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4 PCSR 10-19-1993 PQ A-( 9 L( PQ •ty of i IE 1k • River TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: STEVEN B. ACH, CITY PLANNER te' DATE : OCTOBER 19 , 1993 SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY PLAT AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT BY ELK RIVER ASSOCIATES/PUBLIC HEARING, CASE NO. P 93-08 AND CU 93-15 REQUESTED ACTION A. A conditional use permit to develop a 50 acre site as a commercial planned unit development (PUD) . B. Preliminary plat to divide 50 acres into 13 commercial lots and two outlots . LOCATION • The subject is generally located west of Highway 169 , east of Jackson Road, south of 193rd Avenue, and north of Lincoln and Parker elementary schools . PROPERTY ZONING/LAND USE DESIGNATION PUD (Planned Unit Development) / HB (Highway Business) PREVIOUS APPROVALS The following is a chronological list of actions taken by the Planning Commission and City Council regarding Elk Park Center that have brought the proposal to this point in time. - August 27 , 1991 : Planning Commission recommend (5-0) approval to rezone north 17 acres . - September 23, 1991 : City Council approved rezoning of north 17 acres to PUD and amended the Comprehensive Land Use Plan map to HB (Highway Business) . - May 26, 1992 : The Planning Commission recommended ( 6-1) approval to rezone south 33 acres to PUD. - June 15, 1992 : City Council approved rezoning of 33 acres to PUD and amended the Comprehensive Land Use map to HB • (Highway Business) . - August 25, 1992 : Planning Commission holds a public hearing to review preliminary plat and conditional use P.O. Box 490 • 13065 Orono Parkway • Elk River, MN 55330 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425 Elk Park Center Page 2 October 19 , 1993 • permit for the north 17 acres . Applications are tabled based on lack of information. - June 10, 1993 : Planning Commission conducts a public hearing to review a rezoning to PUD of 4 lots on Jackson Road. Also, preliminary plat and conditional use permit for a commercial PUD on the entire 54 acre site. The Planning Commission continued discussion on these applications to a later date. FORTHCOMING ACTIONS - October 26, 1993 : City Council consider EAW (Environmental Assessment Worksheet) , conditional use permit for commercial PUD, preliminary plat, and order preparation of a feasibility report. - Date undetermined: City Council order preparation of plans and specifications for street and utility work based on the accepted feasibility report. - Date undetermined: City Council take action on final plat for Elk Park Center and award contract to commence street • and utility improvement. - Date undetermined: Planning Commission holds public hearing to review the first phase of the site plan for Elk Park Center. - Date undetermined: City Council hold public hearing on first phase of site plan for Elk Park Center. - Date undetermined: Construction commences on first phase of Elk Park Center. PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERATION ON 10/19/93 There are two applications before the Planning Commission this evening. Neither relate to the rezoning of additional property as requested at the last meeting. Therefore, the Planning Commission will be asked to consider the following: 1 . A conditional use permit to develop 50 acres as a commercial PUD. As part of this conditional use permit a "project development plan" will be considered. The "project development plan" establishes the foundation and framework from which future site plans will be reviewed by the Planning • Commission and City Council . 2 . Preliminary plat to divide the 50 acre site into 13 commercial lots and two outlots . Elk Park Center Page 3 October 19 , 1993 • PROJECT OVERVIEW The proposed project consists of roughly 374 ,000 square feet of commercial space. Of the 374,000 square feet, 88,000 and 164 , 000 square feet are dedicated respectively to a major grocery store (Cub Foods) and a general merchandising anchor (Wal-Mart) . The balance of the center is proposed to consist of general and specialty retail space, class I and class II restaurants, auto repair, and two financial institutions . SUMMARY OF CHANGES The following is a brief overview of some of the changes that have been made to the plans since the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on June 10, 1993 . GENERAL INFORMATION Current Previous Proposal Proposal • Site Area 50 Acres 54 Acres Building Square Feet 373, 987 468,525 Percent of Site Covered by Building 17% 20% Percent of Green Space 25% 25% Percent of Green Space with Easements 34% 29% Number of Parking Stalls 1951 1781 SITE PLAN DESIGN - Menards has been removed from the project. - Retail space between Wal-Mart and Cub Foods has been modified. - A future 4,500 square foot retail building has been added on the north end of the property. - Building E, on the south end of the site, has reduced from 33,700 square feet to 15, 000 square feet. • - Wendy' s has been relocated to the west side of Freeport. - Retaining walls has been eliminated except for the one retaining wall on the south end of the property facing the elementary school . Elk Park Center Page 4 October 19 , 1993 • PARKING AND CIRCULATION - Service drive behind Cub Foods has been extended allowing continuous service to occur behind the buildings . - Number of service access drives onto Jackson Road has been reduced from three to two. - Access drives off of Freeport Avenue to Cub Foods and Wal-Mart have been redesigned and reduced from seven to five. - The First National Bank' s parking lot along Jackson Street has been redesigned to provide additional green space along Jackson Road. LANDSCAPING - The quantity of landscaping materials has been modified as follows : NOW BEFORE • Overstory 223 150 Conifers 160 131 Ornamental 200 108 Shrubs Not Shown 2, 370 - Plans indicate earth berming will be provided along Jackson Road and Freeport. - A landscape theme has been incorporated into the project and is shown at various entrance points to the shopping center. STORM DRAINAGE - Storm drainage detention ponds have been increased in area to accommodate run-off and sedimentation needs . SIGNAGE - All