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�- New Business <br /> a. Conservation Design for Subdivisions <br /> Last month Commissioner Pederson requested that the Planning Commission consider <br /> strengthening the conservation design provisions in the ordinance. Staff was directed to put this <br /> on the agenda for discussion in January. Attached is a handout from Randall Arendt that <br /> describes the process and the benefits of this approach. <br /> There are a few key ways in which the City of Pequot Lakes can be more aggressive in requiring <br /> conservation subdivisions. <br /> 1. Require it as the default option. This would make other options (standard plat) a <br /> conditional use and would make approval of the CUP conditional on the applicant <br /> demonstrating the conservation design would not be feasible. <br /> 2. Adopting a yield plan approach. Currently the City regulates density, which has some <br /> relationship to the characteristics of the land but gets somewhat distorted on very unique <br /> properties. A yield plan—which is a calculation of the number of lots allowed on a piece <br /> of property based on a traditional approach — would have densities more closely align <br /> with what the property can reasonably support. <br /> 3. Increasing the amount of open space. The Pequot Lakes ordinance is currently rather <br /> lenient when it comes to the percentage of open space required and what can go in that <br /> open space. A true conservation design would put more emphasis on the open space <br /> preservation and thus would require larger and more contiguous tracts of preservation <br /> land. <br /> If the Planning Commission is inclined,Staff can prepare an ordinance amendment for review. <br /> b. Set December 2oo8 meeting date <br /> The December Planning Commission is scheduled for December 18. As per past practice,Staff is <br /> inquiring as to whether or not the Commission would choose to move that to December ii. <br /> C. 2007 Year End Report <br /> Please see the attached 2007 Year End Report. The report has not been submitted to the City <br /> Council and so your feedback and recommendations would be appreciated. <br /> City of Pequot Lakes Staff Report 4 <br /> January,2oo8 <br />