Agenda - Council - 08/14/2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ramsey Tomm Center 1? - Anoka County Medical Examiner Facility — Final Plans August.8, 2007 Page 2 of 6 Lot Coverage/Floor Area Ratio (FAR): The subdivision plan indicates that the lot created from Outlot GG of Ramsey Town Center will be 53,427.5 square feet in size (1:23 acres). The proposed building footprint is 17,851 square feet. The TC -3 District requires a minimum FAR of .25. The proposed site plan represents an FAR of .33. Several sheets in the site plan submittal reflect a future building expansion of 7,200 square feet. The building expansion can be accommodated on the subject property. Setbacks: The TC -3 District requires a minimum front yard setback of 0 feet and a maximum front yard setback of 15 feet. At least 60% of the building should comply with the front yard setback requirement. The proposed building has a front yard setback that ranges from 13 feet to 53 feet. The reason for siting the building beyond the front yard setback maximum is to facilitate a future building expansion. For interior functionality, a future expansion to the west side of the building works best for the expanded uses anticipated. Until that expansion occurs, the design plans make use of architectural and landscaping features to give the illusion that the building is closer to the street than it appears. On the north end of the building, there is a an outdoor garden/patio planned that will be encompassed by a black wrought iron fence and plant hedges to give the illusion of a hard edge being closer than the 53 feet that it is to the building. In addition, a decorative wrought iron fence and landscaping is also being installed along the north and west property lines to bring a hard edge to the property line in those areas where excessive setbacks are used to preserve area for a future building expansion. The canopy over the entrance from Rhinestone Street is being extended out to the sidewalk. There will be planters constructed for landscaping just south of the entrance door with canopy. The remainder of the future expansion area south of entrance and planters will be landscaped with trees and shrubbery to fill the gap between building and sidewalk. The Applicant did apply for a variance to the front yard setback maximum. The Ramsey Board of Adjustment granted the variance on June 7, 2007. When the expansion occurs, the entire west wall of the building will comply with the 15 foot maximum setback; even on the north end, as the exterior garden will become interior to the building as it is surrounded by expanded building area. Architectural Standards: The design standards for this site Rsey Town isio aid out in the Development Guidelines manual referenced in City Code for am Guidelines place a high emphasis on high - quality architecture, materials, and site design, particularly with regard to building placement, parking areas, and the pedestrian environment. Overall, the submittal meets or exceeds these requirements. Staff would like to call out the following specific items from the Guidelines: Provide parking spaces to support the use through a mix of on- street and surface lots internal to the block. Encourage shared parking solutions. No more that 25 %of the street frontage should be used for surface parking. The proposed parking plan utilizes on -street parking, surface lot parking, and shared parking with the remainder of development that will occur on the block. The master plan for the block reflects —117—