Minutes - Council - 02/24/2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Gamec stated he believes this is a mixed concept that could work out if they plan for the right things. Councilmember Kurak brought up a good concern about the association. The developer should know there may be discussion about the raingardens at the final plat approval. Tom Lincoln, representative of URS, indicated he has been working with Ramsey Town Center LLC and D.H. Horton. They will work with staff on a plan for the rain gardens. He explained the infiltration portion would not be heavily landscaped, the rain gardens would be the more heavily landscaped area. He has seen hostas and purple coneflower type planting materials used. They will work with staff to further define this to come up with a landscape plan. Their intent is to use this best management practice, which is used in many places now. Councilmember Zimmerman requested a review of the park dedication fees. Assistant Community Development Director Trudgeon explained the City is in active negotiations with Ramsey Town Center LLC in regards to park dedication fees and there should be a resolution by mid March in regards to the contribution they would provide. There may not be a park dedication fee owed due to the amount of improvements the developer is doing. If that does not happen the City would charge the normal park dedication fees. At the Council work session on March lst there will be a more detailed update available. Motion by Councilmember Elvig, seconded by Councilmember Kurak, to adopt Resolution #04- 02-058 approving the preliminary plat of Ramsey Town Center 2nd Addition subject to compliance with City Staff Review Letter dated January 30, 2004, Revised February 20, 2004, approval of the preliminary site plan, and approval of amendments to the Town Center Zoning Code to allow for driveways less than 25 feet for residential units that have a front door facing a public street and contain rear loaded garages and to allow for a 25-foot setback for back-to-back townhome units. Councilmember Kurak inquired about the indication that moving the trail might shift the whole plat to the west. Assistant Public Works Director Olson explained as part of every development that goes in adjacent to a county road the City requires a trail to be constructed. Generally the trail is required on the developer's property or a combination of right-of-way and developer property. This whole section of Ramsey Boulevard will be reconstructed. When the Ramsey Boulevard improvements were beginning to be worked through it was intended the trail be placed wholly within the right-of-way. However, the right-of-way was not wide enough and it needed to be shifted to allow at least an eight-foot boulevard between the curb and the ten-foot walkway. He explained originally there would have been a 14-foot offset between the right-of-way and the building pads, and if a ten-foot walk was put in there would only be four feet. A compromise was made that determined four feet would be county right-of-way and six feet would be on the developer's property. Therefore, a six-foot trail easement was needed along the eastern portion of this plat or west of the Ramsey Boulevard right-of-way, and the developer would be responsible for that. There will be ten feet of separation between the trail and the front stoop of the building. One option to solve the problem would be that the whole plat would shift over if City Council/February 24, 2004 Page 16 of 31