Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986 07-17 PCP Planning Commission Information Sheet Application No. 86025 Applicant: Brookdale Office Park Partnership Location: County Road 10 and Northway Drive Request: Site and Building Plan The applicant requests site and building plan approval to construct a five-building office complex on the 4.33 acres of vacant land immediately east of the Brooklyn Crossing office building at County Road 10 and Brooklyn Boulevard. The property in question is zoned C1A and is bounded on the north by single-family residential homes, on the east by the F and M Bank, on the southeast by Northway Drive, on the south by County Road 10, and on the west by the Brooklyn Crossing office building. The five buildings would all be one storey, ranging in size from 6,000 sq. ft. to 8,400 sq. ft. The proposed plan replaces the latter two phases of the Brook lynCross i ng office development proposed under Application No. 81017 by C and G Transcontinental Developers. The site is presently two parcels which are to be combined by plat (Application No. 86026) . Access/Parking Access to the complex will be via the existing 30' driveway off Northway Drive approximately 290' north of County Road 10. That driving lane, which presently aligns with the north side of the existing five-storey office building, will be realigned within the site to empty out at the main entrance of the larger building. Three of the proposed buildings will be located north of this main drive and two to the south. The total development, including the large existing building requires 428 parking spaces (254 for the 55,193 sq. ft. building and 174 for the five buildings totalling 34,800 sq. ft.). The proposed plan provides approximately 192 stalls for the new multi-building development. There will, therefore, be some excess parking available to allow for medical tenants (up to 10,800 sq. ft. of gross floor area) . The parking is arranged so that each building has 20 to 30 stalls immediately adjacent and some additional perimeter stalls. Landscaping/Screening The site is presently screened from the residential district to the north by a 6' high board on board fence in accordance with Section 35-411 of the Zoning Ordinance. The plan provides the required 15' wide buffer greenstrip adjacent to the residential district and a 35' wide greenstrip adjacent to County Road 10 which is classified by the Zoning Ordinance as a major thoroughfare. A 25' wide greenstrip is proposed along Northway Drive consistent with the side corner building setback. In addition, each building is surrounded by a landscaped area containing sod and trees and sidewalk from parking to building entrances. No foundation shrubs are indicated. The plan calls for 23 Sugar Maple (2 112" dia.) and 47 smaller Red Maple. In addition, 7 Little Leaf Lindens, 8 Flowering Dogwoods, and 14 Blue Spruce are scheduled, along with 56-shrubs including Mockorange, sand cherry, and junipers. The plantings are fairly distributed except that there are few trees along County Road 10 to allow greater visibility. The site plan indicates underground irrigation as required. The total points represented by the proposed plantings is 427 based on the schedule tentatively adopted by the Commission. This exceeds what we have looked at as a minimum for a 4.33 acre site (387 points) . Drainage/Utilities The land is fairly flat, requiring numerous catch basins around the site to collect the runoff. Under the interim regulations of the Shingle Creek Watershed District, this site is not required to meet storm water purification and runoff attenuation requirements because it is less than 5 acres. Nevertheless, because those 7-17-86 -1- Application No. 86025 continued regulations are interim only, the City Engineer has requested drainage calculations for the 5 year and 100 year storms to check against available storm sewer capacity. Regarding utilities, it should also be noted that two of the proposed buildings will lie on existing sanitary sewer lines. These must be relocated and proper easements executed before building permits may be issued. Building/Signery The buildings as indicated previously will all be one storey, ranging in size from 6,000 sq. ft. to 8,400 sq. ft. There are no basements proposed and staff would strongly discourage such a feature as it has lead to zoning and building code conflicts at Boulevard Plaza office condos. The proposed buildings are each expected to be multi-tenant buildings, but will be leased, not sold. The complex aims to serve office clients who want fairly direct exposure to customer traffic. Multiple entrances will be provided. The exterior of the buildings is to be brick similar to the larger existing office building to the west. Tenant identification signery is permitted in one-storey office buildings though only building identification signs are allowed in multi-storey office buildings. The applicant has indicated that tenant identification signs will be allowed by the owner, but will have to be of individual letters of a uniform style and size. The Sign Ordinance allows up to 10% of the wall area to be devoted to signery. In addition, the applicant intends to have a freestanding project identification sign at County Road 10 and Northway Drive and a directory sign within the complex listing only building addresses. Lighting/Trash The plan shows little in the way of site lighting other than a couple of standards in the parking area between these low-rise buildings and the taller building to the west. No lights are indicated on the buildings either. A trash enclosure is indicated at the northeast corner of the site. Concern would be that lighting not be directed into the neighboring residential area and meet the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance where commercial property abuts residential. Residential Generally, the plans are in order and approval is recommended, subject to the following conditions: 1. Building plans are subject to review and approval by the Building Official with respect to applicable codes prior to the issuance of permits. 