Agenda - Planning Commission - 07/12/2004 - Special Meeting

Home

Case # REQUEST FOR SITE PLAN REVIEW OF TOWN CENTER 3at~ ADDITION, COBURN'S GROCERY; CASE OF RAMDANCE LLC By: Sylvia Frolik, Community Development Director Background: Ramdance LLC has submitted a site Plan for approval for the development of a Coburn's grocery store on Outlot I of Ramsey Town Center, proposed to be replatted as Ramsey Town Center 3rd Addition. The plat of Ramsey Town Center 3rd Addition proposes to create 2 buildable lots and 1 outlot. Lot 1 would be developed with the grocery store and ancillary uses (fuel amenity, car wash, pharmacy drive-up window), and 3 other commercial buildings for retail and restaurant uses. Lot 2 would accommodate another commercial structure. Outlot A will provide a landscape t'eature t'or the entrance to Ramsey Town Center. The first phase of the development of Lot i includes the grocery store and a corner retail building in the northeast corner of the site. The site plan ~br the grocery store and the corner retail building are being processed as two separate cases. The following items are enclosed for your information: b) c) d) e) Site location map Proposed plat Proposed site plan and landscape plan Proposed building elevations (refer to color e:chibits contained in agenda packet) City Staff Review Letter dated July 8, 2004 Observations: The site is zoned TC-2 and retail uses, including grocery stores, are a permitted use. The applicants are proposing to construct a 54,000 square foot grocery store on the site that will include a pharmacy with drive-up window, a fuel amenity, and a car wash. The TC-2 district regulations require conditional use permits for buildings in excess of 35,000 square feet, drive-up windows and car washes. The applicants have applied for the appropriate conditional use permits. The accessory gas sales are currently not a permitted use in the TC-2 District. Per Planning Commission and City Council direction, City Staff is processing an amendment to the TC~2 District to allow gas sales as an accessory use, under very specific conditions. City Code states that there shall be one main building on a lot. There are ultimately 4 structures planned for Lot 1. The options to multiple buildings on one lot are: a) apply for a variance to the multiple main building restriction; b) amend the Town Center development regulations to allow tbr multiple buildings on one lot; c) redesign the plat to create a separate lot of record for each building. The TC-2 District establishes a .5 floor area ratio. Lot 1 is 391,410 square feet in area; the minimum floor area ratio is 195,705; the total area of all buildings planned for Lot 1 is 93,207 square feet. The plan is 102,499 square feet deficient of the .5 ratio. Options to resolve this issue are: a) apply for a variance to the floor area ratio requirement; b) amend the TC-2 district regulations to lower the floor area ratio requirement; c) redesign the plat with a lot size for each building that meets the floor area ratio requirement and plat the excess area as a common area for overflow parking. 75