Laserfiche WebLink
CC Regular Session 7. 1. <br />Meeting Date: 06/11/2013 <br />Submitted For: Patrick Brama By: Patrick Brama, Administrative Services <br />Information <br />Title: <br />15153 Nowthen Blvd Property Development: Consider Comprehensive Plan Amendment Application <br />Background: <br />General Background <br />This site was vacated by the City when the City moved its operations to its new municipal campus in 2006, with the <br />exception of Fire Station Number 2, and some storage. Since that time, the City has explored various options for <br />selling the land in conjunction with the construction of a new fire station on an adjacent site to the east. In 2012, the <br />City was approached by Connexus Energy regarding the development of City owned land located at 15153 <br />Nowthen Boulevard; known as the Old Municipal Center Site ("Subject Property"). The Subject Property is 21.24 <br />acres in size and is currently zoned Public/Quasi-Public. <br />The City is considering two general development scenarios for the Subject Property: data center and single family <br />residential. The City completed a feasibility study on said development scenarios in early 2013. <br />The next step in the process to develop the Subject Property is to consider the appropriate land use and zoning. <br />Staff was directed to conduct a public open house regarding a potential Comprehensive Plan and Zoning <br />Amendment for Subject Property in April 2013. <br />Purpose of Case <br />Consider SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to allow for [data <br />center and/or residential development]. Please note: this application will also need to be approved by the <br />Metropolitan Council, if approved by the City Council. Upon completion of that process, the City would need <br />to update its official controls (Zoning Code and Official Zoning Map) <br />IMPORTANT NOTE: The Council must remain objective when reviewing a Comprehensive Plan <br />Amendment application; therefore, the Council must not take a POSITION ON APPROVING a <br />Comprehensive Plan Amendment as part of this case. The Planning Commission must hold a public hearing, <br />establish a findings -of -fact and submit a recommendation to the Council before consideration. <br />Detailed Background <br />Connexus Energy identified the Subject Property as the best available data center site in the entire County of Anoka <br />in the fall of 2012; and, proposed the City partner with their organization to pursue development of the Subject <br />Property for a data center user(s). <br />Previous to receiving Connexus Energy's proposal, the City Council identified the Subject Property as surplus City <br />owned land; as it is unneeded for current or future City functions (summer of 2012). <br />Both the EDA and City Council directed Staff to pursue the proposed partnership with Connexus Energy in the fall <br />of 2012. However, a number of key development issues would need to be resolved before either the EDA our City <br />Council were able to pledge their full support for a data center development. Major items included: a feasibility <br />study (cost -benefit analysis) and Comprehensive Plan/Zoning Amendment for the Subject Property. The EDA and <br />City Council were both interested in exploring how the proposed data center use might fit in with surrounding <br />properties. <br />Feasibility Study <br />