Agenda - Planning Commission - 04/05/2012

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Regular Planning Commission 6.2. Meeting Date: 04/05/2012 By: Tim Gladhill, Community Development Title: Staff Update Background: Information The following is a brief summary of approvals given in March that may be of interest to the Planning Commission : • Request for an Interim Use Permit for an Online School at 7550 Highway 10 NW; Case of 2 -OI, LLC Clarification PACT Charter School Interim Use Permit Approval. As noted above, the City Council approved the request for an Interim Use Permit for the PACT Charter School Online Learning Program at the former site of Diamonds Sports Bar and Grill. The Planning Commission may recall the recommendation from the March Planning Commission Meeting was to also consider a Zoning Amendment /Comprehensive Plan Amendment to Public /Quasi- Public in order to make the proposed use a Permitted Use. Citing future land use goals and required process on the part of the City as well as the Property Owner, City Council directed Staff to not process said amendment at this time. Staff will work with the Property Owner over the first year or two of operation and re- evaluate zoning amendments and future land use goals for the site in the future. The Property Owner was agreeable to the direction. City Council appoints members to Boards and Commissions. As part of the process for appointing members to Boards and Commissions, the City Council held interviews on March 6, 2012. The Planning Commission had one available seat, and Mr. Rob Schiller was appointed to another term. Livable Communities Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Grants. The City submitted three (3) grant applications to the TOD Grant round through the Metropolitan Council for construction of the Sunwood Drive re- alignment, the construction of Center Street, and design of the future Highway 10 Pedestrian Overpass (known as Mississippi Skyway). The City is eligible for this grant opportunities available through the Livable Communities Program of the Metropolitan Council due to the approval of the Northstar Commuter Rail - Ramsey Station and eligible activities within a 1/2 mile radius of the station site. Local Improvement Capacity (LIC) Grant Application. Made possible through a US Department of Housing and Urban Development Sustainable Communities Planning Grant, the Metropolitan Council as the lead agency with several private and public partners has created the Corridors of Opportunity Initiative. The program created pre - development planning grant opportunities. The City has submitted an application for planning for Municipal Plaza (Village Square Commons), which is directly north of the Municipal Center and location of the Happy Days Festival. Transit Improvement Area (TIA) Designation Application. The City has submitted an application of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) as a Transit Improvement Area (TIA). Similar to the grant opportunities mentioned above, the City is eligble for this program which would open up additional opportunities for grants and loans due to the approval of the Northstar Commuter Rail - Ramsey Station and activities within a 1/2 mile radius. Request from Podawiltz Development for Local Contribution for Townhome Project in Town Center Gardens 3rd Addition. At their March 13th Work Session, the City Council directed Staff to continue discussions with Podawiltz Development for a local contribution for a 50 unit townhome project for an area of Town Center Gardens 3rd Addition just east of Town Center Drive, north of Bunker Lake Boulevard. This area of the Plat currently has streets and utilities constructed, but no development has occured. City Council direction was to discuss donation of excess property owned by the HRA, vacation of an existing public ROW /conversion to private