Agenda - Council - 01/22/2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CC Regular Session Meeting Date: 01/22/2013 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Information 7. 1. Title: Request for Site Plan Approval for a McDonald's Located on Lot 4 Block 1 COR TWO; Case of McDonald's USA LLC Background: The City has received an application for Site Plan review for a proposed 4,600 square foot restaurant located in the COR-2b Subdistrict. The proposed building is a single tenant space located at the southeast corner of Sunwood Drive and Armstrong Blvd NW, adjacent to the recently approved Super America site. The proposal includes a drive-thru and the applicant has requested to utilize and operate electronic speaker devices associated with the drive-thru twenty-four (24) hours per day. A conditional use permit was also being processed concurrently with the site plan review due to the twenty-four (24) hour drive-thru component; however, at the January 3, 2013 Planning Commission meeting, a Public Hearing was held for an ordinance amendment relating to drive-thru uses in the COR-2b Sub -District and the Planning Commission recommended that twenty-four (24) hour drive-thrus in conjunction with permitted and conditional uses be a permitted use. Notification: A public hearing is not required for the site plan review. However, in accordance with State Statute and City Code, Staff attempted to notify all property owners within 350 feet of the Subject Property of the Public Hearing for the conditional use permit via Standard US Mail. A Notice of Public Hearing was also published in the Anoka County Union. Observations/Alternatives: The site is approximately 1.36 acres in size and is located in the COR-2b Sub -District. Within this Sub -District, up to two (2) drive-thru lanes are allowed in conjunction with permitted and conditional uses and the proposed restaurant is a permitted use. The proposal indicates two 'ordering' lanes along the north wall of the building that ultimately merge into a single lane for payment and receipt of food. When reviewing bulk standards such as setbacks, orientation, and sizes, three factors are used to determine the appropriate standard for site plan review in The COR: 1.Sub-District Boundary 2.Street Classification/Hierarchy 3.The Development Plan as approved by Ordinance (modified form -based code) The idea behind this review is that the surrounding built -environment is an important aspect of the design of a site. Most standards can be described using the street classification (as defined by the Design Framework) within individual Sub -Districts. For those circumstances where unique built -environment factors (such as larger roadways, broader design constraints), the Development Plan as approved by Ordinance provides the City a tool to address unique sites where the traditional build -to scenario proposes larger challenges or does not fit the surrounding built -environment. The building orientation, as presented, appears to be oriented in such a way that the traditional 'front' faces the southern property boundary. The rear of the building, as well as the two (2) drive-thru lanes, faces Sunwood Drive. There is, however, an additional entrance along the east wall of the building facing the private drive, which could be described as the main entrance. The proposed configuration is not the traditional build -to standard found in other areas of The COR or as outlined in the Design Framework. But, at the Planning Commission meeting, the applicant