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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-015 Inf Sheet 1108 Brookdale Center Application Filed on 7-19-07 City Council Action Should Be Taken By 9-17-07 (60 Days) Planning Commission Information Sheet Application No. 2007-015 Applicant: Brookdale Center Location: Brookdale Center Request: Planned Unit Development Amendment The applicant, Brookdale Center, is seeking a Planned Unit Development Amendment to allow for the construction of an approximate 184,600 sq. ft. Wal-Mart Supercenter along the north side of the Brookdale Shopping Center. The plan would involve the demolition of the existing vacant two story retail building that formerly housed the Mervyn’s Department Store. The Wal-Mart building would be constructed in this location and to the north and would be attached to the existing Brookdale Center having an interior access from the store to the mall. Additional vacant retail space westerly of the north mall entrance would also be demolished to accommodate the new development. Exterior access to the new Wal-Mart would also be provided at the east end of the store. The property in question, Brookdale Center, is zoned PUD/C-2 (Planned Unit Development/Commerce) and is bounded on the north by County Road 10; on the east and southeast by T.H. 100; and on the west and southwest by Xerxes Avenue North. It is the applicant’s plan to create a new 621,485 sq. ft. (14.27 acres) parcel of land for the Wal-Mart site. They propose new combinations and divisions of existing land parcels at Brookdale under Planning Commission Application No. 2007-014 for Preliminary Plat approval which is a companion application to this application. A Planned Unit Development Rezoning from C-2 (Commerce) to PUD/C-2 and development plan approval for the expansion, redevelopment and rejuvenation of Brookdale Center was approved by the City Council under Resolution No. 99-37 on March 8, 1999. Attached is a copy of the resolution containing the various findings and conditions of approval for that proposal (Planning Commission Application No. 99001). That plan included reconfiguration of the west end of the mall to include an 89,650 sq. ft. second floor to include a 20 screen, 4,252 seat movie theater; a 13, 200 sq. ft. addition to the north entrance to the mall for two restaurant sites and a new food court; 13,000 sq. ft. addition for general retail use and revised entry way along the southerly side of the complex; a 4,650 sq. ft. freestanding Applebee’s restaurant and conceptual approval for three other buildings shown on the plan as buildings No. 3, 4 and 5 subject to review and approval in the form of a PUD amendment by the Planning Commission and City Council. Most of these improvements were completed by Brookdale Center except for the second story theater. Also, a PUD amendment was approved by the City Council on July 26, 2004 (Council Resolution No. 2004-97) for a 4,195 sq. ft. Dairy Queen Grill and Chill on the building No. 2 site. This proposal was never built and the site remains undeveloped and will now be incorporated into the Wal-Mart site. The current request is, therefore, an amendment to the original PUD approval. As the Commission is aware, the PUD process involves a rezoning of land to the PUD designation followed by an Alpha Numeric designation of the underlying zoning district. This underlying zoning district provides the regulations governing uses and structures within the Planned Unit Development. The rules and regulations governing that district (in this case C-2) would apply to the development proposal unless the City were to determine that another standard or use would be appropriate given mitigating circumstances that are offset by the plans submitted by the developer. One of the purposes of the PUD district is to give the City Council the needed flexibility in addressing development and redevelopment problems. Regulations governing uses and structures may be modified by conditions ultimately imposed by the City Council on the development plans. The PUD process involves a rezoning of land and, therefore, is subject to meeting the City’s rezoning evaluation policy and review guidelines that are contained in Section 35-208 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance. Also, proposals must be consistent with Section 35-355 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance, which addresses Planned Unit Developments. Attached for the Commission’s review are copies of Section 35-208 and 35-355 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance for review. As mentioned previously, the City Council adopted a resolution approving the overall PUD for Brookdale Center. That resolution (City Council Resolution No. 99-37) contains the various findings and considerations necessary for approving the PUD. These findings and considerations were made given the applicant’s use at that time and this amendment is to acknowledge the building details and locations of an amended proposal within the PUD zoning district. It is not necessary for the Planning Commission and City Council to reapprove the original Planned Unit Development Amendment, however, approval of this Planned