6.6. SR 07-16-2001MEMORANDUM
Item #
6°6°
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor and City Council
Michele McPherso~rector of Planning
July 16, 200 I
Case No. CU 01-22
Request by Powell Development Company for Conditional Use
Permit- Mississippi Ridge Townhomes
Request
The applicant requests that a conditional use permit be approved for site plan approval of 22
townhomes in Mississippi Ridge.
Location
The lots are located west of Highway 10 between 171st and 173rd Avenues and adjacent to
the Mississippi River bluff line.
Attachments
· Location Map
· Memo dated February 27, 2001 from Steve Rohlf, Building & Zoning Administrator
· Site Plan
· Grading Plan
· Landscape Plan
· Townhome Front Elevation
· Townhome Floor Plan
· Townhome Lower Level Floor Plan
· Townhome Side and Rear Elevations
Zoning/Land Use
PUD, Planned Unit Development / MR, Medium Density Residential
Memo to Mayor and City Council/CU 01-22
July 16, 2001
Page 2
Overview
On March 19, 2001 the City Council approved the request for a planned unit development
for Mississippi Ridge. The overall planned unit development is a mixed-use project
comprised of eight commercial lots and 22 townhome lots. The townhomes are arranged as
twin homes with two units sharing a common wall.
Analysis
Lot Area
Each townhome lot measures 47' x 82' feet. Each building will have a five foot side and rear
setback and an approximately 20' setback on the front. One side will be a zero lot line.
Access and Parking
Access to the townhomes will be on a private drive off of Yale Street. The driveway is 20
feet in width, and will nee to be signed "One Way" and "No Parking". Parking will be
permitted on Yale Street.
Each townhome will have four parking areas; two in the driveway and two in the garage.
Building Design
The applicant is proposing to construct rambler-style townhomes with basements. The
structures will measure approximately 42' x 62' with the area under the garage and front
entry being unexcavated. Two front elevations are proposed: one with the garage doors
being four single garage doors, the second front facade indicates two double garage doors,
one for each unit. The buildings will be wood frame construction with asphalt shingles,
brick detailing and stucco. The rear and sides of the units are also proposed to be stucco.
The units will have full basements but will not be permitted to have walkout units, as the
adjacent bluff line of the river with its trees needs to be protected and preserved. Per Steve
Rohlf's memo dated February 27, 2001 the structures must be earth tone in color to blend in
with the adjacent vegetation as required by the shoreland ordinance.
Shoreland and Wild & Scenic Requirements
The subject property is located overlooking the Mississippi River and the requirements of
the Shoreland and Wild & Scenic River Districts apply to this proposal. The 30' setback
from the top of the bluff is required which this proposal meets and no alteration within 20'
feet of the bluff impact zone can occur, which this proposal also meets. Prior to removing
any vegetation, the developer will need to receive staff approval, which will require detailed
inspections of the tree protection and grading on the site.
The Wild & Scenic River District requires that the exterior of the structures be done in earth
tones and that glare be directed away from the river. Any outdoor lights from the units will
need to be shielded to reduce the impact to the river.
S:kPLANNING\MICHMC\CCREPRTS\CU01-22.DOC
Memo to Mayor and City Council/CU 01-22
July 16, 2001
Page 3
Landscaping
The applicant has submitted a landscape plan indicating two trees per lot as required by the
city's subdivision ordinance. A landscaped median is located between the private drive and
Yale Street, which includes a 2' berm and a variety of landscaping materials. The landscape
materials are varied. Staff would suggest, however, minor changes to the landscape plan
including removal of the locust and gingko trees and replacing them with oaks or some other
native species. The remainder of the site will be required to be irrigated and sodded to
provide vegetative cover.
A homeowner's association will maintain the landscaped areas.
Planning Commission Action
The Planning Commission conducted a public hearing regarding the request at its June 26,
2001 meeting. No one spoke for or against the request.
The Commission added additional conditions regarding the length of driveways, and the
location of utility connections to staff's recommended conditions.
Recommendation
Staff and the Planning Commission recommend that the City Council approve the site plan
for 22 townhome units with the following conditions:
I. The exteriors of the townhomes are done in earthtones to help them
blend in with the natural environment. Building materials shall be brick,
stucco and asphalt or cedar shingles.
2. Glare from outdoor lights on the rear of the units be screened from the
river.
3. The developer receive staff approval prior to removal of vegetation from
the bluff area.
