Agenda - Planning Commission - 08/26/2021

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Regular Planning Commission 6.3. Meeting Date: 08/26/2021 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Information Title: PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Preliminary Plat and Zoning Amendment for Lynwood Subdivision on PID # 20-32-25-44-0003 (Project No. 21-122); Case of Lennar Purpose/Background: The City has received an application for a Preliminary Plat and Zoning Amendment from Lennar (the "Applicant") for a proposed residential subdivision located on PID # 20-32-25-44-0003 and generally described as being west of Armstrong Boulevard, north of Bunker Lake Boulevard, and south of 151st Lane (the "Subject Property"). The Planning Commission considered a Comprehensive Plan Amendment related to this project at their July 22, 2021 meeting. Notification: The City attempted to notify all property owners, as reflected in the Anoka County Property Records, within 700 feet of the Subject Property of the request by U.S. Mail. Observations/Alternatives: Project Overview The Subject Property is approximately thirty-four (34) acres in size. The Applicant is proposing a residential subdivision that includes a mix of single family lots in the northwestern portion and attached townhomes in the remainder of the Subject Property. The single family residential portion would have a density of three (3) units per acre and the attached townhome portion would have a density of approximately six (6) units per acre. Comprehensive Plan The Subject Property is guided as High Density Residential (HDR) in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. On July 22, 2021, the Planning Commission reviewed the Applicant's request for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) to re -guide the Subject Property to Medium Density Residential (MDR). The Planning Commission recommended approval of the CPA, noting that the project seemed to transition better to the existing single family residential neighborhoods to the north and west (which are zoned and guided as Rural Developing). After the Planning Commission meeting in July, Staff received some high level feedback from Metropolitan Council staff on the requested CPA. They noted that reducing the acreage guided as HDR would impact the City's eligibility for Livable Communities Act funds, which the City has been a net recipient of over the years. Thus, the request was brought forward to City Council for direction (proceed as requested or attempt to identify other lands that could be re -guided to HDR) on August 10, 2021. The City Council also supported the CPA, but did direct Staff to identify potentially suitable land to re -guide as HDR so as not to jeopardize the City's eligibility for LCA funds. The City Council will again be considering this aspect of the project at their meeting on August 24, 2021. Zoning The Subject Property currently has a split zoning. Approximately six (6) acres in the northwest corner (adjacent to the existing single family neighborhoods zoned and guided as Rural Developing) is zoned R-1 Residential (MUSA) - 80 (allows a density range of 2.5 - 3.0 units per acre). The remainder of the site is zoned R-3 Residential (High Density) (allows a density range of 8.0 to 15.0 units per acre). The Applicant is seeking a Zoning Amendment to rezone the northwestern 6 acres to R-1 Residential (MUSA) - 65 (allows a density range of 2.5 - 4.0 units per acre) and the remainder of the Subject Property to R-2 Residential (Medium Density) (allows a density range of 4.0 - 7.0 units per acre). When the City Council contemplated the CPA, they provided some general feedback on the project as well. As previously noted, the City Council was generally supportive of the CPA, but, they preferred to see the single family residential portion of the Subject Property remain as R-1 Residential (MUSA) - 80 (the current zoning designation). They thought that represented a better transition to the existing single family residential neighborhoods to the north and west.