Agenda - Council - 03/08/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Case #9: Request for Sketch plan lApprOval of Shade Tree Cottages; Case of Shade Tree Communities, LLC ~ ~ Associate Planner Wald indicated Shade Tree Communities, LLC has applied for sketch plan review to create a residential Planned Unit :Development (PUD) subdivision on the property generally located west of Potassium Street :and east of Nowthen Boulevard. The City Council reviewed the sketch plan at their JanUary 25, .2005 meeting. Subsequent to the City Council meeting, staff received a revised Sketch plan for Council consideration. She requested input fi'om the Council regarding the sketch plan. She noted the developer is not required to come back to the Council for sketch plan approval, butlfelt it was important to get further direction from the Council before they proceed to Preliminary plat. There are many details to work out, but the developer would like input from the CoUncil ~as to whether they are on the right track. She explained if the Council provides positive; direction it does not guarantee that the developer will be approved for this number of Units at preliminary plat. Councihnember Elvig commented the number 'of units is still high. He requested in the future staff portray how the development being diSCussed relates to surrounding properties with road, wate~xvay and greenspace connections. He commented there were a lot of questions from the neighbors about Potassium Street; and that it maY need to be moVed or realigned. The Engineer had concnems about moving it to the east due to the wetland. He expressed concern with approving the sketch plan at this time without addressing these concerns, as it would put them into the 60-day rule. James Napier of Midwest Land Service, representative of the applicant, explained the Lower Rum River Water Management Organization Could not officially comment on the possibility of moving Potassium Street without official plans. However, they stated a minimal wetland impact is prel~rred and moving this street further ~ west would destroy over 1/3 acre of wetland, ha addition, an easem.ent would be needed frOm the property owner to the south and utilities would also need to be moved. Councihnember Cook inquired if PotasSium Street already exists on the current alignment as a City road. City Attorney Goodrich replied it was not dedicated to the City, but the City has obtained title to the road through maintaining it. Counci hnember Strommen commented She sees some minor improvements in this plan, but she echoes Councilmember Elvig in that they are back to the original density the Planning Commission th.ought was too dense. She noted this is a challenged site, and a PUD is appropriate, but the PUD is appropriate to mitigate the impacts to the wetland and create the open space on a challenged site, while she sees this PUD being used to develop nearly all of the upland space. At this time she is :questioning !he wisdom of this concept after the third attempt and is wondering if they should look at a single-family option. City Council/February 22, 2005 pagel3 of 31