Agenda - Planning Commission - 03/11/2004

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intended development for this property, which includes developing a variety of commercial tenants while adding an complementary, quantity of residential units. Staff has requested concept plans pertaining to how the commercial node can be developed. It is important to verify that the residential and commercial pieces work together. The preliminary plat is proposing to construct a total of 195 heritage town homes and carriage condominiums. The net density for the proposed development is 9.31 units per acre. The proposed density for the subject project meets the density Criteria of 7 to 15 units per acre established in the R-3 District. The preliminary plat and site plan review was based on the R-3 district standards. However, as previously stated the Planning Commission and City Council have the opportunity to review deviations from the strict zoning standards since the property is zoned MU-PUD. Standard ~ Building Setback from Public Street Right of Way I 25 feet Proposing o There are 3 public streets provided and several cases where the units are less than 25 feet from the public street right-or:way (please see the StaffReview Letter dated March 5, 2004 for a comprehensive list of units proposing to deviate from this standard). Rational for Deviation: The development will be providing the required public street right-of-way width. Staff is not concerned with snow storage since the maximum public street right-of-way is being provided. The 25 foot public street right-of-way restriction was intended to be applicable to the garage portion of the townhouse unit in order to establish a 25 foot driveway. The proposed development is providing a layout that results in the structures accessing or located adjacent to a public street from the side yard, rear yard, and front yard. Since City Code does not adequately address how to apply the public street right-of-way setback, the proposed development appears to be requesting several deviations. The proposed Heritage Town House units function a little different than a typical town house unit the' City has approved in the past. The Heritage units have tuck under garages that are located at the rear of the unit. In most cases the units are accessed by two streets, one street provides the owner vehicle access and the other street provides the visitor access. In all cases the units will also contain a sidewalk located in front of the m~it to provide a pedestrian pathway to the front door. Therefore shifting the units closer to the public right-of-way makes some sense, as this will reinforce the pedestrian friendly access to the unit. Recommendution: Based on the above comments, it seems reasonable to allow the units to deviate from the public street right~of-~vay standurd as long as all of the units maintain a front yard, side yard, aud rear yard It)foot setback from the public right of }vay and in the instances where the unit driveways gain access from a public street a 25foot ntinimum driveway is maintained t_(drivewav is measured from the unit to the baclr of the curb). 50