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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.17.93 Special Planning Packet1. CALL TO ORDER 7:00 P.M. 2. APPROVE MINUTES a. July 13, 1993 Regular b. August 3, 1993 Special 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS a. 7:00 P.M. Preliminary PUD and Plat for East Farmington b. 7:30 P.M. Kathleen Slagter Request for Conditional Use Home Occupation c. 7:45 P.M. Preliminary Plat and Variance for Farmington City Center d. 8:15 P.M. William Jacobsen Request for Front Yard Variance 4. DISCUSSION AGENDA PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL AUGUST 17, 1993 a. Draft Flood Plain Management Ordinance b. Tim Carr Home Occupation 5. ADJOURN AGENDA REPORT PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL AUGUST 17, 1993 1. CALL TO ORDER 7:00 P.M. 2. APPROVE MINUTES JULY 13 AND AUGUST 3 3. PUBLIC BEARINGS 7:00 P.M. Preliminary PUD and Plat of East Farmington The Schematic PUD for East Farmington was sent forward to the City Council with a recommendation for approval by the Commission on February 23rd subject to the Developer's ability to address concerns outlined in the Staff Report as follows. Groundwater /Surface Water The City's Consulting Engineer has recommended that the width of the waterway will need to approximate 350 feet along the entire length of the east side of the PUD. The proposal indicates 150 feet of width which means the acquisition of 200 feet from Henderson and Rother. In addition, the PUD shows that in Wetlands A and B there are 6.1 acres which must be mitigated at a 2 for 1 exchange. Wetland C with 26 acres will require Developer recognition by the Corps of Engineers, but is not included on the national wetland inventory and is, therefore, exempt from requirements of the City wetland ordinance. This means that wetland mitigation for the PUD will require approximately 40 acres if the Corps of Engineers demand an equal exchange or, a redesign of the schematic PUD if they indicate that the wetlands may not be moved. Since the east road right of way (Fourteenth Street) removes 50 feet of width from the area proposed for the waterway, wetland mitigation and NURP ponds, there is only 8 acres within the PUD to accomplish all of these requirements. Before the PUD receives preliminary approval a resolution of this shortfall is recommended. Prairie Waterway The second issue involves start up of the Prairie Waterway. The City Council will have a feasibility study for the waterway on August 16th. It is likely to authorize plans and specifications which will be due on September 20th. At that point, the project could be bid including a start up date of November 1st. Sienna would, in the meantime, like to grade the site this Fall and build 5 model homes with street construction and utilities to be installed in Phase I during the beginning of the construction season in the Spring of 1994 when the Prairie Waterway is expected to be completed. Annexation All of the property within the PUD is part of the City of Farmington. MUSA The Metropolitan Council staff is wrestling with the MUSA expansion request at the present time. The two issues which appear to be the most difficult for the staff are: (a) Will the City actually proceed with the Prairie Waterway refusal of the Adelmanns to sell their land for park use. In essence, from the perspective of the Park Board, there is a need for two ballfields on or near this site to serve the north and south sides of the neighborhood. The final layout will be affected by the decision of the Corps on the large wetland. The proposed preliminary plat for East Farmington is as approved in the schematic plan. There will be 151 single family lots and one townhouse lot with 20 dwelling units. Sienna is in the process of negotiating the purchase of land at the end of Spruce Street to create the primary access to this plat and also to provide the rear portion of Lots 5, 6 and 7 in Block 2. If negotiations fail on the Spruce Street access, the City Council may need to consider condemnation. Lots 5, 6 and 7 on the other hand may need to be set aside as one large outlot until the two property owners can come to an agreement. The Department of Transportation has deferred to the City of Farmington with respect to access because of the anticipated redesign of Highway 3 through Farmington. The landscape plan needs to be revised to introduce more diversity within each block. Generally, street trees in Farmington are recommended in species clusters of 6 or 8 trees to prevent the total loss of tree cover in any block with specific tree diseases come to the area. The staff understands that a specific affect may be desirable in boulevard plantings, but this does not appear to be the case in East Farmington where four very different oak species are recommended in a "hit or miss" pattern. The Larch Street right of way will be better served if the street trees are included within the right of way and perhaps the larch trees off the right of way are mixed with other plant materials. Recommendation Approve and forward the preliminary plat of East Farmington to the City Council subject to the comments in hand or those received before the meeting. The preliminary PUD on the other hand has several questions that need to be resolved before the Commission takes further action. A major issue is the general configuration and land area to be devoted to the Prairie Waterway and its relationship with land area for storm water management ponds and wetland mitigation. 