Minutes - Planning Commission - 04/04/2002

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Presentation Community Development Director Frolik noted that Eighty Seven LLC has applied for a preliminary plat review of a 42-unit townhome development. The property is generally located in the southwest quadrant of T.H. #47 and 153rd Avenue N.W. and the fee title owner is Blaine Edmundson. During the February 7, 2002 meeting, the Planning Commission instructed the applicant to bring back a revised plan that removes the road connection to the south and instead show two accesses onto Alpine Dr. In meeting with staff, the applicants expressed a desire to bring the original plan to the City Council to receive their direction. She explained that before they took the time and expense of preparing a new plat, the applicant wanted to determine if the City Council would require a connection to the south. On February 26, 2002, the City Council reviewed the issues and determined that the applicant needs to provide an access to the south and that a second access onto Alpine Drive would be impracticable. Therefore, the applicant is back before the Planning Commission for reconsideration of the preliminary plat that shows only one access onto Alpine Dr. and an eventual public road connection to properties to the south. The subject property is zoned R-3 Urban Residential which allows up to 7 dwelling units per acre. The property is approximately 8.7 acres in size. When the right-of-way of Alpine Dr. and Hwy. 47 is factored out, the property has 7.1 net acres. The preliminary plat is proposing'42 townhouse unit with a net density of 5.91 units per acre. In order to comply with City Ordinances, the applicant is showing a temporary cul-de-sac about 600 feet from Alpine Drive. The applicant is proposing that a road temporarily classified as private extend beyond the temporary cul-de-sac to access Lots 17-22, Block 1 and Lots 14-20, Block 2. Once a connection to the south is needed, the private road will need to be turned over to the City for a public road. The preliminary plat shows private driveway collectors serving 16 of the units. The remaining 26 units will have driveways on the public right-of-way. All of the driveways will be at least 25 feet long, with several being 30 to 40 feet long. The Park Commission has previously met to discuss the proposed subdivision and are requiring that park dedication fees in the amount of $1700 per unit be collected in lieu of land dedication; that trail fees in the amount of $400 per unit be collected; that the developer indicate an area within the subdivision of common open space that can be used for active or passive recreation, and that the applicant dedicate, through a separate recordable document, a twenty-foot trail easement parallel with State Hwy. 47. City Staff recommends approval of the preliminary plat of Alpine Meadows subject to compliance with the City Staff review letter dated January 31, 2002, Revised March 28, 2002, and the applicant receiving a variance to the front yard setback. Chairperson Nixt questioned where the responsibility lies to maintain the private street beyond the temporary cul-de-sac. He noted the alternative is to grant a variance to the 600 foot dead-end restriction and plat the road as public all the way to the south boundary. He said he would be willing to grant the variance in lieu of a private street. Commission Business Motion by Commissioner Johnson, seconded by Commissioner Kociscak to approve the preliminary plat of Alpine Meadows subject to: Planning Commission/April 4, 2002 Page 8 of 14