(A) Neighborhood meetings are held for applications for preliminary plats, conditional use permits, Planned Unit Developments, and/or rezoning proposals that are located adjacent to or within a residential zoning district. After the formal application is submitted and accepted as complete for review by the city, but before the request is reviewed by the Planning Commission, the city requires the applicant to hold a neighborhood informational meeting.
(B) The applicant shall schedule the meeting and send out meeting notices to property owners and their tenants within 350 feet of the property proposed for development. This distance is increased to 1,000 feet for sites in the Conservancy, Rural Residential and Agricultural zoning districts. The purpose of this meeting is to provide information about the application and for area property owners to ask questions about the project and the development process before the application is discussed by City Advisory Commissions and the City Council. It is important for citizens to get involved at this state to ensure that concerns are addressed early in the process. Therefore, it is the applicant’s responsibility to hold a neighborhood meeting in accordance with the procedure described in the following paragraphs.
(1) The applicant shall send out meeting notices to property owners and their tenants at least 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting date. Meetings shall be scheduled Monday through Thursday evenings starting at 6:30 p.m. and not on a holiday, evening proceeding a holiday, or on Halloween. The applicant shall host the meeting within the City of Forest Lake and present the project for questions and concerns. Verification that the meeting notice was mailed is required before the application will be scheduled on an agenda for review by the Planning Commission.
(2) The meeting shall be held a minimum of 10 days prior to the Planning Commission meeting at which the proposed application will be discussed. At the completion of the meeting the applicant shall submit a list of attendees and minutes of the meeting to the Community Development staff.
(3) Notices and/or invitations to the neighborhood shall be sent to those names and addresses listed on the public hearing notice list as well as Community Development staff, Planning Commission, Parks, Trails, and Lakes Commission, and City Council members.
(4) The Planning Commission liaison from the City Council shall attend all neighborhood meetings as an observer when possible.
(Ord. 596, passed 2-8-2010; Am. Ord. 640, passed 6-8-2015; Am. Ord. 642, passed 6-22-2015)