Agenda - Planning Commission - 03/24/2022

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Symphony at Ramsey Town Center M/I Homes would like to build out the remaining portion of Symphony at Ramsey Town Center. The attached location map shows the area. At build out the site will consist of roughly 110 to 120 townhomes. This project was started in 2007. During the housing recession a large portion of the project was shuttered by K. Hovanian Homes. Jason Palmby, a local developer, has recently purchased the property from K. Hovanian Homes and is partnering with M/I Homes to complete the project. The City has recently adopted some new design guidelines for the area. The townhomes proposed by M/I Homes comply with many of the components within that design framework. The one component that has some concern is the covered balcony/patio on the front entry. M/I has found through market research and trial and error with other projects that buyers simply do not have a great desire for front porches. They simply don't get used and the added cost makes the home less appealing. Moreover, the porch cuts off natural light into the interior of the home.. This takes away a bright, open concept floorplan that many buyers desire. We have attached some elevations that M/I like to build within this development. We feel it is generally consistent with the current ordinance and meets the intent of providing some outdoor private space adjacent to the public sidewalk and street. As you can see with the attached townhomes, we will achieve a covered porch/stoop and will have a fenced front yard with a patio. The fence is provided as a separation between the public space and private patio. Landscaping will soften the view and provide a more aesthetically space for residents of the townhomes. This product has been very well received in the Chicago market and we feel it would do well in Ramsey, MN and the overall Twin Cities market. You will also note the material used to beak up the townhomes is purposely done to create separation with each individual unit. We look forward to a great project in Ramsey and look forward building over the next few years. Thank you for your time.