Minutes - Planning Commission - 05/01/2003

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as many of the comments as possible. He reviewed the site plan, showing the three main connections to Industrial Avenue. He explained there are two nodes off of Industrial Avenue, one about neighborhood convenience, providing easy access in and out of the area without getting too much traffic from the Town Center, and the other node being a fitness node, with a medical campus, community center, ice rink and fitness center. He noted the Town Center is in the middle, with places to go for food and beverage, comparison shopping, a youth zone with possibly a climbing wall and/or a skate park. He explained there would be some senior housing, some market rate housing, and overall a diverse mix of uses. He reviewed the parking areas off Sunwood, designed to get people off the street quickly, and explained the pedestrian oriented layout, with trail connections to the north and west, and a buffer between the more commercial areas and the housing. Mr. Keely explained that toward Armstrong Boulevard there would be an office area, and they are looking at a charter school, with housing being mid-density townhouses, and condo style toward the center. He demonstrated how the railroad side will provide service access and parking area, and indicated they will provide a berm and landscaping along that area as well. He pointed out the Ramsey Town Hall and the Transit Station. Chairperson Nixt asked how they will develop this and in what order, asking how the group planned to control development as it goes in. Mr. Keely indicated the zoning guidelines would help facilitate the development, and as an attachment to that document are development guidelines that provide in depth control as to what happens, and they also have the master plan that shows intent. He explained that parking and traffic have been the largest issues, with utilities also a factor. He noted they have been working with staff on each of these issues. He indicated he is not sure what the first piece will be, but probably the Sunwood area, since the grocery store and some businesses are close to being ready, versus the Medical Center or Charter School that are still in negotiations. He stated that fi'om the Town Center, LLC, the idea is to take it all out of the ground as soon as possible. Commissioner Brauer stated he likes what he sees, but asked what guarantees they have that ten years down the road, this is what they will get. For instance, if they cannot get a tenant for a medical campus, will that area become something else. He stated he was involved in Riverdale in Coon Rapids, and a lot of promises were made, but they did not come tln'ough. He asked how they can be sure that what they are looking at is what they will get. Mr. Keely indicated this is the sketch plan, which is the first piece, and they will come back with more information. He stated they have some ideas for the medical campus, and more definitive information on housing, but they want to be sure before they bring it forward to the Planning Commission. He explained that with the development guidelines, they can dictate the type of building that goes up, how it is laid out, etc., so the control on some pieces is the development guidelines document. He added that if something were to change, they would have to come back through the process. Planning Commission/May 1, 2003 Page 5 of 17