Unit Development Amendment should acknowledge compatibility with the policy and review guidelines of the previously mentioned Section 35-208 and also the provisions of Section 35-355 of the Zoning Ordinance. It is believed that the proposed amendment submitted by the applicant in this case is in keeping with the findings and considerations associated with the original approval. This proposed amendment can be considered consistent and compatible with surrounding land uses in this area. The amended development plan being submitted will, like the original approval, be consistent with the modifications to the ordinance that were allowed at that time. No other modifications from the underlying zoning requirements are being sought by the applicant with this Planned Unit Development Amendment. Of note is that the applicant is no longer seeking to deviate from the 15 ft. green strip requirement along the County Road 10 right of way and will be providing sufficient green strip to meet this underlying zoning requirement. It is believed that the proposed use of the property will be consistent and compatible with the immediate area surrounding the property as well as uses in the general vicinity and will be consistent with the Planned Unit Development Amendment approval granted under Resolution No. 99-37. Attached for the Commission’s review is a copy of the original Brookdale PUD site plan from 1999. SITE AND BUILDING PLAN PROPOSAL As mentioned, the proposed Wal-Mart will be approximately 184,600 sq. ft. and be located and attached to the north side of the existing Brookdale Mall where the former Mervyn’s Department Store is to be demolished. Two future building sites at the easterly end of the center will continue to be comprehended for future development through the PUD amendment process. ACCESS/PARKING Access to Brookdale Center is proposed to be changed. The Northway Drive access to Brookdale at County Road 10 would be closed. A median break in County Road 10 serving Northway Drive would continue as would the traffic signal and pedestrian crossings at this location. The left turn lane for west bound County Road 10 would have to be removed. The applicant is requesting the right of way provided for access to Brookdale be vacated and incorporated in to the Brookdale site. This will be considered during the platting process. The City is seeking the dedication of additional right of way at the Shingle Creek Parkway/County Road 10 access to Brookdale to accommodate revisions to this area. Access within Brookdale will be modified as well in the area of the Kohl’s access to better define and delineate access to Brookdale within the parking lot area. Concrete delineation with defined turn lanes will be provided between the two future building sites along the easterly portion of the perimeter road. The perimeter road will be modified through the to be vacated portion of the closed Northway Drive entrance. The balance of the perimeter road will remain in its current location other than where modifications are made on the east end. Parking will be revised to the east of the proposed Wal-Mart building including within the Wal-Mart property itself. Concrete delineation and parking protectors serving as landscape islands will also be provided. Parking will be provided on the basis of 4.5 parking spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area as was established for Brookdale at the time the original Planned Unit Development was approved in 1999. Parking required for Brookdale, based on a total of 1,120,810 sq. ft. of gross leasable space as indicated on the site plan – parking layout, is 5,044 parking spaces. There are to be provided 5,137 parking spaces given the parking plan that is to be implemented, a slight surplus given the established parking formula for Brookdale. It should be noted that Brookdale showed the ability to provide 5,700 parking spaces as part of the 1999 PUD. The executed PUD agreement dated December 9, 1999 acknowledges this ability and states that in the event it is determined by the City Council that the existing parking is not adequate, the owners of the properties shall redesign and reconfigure parking areas and construct such additional parking facilities as are necessary to provide 5,700 parking spaces on the subject properties. This provision will continue with this amendment as well. Green strips exceeding 15 ft. along the County Road 10 right of way will be provided in contrast to what was originally proposed with the 1999 expansion. We are recommending wrought iron fencing and masonry piers as has been used throughout the city in other projects to in this case help control pedestrian traffic along County Road 10 and to channel it to crosswalks and pedestrian accesses to and through the Wal-Mart site. A traffic impact study for the expansion of Brookdale dated July 22, 2007 was prepared by Spack Consulting and is attached for the Commission’s review (narrative portion only). The study was for the purpose of determining how public streets around Brookdale operate currently and will operate with the addition of traffic with the development; the impacts of closing the southern leg of the County Road 10/Northway Drive