DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS - Bryan K. Schafer, Planning and Community Development Director
Title
GRANTING A 20-FOOT VARIANCE TO THE STANDARD PARKING AND DRIVEWAY SETBACK OF 30 FEET ALONG A PORTION OF 109TH AVENUE AND A 15-FOOT VARIANCE TO THE 25 FOOT PARKING AND DRIVEWAY SETBACK IN THE REAR YARD ADJACENT TO A RESIDENTIAL ZONE AT 109TH AVENUE/UNIVERSITY AVENUE NE. OAK PARK PLAZA. (CASE FILE NO. 15-0031/BKS)
Schedule of Actions
|
Planning Commission (Public Hearing) |
06/09/15 |
|
City Council (Variance) |
07/09/15 |
|
Action Deadline |
08/09/15 |
Background
The owners of Oak Park Plaza shopping center (SE corner 109th and University) has made a proposal to undertake a substantial redevelopment of the entire center. The scope of work involves removing the old grocery anchor space at the north end of the center as well as a couple small tenant spaces. In total about 35,000 square feet of building will be demolished to make room for a new 45,500 square foot CUB store. The remaining portion of the center will be completely remodeled and updated. The major tenants (hardware and liquor store) are expected to remain and be open thru the remodeling. The site will be completely updated as well with new landscaping, new parking/drive surfaces and sidewalk replacement.
The new CUB store will be significantly smaller than a typical large format CUB and is considered a more neighborhood scale store. The store will have all of the components of a larger CUB but with fewer items displayed. Work is expected to begin this summer on the demolition with the CUB store starting construction in the fall and over the winter.
Conditional Use Permit
The CUP will cover the fact that there are multiple buildings on one parcel (the parcel also includes the smaller multi-tenant building south of the main center) and the shared driveway between the center and the food/service outlots along University. Lastly the CUP will address the height of the front parking lot lights that are proposed at 28-feet high (greater than 20-feet). The rear parking lot lights will be limited to not more than 20-feet.
The submitted landscape and site plan, while needing final review prior to Site Plan Approval, appears to meet all ordinance requirements, subject to the variance requests described below and recommended conditions.
The site has been evaluated for new storm water treatment criteria and is being reviewed by the Coon Creek Watershed District (CCWD). A CCWD permit is required prior to any site work.
The site plan is also being reviewed by Anoka County Highway Department (ACHD) since the site has access onto two county roadways.
Variance Request
The variances requested are in large part due to the current non-conforming nature of the site in terms of some of the setbacks. The center was initially developed prior to many of the current zoning setback requirements. Because Site Plan Approval is needed given the large amount of building and site work the site either needs to meet all setback requirements or receive a variance to allow some of the non-conforming elements to remain.
The variance request involves parking and driveway setbacks in two areas of the site:
• 20-foot variance to the required 30-foot along 109th Avenue- only a 10-foot driveway and parking setback currently exists in these areas along 109th Avenue. A portion of the main parking area will be pulled back to 27-feet but the parking immediately north of the new CUB building will remain 10-feet. The building setback in this area is also non-conforming but the new CUB building will be further off 109th and will meet the required 50-foot setback.
• 15-foot variance to the required 25-foot setback along rear of property - it is difficult to determine the exact edge of the current parking/driveway surface in some cases but it appears that a portion of the current design has between a 5 and 10 foot setback from the back property line. The new plan would improve on that by installing a minimum 10-foot setback (in many cases it is more). In addition the wood fence that runs along the back of the property will be replaced by a new 8-foot high solid fence. Additional landscaping will also be added along the rear line.
Recommendation
By motion, approve the Resolution.
Attachments
Zoning and Location Map
Site Plan
Landscape Plan
Grading Plan
Building Elevations (CUB)
Building Elevations Multi Tenant
Body
WHEREAS, an application has been filed by Tri-Land Developments, Inc. as Case File No. 15-0031; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing has been held by the Blaine Planning Commission on June 9, 2015; and
WHEREAS, the Blaine Planning Commission recommends said Variance be approved; and
WHEREAS, the Blaine City Council has reviewed said case on July 9, 2015.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Blaine that a variance is hereby approved per Section 30.15(h) of the Zoning Ordinance to allow for a 20-foot variance to the standard parking and driveway setback of 30 feet along a portion of 109th Avenue and a 15-foot variance to the 25 foot parking and driveway setback in the rear yard adjacent to a residential zone at 109th Avenue/University Avenue NE, with the following rationale:
1. The applicant is not being given any special privilege by granting the variance, as many other existing older sites in the City have been accommodated by variance approvals in order to properly reuse existing sites.
2. The variances are critical for the redevelopment of this site which is a goal of the community and beneficial to the adjacent area.
3. The variances requested are not furthering the nonconformity of the parking areas as the parking areas affected by the variances currently exist on site.
4. The applicant is increasing the setback in many areas as part of the redevelopment.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Blaine this 9th day of July, 2015.