DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS - Lori Johnson, City Planner
Title
GRANTING PRELIMINARY PLAT APPROVAL TO SUBDIVIDE 174 ACRES INTO 259 LOTS AND 5 OUTLOTS TO BE KNOWN AS NORTH MEADOWS, LOCATED AT LEXINGTON AVENUE NE AND 109TH AVENUE NE. ALLIANCE BANK (WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT, INC.) (CASE FILE NO. 19-0043)
Schedule of Actions
|
Planning Commission (Public Hearing) |
02/12/20 |
|
City Council (Preliminary Plat) |
04/20/20 |
|
City Council (Final Plat) |
TBD |
|
Action Deadline |
05/04/20 |
Planning Commission Action
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the preliminary plat. There were comments at the public hearing regarding traffic, loss of open space, wetland concerns and density concerns.
Background
Wellington Management, Inc. has requested approval for the development of land north of 109th Avenue at the Austin Street alignment. The proposal includes 258 lots on 174 acres. The majority of the lots will be residential lots of varying types, with three of the lots planned for commercial/industrial uses in the future. The development will be known as North Meadows. Lennar is the proposed home builder within this plat.
At the City Council meeting staff will provide a brief history of the land uses on the northwest corner of 109th Avenue and Lexington Avenue, to compare those land uses to what is being proposed at this time.
The site currently has a zoning designation of FR (Farm Residential) and a land use of P/OS (Parks/Open Space) for the residential portion of the development and PI/PC (Planned Industrial/Planned Commercial) for the commercial portion of the development. With the approval of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan by the Metropolitan Council this spring, the single family/twinhome portion of the site will have a LDR (Low Density Residential) land use designation. The townhome portion of the site will have a PI/PC/HDR (Planned Industrial/Planned Commercial/High Density Residential) land use designation, therefore, all land uses that are proposed at this time can be accommodated through the Comprehensive Plan. There is a condition that has been added that states no work can occur on site until the 2040 Comprehensive Plan is approved by the Met Council.
Rezoning
The proposed zoning for the development, including the commercial/industrial/high density lots, is DF (Development Flex). This is the preferential district for all new single family development in Blaine as it allows flexibility on design issues that can benefit both the city and the developer to provide a market driven product. The DF zoning for the commercial lots is also beneficial if setbacks can be negotiated in order to get the optimal uses on these sites. The conditional use permit will require that all uses on the commercial lots conform to the PBD (Planned Business District) standards.
Preliminary Plat
A total of 258 lots are being proposed in the North Meadows plat. The lots can be broken down as follows:
• 72 single family lots (60-foot wide lots, approx.)
• 54 twinhome lots (40-50-foot wide lots, approx.)
• 128 townhome lots
• 3 commercial/industrial/high density residential lots
• 1 common lot (for townhome area)
• 6 outlots (will be used for ponding/storm water purposes and one for a trail access)
All residential lots will be developed by Lennar. Lennar has a well-established presence in the city with many different lot sizes and products available. The commercial lots, while not being developed at this time, are being platted and rezoned for future commercial use. Please see the narrative from the applicant regarding this project for more information.
Park dedication will be required for the 258 lots being proposed at this time. Park dedication will be required to be paid by the developer at the rate in effect at the time of final plat approval and prior to the mylars for each phase being released for recording at Anoka County. Park dedication will be based on the uses provided in the plat. Based on the proposed plat, the breakdown of the park dedication would be required as follows:
• 255 residential lots at the rate of $4,449 per unit for a total of $1,134,495.
• 3 commercial lots (8.4 acres) at the rate of $8,704 per acre for a total of $73,114.
Given that the three commercial/industrial lots are not being developed at this time, it is likely that the rate listed above will change. The breakdown above simply provides a picture of what the park dedication fee could look like.
Outlot F is being proposed as a trail access location to the Wetland Sanctuary on city owned property immediately north of the single family lots being proposed. The city has envisioned that a trail will be located within the Wetland Sanctuary and this residential development should have adequate access to this trail. The exact trail location is unknown at this time. The city would also like to install a small parking lot within this outlot to provide other avenues for residents of the city as a whole to access the Wetland Sanctuary. The trail access and a 13-stall parking lot should be located in this outlot as well as a drive to a small cul-de-sac that will sit on city owned property. An unscaled version of this proposal is included in the packet for review.
The city is requesting that the developer deed Outlot F to the city with no credit for park dedication fees based on the value of this land. The city is also requesting that the developer construct all of the above listed improvements at the time of development, and the city will give the developer park dedication credit for the cost of the improvements only. Details have not been finalized on these costs at this time, but this arrangement will be fully detailed in the development agreement associated with this plat. It should also be noted that this construction will need a permit from the Rice Creek Watershed District, which will be a separate permit from the overall grading and site development permit.
The west residential portion of the plat will be accessed via an entrance from 109th Avenue (CSAH 12) at the Naples Street alignment. The developer will need to construct the access improvements on 109th Avenue (CSAH 12) as determined by Anoka County and will need to obtain a permit from them for any proposed work in their right-of-way. The internal streets labeled as X and Y will be constructed to city standards and will have six-foot concrete sidewalks on the east and south side of Street X and the east side of Street Y. A water main will be extended south on the Naples Street alignment to provide a looped system to this portion of the development.