2. Grading, drainage, utility and berming plans are subject to review and approval by the City Engineer, prior to the issuance of permits. 3. A site performance agreement and supporting financial guarantee (in an amount to be determined by the City Manager) shall be submitted prior to the issuance of permits. 4. Any outside trash disposal facilities and rooftop mechanical equipment shall be appropriately screened from view. 5. The building is to be equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system to meet NFPA standards and shall be connected to a central monitoring device in accordance with Chapter 5 of the City Ordinances. 7-17-86 -2- Application No. 86025 continued 6. An underground irrigation system shall be installed in all landscaped areas to facilitate site maintenance. 7. Plan approval is exclusive of all signery which is subject to Chapter 34 of the City Ordinances. 8. B612 curb and gutter shall be provided around all parking and driving areas. 9. The applicant shall submit an as-built utility survey of the property P rior to release of the performance guarantee. 10. On-site traffic control signs shall be installed in accordance with the recommendations of the Director of Public Works. 11. The replat of the property shall receive final approval by the City Council and be filed at the County prior to issuance of building permits. 12. The applicant shall submit drainage calculations and means for purification of storm water for review by the City Engineer for compliance with watershed district regulations prior to the issuance of permits. 13. The applicant shall verify that site lighting shall be in conformance with Zoning Ordinance prior to the issuance of building permits. 7-17-86 -3- 1 1 Planning Commission Information Sheet Application No. 86026 Applicant: Brookdale Office Park Partnership Location: Northway Drive and County Road 10 Request: Preliminary Plat The applicant requests preliminary plat approval to combine into a single parcel the two vacant lots between the Brooklyn Crossing office building and the F and M Bank. The land in question is zoned C1A and is bounded by a single-family residential district on the north, by the F and M Bank on the east, by Northway Drive on the southeast, by County Road 10 on the south, and by the Brooklyn Crossing office building on the west. The land is being combined into a single parcel to contain the five building office complex proposed under Application No. 86025• The land is presently described as Lots 2 and 3, Block 1, Brooklyn Crossing Addition. The proposed legal description is simply Lot 1, Block 1, Brooklyn Crossing 2nd Addition. The lot area is 4.33 acres. There are presently two utility easements through the property for sanitary sewer lines linking trunk lines in Zenith and Abbott with mains in Northway Drive and County Road 10. The proposed development of the property will require relocation of these utilities and the easements for them. There is also a 15' easement along the south edge of the property for sidewalk purposes. Altogether, the plat appears to be in order and approval is recommended, subject to at least the following conditions: 1. The final plat is subject to review and approval by the City Engineer. 2. The final plat is subject to the provisions of Chapter 15 of the City Ordinances. 3. The necessary documents for relocating the existing utility easements shall be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer and the City Attorney prior to final plat approval. 7-17-86 i Planning Commission Information Sheet Application No. 86027 Applicant: Earle Brown Commons Partnership Location: 6100 Summit Drive Request: Site and Building Plan The applicant requests site and building plan approval to construct a 140 unit high- rise elerly residential building on the vacant land south of the Earle Brown Farm complex. The land in question is the subject of a City-initiated application to rezone the land to R7. It is bounded on the north by the Earle Brown Farm, on the east and south by Earle Brown Drive, on the south and west by Summit Drive, and on the west by the site of Ryan Construction's Brookdale Corporate Center Phase III. There is no height limit in the R7 zone. The proposed building will be 11 stories in height. The residential project is part of the development plan for the Tax Increment Financing District established in this area which includes this land and the Earle Brown Farm site. A second 9 storey phase of 129 units is planned for future development. Access/Parking The site will be served by one access drive off Summit Drive and three off Earle Brown Drive. The access off Summit Drive actually intersects the public street at the southeast corner of the Corporate Center III property. From there it traverses northeast onto the residential (if rezoned) land and moves northward on the west side of this site until it ends at horseshoe shaped parking and drop-off area west of the old office building. The middle access off Earle Brown Drive will serve both the upper and lower level of a parking ramp to be located south of the building. It is really a double access with entrance and exit traffic between each ramp level and the street. Staff would recommend that the driveways from each level be separated as much as possible. The southerly access off Earle Brown Drive serves surface