A Message from the Mayor

I wanted to follow through on my commitment to keep you informed on significant housing legislation. The League of Minnesota Cities notified us yesterday that this Thursday, May 1, the Senate and Local Government Committee (member names and emails listed below) will hear a proposal that I believe has concerning local impacts.

There are four provisions of note:

• Requires cities to establish and follow an administrative review and approval process for all residential developments, with no more than two “community meetings” prior to approval (public hearings would still be prohibited).

• Prohibits cities from imposing residential design standards beyond the state building code for all residential development, including large multifamily buildings, particularly related to exterior materials such as siding, shutters, columns, gables, decks, balconies, porches, garage size, roof pitch and the minimum number and placement of windows.

• Prohibits cities from conditioning the approval of a residential building permit, conditional use permit, subdivision development or planned unit development on the creation of a homeowners association or the requirement of services, features or common property that would necessitate one.

• Prohibits cities from imposing minimum parking requirements on all residential developments that mandate more than one parking space.

While the premise of the bill is to encourage affordability in housing, I do not believe these mandates guarantee that outcome. The only thing it guarantees is that cities and their residents will not have a say in what is built in their communities. The state's “one-size-fits-all” approach does little to encourage developers to build affordable housing. Instead, it strips away the unique character of each of our cities.

If so inclined, please contact the committee by the end of the day tomorrow and, of course, to copy our local legislators so they, too, are informed of your views.

Thank you again for your attention and advocacy.

Warmest regards,
Elise Ryan
eryan@chanhassenmn.gov