Agenda - Planning Commission - 09/01/2016

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SITE EVALUATION medical, and civic uses. Construction began in 2005 on several for-sale townhome communities on the northern portion of the Town Center. Retail development, including a Coburn's grocery store began on the southwestern portion of the Town Center, and a charter school has been com- pleted on the eastern portion. A primary goal of Ramsey Town Center is to create a genuine downtown that will attract people of all ages to live, shop, work, and play and that will also promote Ramsey as a regional destina- tion. Along with the various land uses, features incorporated into the Town Center are public gathering spaces, streets that connect the mixed-uses and are scaled to promote intimacy, and a multi-modal transit station. The multi-modal transit station would be incorporated into the core of the Town Center and would serve as a hub where local circular transit comes together with the proposed NorthStar Commuter Coach services—which is eventually planned to connect down- towns Minneapolis and St. Cloud. Ramsey Town Center would be an excellent location for both affordable multifamily housing and independent senior housing. Residents of housing communities located in the Town Center would have easy access to goods and services as well as jobs located within the community. In addition, residents would have easy access to transit connecting them to jobs outside the area. This is important because after housing, transportation is one of the largest expenses for families. The need to own one or more cars, combined with housing costs, can place a heavy financial burden on many low and moderate income households. Thus, locations such as the Town Center that link housing to convenient access to transit, as well as to nearby retail and services, are highly appealing for affordable and senior housing. Of the five potential sites in Ramsey, we believe that Ramsey Town Center is the most ideal lo- cation for affordable multifamily housing and senior housing. It provides the best access to goods, services, and transit and also is the most appropriate for high-density housing. Sites #2 and#3 Sites 92 and 93 are located across Sunfish Lake Boulevard from each other, about halfway be- tween Alpine Drive to the north and Sunwood Drive to the south. Site 92 is about eight acres on the east side of Sunfish Lake Boulevard, with Sunfish Lake forming its eastern boundary. Site 93 is approximately 12 acres located on the west side of Sunfish Lake Boulevard, with a former land fill, which in now capped, forming its western boundary. Both sites are zoned medium-density residential, but because Site 92 is in a shoreline district and Site 93 contains wetlands, the density potential of both sites is somewhat limited. While the density may be limited, the topography of Sites 92 and 93 create a setting that would be attractive for housing. Site 92 slopes from Sunfish Lake Boulevard downward to Sunfish Lake, thus providing excellent views for units facing east. Site 93 has a picturesque setting cre- ated by its many hills and wetland areas. Sites 92 and 93 are located about 1.5 miles north of Highway 10, and access and visibility are decent. The nearest shopping/services would be Ramsey Town Center and shopping centers lo- MAXFIELD RESEARCH INC. 3