Minutes - Planning Commission - 08/29/2002

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Principal Planner Trudgeon stated that Allstate Development LLC has applied for preliminary plat for a townhome development. The property is generally located in the triangular area formed by the intersection of Nowthen Boulevard, Sunfish Lake Boulevard. and Alpine Drive. The Planning Commission reviewed the sketch plan for the property at the June 6, 2002 meeting. The sketch plan showed a total of 157 townhouse units (comprised of two-unit and sixteen-unit townhome buildings). The preliminary plat shows the first phase of the development and consists of 19 two-unit townhome buildings and 6 single-family lots for a total of 44 housing units. The property is currently zoned R-2, Medium Density Residential and R-1 Single Family. The property is approximately 23.36 acres in size. The preliminary plat shows two large outlots that will be subdivided in the future. When the acreage of the outlots (8.6 acres) are factored out, the net density shown on the preliminary plat is 2.8 units per acre. Mr. Trudgeon recalled that the sketch plan reviewed in June 2002 showed seven 16-unit townhouse buildings. The R-2 Zoning District allows for a maximum of 10 units per building. Allstate has submitted a zoning ordinance amendment to increase the number of units allowed per building to 16 in the R-2 District. This request will be considered at the August Planning Commission meeting. If the amendment is approved, Allstate will be bringing forward a preliminary plat subdividing Outlots A and B with 16-unit townhome buildings. The townhomes will be subject to a site plan review at a future date for all other aspects of the proposal including but not limited to architectural standards, off-street parking, structure setbacks, and landscaping. The results of the site plan review may impact the actual number of townhomes to be developed on the property. Several lots having access on private streets do not appear to meet the setback requirements nor the minimum driveway width. Specifically, Lots 9 and 10, Block 1 and Lots 9 and 10, Block 3 appear to be deficient. These units will need to be reconfigured or eliminated from the plat. The single-family lots meet all of the dimensional requirements required by City Ordinances. City Ordinances require townhome developments to be served with public streets and driveway collectors that are private streets. The private streets shown appear to meet the private street standards. The applicant is proposing to provide public roads to access Alpine Dr. and Sunfish Lake Boulevard. (CSAH 56). The access on Sunfish Lake Boulevard will need Anoka County approval. The preliminary plat shows public road accesses that will serve properties to the north, east, and west. Under City Ordinances, townhome developments shall have a minimum of 40% of the development property as open space for the enjoyment of its residents. The preliminary plat meets this standard. Of the 40% open space, 10% of the open space is required to be grouped together in a way that is easily identifiable and used as common space. In the sketch plan, the developer indicated that in a future phase they will be constructing a community building that would serve the residents of this development. The City will count this as meeting the 10% common space requirement. However, if the community building is not built, the developer will be responsible for creating the required common space in future phases. Planning Commission/August 29, 2002 Page 6 of 18