HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 8, 2026 City Council Workshop Agenda PacketCITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS
City Council Workshop
City Hall
2077 West Larpenteur Avenue
AGENDA
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
6:00 P.M.
A.CALL TO ORDER:
B. ROLL CALL:GUSTAFSON____ MAY___
MIELKE___ MOGEN ___ WASSENBERG___
STAFF PRESENT: LINEHAN___
C.POLICY ITEMS:
1.Consideration of Fairway Commons Planned Unit Development Amendment
Proposal (6:00)
2.Consideration of the City’s Acquisition of 1407 Larpenteur Avenue West (6:40)
D.ADJOURNMENT:
DISCLAIMER: City Council Workshops are held monthly as an opportunity for Council Members to
discuss policy topics in greater detail prior to a formal meeting where a public hearing may be held and/or action may be taken. Members of the public that would like to make a comment or ask questions about an
item on the agenda for an upcoming workshop should send them to mail@falconheights.org prior to the
meeting. Alternatively, time is regularly allotted for public comment during Regular City Council
Meetings (typically 2nd and 4th Wednesdays) during the Community Forum.
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ITEM FOR DISCUSSION
City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________
Item Consideration of Fairway Commons Planned Unit Development Amendment
Proposal
Description
In 2023, a Planned Unit Development was approved for a 100-unit affordable
housing apartment building to be named Amber Flats, located in the parking
lot just west of the existing Amber Union Apartments. In 2025, Velair
Development Company (“VDC”) approached the City with interest to
purchase the property and needing information on the process to amend the
Planned Unit Development.
When Amber Flats was approved, there were three main deviations from City
Code:
• The height of the proposed building was over the maximum allowed in
the City (40’ or 4 stories, whichever is less) at 49’ in height.
• The impervious surface coverage was over the maximum allowed in the
City (75% of the lot) at around 76%.
• The amount of parking that would have been required for the building
(At the time, 2 spaces per unit; this has since been changed to 1 space
per unit) was too low at 1.14 spaces per unit.
THE PROPOSAL
Velair Development Company is an affordable housing developer that is
currently under contract to buy the two lots previously approved for Amber
Flats PUD from Buhl Larpenteur West LLC. Fairway Commons is the
proposed name for the apartment building and it will be situated in the
existing overflow parking lot next to Amber Union. It will be a 110-unit senior
(55+) affordable apartment building at 1644 Larpenteur Avenue West. It will
consist of a mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom floorplans across four stories
of residential and one underground level of parking. The gross square footage
of the building is estimated at 126,329 square feet, which includes the
underground parking area.
Meeting Date April 8, 2026
Agenda Item C-1
Attachment See below.
Submitted By Hannah B. Myhren,
Community Development Coordinator
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CURRENT STATUS OF PROPERTY & CITY CODE REQUIREMENTS /
EXISTING PUD REQUIREMENTS
Below are excerpts from City Code with the standard requirements for new
developments in the zoning district this property is currently located in.
Bolded next to each item is how the proposal does or does not currently meet
those requirements and any additional staff notes.
This property is currently zoned Amber Flats Planned Unit Development with
an underlying zoning of R5M, High Density Residential Mixed Use.
Sec. 118-182 (b) Purpose and intent. The purpose of the mixed use high density
residential district is to provide high density, primarily apartment style, rental and
condominium housing with limited commercial uses within the same structure. The
intent of the district is to meet or exceed the city’s comprehensive plan density goal of
28 residential units per acre. Proposal meets this intent.
Sec. 118-182 (c) Permitted uses.
(1) Apartment buildings with a maximum of 40 dwelling units per acre. Proposal
meets this requirement @ just under 40 dwelling units per acre.
Sec. 118-182 (g) Lot area, height, lot width, and yard requirements.
(1) The following minimum requirements shall be observed subject to additional
requirements except as modified in this section and in section 113-241:
Lot Area Lot Width Front Yard Side Yard Rear Yard
2.5 acres
N/A
200 feet
N/A
30 feet
Proposal
meets this
requirement
@ 43.1’.
10 feet or ½ the
height of the
building,
whichever is
greater
Proposal
meets this
requirement
@ 24.5’.
30 feet
Proposal
meets this
requirement
@ 64.7’.
(2) The required setback from a lot line abutting property zoned R-1 is 50 feet.
Proposal meets this requirement @ 153.5’.
(4) Except as provided in section 113-243, the maximum height is four stories or
40 feet, whichever is less. Proposal does not meet this requirement at 45’
6”, and may increase to around 49’ 6” if the ceiling heights are
changed to 9’ ceilings. For reference, Falcon Heights Town Square is
around 49’ in height at its tallest point, and the existing Amber Union
building is over 52’ in height at its tallest point. This building would
be stepping down from that, or roughly the same height as Town
Square with 9’ ceilings throughout.
