No Say? No Way!
Yes, that is my new slogan in opposition to the proposed housing bills making their way through the Minnesota Legislature. While I do not typically weigh in on state issues, this matter is in direct conflict with the city's Legislative Priority on local control.
We are alarmed by several housing bills including the “Missing Middle Housing” legislation (HF 4009, SF 3964, and SF 3980) moving quickly through the state legislature. In my opinion, the title is misleading, as these bills do little to solve the actual problem. While there is little doubt that addressing the growing need for more housing is warranted, there is no guarantee that the measures proposed will make housing more affordable as developers will continue to sell housing at what the market will bear.
Key Reasons for Concern:
- It removes local control on decisions, and instead, gives the power to the state by creating a rigid framework for zoning and land use decisions.
- Resident Engagement? At the time of writing, that process would be largely stripped from what we in Chanhassen have worked hard to include as part of development proposals. Instead, we would be required to follow the state mandates.
- The mandates do not provide financial support for necessary infrastructure upgrades, which will increase the burden on existing taxpayers.
These bills aim to increase housing density while stripping cities of their authority to make zoning and land use decisions tailored to their communities' needs. This is an affront to the city’s strategic priorities; the bills will severely limit and curtail residents' and businesses' input during decision-making processes.
As a local government, we are concerned about the potential consequences of these bills.
Key Proposals in Legislation:
- Allowing duplex conversion of any existing home or lot.
- Remove public input in the residential development process.
- Allows multi-family dwellings to be constructed by right in any commercially zoned district or multifamily area. The imposition of new height restrictions could result in six-story or higher buildings outside of the downtown area.
- Setting a new minimum lot size of 4,000 square feet for Chanhassen. Compared to: our current lot size minimums for single family homes range from 9,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet.
- Reducing parking requirements for multi-family units to one per unit.
The city has spent decades carefully planning community development. We shouldn't have to replace our locally led efforts, which residents and community officials have invested countless hours into, with a state-mandated framework. The state shouldn't penalize our residents for market forces beyond our control.
While we're approaching these bills from a local government perspective, we urge our residents to consider the proposed changes, ask questions, and offer feedback. Many in Carver County have experience serving as local elected officials, and we’re asking them not to support this transfer of power from the local level to the state level. Please make your voice heard about these issues.
Contact:
Representative Lucy Rehm, rep.lucy.rehm@house.mn.gov
Senator Julia Coleman, sen.julia.coleman@senate.mn
Representative Jim Nash, rep.jim.nash@house.mn.gov
Representative Andrew Myers, rep.andrew.myers@house.mn.gov
Or, find your elected officials here.
I am happy to answer any additional questions eryan@chanhassenmn.gov
Warmest Regards,
Elise Ryan
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