Agenda - Council - 12/14/2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CC Regular Session Date: 12/14/2010 By: Tim Gladhill Community Development Information Title: Request for Final Site Plan Approval of Residence at The COR; Case of F & C Development Item #: 7. 4. Background: F & C Development, Inc. has applied for site plan review for a four (4) story, 230 unit apartment complex in The COR, located west of and in front of the existing municipal parking ramp. Notification: Although notification is not required for site plan review, properties within 700 feet were notified via Standard US Mail of the associated Major Plat, and said Public Hearing was properly notified in the Anoka County Union. Observations: The project is part of the COR One major plat being processed by the City of Ramsey Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). The proposed lot will be approximately 3.03 acres in size. The property is zoned TC -1, a sub - district consisting of a mix of residential, retail, service, professional, community service, recreational and similar uses on every block near, and within easy walking distance of the rail station. Total finished square feet when completed will be approximately 254,534 square feet. The minimum floor area ratio in this district .75; the proposed net floor area rato is 1.92. The COR encourages shared and structured parking to maximize building coverages and maximize density, especially in the TC -1 sub - district. The TC -1 district regulations require two (2) to five (5) story buildings; the proposed building is four (4) stories. The TC -1 Sub - District setback from street is 0 -5 feet. According to City Code, at least 60% of the proposed building must be within the maximum setback. The proposed setback of the building appears to be five (5) feet from the proposed extension of the setback, which is proposed as the `build -to line'. Approximately four (4) feet of sidewalk is required on private property, necessitating a sidewalk easement. This essentially increases the `public realm' into the Subject Property. The overall intent of placing structures close to the public area is still met, but the building is pushed further away from the right of way due to the extension of the sidewalk. The City Council introduced an ordinance to amend setbacks in the TC -1 sub - district on November 23, 2010, which is eligible for adoption at the December 14, 2010 City Council Meeting. The site will derive public access from Sunwood and Civic Center Drives. The site will share an access on Sunwood and Civic Center Drive with a proposed site plan for Suite Living at The COR, reviewed separately. In addition, the site will access parking in the municipal parking ramp. The shared and ramp accesses shall be encumbered by shared /public access easements as necessary. The City reserves the right to amend any full access to a right -in, right -out movement as traffic patterns or public safety warrant. At the preliminary site plan stage, City Staff requested additional detail regarding the functionality of the alleyway between the proposed structure and the municipal parking ramp. The Applicant has provided a turning exhibit to indicate traffic flow and patterns of occupants using the rear garages and service entrances for the building, including but not limited to, public safety and refuse removal vehicles. The first draft of the turning exhibit indicated the ability to access the parking ramp from the end of the alleyway. After reviewing this turning exhibit, Staff recommends that an additional ingress into the ramp not be constructed, as there appear to be conflicts in turning radius, height restrictions, etc. This means larger vehicles such as trash collection and deliveries to the retail component of the project must back up in the alleyway, across the parking ramp access road, and into a loading area, then exit onto Sunwood Drive. A revised