Agenda - Planning Commission - 04/01/2004

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Staff received the latest revisions on March 26, 2004 and is not able to fully comment on the sketch plan at the time of this Staff report. Staff will be bringing forWard more detailed comments to the Planning Commission on April 1. Some initial comments Staffhas are as ffollows: · GeneralLayout. The plan presented to the City is consistent with the original sketch plan approved in 2003 in several areas and has made some revisions in other locations. Specifically, the area east of the intersection of Zeolite St. and Sunwood Drive is consistent with the approved sketch plan with retail and pedestrian opportunities close to the street w/th parking in the rear. The proposed development of the area west of the Zeolke/Sunwood intersection starts to shin the buildings back from the road more than what was shown on the approved sketch plan. Staffhas asked, and the Developer complied, for additional landscaping and building pads located nearer Sunwood Drive to help break up the view of the parking lots. As this portion of the development was always shown as being for larger retail operations, larger parking lots are unavoidable. However, the initial revisions have helped to mitigate the impacts of the parking lots and Staff will continue to explore other options to mitigate the parking lot impacts. · Stormwater Ponding. The stormwater pond shown on the sketch plan substantially reduces the area previously shown for stormwater detention ponding as part of the Ramsey Town · Center Addition plat. There are some other options to treat the stormwater such as shipping water downstream to other detention ponds that Staff and the Developer have only just begun to discuss. The sizing of the stormwater pond in this area could affect the layout as shown. · Northwest retail commercial node. The retail node shown adjacent to Armstrong Blvd. and Town Center Parkway extends into the area zoned TC-3b (Residential) which only allows for limited retail opportunities. For the area to be developed as shown in the sketch plan, portions of the this area will need to be rezoned to TC-2 (Commercial). Staffalso is concerned with the larger 30,000 square foot retail building being located so close to Town Center Parkway and the residential area to the north. Given the potential intensity of the use of the building, Staffwill want to see more detail regarding the operations and landscaping around the building. · Sunwood Drive. As presented in the sketch plan, a portion of Sunwood Drive shows a landscaped median as the road nears An~strong Blvd. Sunwood Drive as currently designed, does not show any raised medians. Staff and the Developer will need to have discussions on the raised median to determine if it is desirable to have at th/s point. As mentioned above, Staff will have some more detailed comments at the April 1, 2004 meeting. Commission Action: Will be based on discussion. Review Checklist: Community Development Director Associate Planner Copy to: City Administrator Assistant Public Works Director ~2 PC: 04/01/04