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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes 04-04-1974 SpecialHiUS INS ADVISORY 'COMMITTEE CITY OF PLYMOUTH,. MINNESOTA APRIL 4, 1974 A special meeting of the Plymouth Housing Advisory Committee was called to order by Chairman Roger Barnes at 7:45 p.m. i.n the lunchro&ii of the Public Works Wilding. 14900 - 23rd Avenue North. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Barnes, Delano Erickson,.Mrs. Ruth Ault, James Eide, Ronald Raschke, Councilman Rails, Mrs. Barbara Edwards. 1406ERS-ABSUIT: Harold Oakke, William Leeper, Jr:, William Rova. STAFF PRESENT: John Doyle. and Milt bale. Call to Order by Chairman Barnes. Chairman Barnes indicated that the fourth Thursday of each month should be considered a regular Housing Advisory Committee Meeting.* Charman Barnes said that the minutes of March 21st were correcteO by him and could be distributed to the committee members: Chairman Barnes stated that Committee Member William Rova had submitted his resignation from the committee as he was involved with other community committee activities and would be unable to attend Housing Advisory Committee Meetings. Chairman -Barnes stated that since this meeting is a special meeting relating specifically to determinoing how committee members should break up into sub- groups and study the committee, charge, it will be necessary to determine individual committee members preference for specific study,areas. The study areas as given in Chairman Barnes' outline of March 1.9, 1974 indicated six study areas for committee review. It had been suggested at an earlier meet- ingthat study areas 1 (Zoning and Subdivision Regulations) and 4 (Housing and Subdivision Design could be grouped together, as could study areas2 (Land. Costs) and S (Assessments; with study area 6 (Private Development Incentives and Controls) to include public Sector Considerations. This would reduce -the study areas to four,major areas. Del Erickson suggested that zoning and subdivision costs are part of development costs and wondered if there: wasn't a relationship. Chairman Barnes said that land costs and assessments should be determined rather quickly by that sub -committee. However, they could leave such questions as what public action could also be taken to reduce these costs. Councilman Neils agreed that public policy would indeed influence land costs and this should be a consideration by any sub -committee that would discuss this area. WSM ADVISORY COMMITTEE 'MINUTES 2- April 8, 1974 John Doyle stated that the major land costs are costs of the improvements to the land itself with seven percent of a housing unit cost going for raw land and with 13 percent going for iipproveme.nts'to the land, such as utilities. streets, etc. Chairman Barnes asked if, there was a figure for what these costs and improvements to the land were for Plymouth. Councilman Neils said that the c-st of public Improvements and fees was approximately $6.600 per lot at Amber i:jods and that this would include all area connection charges, park dedication fees, etc.; and in Chelsea Woods this cost was approximately .$6,500 per lot. John Doyle wanted to alert the cortmittee that the Minnesota Housing institute will be presenting a report on housing costs to the Metropolitan Council on April 24th at approximately 11:30 p.m. at the. Metropolitan Council Offices in St. Paul. He recommended all committee members to attend. Chairmman Barnes mentioned that financing of housing becomes a two-pronged issue as it includes the costs to the buyer but also those financing costs borne by the builder. Councilman Neils said that development costs should be included in any committee research. Ruth Ault added that the State Housing Finance Agency does provide loans to builders as well as to individuals. Councilman Neils added that much of the land that has been developed in Plymouth for housing purposes is done by one group who assembles the land and a second group who may buy several individual parcels from the first group to build houses on the lots they have purchased. Chairman Barnes asked the committee members if they felt the four study areas as amended were sufficient or if additional study areas should be established. Del Erickson wondered if any of the study areas actually would provide the answers to what constitutes adequate housing. He believed that this in itself could provide basis for a separate study area. Chairman Barnes said that he would like to see the committee define what adequate housing was at this meeting and also what con- stitutes a standard housing unit. Councilman Neils said that one approach would be that the committee could take a standard family relative to its housing needs while recognizing that there woulO be other standards and a variety ..^,f needs. Chairman Barnes wanted the committee to determine what groups in or outside the community that -the committee should most be responsible to; should it be senior citizens, first families (those purchasing their first houses core area citizens in Minneapolis, low-income families, or some other groups. He helleved that the two easiest groups to define in terms of housing needs were the senior citizens and the young families with children. James Eide suggested a term for the young families could be "starter families" and he gave examples of three families in the 27-28 year old range with $14,000 per year incomes he had recently dealt with In his job. All three expressed different life styles and required different housing.. Councilman Neils believed that the committee should determine what forms of housing would be adequate by the committee definition, in terms of space, kinds of -structure and other considerations. He stated that a retired couple may need less spode but woulJ it be desirable they have a one -floor unit or A two- 0 0 HOUSING ADVJSORY COMMITTEE MINUTES • 3 - April 3. 