streets are neighborhood speed and accommodate a wide 22 range of travel options, the adjacent development pattern can become more intense in a traditional, 23 neighborhood pattern. It is important that the public improvements scale properly to the development pattern 24 that is served. 25 Require amenities with medium-and high-density housing units designed solely for seniors.The rental housing �.6 stock in Pequot Lakes is geared toward today's seniors. Tomorrow's seniors will have higher demands and 27 expectations. If Pequot Lakes is to remain competitive, housing stock in the city should be modernized to service 28 the upcoming elderly demographic. 29 Seek to eliminate substandard housing to provide for safe living environments. Substandard housing poses a 30 health and safety threat to those who occupy it, which are often poor families who are renting. Substandard 31 housing also undermines overall property values throughout the city and can cause pockets of blight where the 32 market will not reinvest. Through public and private reinvestment, the City should encourage new homes of 33 quality construction and ensure that existing substandard homes are brought up to code or removed. 34 ACTIONS 35 Short-Term Actions(within 1 year):For Rural areas of the City: 36 C Adjust the City's land use regulations to provide for more flexibility for rural property owners engaging in 37 historic agriculture and related activities. 38 7 Adjust the City's road standards to provide for low-volume,rustic roads,to be used in the rural areas. 39 El Adjust the City's codes to allow for private roads in low-volume situations. DRAFT-November 2010 13 1 P a g e it