Agenda - Planning Commission - 01/27/2022

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. Limited entrances into the Trott Brook North site, limiting site configuration . Proximity to major transportation corridors, Variolite Street and Nowthen Blvd . Local zoning ordinance requiring 80 foot wide, 1/4 acre lots The Applicant for Trott Brook North worked with Staff to try and increase the density onsite while meeting zoning requirements, which was not feasible. Given the City's approved 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the City has two options: 1. Amend the City's Comprehensive Plan. Allow for sewered development at densities less than 3 units per acre. 1. Note that the City overall cannot drop below 3 units per acre on sewer. This would create compliance issues with the required density of the wastewater system as a whole and put the City into non-compliance. A quick calculation by the Metropolitan Council determined that this amendment would allow the City to remain in compliance as a whole. Overall density is calculated annually with the City's plat monitoring program. 2. Amend the Zoning Code. Allow for smaller lots onsite to meet the comprehensive plan requirements. In a work session (case attached) on December 14, 2022, City Council directed Staff to work through Option 1, noting the local limitations next to low density residential site constraints, and significant public input to date. The proposed amendment allows for lower density developments, in the specifically mapped area, on sewer/water, if they meet two or more of the criteria below: 1. Adequate sanitary sewer or water capacity does not exist to develop the property at the minimum density. 2. Previous subdivision of adjacent properties has provided limited access which restricts development potential. 3. Meeting the minimum density would not be feasible due to the existence of poor soils, wetlands, floodplain, topography, hydrology or other limiting environmental condition. 4. Property is located within a Shoreland District, Scenic River District, Wellhead Protection Area, or Drinking Water Supply Management Area due to State requirements towards limiting impacts to the above noted items. 5. For infill type developments, the characteristics of the surrounding neighborhood would not support development of the property at the minimum density. 6. The property is adjacent to existing rural residential, large lot development, and development at 3+ units per acre would not meet the character of the neighborhood. Items 1 - 5 are taken from Andover's very similar Comprehensive Plan Amendment (attached), which allowed for lower density sewered development and was approved by the Metropolitan Council. The purpose of this case is to review an item related to the Trott Brook Crossing case, but more largely, for this Planning area in general. The net density of the project is coming in well below 3.0 units per acre, which is the minimum allowable density in the City's 2040 Comprehensive Plan. This item came out of the EAW analysis by the Metropolitan Council. In this situation, the City has two options: . Allow smaller lots on the properties to reach the minimum 3 unit per acre threshold (Comprehensive Plan requirement) . Revise the City's Comprehensive Plan to allow for this lower density under certain circumstances Based on previous direction, Staff is recommending item 42. There are ramifications on if the City allows the overall density within the MUSA to go below 3 units per acre. If this happened, the Metropolitan Council could hold sewer extension permits until the City reaches 3 units per acre overall. This would have a real impact on the City's goals for commercial/retail growth. The City must maintain a minimum of 3 units per acre to stay on the regional wastewater system. This is important to note because lowering the allowable densities in too many areas of the City could essentially prevent sewered growth and the Metropolitan Council could deny sewer extension permits. The Metropolitan Council did a high level calculation of allowing this project to come in below 3 units per acre,