Austin Street will be constructed from 109th Avenue (CSAH 12) north to 112th Avenue. Austin Street will also have an 8 foot bituminous trail on the west side of the street. The developer has submitted a traffic study based on the proposed development, including the outlots, as commercial and HDR land uses. The traffic study recommends several mitigation measures such as a traffic signal at the intersection of 109th Avenue at Austin St. and extending turn lanes on Lexington Avenue at 109th Avenue. Again, the developer will need to construct the access improvements on 109th Avenue and Lexington Avenue based on and determined by Anoka County and will need to obtain a permit from them for any of the proposed work in their right-of-way.
Conditional Use Permit
A conditional use permit is required for the residential construction through the DF zoning district. This conditional use permit will set up the standards for approval for the single family homes, the twin homes and the town homes.
Lennar has submitted a narrative of the types of homes they are proposing to construct. In summary, the details of each type of housing are as follows:
• Villa units - 1,300 to 1,900 square feet and a price range between $345,000 and $385,000.
• Twinhome units - 1,600 to 1,620 square feet and a price range between $315,000 and $330,000.
• Colonial Manor townhome units (back to back style) - 1,700 to 1,800 square feet and a price range between $265,000 and $295,000.
• Colonial Patriot townhome units (row style) - 1,800 to1,900 square feet and a price range between $285,000 and $317,000.
Villa Units
The villa units being proposed will be located on the west portion of the site as described on the attached plat. These are single story homes on somewhat smaller lots. Exterior materials include vinyl lap siding, board and batton, shakes, and stone elements. A variety of exterior elevatons are available to property owners. Setbacks for these homes are listed in in the resolution of approval. The roads in this area will be public roads.
Twinhome Units
The twinhome units being proposed are also on the west portion of the site as described on the attached plat. The twinhomes will utilize the same exterior materials as the villa units. The exterior elevations that have been submitted are conceptual at this time, but they provide a good indication of what the units will look like. Setbacks for these units are listed in the resolution of approval. The roads in this area will be public roads.
Townhome Units
The townhomes being proposed are on the west side of Austin Street within the plat. Two types of townhomes are being proposed; row style units and back to back units. They will utilize the same exterior materials as the single family and twinhome units. The elevations are included for your review. A condition has been added that all units facing the exterior of the townhome portion of the plat (as shown on the plat drawing) should have a masonry product added to the elevations. These areas will be viewed by other residential homes or the traveling public and it is important to provide a desirable appearance in these areas. The townhome development will be required to go through site plan approval before any work can begin on this site. The roads in this area will be private roads.
Landscape Plan
Each villa and twinhome must have two overstory front yard trees. Each corner lot shall have an additional tree. In addition, an enhanced landscape plan has been provided on the north side of the pond located in Outlot C adjacent to the single family homes in the Sanctuary Preserve development. An enhanced landscaping plan is provided on the east side of the twinhomes adjacent to Outlot B to mitigate the noise from 109th Avenue for those homes.
The developer has proposed an 8-foot privacy fence on the south side of Lots 5 and 6, Block 3. Staff has added a condition that this fence be a maintenance free vinyl fence, and also added to the rear of Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10, Block 3.
The townhome area must have one overstory, one ornamental tree and one conifer tree per unit on the landscape plan. Additional landscaping is provided on the west side of the townhome area adjacent to Outlot B.
The landscape plan that has been provided meets these requirements and it should be noted that this plat is removing a considerable amount of trees. Over 30 acres of treed land is being cleared. The city’s tree preservation ordinance requires that tree replacement must occur at the rate of 8 trees per disturbed acre. In this case, 243 trees will be required for tree replacement. With all individual lot landscaping requirements, townhome plan requirements and buffer areas proposed, the landscape plan exceeds the tree replacement requirement.
Since the date of the first reading of the rezoning, staff has added a condition that redirects some of the trees proposed in the rear yards of the twinhome lots adjacent to Outlot A to the rear yards of the villa lots (Lots 1-18, Block 1) on the east side of the development. Ultimately, one rear yard tree should be placed on Lots 1-18, Block 1 of the proposed plat. All other landscape requirements must also be met. (This may mean that the overall tree requirement goes up.)
All units within the plat, regardless of the distance from 109th Avenue, will be required to utilize the noise abatement standards from the zoning ordinance.
NOTE: All uses shown on the commercial lots are considered conceptual and are not being proposed at this time. If the developer wishes to pursue the construction of an apartment project on these lots as is conceptually shown, a comprehensive land use amendment will be required. When the uses for these lots are known, each use/lot will be required to obtain a conditional use permit. The public would be notified again of any future proposals.
Recommendation
By motion, approve the Resolution.
