01-12-1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY Community Development Agency Economic Development Manager Patti Nunn provided a historic overview of Economic Development Division activities, noting the original "Open for Business" focus on selling the City as a choice location for businesses had matured into a full-fledged business attraction and retention program. She cited statistics on the incidence and type of businesses in the City, which the Mayor requested be forwarded in hard copy to the Council, and provided the Council with a list of demographic data available on request from the Division office. Councilmembers discussed various aspects of economic development and suggested "arts and culture" as a type of business to be attracted to the City, particularly in the downtown area; and use of a one-stop counter to provide more effective services to businesses; and emphasized the need to continue attraction, assistance, and retention activities while working on long-term strategies for the Economic Development Division. Community Development Agency Executive Director Cindy Nelson assured the Council economic development operations would be carried on actively during the long-term planning process. LAND USE POLICIES Planning and Building Agency Executive Director Robyn Uptegraff explained this portion of the Master Plan would detail the City's current land use policies. She requested Council feedback concerning Council concurrence with or modifications to staff's interpretation and implementation of land use policies. The City Manager emphasized the need for feedback and detail in order to prepare the long-term Master Plan. Planning Manager Ken Adams indicated the City's general land use policy was intended to provide a balance of land uses throughout the City and an orderly transition when land uses changed. He showed slides demonstrating existing incompatible land uses. Councilmembers discussed at length possible measures to "cure" incompatible land uses such as requiring additional amenities, "down-zoning," buying properties, establishing moratoriums particularly on mini-malls, and developing a comprehensive policy to avert further incompatible land uses. Senior Planner Charles View reviewed the City's non-conforming use policy, indicating the intent of the policy was to encourage attrition of non-conforming uses and to upgrade non- conforming sites through the requirement of additional amenities wherever possible. He commented on the difficulty of applying the non-conforming use policy due to the value judgments required and the fact that most of the decisions had economic impacts for the applicants. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 18 JANUARY 12, 1~93