Minutes - Planning Commission - 09/07/2006

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Motion carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Nixt, Commissioners Levine, Brauer, Cleveland, Bunt, and Trites Rolle. Voting No: None. Absent: Commissioner VanScoy. Case #7: Request for Sketch Plan Review of Northfork Office Condos; Case of Saint Andrews Investment Group Associate Planner DaInes indicated the City has received a sketch plan application from Steve Ness at St Andrew's Investment Group to develop multiple office buildings with individual units for sale at the property located north of Highway 10 and southwest of the railroad right-of- way. Ms. DaInes advised the applicant is seeking to develop 15 office/warehousing buildings on approximately 6 acres in the West Ramsey Industrial Park, which would house up to 45 offices for purchase. This area is not served by sewer and water facilities, and is proposed to be serviced with a community septic system and well within the two acre lot to the south of 1 56th Avenue. Because there are no fire hydrants to service the development, a community well must be sized to accommodate fire suppression needs. Associate Planner DaInes indicated the general layout and parking within the site is problematic. Staff has requested that the parking areas are consolidated to achieve a more appropriate separation between customers/employees and loading/delivery areas. Also the plan shows 406 parking spaces, and only 125 are required, according to the proposed office/warehouse mix within the buildings. Staff has also requested that revisions are made to the sketch plan to accommodate turning radii on emergency vehicles. Ms. DaInes explained all stormwater management, grading, drainage, and utility plans, including general designs for the community well and septic system will be required to be submitted at the preliminary plat review stage. Ms. DaInes advised the applicant would need to apply for a PUD to accommodate the reduction in lot sizes. Ms. DaInes indicated Mr. Ness has distributed a revised sketch plan that addresses some of the concerns of the Staff Review Letter. Access is proposed to be gained from 1 56th Avenue. The construction of l56th Avenue to the extent of Alpine Drive will be required as part of this development in order to provide a second access to the site and to avoid an over-extended cul-de- sac. Mr. Mike Walz, General Contractor representing Northfork Office Condos, stated they are proposing an office park for small businesses. What they have proposed is a good use of the property in addition to 2 'l'2 acres adjacent to this south of 1 56th Avenue for a community well and septic system. Associate Planner DaInes indicated the revision to the sketch plan reduces the accesses from three to two; the .loading areas have been separated from the general parking and customer/employee parking areas, which was a large concern of the original sketch plan; and the number of parking spaces has been drastically reduced. All the streets on the site are proposed to be private. Commissioner Levine asked if there is an intention to hook up to municipal sewer and water in the future. Planning Commission/September 7, 2006 Page 16 of 20 .