Agenda - Council - 04/08/2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-42- Commissioner Brauer asked if it needed to be contingent with staff reviewing the tree preservation plan and landscape plan. Principal Planner Trudgeon indicated that was in the City Staff letter, and did not need to be an add-on. Motion Carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Nixt, Commissioners Johnson, Brauer, Reeve, Shepherd and Van Scoy. Voting No: None. Absent: None. Commissioner Watson abstained. Case//6 Request for Sketch Plan Review of River Park; Case of Dale Wirz Presentation Associate Planner Wald explained that Dale Wirz has applied for a sketch plan review to subdivide a portion of his 37 acre homestead and nursery located on the east side of T.H. #47, across the highway from Fox Ridge at about the 171st grid line. She stated that the property is zoned for single family residential use and it is in the rural Developing District for which there is a minimum lot size of 2.5 acres. Mr. Wirz is proposing to subdivide the eastern portion of his property into 16 urban-sized lots, with a 10,800 square foot minimum. Sl~e advised that Mr. Wirz' concept is to cluster the number of units that would be allowed with the 2.5 acre standard by reducing the size of the lots to urban standards and congregating them in one small area. She stated services would be provided with communal systems until city sewer and water are available to the site, and in the meantime, Mr. Wirz would be able to maintain his nursery. She explained that in order for the City to be able to consider the proposed 'cluster' development, the developer would either have to rezone the property to Planned Unit Development or request an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Ordinances to establish some guidelines for cluster development. In reviewing the sketch plan, Mr. Wirz' plan does not appear to meet the criteria for a PUD, especially the 20 percent public or 50 percent private permanent open space requirements. She indicated the alternative, to amend the Comprehensive Plan m~d Zoning Ordinances to establish guidelines for cluster developments, could take months to accomplish. She stated that Mr. Wirz' plat is also located in the Rum River Scenic Overlay District and the PUD or cluster development would require DNR's approval: She reiterated that as outlined in the City Staff Review Letter, the design of the communal services would have to. comply with Minnesota Rules and a maintenance schedule would be required. She indicated that if the plat goes forward as proposed,' density transitioning would be required on the north and south common property lines with adjacent properties. City Code requires a 45-foot wide corridor with numerous tree plantings. She indicated it appears that the plat would have to be redesigned to accommodate the 45-foot wide density transition corridor. Associate Planner g/aid stated that Mr. g/irz' plan does not meet the PUD criteria and the City does not have any provisions in the Comprehensive Plan or Zoning Ordinances for cluster developments, therefore, City Staff recommends that the sketch plan be denied, i She added that the developer should be advised to either reconfigure the plat to comply with the 2.5 acre lot size requirement, or submit an application for staff to begin drafting an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinances to address cluster developments. Planning Commission/February 6, 2003 Page 22 of 26 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I