Agenda - Council - 05/25/2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CONSIDER POLICY AND STAFF DIRECTION TO ASSIST TOWN CENTER MARKETING By: James E. Norman, City Administrator Background: As staff continues to work with the Ramsey Town Center Developer and their respective marketing efforts, new issues continue to come to the forefront that poses a serious challenge to the project. Staff has been asked clarification in two general areas that would lend assistance to the marketing of the Town Center. One question is concerning the possible development of "super big boxes", or grocery stores attached to a large commercial retail center. The other question deals with the transportation policy surrounding Armstrong Boulevard and the eventual extension of Bunker Lake Boulevard to Highway #10. Staff received recommendations separately, so the two issues will be discussed separately. Large Retail Grocery Whi lc marketing the grocery store in the Town Center, a concern developed that has hindered the marketing o1' a grocery store within the current Town Center project. Development of a large grocery component included with a large retail center, commonly referred to as "super big box", has jcopardized the marketing of the project. Staff discussed the matter with the Town Center Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Committee agreed that restrictions in the zoning ordinances would be ill-advised, and the restriction may not fit into the Development Guidelines either. The recommendation of the TAC suggested that City Council adopt, by simple motion, direction to staff to discourage a large grocery complex west of Armstrong Boulevard. The recommended motion would be as follows: Direct City staff to develop language to the extent possible which would discourage grocery uses west of Arntstrong Boulevard in TC-2 Zoning District of.the Ramsey Town Center consistent with City ordinances, Development Guidelines and State htw. Transportation Policy Future plans tbr freeway standards on T.H. #10 call for grade separated interchanges in Ramsey at Ramsey Boulevard and the eventual extension of Bunker Lake Boulevard (C.R. #116) to provide highway access to the Ramsey Town Center. Since the future grade separated interchange located at Bunker Lake Boulevard/T.H. #10 would have significant impact on the Armstrong Boulevard access to Highway #10, it has been suggested that marketing efforts will be hampered. The Town Center developers desire to assure potential users and tenants that there will be no changes in traffic pattern for more than ten years. Once the marketplace has been established, the changes of traffic access can be changed with little to no significant impact on the markctplace.