Agenda - Council - 03/23/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CC Regular Session Meeting Date: 03/23/2021 Submitted For: Chloe McGuire Brigl, Community Development By: Chloe McGuire Brigl, Community Development Information Title: Adopt Resolution #21-055 Approving Java Properties Site Plan and Final Plat (Project 21-105) 5. 11. Purpose/Background: The purpose of this case is to review the site plan from Java Properties (the "Applicant") for a new commercial building west of Casey's on Sunwood Drive NW. The Subject Property is owned by the City of Ramsey and is approximately 13 acres, of which only a portion will be purchased by the Applicant and platted. The Subject Property is known as PID 28-32-25-41-0020. The site is zoned COR and is accessed off Sunwood Drive from the shared drive aisle with Casey's to the east. The proposed site plan includes a request for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a slight parking overage and a final plat to formally subdivide the land they are purchasing from the City. The Planning Commission met on March 4, 2021 and unanimously recommended approval of the project. Notification: The Planning Commission met on March 4, 2021 and held a formal public hearing for the project. For the public hearing, the City attempted to notify property owners within 700 feet of the Subject Property, as noted in the Anoka County Property Records. The notice was also published in the City's official newspaper, the Anoka County Union Herald. The City did not provide additional notice for this meeting. Observations/Alternatives: Observations Staff has received the concept plan for the following items and found it to be generally consistent with the guidance for this area. • Architecture: High quality architecture is one of the key features of the COR downtown area. This site includes a strong front building facade with lots of windows, brick, block base, EIFS tan walls, and red aluminum entrance. The south, west, and east facades are the same, with majority EIFS tan walls, block around the base, and 3 brick areas of articulation and brick endcaps. The Applicant has also proposed a wall along Sunwood Drive, consistent with Casey's to the east. This generally meets the requirements of the COR. Staff would like to see the trash enclosures and see if there is any additional articulation or architectural features that could be added to the south, west, and east elevations. Staff understands this is an established user and there may not be room to modify architectural plans. • As drafted, the Site Plan approval will approve the architecture as -is. If the Council wants additional changes, this will require direction from Council. Any major changes to architecture will require future Council approval. • Amenities: The Applicant has added a bike rack to the site plan per Planning Commission recommendation. • Remnant Parcel: The Applicant is proposing to purchase approximately .73 acres from the City, leaving the remainder of the site to be developed. The remainder has approximately 200+ feet of frontage on Sunwood Drive which should be an adequate space for another commercial pad. If the site develops further to the south, the existing drive aisle will need to be extended. • COR Guidelines: The Applicant is proposing 32 parking stalls, which is slightly higher than the parking allowed for retail buildings in the COR. Because this is an established user, Staff does feel it is appropriate to grant a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for parking overage in order to ensure they have sufficient parking onsite. The parking code would allow 29 stalls, so it is only an overage of 3 stalls. Additionally, there is no