intersection; the operation of the Brookdale interior ring road; and possible improvements. Their conclusions are that the public streets/intersections will operate at an acceptable level of service during the PM peak hour with the expansion; site alterations will not negatively impact the County Road 10/Shingle Creek Parkway, Xerxes/56th Avenue and Xerxes/55th Avenue intersections that serve as access points to Brookdale; no mitigation measures are necessary to accommodate the traffic changes that will occur with the expansion other than possible signal timing at intersections particularly at the altered County Road 10/Northway Drive intersection. Physical alterations at the County Road 10/Northway Drive intersection will need to be accomplished to convert this to a true T intersection with the closing of the south leg. This will involve eliminating appropriate turn and through lanes. GRADING/DRAINAGE/UTIILITIES The applicant has provided grading, drainage and utility plans that are being reviewed by the Director of Public Works/City Engineer. His written comments are attached for the Commission’s review and consideration in his memo dated 8/13/07. Sanitary sewer, storm sewer and water main, along with a gas line currently exist in the parking lot north of the vacant former Mervyn’s building will have to be relocated to avoid being beneath the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter . Their plan is to relocate these utilities around the perimeter of the new building. Sanitary sewer and water connections to the new building will be along the west side. Parking lot improvements for the Wal-Mart site are planned to the east of the building. As mentioned previously, modifications to the perimeter road with a new intersection near the Shingle Creek Parkway/County Road 10 entrance are also planned at the perimeter road intersection with the access to Kohl’s and Boulevard’s Bar and Grill to be redone as well. This intersection will be shifted to the south slightly and connect to the perimeter road between the two future building pad sites in this location. It will allow for the two legs of this intersection to line up directly across from one another. A new parking configuration is planned and concrete curb and gutter deliberators and channelization will be provided along with landscape island areas. Erosion control will need to be provided during construction and an appropriate erosion control plan will need to be submitted for the City Engineer’s approval. For the most part, the site will be served by existing, private utilities, on the Brookdale site which are connected to existing public facilities. A regional ponding facility was developed at the time Brookdale was expanded in 1999-2000. No ponding areas are proposed with this development and it must be verified that the existing regional pond will be sufficient. The applicant must obtain approval of a Storm Water Management Plan and Erosion Control Plan from the Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission prior to site construction. The applicant is to submit the application materials to the City Engineering Department which will in turn be forwarded to the Watershed Commission. The Director of Public Works makes a good point in his memo about transient overnight parking and overnight RV parking at the Wal-Mart site. Apparently this activity is allowed by Wal-Mart at some of their sites. He notes that there is a lack of sanitary sewer and other facilities within the Brookdale Mall site and this should be prohibited. This is a zoning concern as well in that a recreational vehicle park is not comprehended by the Zoning Ordinance in this area and such activity should be prohibited as part of any PUD approval. LANDSCAPING The applicant has submitted a landscape plan in response to the landscape point system utilized by the Planning Commission for evaluating such plans. Landscaping was provided at the time Brookdale was expanded and redeveloped and the landscaping proposed now is related to the Wal-Mart expansion. The Wal-Mart site is 14.27 acres in area and is required to have 840 lanscape points. The applicant proposes to provide 840 landscape points by preserving some existing deciduous and coniferous trees and to provide additional landscaping meeting the point system requirement. The proposal is to provide landscaping along the County Road 10 green strip, along the north side of the Wal-Mart building and in landscape island areas in the parking lot. Thirty six new shade trees to include Swamp White Oak, Autumn Blaze Maple and Redmond Linden are proposed, seven of which would be located in the County Road 10 green strip and the balance in landscape islands within the parking lot and along the north side of the building. Thirty two coniferous trees such as Black Hills Spruce and Swiss Stone Pine are proposed to be intermixed with existing coniferous trees on the site. Fifty-two decorative trees including Red Jewel Crab Apple and Spring Snow Crab Apple are interspersed with the larger shade and coniferous trees throughout the site. Four hundred twenty shrubs are proposed including Buffalo Juniper, Crisp Leaf Spirea, and Neon Flash Spirea are proposed within the landscape