parking on the second phase and is linked with the access off Summit. The northerly access is a narrow, angled drive for service vehicles. The first phase site plan shows 171 parking spaces in the two-level ramp and 33 surface parking spaces. The Zoning Ordinance requires two spaces per unit, in this case 280 spaces for Phase I. Additional proof-of-parking spaces are documented on the master plan which includes the second phase. Total parking for both buildings will eventually include 328 ramp stalls, 115 surface stalls, and 95 proof-of- parking stalls for a total of 538 stalls, two for each unit. Density The entire land area to be rezoned for the residential development is presently 7 acres, to be expanded to 7.1 acres by the vacation of a 10' wide portion of the Earle Brown Drive right-of-way. The Zoning Ordinance requires 1,400 sq. ft. of land per dwelling unit in the R7 zone, but allows for a density credit of up to 500 sq. ft. per under-building or covered parking stall may be granted. The proposed master plan for 269 units meets density requirements with the granting of a density credit of 67,324 sq. ft. as shown below: -269 units x 1,400 s.f. = 376,600 s.f. (8.65 acres) gross required -Land area provided 309,276 sq. ft. or 7.1 acres -Density credit required 67,324 sq. ft. -Excess land = .33 acres -163 covered stalls x 500 = 81,500 (1.88 acres) -Net land area required = 294,600 s.f. (6.76 acres) 7-17-86 -1- Application No. 86027 continued As can be seen, the proposed master plan provides for more covered parking stalls than necessary to justify the needed density credit. The 7.1 acres will be subdivided into two lots at a later date. Each lot will have sufficient area and covered parking in combination to meet the density requirements of the Zoning Ordinance separately. Landscaping The master landscape plan provides 35 trees 6" in diameter, 5 more than required by ordinance for 269 units. However, if the first phase were to stand on its own, 19 six inch trees would be required and only 15 are indicated on the area to be platted as a lot for the first phase. It does not seem appropriate to require an over concentration of large trees on the Phase I lot if the second phase does proceed. However, it is recommended that a guarantee for additional large trees be held to assure independent compliance of the first phase if the second phase does not proceed within five years. The total planting schedule for the master plan provides 784 points based on the point system tentatively adopted by the Commission and this exceeds by a considerable amount (222 points) the level recommended in that schedule. More than half these points are accounted for on the first phase site. Plantings are generally more dense on the northern portion of the site. Some garden plots are indicated toward the southern end of the complex. A plaza area in the triangle of land south of the first phase building and east of the second phase building is proposed with five Flowering Crabs, four Skyline Locust, and a 6" diameter Green Ash. Other shade trees include Hackberry and Sugar Maple. Some existing trees will be preserved and five existing Green Ash are to be relocated. The plan provides only 7 coniferous trees (Black Hills Spruce) . Although overall landscaping is acceptable, more conifers would be welcome provided sight lines are observed. Grading/Drainage/Utilities The grading plan generally provides for drainage to flow toward the west side of the site where a holding pond with skimmer control will be provided to meet the requirements of the Shingle Creek Watershed Management District. The proposed pond provides adequate runoff attenuation for the parking surfaces proposed to be built and does not provide for proof-of-parking areas should they be constructed. A City storm sewer line which presently traverses the proposed location of Building B (the second phase) must be partially rerouted around the south end of that building. A water main in roughly the same location will also be routed along the north side of the site connecting lines in Earle Brown Drive and Summit Drive. The utility easement protecting the existing utilities will have to be redescribed to protect the relocated utilities. Those documents must be executed and filed with the title to the property at the County prior to issuance of permits. A utility maintenance agreement will also be required. Building The proposed buildings would both be L-shaped. The first phase (Bldg. A) is to be ll stories, the second phase (Bldg. B) 9 stories. The buildings are to be connected to each other by a one-storey lounge with optional dining facilities. This connecting link will in turn be connected to the existing office building. The plan further proposes a connecting link between the office building and the hippodrome to the north given the prospect of senior services being located in the Earle Brown Farm buildings. That prospect, however, is far from certain at this time while the Earle Brown committee deliberates the future use of the Farm complex. Approval of this specific aspect of the plan, therefore, is not recommended at this time. 7-17-86 -2- Application No. 86027 continued The exterior of the building is not specified at this time. One possibility is to attempt to match the brick exterior of the existing office building and this is the preferred option at this time. The roof is to be a hip roof and there will be a wood trim line around the top of the building matching the existing office building. The proposed plans call for 53 one-bedroom units and 87 two-bedroom units in Bldg. A. Project totals are 98 one-bedrooms 171 two-bedrooms (various styles of units will be available). Thirteen (13) total handicapped units will be provided. Corridors are shown at 5' width. Covered parking will be accessible outside the building from the first floor level. The building will be fire sprinklered in accordance with the State Building Code. Lighting/Trash Trash will be handled entirely within the building. Site lighting is proposed on light standards around the proposed ramp, along the entrance drive off Summit and in the horseshoe drive-up area. Size and style of light standard and fixture are presently being reviewed by the Earle Brown Farm committee. Recommendation Altogether, the plans are in order, and approval is recommended subject to the following conditions: 1. Building plans are subject to review and approval by the Building Official with respect to applicable codes prior to the issuance of permits. 