4. A 30 foot setback from the bluff is maintained.
5. No topographical alteration of the bluff and within 20 feet of the bluff
impact zone is to take place.
6. The mailboxes shall be clustered.
7. The entry drive shall be posted "No Parking" and "One-Way".
8. The applicant shall submit the homeowner's association documents and
budget to staff for review.
S:\PLANNING\MICHMC\CCREPRTS\CU01-22.DOC
Memo to Mayor and City Council/CU 01-22
July 16, 2001
Page 4
9. The driveways shall be a minimum of 20 feet long.
I 0. Utility meters and connections shall be located on the side or rear of the
structures. If located in the rear, they shall be screened from the river.
S:\PLANNING\MICHMC\CCREPRTS\CU01-22.DOC
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LOCATION
o~ MAP
Rip,or
Orono P~kway P.O.CASE' C;U 01-22
Elk River, M.N 55330
River
TO:
FROM:
Memorandum
PLANNING COMMISSION
STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
DATE:
FEBRUARY 27, 2001
SUBJECT: MISSISSIPPI RIDGE BY SCOTT
POWELL
The following is a summary of the environmental issues associated with the proposed
Plam~ed Unit Development of Mississippi Ridge:
WETLANDS
The proposed extension of 171~t Avenue necessitates.going tkrough a wetland. The City
of Elk River is the Local Unit of Government charge with enforcing the Wetland '
Conservation Act (WCA). The filling of this wetland will have to be evaluated by the
city's Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP) for the WCA prior to the final action on
Mississippi Ridge by the City Council. However,'because of the position of the only
traffic signal on US Trunk Highway 10 in this area, the proposed filling is likely to be
approved for safety reasons.
Mitigation, or replacement, of the wetland on the' site maybe difficult. The developer is
looking at mitigation below the r/dgeliFe, but the'area contains mature trees. The city
prefers mitigation on the same site where the wetland Was filled. If there are overriding
concerns, replacement may be achieved off-site.
Recommended wetland conditions:
TEP review and recommendation prior to Council final action on the
request.
That a restrictive covenant and drainage and utility easement be recorded on
the mitigation areas.
That the Developer's Agreement for the project includes language that places
the responsibility for the success of the wetland mitigation on the developer.
That the letter of credit, which covers the-public improvement_s associated
with the project, also includes the cost of the mitigation work.
That the developers submit a written monitoring report on the replacement'
wetlands one year after this mitigation work is completed and that this
report be approved by city staff prior to the release of the letter of credit.
13065 Orono Parkway- P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone (763) 441-7420 · Fax (763) 441
SHORELAND
The r/dgeline between the river and the development is considered a true bluff line as
defined by the city's Shoreland Ordinance. A thi~xy (30) foot setback from the bluff line
is required. The proposed townhomes meet this requirement.
Intensive vegetation clearing zmd topography alteration on the bluff and within the twenty
(20) feet bluff impact zone (measured from the top of the bluff going away from the
river) is prohibited. The developer will be allowed to cut any dead trees 'or trees of less
than four (4) inches in dimaaeter. Other trees may be cut selectively to create views of the
river as long, as a continuous tree canopy is maintained.
The developer does not own the property all the way to the river, so access down the bluff
is not being requested. The only topographical alteration of the bluff being proposed is
for a storm pipe. This alteration appears to be unavoidable.
Recommended Shoreland conditions:
The developer gains approval for what vegetation is removed from the bluff
by city staff. '
> A thirty (30) foot setback from the top of the bluff is required.
> That minimal topographical alteration of the bluff and within the m, enty (20)
foot bluff impact zone takes place (alterations approved by city. staff) and
that erosion control and revegetation is required..
WILD AND SCENIC RIVER DISTRICT
Currently the top of this bluff is also the boundary line of the Wild & Scenic River
District. The DNR is considering a new boundary for the district that would go to
Highway 10. The DNR's proposal would classify the property in question as River
Town. The uses proposed in MissisSippi Ridge are consistent with the Proposed River
Town classification.
Recommended Wild and Scenic River District Conditions:
That the exteriors of the townhomes are done in earth tones to help them
blend in with the natural environment.
> Glare from the development is required to be directed away from the river.
> That signage for the commercial portion of the proposal is not visible from
the river (this condition may be more difficult for the proposed restaurant on
the south end of the development due to the deforestation of the adjacent
bluff line).