1974 floor unit. James Eide believed a basic requirement of 19040 square feet could be used as an example of a typical housing unit and relate other housing units to this standard. He gave as an example the Orrin Thompson Housing and the flexibility their floor plans offered. Del Erickson said that one concern should be how these different types of housing units would fit into a neighborhood and also how they would be programmed into the community as a whole. Councilman Neils agreed that the challenge is to provide quality housing at lower cost and provide a mechanism of distributing this housing throughout the community. Chairman Barnes said that the committee should define starting points for the various study areas and then assign persons to these study area grocpvt. He would like to have someone ter tht committee entertain a motion to adopt the study areas, define the standard family unit and standard living units so that these items could be formalized at this meeting. Ruth Ault asked if some of the information relative to what defines a standard family unit and a standard living unit had already been accomplished and John Doyle said that some of this has been done and that marketing studies also had been performed by companies such as Penton to determine housing needs by different income levels. Chairman Barnes stated that he felt it essential that the committee study groups relate all of their research to Plymouth itself and while he would not rant the committee to do work that has already been resear-ched, it may be necessary to readjust other research efforts to determine its application to Plymouth. Discussion then centered on definitions for what a standard family unit would be and a standard living unit. This discussion resulted in agreement that there were five basic standard family units as follows: 1 - singles, 2 • starter families, 3 - established families, 4 - empty nesters, 5 - senior citizens. Chairman Barnes wanted to know if John Doyle could find some mimimal acceptable square footage requirements for housing units for the five groups and then the committee could relate this to Plymouth. John Doyle stated that it would probably be appropriate to use a standard square foot cost such as $20 to $30 per square foot and not get into details which may bog the committee down. He added that there are three basic costs for housing: 1 - structural cost, 2 - land cost, and 3 - financing cost. Chairman Barnes urged the committee that they not go off on a tangent in any of their subcommittee assignments and make every effort to relate research to the conmmIttee charge, i.e. what can Plymouth do to provide housing for low and moderate income families. Councilman Neils said that the Council 1s looking for such things as a tabulation and itemization of what the costs are for housing in Plymouth. MOTION: The following motion was made by Ibith Ault and seconded by James Eide U-1cc arge John Doyle with determining the reasonable acceptable minimum living units for the five family groups as defined by the committee. All committee members were in favor with Mr. Doyle stating that he would have this information available at the next meeting on April 18, 1974. MOTION: Motion was made by Ruth Ault and seconded by James Eide that th-P four s"to3y areas as amended be accepted by the carnittee. All committee members were In favor. HOUSiNfi ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES * 4 - April 39 1974 Following i's a breakdown of foe fioor'study areas and the members and staff assigned to each study area: Study Area 1 (Zoning and. Subdivision Regulations/#busing and Subdivision design) Councilman Hunt, Subchairwan for Zoning end Subdivision Regulations Del Erickson, Subehalrman for Housing and Subdivision Design Martin Overhiser, Staff assistance. JIM fide Study Area 2 Gland Costs, Assessments, Taxes, and Other Reoccurring Costs) Mrs. Barbara Edwards, Stibcomtmittee Chairperson Coun:ilman Neils Milt, Valet Staff assistance. Study Area 3 (Construction and Financing -Costs) James Ei.du, Subcommittee Chaitw# (also assigned to Study Area 1) Ronald Raschk" Harold Aakke... Study Area 4 (Private Development incentives and Controls/Public Sector Considerations) Ruth Ault, Subcommittee Chairperson William Leaver, Jr. John Doyle, Staff assistance, Chairman Barnes stated he wished to appoint James Eide as Vice -Chairman in the event he would be unable to attend any meetings and wanted to know if this was agreeable. to the committee. All committee members were in favor.. Chairman Barnes also wanted to know what the committee wished to do relative to the standard living units and the standard family units. Councilman Neils suggested that the committee check two standard family units and not attempt to determine the needs for all five family units. This would lessen the committee research in this area. Del Erickson believed that it was not necessary to define standard living units and standard family units .at this time and ocher committee members were in agreement. "Councilman Neils suggested that if a meeting were held on April 18th, when John Doyle would have the Information orf acceptable minimum living units for the committee, it could then be determined how the Study Area Subcommittees were progressing and whether a meeting was needed on April 25th. Committee members were in agreement with this suggestion. Ummittee adjourned 14:44 P.M. er rues, a rman r Martin Overhisef an a e, Project Coordinators