2. Grading, drainage, utility and berming plans are subject to review and approval by the City Engineer, prior to the issuance of permits. 3. A site performance agreement and supporting financial guarantee (in an amount to be determined by the City Manager) shall be submitted prior to the issuance of permits. 4. Any outside trash disposal facilities and rooftop mechanical equipment shall be appropriately screened from view. 5. The building is to be equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system to meet NFPA standards and shall be connected to a central monitoring device in accordance with Chapter 5 of the City Ordinances. 6. An underground irrigation system shall be installed in all landscaped areas to facilitate site maintenance. 7. Plan approval is exclusive of all signery which is subject to Chapter 34 of the City Ordinances. 8. B612 curb and gutter shall be provided around all parking and driving areas. 9. The applicant shall submit an as-built utility survey of the property prior to release of the performance guarantee. -3- Application No. 86027 continued 10. The replat of the property shall receive final approval by the City Council and be filed at the County prior to the issuance of permits. 11. Plan approval is contingent upon a rezoning of the land south of the Earle Brown Farm site and east of the Brookdale Corporate Center III site to R7. 12. Plan approval acknowledges a density credit of 67,324 sq. ft. for the entire two-phase development (each phase to be accorded a separate density credit based on land area and covered parking) based upon a minimum of 135 covered parking stalls on the site. 13. Plan approval is contingent upon the applicant entering into an agreement with the City to provide additional parking based on the proof-of-parking plan upon a determination by the City that such additional spaces are required for the public welfare. Said agreement to be filed with the title to the property at the County as a deed restriction prior to the issuance of permits. 14. Plan approval is contingent upon the granting of a temporary greenstrip variance under Application No. 86028. 15. Necessary documents to relocate utility easements for City water main and storm sewer shall be executed and filed with the title to the property at the County prior to the issuance of building permits for Building B. 16. The applicant shall enter into standard utility maintenance agreement with the City prior to the issuance of permits. 17. A cross access agreement between the residential site and the office site to the west shall be executed and filed with the title to the property prior to the issuance of permits. 18. Planting of four 6" diameter trees on the Phase I site in accordance with Section 35-410 shall be deferred for up to 5 years to allow for completion of the second phase. 19. Plan approval is subject to review and approval of the Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission with respect to ponding and water purification requirements prior to the issuance of permits. Ponding areas shall be protected by easements to be filed with the title to the property prior to the issuance of permits. 20. Plan approval specifically excludes the connecting link between the existing office building at 6100 Summit Drive and the hippodrome on the Earle Brown Farm. 21. Plan approval applies to development of Building A, the existing office, and connecting links. Site and building plan approval of the second phase, Building B, is subject to further review and approval when proposed for construction. 7-17-86 -4- Planning Commission Information Sheet Application No. 86010 Applicant: City of Brooklyn Center HRA Location: Northerly of the intersection of Summit Drive and Earle Brown (east leg) Request: Rezoning The applicant requests rezoning from I-1 to R7 of two parcels of land totalling approximately 7 acres in area located northerly of the intersection of Summit Drive and Earle Brown Drive (east leg) . The parcels are currently described as Tract I, R.L.S. 1594 and Tract A, R.L.S. 1380. These two parcels are proposed to be combined in a future replatting of this area that will create two new lots for a two phase residential development. The first phase proposes 140 high-rise residential units for the elderly, while the second phase proposes 129 high-rise residential uses also for the elderly, although the possibility exists that the second phase might be a nonelderly market rate residential development. This application was first considered by the Planning Commission on March 13, 1986 at which time the Commission reviewed the proposal, opened and continued the public hearing and directed the staff to prepare resolutions recommending the rezoning and recommending a Comprehensive Plan amendment. The matter has not been back on the Commission's agenda due to further review of possible site plans and replatting and also, deliberation regarding whether or not