FLOODPLAIN
The development as proposed does not impede floodwaters in the floodplain. The
removal of sediment from storm water run-off is required by the city, prior to discharae
into the river. Retention of the net increase in run-off from de~'elopment is also requiJed.
Sedimentation is not allowed in the floodplain, but retention is. The development appears
to be allowing for the necessary sedimentation and retention outside of the floodplain.
Recommended Floodplain conditions:
> That the City Engineer determines the adequacy of storm water
sedimentation and retention for the development and that no sedimentation
is allowed in the floodplain.
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
City staff discussed the material contained in this memo with Patty Fowler, Area
Hydrologist for the DNR, on February 22, 2001. She was in agreement with staff's
recommendations.
of the st<mdm*d moisture density re~otisnship of solle (ASTM D- Item SAME ELEV. FINISHED ~. GRADE
~9,-?0) e~cept ~h. top t~... ~eet (3') of the ~ckf,I ~h ~ ~'--
shell be c~np~cted to I00~ density. An Independent tearing Sod ~878 ~ I~
· e r~lts of ~ t~ts to the City of Dk Ri~r Mul~ (T~e I. ~ ~ch~ed) ~82 x 896.0 Prop~d ~ot Ele~Uon I I0 I/2" I 17 [/2" ~ DRIVE ~
~glne~g D~rtm~t. F~tiliz~ 3~1 Proposed Drainage OlrecUon - _ j: : ~ 21' 20, 20, 15,
2. The contrect~ ~1 ~sta~ sit f~ ~r to ~m~g ~ ~=c~t 2575 , 28" ~ : ' ' - - ~ ~ - I- EAST
of c~stmctt~ acU~tles, (S~[ F~ce to be Qty of ~k Ri~ b~k~ und~ Qty sb~t end u~ity pro~t.~~a With Pad ~e~t~ M~T~LE C~ETE C~B ~ ~TER ~Rs a ~TER ~ ~' ' ~B618 ~TE
Stand'ds) 7. F~ow~g street c~s~cti~, the d~er ~a~ dean . ~B a ~T~
3. The contr~ct~ sh~ limit hb ~tMU~ to ~e ~d~g ~mlts s[ree[s ~ ~ ~g b~ls es m~ed by ~ City of Bk C~B · G~
'o-- ~ .e .~lng pl~. N, .... tmction ~ti~fle, .~, R'. ," BIT~INO~ WEAR C~SE (2~5,, Type 4.).TA~ COAT- ~ . .2,,BlT~lN~ ~ C~ (2~l, TYPE
c~ly ~th I~ ~d~once. 8. R~ ~ ~ell be ~ced et ~ st~ ~ ~Ye~ u~ the ~ ~ mREC~ ~ ~ 2" BI~INO~ BA~ CO~ (2531, TYPE 3lB)
City ut,lty ~t. end ~o[I c~f~ ~ffi ~llc~le City ~ Proposed Stem Sewer -TA~ COAT
4. The controct~ sh~ betel tr~ ~ot~ti~ f~, os dkect~ by the end Wot~h~ Dis~ct st~rda ~d spec~cot~s. ~ 6" CLASS 5 AGGREGATE BASE~ - 2"BIT~IN~S BA~ C~R~ (2331. T~E 5lB)
En~. [o prot~[ ~ee ~ts. ~ ~ PR~-"~T ST~" F~C ST~L~ APPRO~D ~BGRADE- -- 6" ~S 5 A~EGATE BA~
9. V~oI ~ng td~ce ~o~ be wt~ 0.2 feet of ~e City ~ TO WO~ ST~ES
5. The ~M~ ~ ~e~le h~ ~otima to m~ize the ~pro~ ~o~ng plen. 2'~2"x54" W~ - -- ~PRO~ ~
dtstu~ ~ae et ~y gi~ ~e. STAKES e 4' O.C. ~ I0' ~N~ I -I
~ AM~O~ TYPIC~ STREET SECTION
4" of ~1 ond ~ or ~ os dir~(~ by ~e ~g~, ~ ~ NA~AL ~
p~i~ .... ~~ ~'Sfi~ ~O ~
2' MINI~ --~ EMB~K~NT
SCALE ~N FEET SILT ~N~
NOTICE THESE PLANS ARE DESIGNED OF
EXCLUSIVELY
iHSTALLER OWNER. OR CONTRACTOR MUST VERIFy ALL DETAILS AND
.
................................... ~NSTALLE~ OWNER OR CONTRACTOR MbST VERIFW ALL ~ETAILS