Planning & Zoning mtg May 15 2024

This is “draft” posting of meeting highlights from the May 15, 2024, Planning & Zoning meeting held in Ely Council Chambers on May 15, 2024. Please come back to read a more polished posting. Scroll down to the bottom for the YouTube clip.

Time marker 0:50 minutes : Frederica Musgrave spoke at Request to Speak about the Land Use and Comprehensive Plan and her data request to obtain previous P&Z details about Comprehensive Plan discussion of changes. Her main concern is the City’s Plan is very anthropocentric (focused on human entertainment) and doesn’t mention Climate Change . She reference the posting: https://elyminnesota.com/blog/reviewing-ely-city-visions-plans/

11:00 minutes into clip Scott Kochendorfer, City Planning Administrator presented pages from the City Ordinance regarding platting/subdivisions. Chair Emily Roose asked Scott Kochendirfer to clarify in the future why such ordinances/documents are presented to P&Z and what they should focus on when reading before their meetings.

24:25 minutes into clipbDiscussion of Land Use and Comprehensive Plan. Pages from packet will be posted soon. Suggestions to P&Z members:

1. Don’t treat the review as editing someone’s essay, focusing on wording.
2. Refer back to the Visions for Ely. The visions NEED to be reviewed and reflect current concerns. Some community needs and awareness, demographics, economics, climate and development lobbyists have changed since the plan was initiated in 2016. Some haven’t.
3. Suggestions for revisions should deal with goals and details. The purpose for ongoing review should not be to make the Land Use and Comprehensive Plan as vague and skimpy as possible.
4. Discuss comprehensive plans and city visions from other rural cities. Goals, objectives and details align with their visions . . . and vice versa. Also look at their wording. Use what applies to Ely.
5. What P&Z revises has a huge impact and can be misused. For example, when you delete references to aging population. . . the City, Projects and P&Z committees will not be held accountable to spend equitable time, energy and money on projects for seniors. That does not mean anyone and everyone should ignore housing for workers, businesses, restaurants, etc. We need a balance in development that is essential for Ely. A Comprehensive Plan should guide us towards appropriate balance and accountability.
6. Refer to posting https://elyminnesota.com/blog/reviewing-ely-city-visions-plans/ about which topics Ely’s visions and comprehensive plans have (intentionally?) ignored in the past and will continue to ignore if P& Z continues on the same review path.
7. Changing the wording of “recommendations” to “considerations” now sends a powerful message that something written in the plan can be ignored.