Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce hosts city information session on Parkland Dedication Ordinance update | News [Video]

ROCHESTER , Minn.- The Rochester Parks and Recreation Department held an information session with the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce to go over the results of a study it held on its Parkland Dedication Ordinance, on Wednesday, April 17, and discuss potential changes with residential developers. 

The study, which was performed by Economic Planning Systems, analyzed the rates at which the city charges developers of subdivided residential lots for park development and maintenance under the existing ordinance and compared it to the rates of similarly sized cities throughout the state and the country to try and close a funding gap. 

Under the existing ordinance, developers are supposed to help the city develop 8 acres of park land for every 1,000 residents units added to the city. 

But according to the city, one third of the residential developers in the city have exemptions to the ordinance for a variety of reasons, …