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Ripon planning for future growth
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The City of Ripon is currently receiving plenty of interest in residential development.

But controlling future growth will be essential in order to provide key services in a manner and level that’s expected to the community, according to Director of Planning Ken Zuidervaart.

Previous General Plans include Land Use policies that allowed for the City to “annex enough residentially designated land” for a projected residential growth rate in the 3 to 6 percent range for the urban planning period.

As it stands, the Ripon City Council has the discretion to annually review the development activity and determine that rate of growth during a specific period.

At Tuesday’s meeting, elected leaders could look towards establishing new policy on this matter.

This would also include:

Residential growth for the City to not exceed 3 percent or 4 percent (with some exceptions) while implementing a Public Allocation System consistent with these parameters.

uCouncil possibly clarifying its intention on residential growth, consistent with the General Plan, and establishing certain exemption from the growth limitation.

Council can also declare that the residential growth limitations set forth be consistent with the Public Facilities Financing Plan as the Ripon Municipal Code and the General Plan.

In 2003, the City of Ripon adopted a policy that essentially limited residential growth to not exceed 3 percent.

There was some exception such as certain projects that might exceed that growth cap, thus, allowing for an additional 1 percent per year. That part of the resolution was to remain in effect for 2 percent.

Council, in 2005, adopted another resolution. This one called for the same exceptions on projects meeting certain criteria exceeding the 3 percent growth cap while allowing a 1 percent per year.

This resolution expired in June 2007 and no other growth cap resolutions have been enacted since then.

The growth cap in Ripon was estimated – based on current residential units within city limits – at 5,325. This was with the annual residential growth at 3 percent, tallying about 160 permits per year.

This item and more will be discussed at the 6 p.m. open session inside the Council Chambers, 259 N. Wilma Ave.



For more information, log on to www.cityofripon.org.