island areas. The landscape plan appears to be in order and can be considered acceptable for this development, meeting the 840 points for this size parcel. BUILDING The applicant has submitted building elevations for the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter. Building materials include brick veneer in two colors, cultured stone, masterblock structural, integral colored split face CMU and EIFS uniformly around the sides of the building. An outdoor garden center with masonry piers and wrought iron screening is included. Two main entrance points to the exterior are provided along the front elevation with spandrel glass and standing seam metal roof. It should be noted that roof top and on ground mechanical equipment must be screened from view. Parapet walls, if high enough, can be used for screening of roof top mechanical equipment. Although not part of the approval process, it should also be noted that wall signs may not project above the roof line of the building. A restricted use loading area at the southeast corner of the building is proposed to remain in an area that was shielded by vacant store area that is proposed to be demolished. The detail of this area shows a concrete masonry unit screen wall to screen this area. The loading area to the west of the building where a six bay receiving dock is to be located, should also have a concrete masonry unit screen wall high enough to screen vehicles and trailers in this area. Additional screening may be in order to the northwest of the truck turn around area for screening purposes. This screening device should be high enough to screen the loading area from view as well. It is recommended that the Planning Commission closely review this as to the appropriateness of the screening. All outside trash container areas including compactors and recycling areas should also be screening from view. As mentioned previously, there will be an interior mall access to the Wal-Mart Supercenter where it is attached with Brookdale Mall. In discussions with the architect he has indicated that they are considering relocating the food center and the general merchandise area by flip flopping the arrangement. This would mean that the building elevations would not accurately depict the location of the food center, general merchandise area and garden center, which I assume would be located at opposite ends. This does not significantly alter the plan nor affect circulation, parking or other matters. Obviously, these plans would have to accurately reflect the layout prior to the issuance of building permits. It should be noted that the site plan calls for two cart storage areas that appear to be within the vestibules leading to the food and general merchandise areas. Any outside storage of carts other than temporarily at parking lot corral areas, would have to be screened from view. Clarification of this point should be sought by the Planning Commission as well. LIGHTING No lighting plan has been submitted at this time. It is anticipated that lighting fixtures and foot candles would be comparable to the exiting lighting within the Brookdale Center. Our concern is that lighting be directed down on the site and not create glare offsite. Section 35-712 of the City Ordinances requires that all exterior lighting be required with lenses, reflectors or shades so as to concentrate illumination on the property. Illumination is not permitted in intensity level greater than 10 foot candles measured at property lines abutting street right of way or non-residential property. No glare is allowed to emanate from or be visible beyond the boundaries of the illuminated premises. It is not anticipated that lighting should be a problem with respect to this plan. The applicant should, however, provide an appropriate lighting plan for review prior to the issuance of building permits for this project. The lighting plan should provide foot candles and an indication of proposed lighting fixtures. PROCEDURE As pointed out previously, this proposal is an amendment to the Planned Unit Development approval granted for the expansion, redevelopment and rejuvenation of the Brookdale Shopping Center, which was approved by the City Council on March 8, 1999 through Planning Commission Resolution No. 99-37. As a Planned Unit Development, this proposal is required to follow the procedures required for the original Planned Unit Development. This requires a public hearing, which has been scheduled. Notices of the Planning Commission’s consideration have been sent to surrounding property owners and a notice has also been published in the Brooklyn Center Sun/Post. All in all, we believe the plan is in order and consistent with the original Brookdale development approval and, therefore, we would recommend approval of the amendment. Approval of this application should acknowledge the findings, considerations and conditions that are comparable to those made in the previous City Council resolution. A draft Planning Commission resolution is offered for this Commission’s consideration. This resolution outlines the Commission’s consideration of this matter and also recommended considerations and conditions for approval. 8-16-07 Page 1 8-16-07 Page 4