Agenda - Planning Commission - 07/09/2015 - Work Session

Home

Ramsey Town Center Development Guidelines 19 TC2 Commercial Overview Site development guidelines for this sub -district focus on a unique opportunity to recast typical commercial development patterns into a contemporary and innovative strategy that responds to overall objectives for the Town Center. Specifically this suggests that the majority of buildings front on the primary through streets, with parking and service areas on the side or in the back, away from view. A mix of uses within individual blocks, including retail, restaurant and residential, further enhances this model, addresses design character/aesthetics and promotes activity throughout much of the day and evening hours. Site development guidelines include the following: TC2 Land Use • Encourage mixed use (within specific blocks) throughout this district • Promote housing in close proximity to retail uses, specifically targeting locations along the edge of Town Center Park • Include a mix of large floor plate variety stores, service and convenience uses (grocery, drug and hardware stores), specialty shops and other destination retailers • Emphasize Sunwood Drive as the commercial 'Main Street' TC2 Building Placement • Generally, buildings should be located at the street right-of-way line (zero setback), allowing recessed space for outdoor dining and other sidewalk activities; no more than 40% of building beyond maximum setback • Generally, buildings should be located parallel to the street they face • Buildings should be placed at all four corners of key intersections • Reduce the scale and mass (street side visual impacts) of large floor plate buildings by including liner stores or break up building facades into smaller sections • Large, blank walls along any public street are unacceptable • Greater emphasis should be given to architectural elements, materials and other design features for buildings located at primary intersections, for example, at Sunwood and Zeolite, or at key development entries, for example, at Sunwood and Armstrong — frequently these locations can be seen from several directions, from a distance, or sit at prominent crossroads and will likely become future landmarks as the Town Center develops • Minimize openings between buildings where storefronts line the street, although limited driveway access (one per block along destination streets) and some provision for pedestrian connections through blocks are encouraged — large gaps in the building wall along street frontage to accommodate surface parking lots, greater building setbacks or other purposes are discouraged Site Develpment • No more than 25% of street frontage can be utilized for surface parking lots TC2 Parking Strategies • Provide parking spaces for typical daily use satisfying both quantity and location needs through a combination of on -street and surface lot parking solutions • Provide options for additional/overflow parking to support holiday traffic and special events including porous pavements, turf parking areas (NetIon and other soil amendments) or shuttle service from nearby parking areas • Encourage shared parking solutions that target around the clock shifts in destination, audience or take advantage of peak/off-peak hours of operation for various uses within thesub-district • Minimize surface parking lots fronting on primary streets, locate surface parking lots away from the major streets, either behind or to the side of buildings