06 - Department Goals - Laserfiche WebLink

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Comprehensive Plan Implementation: In 2005,the Planning and Zoning Department intends to focus our efforts on working with the Planning Commission and the City Council to implement the short-term actions contained in the Comprehensive Plan. Short-term actions were those scheduled to be implemented within one year. Of those short term actions,we anticipate being able to accomplish the following through the ordinance revision process: • Monitor commercial development along roadways by adopting a zoning strategy that strengthens the downtown commercial area, permits sensible development, and retains forested gateways leading into Pequot Lakes. • Develop zoning strategies that facilitate the removal of blighted and un-maintained properties(cars on front lawn, etc)that detracts from Pequot's character. • Provide for orderly business development in clustered, properly zoned development areas in the City. • Designate a rural, urban and rural/urban transition zone in order to maintain the integrity of these distinct areas. Each zone should promote development that fits within the context of existing development. (See figure below) • Identify areas in the rural/urban transition zone suitable for the expansion of utilities and high-density housing. • Within the transition zone, zone for affordable starter homes including duplexes and other multi-family dwelling units. ❑ Encourage businesses in the professional/service sector to locate on the perimeter of the downtown in order to facilitate more space for retail directly in downtown. • Evaluate the impervious coverage standard in each land use zone and make modifications to better address water quality issues. • Do not count wetlands, streams, land below the ordinary high water level, slopes, or core forests as build-able areas on building lots for new subdivisions. • To protect groundwater and the City's water supply, limit development in areas with shallow depth to the water table and sand over sand geological features. • Restrict development along slopes that have high erosion potential, requiring minimum setbacks from slope edges. • Mitigate effects of development in high erosion areas by requiring the use of erosion control mats, silt fences, gravel berms, and trenches during construction. • Retain and manage native vegetation cover in areas with high erosion potential. • Restrict new water oriented accessory structures within the shoreline setback zone. • Regulate boat canopies, boat lifts, and docks for the purpose of maintaining the natural appearance of the shoreline. • Encourage design standards to ensure that new building fit in with and do not detract from the character of the natural landscape and existing neighborhoods. • Establish shoreline preservation standards to limit clearing of vegetation along shorelines. Make the issuance of permits contingent on meeting these standards. Start an education program to make people aware that permits are needed for construction and landscaping along shorelines.