Attachments
See Rezoning (Second Reading) report
Body
WHEREAS, an application has been filed by Alliance Bank (Wellington Management, Inc.) as subdivision Case File No. 19-0043; and
WHEREAS, said case involves the division of land described as follows:
PARCEL 1:
OUTLOT E, GLENN MEADOWS, ANOKA COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
AND
PARCEL 2:
OUTLOT G, GLENN MEADOWS, ANOKA COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
WHEREAS, the Blaine Planning Commission has reviewed said case file on February 12, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Blaine Planning Commission has recommended subdivision Case File No. 19-0043 be approved subject to certain stipulations; and
WHEREAS the Blaine City Council has reviewed said case file on March 16, 2020.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Blaine that preliminary plat approval per Section 74-42 of the subdivision regulations is hereby granted for North Meadows permitting preparation of a final plat for approval per Section 74-43 subject to the following conditions:
1. All local public streets require dedication of 60 feet of right-of-way and shall be constructed to 29 feet back to back of curb width. Except Austin Street will dedicate 70 feet of right-of-way and be constructed to 34 feet back to back of curb width.
2. All streets will follow the Anoka County street name grid system.
3. Plans and specifications must be approved by the city prior to start of construction, which will include construction access from 109th for the duration of the construction and keeping 112th Avenue closed at Austin Street until street and utility construction is compete.
4. Standard utility and drainage easements must be dedicated along all lot lines and over areas of delineated wetlands, wetland mitigation, infiltration trenches, drainage swales and storm water management ponds.
5. The developer is to provide access for inspection and maintenance of storm water management infrastructure. Restrictions will be placed on lot lines as needed to limit fences and landscaping to insure access.
6. Development requires a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II General Storm Water Permit for Construction Activity from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). A prerequisite to the MPCA permit application includes preparation of a site Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for the development site.
7. Construction contract documents shall include a mass (rough) grading, erosion protection, sediment control, development, utilities, roadway and storm drainage plan sheets. Supporting wetland delineation report, geotechnical investigation report, soil boring logs, and hydrology report shall be included in the submittal for city review and approval.
8. Trunk Sanitary Sewer and Trunk Water main connection charges become due with platting for the Austin Street parcels. The current amount as of February 2020 is $291,326.46.
9. The development plan shall indicate all structures will be protected from flooding.
10. A twenty foot buffer strip shall be considered adjacent to wetland edges and shall be placed in an easement.
11. RCWD permit is required prior to city approval of construction plans and specifications.
12. ACHD permit is required prior to city approval of construction plans and specifications.
13. The developer shall process a Letter of Map Change with FEMA prior to issuance of building permits for any portion of the development that is within the unnumbered A-Zone on the FEMA flood map. Developer shall provide all FEMA paperwork and structure as-built surveys to homeowners at time of lot closing. Developer is responsible for following through with FEMA as necessary to receive final FEMA documents and to provide those documents to the homeowners, and to record the final documents on the certificate of title for each parcel in the development.
14. As-built surveys shall be required to verify structure elevations, custom grading requirements, and final lot grading elevations.
15. Park dedication will be required for the 258 lots being proposed at this time. Park dedication will be required to be paid by the developer at the rate in effect at the time of final plat approval and prior to the mylars for each phase being released for recording at Anoka County. Park dedication will be based on the uses provided in the plat.
16. Developer to install grouped mailboxes with design and locations approved by city and US Postal Service.
17. Developer shall explore water source for landscape irrigation systems installed throughout the development including the possible use of created ponds or storm water reuse.
18. Water and sanitary sewer availability charges (WAC & SAC) become due with each building permit at the rate established at the time the building permit is issued.
19. The developer to deed Outlot F to the city with no credit for park dedication fees based on the value of this land. The developer to construct all of the above listed improvements at the time of development, and the city will give the developer park dedication credit for the cost of the improvements only. Details have not been finalized on these costs at this time, but this arrangement will be fully detailed in the development agreement associated with this plat. This work will require a separate permit from RCWD. Developer to allow the City to action the clause within 120 days of Council approval to direct developer to retain parking lot or leave as an outlot.
20. All development signage by separate review.
21. Execution and recording of a Development Agreement, which sets forth in greater detail the plat conditions as well as other responsibilities for the development of this plat.
22. No work can occur on site until the 2040 Comprehensive Plan is approved by the Met Council.
23. All uses on Lots 1-3, Block 5 of the plat require the approval of a conditional use permit and no work is allowed on these sites at this time.
24. Site plan approval is required for the townhome area and the commercial lots when they are developed.
25. Some of the trees proposed in the rear yards of the twinhome lots adjacent to Outlot A should be redirected to the rear yards of the villa lots (Lots 1-18, Block 1) on the east side of the development. Ultimately, one rear yard tree should be placed on Lots 1-18, Block 1 of the proposed plat. All other landscape requirements must also be met. (This may mean that the overall tree requirement goes up for the villa and twinhome lots.)
26. The Mayor, City Clerk and City Manager are hereby authorized to execute any and all necessary documents, agreement and releases related to the approval, recording or administration of North Meadows.
PASSED by City Council of the City of Blaine this 20th day of April, 2020.