WORKSHOP ITEM Bryan Schafer, Community Development Director
Title
MEDICAL OFFICE - HEIGHT OF BUILDING AND WETLAND CREDITS DISCUSSION
Background
Building Height- There is a four (4) acre undeveloped commercial property at the 112th alignment and Ulysses Street (see area map) that is proposed to be purchased by a medical office group. They plan to build a 45,000 square foot medical building that will contain general patient clinic, surgery center and recuperation suites in a three (3) story building. Because the site has a significant portion of the site that is considered wetland, the 3rd floor has been proposed in order to reduce the footprint of the building but still retain the minimum amount of square footage needed for the various uses in the building.
The site is zoned B-2 (Community Commercial) which contains a height limit of not more than 2.5 floors or 36 feet. The proposed 3-story building would have a height of approximately 48-feet. The adjacent site to the north is B-3 (Regional Commercial) which would allow a 3-story building. Staff has discussed with the owner a possible code amendment to the B-2 standards, providing a process for a 3rd story (and up to 50-feet) as part of a Conditional Use Permit.
A new medical use along this corridor is consistent with the vision along Highway 65 and supporting this type of investment through greater zoning flexibility with a CUP process is recommended.
Wetland Credits-Though the applicant has attempted to minimize the amount of wetland impacts by reducing the overall footprint of the building the site’s development will impact approximately one-half acre of wetland. The Coon Creek Watershed has suggested that the impacts be mitigated off-site through the purchase of approved watershed and Army Corp wetland credits. The EDA’s Wetland Bank located north of 109th has approved credits available that would be acceptable to the CCWD for this site. Approximately 1 acre (43,560 square feet) of wetland credits would need to be purchased from the EDA. The EDA has established the sales price for credits, based on previous EDA sales, at $2 per square foot or in this case approximately $87,000. The EDA has just over 50 acres available at this time.
Recommendation
Discuss and provide staff direction on two issues:
• Is a CUP process as part of a proposed code amendment to the B-2 zoning district an acceptable approach for solving the building height issue?
• Does the City Council support the sale of EDA wetland credits to assist an office development at this site?
Attachments
Area Map
Site Plan
Building Elevations