freestanding signs have been changed to a monument style sign. • - Freestanding signs for Cub Foods and Wal-Mart along Freeport have been eliminated. Elk Park Center Page 5 October 19 , 1993 • STAFF ANALYSIS ON CURRENT PROPOSAL The most recent set of plans submitted by the developers have been reviewed by City staff, including Terry Maurer, City Engineer. Staff ' s review of these plans has been based on previous memorandums from Bill Weber, Planning Consultant; public comment received at the June 10, public hearing; and analysis done by staff on the most recent prepared plans . A vast majority of Mr. Weber' s previous comments have been addressed in one way or another. The attached memorandum from Terry Maurer provides a laundry list of outstanding items . Several of Terry' s comments are minor and can easily be addressed before the City Council meeting or at the time the Planning Commission reviews the specific site plan proposal . As previously mentioned, the plans have been revised accordingly to satisfy staff ' s major concerns . However, there are a few outstanding issues on both the preliminary plat and conditional use permit package ( i .e. , site plan) which need to be highlighted and further elaborated upon. PRELIMINARY PLAT • - The three lots which comprise Block 1 (Taco Bell, Perkins, and First National Bank) have dramatic grade changes making the proposed parking grades four to six percent. Depending upon whether an access is granted to Lot 1, Block 1, this portion of the plat and site plan may need to be revised. PARKING CALCULATIONS - According to City ordinance and staff analysis, adequate parking has been provided with the following exceptions . The Taco Bell, Perkins, and Midas Muffler sites fall short of the parking requirements . However, Midas Muffler can adjust their site plan and Perkins can conveniently share parking with the bank which has an excess of parking. On the other hand, Taco Bell has no convenient shared parking ability nor the opportunity to add additional stalls . PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT The Planned Unit Development Agreement will eventually need to be prepared covering such items as the developer' s responsibility to complete the project, development standards • such as setbacks, signage, landscaping, and permitted uses . Essentially, the agreement will contain information that will allow easy administration of the development, flexibility in the types of uses ( i .e. , highway business commercial uses) , and preserve the integrity of the Planned Unit Development. Elk Park Center Page 6 October 19 , 1993 • SPECIFIC SITE APPROVAL Staff is recommending the Planning Commission and City Council have the opportunity to review each specific site plan as this project is developed. This review will be based on the "project development plan" as approved as a part of this conditional use permit. Each individual site plan review will allow the opportunity to review such specific items as dumpster locations, the type and quantity of landscape materials, screening of mechanical equipment, and the preservation of existing trees through the use of custom grading and possibly small retaining walls . ATTACHMENTS - Letter from Steve Ach to Scott Erickson dated October 11, 1993 . - Letter from Terry Maurer, City Engineer, dated October 15, 1993 . - EAW comments from notified agencies . • - Minutes of the June 10, 1993, public hearing. - Updated traffic analysis by Benshoof and Associates, Inc. dated September 17, 1993 . - Proposed plans and preliminary plat for Elk Park Center. - Letter from MnDot dated October 15, 1993 . ADDITIONAL INFORMATION There are several memorandums that have been prepared by Bill Weber and Terry Maurer that are on record in City Hall and may be made available upon request. In addition, several letters both supporting and opposing the project have been submitted and are available upon request. If the Planning Commission would like any other information prior to Tuesday' s meeting, please inform me and I ' ll make it available. STAFF RECOMMENDATION At this juncture in the process, the information provided by the developers has addressed a majority of staff concerns and • can be recommended for approval with conditions . Therefore, staff recommends the Planning Commission recommend approval of the following: a. Conditional use permit to develop a commercial planned unit development with the following conditions : Elk Park Center Page 7 October 19 , 1993 111 i . Plans be revised in accordance with letters from Steve Ach, dated October 11, 1993, and Terry Maurer, dated October 15, 1993 . ii . Revised plans will be accepted as the "project development plan" and provide the foundation for future site plan reviews . iii . All site plans must be submitted to the Planning Commission and City Council for review for each phase of the project prior to obtaining a building permit. iv. A chain link security fence shall be provided around the storm water ponds on the school property and the two along Jackson Road. v. A planned unit development agreement be prepared and executed prior to final plat. vi . A feasibility report be completed specifying necessary off-site street, utility, and pedestrian system improvements . • b. Preliminary Plat to divide 50 acres into 13 commercial lots and two outlots with the following conditions : i . A development agreement be prepared and executed prior to release of final plat for recording. ii . Payment of park dedication in an amount based on the City' s commercial park dedication rate at the time of final plat. iii . Outlot A and Outlot B be deeded to the City of Elk River. iv. All drainage and utility easements including those on school property and the single family lots along Jackson Road be granted to the City as public drainage and utility easements . v. Lot 8, Block 2 be increased in area to a minimum of . 8 acres . vi . Prior to final plat, an administrative subdivision of the Dickenson property must be completed and recorded. • vii . Necessary storm drainage easements will need to be obtained to accommodate storm water runoff from this project. viii .Appropriate cross access/cross parking agreements be prepared to accommodate shared parking.