there should be a physical link or connection between the proposed elderly development and the hippodrome on the Earle Brown Farm. The Earle Brown Farm Committee is expected to make its final recommendations regarding this aspect of the plan in September of this year. However, it is believed that it is appropriate to proceed with the various planning applications at this time. Also, some of the delay has been due to the possibility that the second phase, or future phase, may not be an elderly residential development. Attached for the Commission's review are copies of the Planning Commission minutes from March 13, 1986 and also, the Planning Commisssion Information Sheet which was presented at that time. The basic question to rezone from I-1 to R7 still exists - although it should be done in full light of the fact that the entire project may not be elderly residential. The assumptions for justifying the rezoning and for recommending a Comprehensive Plan amendment are basically the same. The high-rise residential development, whether elderly or market rate rental, will generate less traffic (both average daily and p.m. peak traffic) in the area than that projected for a full service/office development of the land as currently recommended by the Comprehensive Plan. Also, the residential development is looked at as assisting in achieving long term preservation of the Earle Brown Farm for historic purposes. With these points in mind, a Comprehensive Plan amendment that would change Table 14 and Figure 15 regarding land use plan revisions is recommended to the Commission. - A public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan amendment was scheduled for June 26, 1986, but had to be continued until July 17, 1986 due to a last minute cancellation of the June 26 Planning Commission meeting. The Plan amendment would be to revise the Comprehensive Plan to allow mixed use developments, including high-rise residential and general commerce along with service/office uses in this area. This is also believed to be an appropriate amendment because it will offer additional opportunities for varying potential uses on the Earle Brown Farm itself which will better lead to development which will insure its historic preservation. 7-17-86 -1- Application No. 86010 continued The recommended amendment is considered to be consistent with other portions of the Comprehensive Plan which strongly encourage preservation of the Earle Brown Farm and the proposal appears also to be consistent, in part, with Plan recommendations to provide more elderly housing in the community. The public hearing on the rezoning (Application No. 86010) , as mentioned above, has been continued. A second hearing regarding the Comprehensive Plan amendment is scheduled for Thursday evening. A resolution recommending approval of the rezoning and one recommending approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment will be offered to the Commission at that meeting. 7-17-86 -2- Planning Commission Information Sheet Application No. 86028 Applicant: Earle Brown Commons Partnership Location: 6100 Summit Drive Request: Variance The applicant requests a variance from Section 35-700 of the Zoning Ordinance to allow a greenstrip or parking setback of less than 15' from public right-of-way on a temporary basis. And also a variance from Section 35-400 to allow a building setback of 40' rather than the 50' required, again, on a temporary basis. The first request applies to two small portions of the proposed parking ramp for the Earle Brown Commons residential development which will be located approximately 9' from the existing westerly right-of-way line of Earle Brown Drive. The second request is where the northeasterly corner of the site is at the closest point to the Earle Brown Drive right-of-way. The development in question is proposed under Application No. 86027 and is located south of the Earle Brown Farm and east of the Brookdale Corporate Center III development. No written arguments have been submitted addressing the standards for a variance (see Section 35-240 attached). However, the only real argument for this variance is that it is a temporary condition until the westerly 10' of the Earle Brown Drive right-of-way is vacated, at which time the greenstrip will be more than the required 15' and the building setback will meet the 50' minimum requirement. Temporary variances of this sort have been granted to Village Properties for a relocated apartment building at Evergreen Apartments and for Dr. Schell's dental clinic at 412 66th Avenue North. The central condition of those variances was that the agency possessing the excess right-of-way (in those cases it was MN/DOT) supply a written statement that the excess right-of-way would exist in the future and would be made available to the abutting property owner when no longer needed. In the present case, the City does intend to vacate the westerly 10' of the Earle Brown Drive right-of-way. However, the underlying rights to that land do not belong to the owner of the adjacent parcel, as is normally the case, but to the owner of Tract H, R.L.S. 1380, the parcel of land dedicated for roadway purposes at Earle Brown Drive. The City is, therefore, negotiating to acquire the underlying rights to the portion of Tract H to be vacated. In conclusion, staff recommend that the variance requested be granted noting that the City is in the process of acquiring Tract H, R.L.S. 1380 for the purpose of vacating excess right-of-way and subject to the following condition: 1. The City Attorney shall comment to the City Council on the progress of acquiring the underlying land in the right-of-way to be vacated prior to Council action on Application No. 86027. 7-17-86