Minutes - Council - 02/13/2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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presented to the City Council on January 9, 2001, the City Attorney advised the City Council to refer the Orchard Hills case back to the Planning Commission to document discussion of the Charter requirement as it pertains to Orchard Hills and reasons for proceeding with the plat. The Planning Commission met on February 6, 2001, to reconsider the preliminary plat and site plan for Orchard Hills as it pertains to the City Charter and the proposed density transition ordinance. There were several area residents present submitting comments of support for the proposed development. With respect to the proppsed preliminary plat, the following comments were submitted: The property consists of approximately 10.13 acres and is currently zoned R-3 Urban Residential, which allows up to seven units per acre. The draft Comprehensive Plan targets his area for high-density residential uses and high density was recently changed back to 15 units per acre. The developer is proposing 42 units, which equates to a gross density of 4.2 units per acre and a net density of 4.4 units per acre (net density is calculated by excluding Outlot A). This is a 37 percent reduction in the density allowed under the current zoning of seven units per acre and a 71 percent reduction under the proposed 15 units an acre in the draft comprehensive plan. Barium and Cobalt Streets are proposed to be extended from the south in the plat; Barium Street will turn to the west and become 152''d Lane and then "T" into Cobalt Street; and Cobalt Street will extend north to 153''a Avenue NW. The plat indicates that Cobalt Street will be connected to an existing north/south private driveway on the Bill's Superette site. Dedication of the private street as a public roadway will be required and has been agreed to by the Rademacher Colnpany (owners of Bill's Superette). No access is proposed from St. Francis Boulevard NW. The pedestrian/bike path is proposed to be continued along the east side of T.H. #47. City Code standards for required lot area in the R-3 district are outdated and difficult to apply to the cun'ent development trends. Applying the intent of the R-3 district standards: the proposed development would be required to have a minimum of 197,500 square feet of lot area. The proposed plat area, excluding Outlot A, is 411,737 square feet. Staff felt that the proposed plat exceeds the lot area requirement established in the R-3 zoning district. The grading plan is generally acceptable; specific details of the proposed drainage and grading plan will be addressed during site plan review. The City will be requiring a ten foot drainage and utility easement along the frontage of Barium Street, 152"d Lane, and Cobalt Street. The Park Commission recomlnended a cash payment to satisfy park dedication requirements. The City retained the finn of Hakanson Anderson Associates to perform the required Traffic Generation Analysis study on the proposed development. That report was reviewed by the City Council on January 9, 2001. With respect to the site plan, the following comments were submitted: The proposed development will be served by municipal water and sanitary sewer. The project area abuts two, single-family, rural residential lots on the extreme east and a single family, urban residential neighborhood on the southeast and south boundaries. To the north of the subject property is an existing business development (Bill's Superette, Ramsey Clinic and Pharmacy). The proposed townhome units will contain two bedrooms; however, 34 units will have the option to have a legal third bedroom downstairs. The townhome units meet or exceed the minimum floor area, garage area, and setback requirements established in the R-3 district. The pedestrian/bike path is proposed to be continued along the east side of T.H. #47. The City passed an ordinance on August 22, 2000, requiring a five-foot sidewalk on at least one side of each through street in all urban subdivisions. The site plan indicates that a sidewalk will be located along the east side of Cobalt Street, south side of 152nd Lane, and west of Barium Street. City Council/February 13, 2001 Page 23 of 28