7:30 P.M. Conditional Use Home Occupation for 19041 Embry Lane This request for a home occupation involves a beauty shop with one station and no employees who are not residents. The Commission has the authority to establish the conditional use if: 1. it conforms to the general regulations of the zoning ordinance, 2. it does not cause conditions that may be dangerous, 3. it provides landscaping, 4. it is visually consistent with the neighborhood, 5. it will minimize traffic congestion, and 6. it is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. A home occupation may be granted as long as the use is carried on by a resident, the use is located within the home, no structural alterations are involved, and exterior displays are not involved other than a two sided 2 square foot sign. The only question that came up during the informal discussion was the possible restrictions for business use within the plat covenants. The applicant has not been able to determine what, if any, covenants apply and therefore decided to proceed with the hearing. Recommendation Approve the conditional use subject to the ability of the applicant to provide off street parking and to maintain the residential character of the neighborhood. 7:45 P.M. Preliminary Plat and Variance for Farmington City Center The preliminary plat for Farmington City Center includes one lot and will provide an area for a permanent turn around at the north end of First Street. The purpose of the plat is to remove the underlying remnants of Blocks 18 and 25 of the Town of Farmington and the abandoned right of way of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. First Street will be rebuilt as a part of the platting process. The variances requested involve establishing an easement 80 feet in width across the north edge of the plat to provide access to the A &K Elevator Property and the Farm Service Property, less than a 40 foot landscape buffer between the More 4 service court and First Street, plus a wider than code entrance from First Street to the service court. Currently A &K Elevator and the Farm Service Center have access from Main Street. This plat will eliminate that access but provide instead an 80 foot wide easement for that access. The major justification for an easement rather than a right of way is that the same developer has proposed purchase of the two property and developing townhouses on the site. One landowner for all of the property will make the extension of Main Street unnecessary. The risk is that the developer may not be able to purchase one of the two properties. At the present time only one appears to be a willing seller. The site plan prepared by Charles Novak illustrates the need for the second two variances. The circular dashed line at the north end of First Street indicates the paved area for the turn around. This provides a 140 foot opening to serve both the service court and a proposed access road to the two properties north of the plat. Also, the service court is then completely open to a public street. The justification for both variances is that the turn around serves only this property and there will not be any construction west of the cul -de -sac since the land is in a flood plain area. Other issues involved in the plat are that the Developer will need to secure a permanent easement across the dental clinic property in order to make the circular plan work. The Elm Street access into the property is opposite the Hardee's entrance and will require approval from MnDOT. The Developer plans to pave the access road to serve the two properties north of the plat when the uses are established. A complete landscape plan will be produced prior to the application for building permits. The latest information from the Developer suggests that there will be a 6400 square foot hardware store in the development when the stores opposite More 4 are built. Recommendation Approve the three variances based upon the unique circumstance of this development at this location and forward a recommendation for approval of the preliminary plat to the City Council. 8:15 P.M. Request for Variance at 5770 Lower 182nd Street The setback for the front yard facing the intersection of Upper and Lower 182nd Street is excessively deep because it is established by the only two houses facing the intersection. The major question that comes to mind is the site plan prepared by the applicant compared with the aerial map on file in City Hall. They do not appear to relate and it is unlikely that the aerial map is incorrect. Staff would suggest that the applicant secure a better approximation of where the garage will be in relation to his house and to his neighbor's property line. As proposed, the garage could be a discordant feature of the landscape at the intersection because it does not appear to be possible to locate the garage as shown. One item which needs careful consideration is the number and width of access points to this complicated intersection. Recommendation Suggest that the applicant secure some help in the layout of his proposed garage with respect to his house, the neighbor's house and the intersection. 4. DISCUSSION Draft Flood Plain Management Ordinance The staff received a copy of the model ordinance from the DNR and will have a more complete recommendation ready at the meeting for discussion. Tim Carr Conditional Use Mr. Carr has been notified of the meeting and invited to attend. a(a, Charles Tooker City Planner cc: Rod Hardy Dick Krier Development Committee