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Sec. 113-241 – Required yards and open spaces
(b) Permitted encroachments on required yards. The following shall be permitted
encroachments into setback and height requirements except as restricted by other
sections of this chapter: (4) In no event shall off-street parking, structures of any type, buildings, or any
impervious surfaces cover more than 75 percent of the lot area. The existing lot is a
total of 2.6 acres. Existing impervious surface on lot is 1.9 acres which is
around 73.3% impervious. The proposed impervious surface is 1.6 acres
which is around 62.7% impervious. Proposal meets this requirement.
DIVISION 2. – OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
Sec. 113-310 – Residential districts
(3) The following provisions apply to the R-5M district: The requirements of the R-
4 district shall apply except that at least 80 percent of the required parking
spaces for apartment buildings shall be below grade and integrated into the
apartment building.
(2) The following provisions shall apply to the R-3 and R-4 districts:
(e) Off-street parking spaces required (one space equals 350 square feet) shall be
as follows for:
Multiple-family dwellings. At least one parking spaces per dwelling unit. By
code, this property would require 110 parking spaces, with 80% of
those being below grade (88 spaces). As proposed, there are to be 44
surface parking spaces and 72 sublevel parking spaces for a total of
116 parking spaces. This equals to 1.05 parking stalls per unit.
Proposal meets this requirement for total parking stalls, not for the
subsurface .
THE PUD / CITY CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS
Notice Required
Planned unit developments may be permitted in the legislative discretion of
the city council. The application and hearing process for a planned unit
development is the same as is required for other zoning chapter amendments.
The standard notice requirement for amendments to a section of the Zoning
Chapter of City Code is mailing a notice to all property owners within 350’ of
the property. As a best practice however, the City mails to all property owners
and residents within 500’. The notice was also posted at City Hall on March 10,
2026 and published in the Pioneer Press on March 12, 2026 and March 13, 2026.
Comprehensive Plan Consistency
A PUD must be consistent with the city comprehensive plan and the intent and
purpose of the City Code provisions relative to land use, subdivision and
development.
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Several relevant goals have been provided below for reference, however a full
copy of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan can be found online:
https://www.falconheights.org/government/departments/community-
development-planning-and-zoning/comprehensive-plan
From Falcon Heights 2040 Comprehensive Plan:
Housing Goals:
3. Keep housing affordable, maintenance affordable, and accessible to all
income levels.
General Land Use Goals
8. Encourage vertical development by minimizing impervious surfacing
and maximizing space.
Larpenteur Corridor Policies
3. Allow flexibility in development standards on Larpenteur to recognize
the challenge of redeveloping small properties on a scale similar to
surrounding residential development.
Neighborhood Goals
5. To encourage the availability of a diverse housing stock.
6. To provide opportunities for affordable housing in proximity to public
transportation, commercial services and recreational facilities.
11. On transit routes, allow the replacement of existing medium-density
multi-family structures at equal or high density, incorporating best
practices for conserving green space and promoting active living.
Commercial/Business Goals
3. To ensure access and safety for pedestrians and those using non-
motorized transportation.
6. To provide convenient parking in sufficient amounts to meet parking
demand.
NOTES AND ANALYSIS FROM STAFF
Planning Staff – While the prior version of this Planned Unit Development had three
main deviations from City Code, the updated version only has two – the overall height
and the number of underground parking stalls. As a reminder, this could be built
currently by right if both of those parts of City Code were met, or if the requirements of
the existing PUD were met. Staff believe the two deviations from City Code are
reasonable and in line with the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Due to some ongoing discussions around the design of the building, such as potentially raising ceiling
heights to 9’, a Planned Unit Development also seems reasonable rather than
individual variances to provide the flexibility in design that is often needed in larger
projects and that is characteristic of PUDs.
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The Planning Commission held a public hearing at their March 24, 2026 meeting.
Several residents were in attendance and spoke at the public hearing. Comments from
residents included concerns about traffic along West Snelling Access Drive, traffic incidents along Hollywood Court, and resident access to
management/maintenance/emergency services outside of normal office hours.
The Planning Commission held discussion and voted 7-0 to recommend approval of the
amended Planned Unit Development to City Council.
As an outcome of the Planning Commission’s vote, findings of facts affirming
this decision have been drafted for Council’s review and potential adoption.
Should Council vote to deny the request for the PUD amendment, new findings
will need to be drafted and adopted stating the reasoning behind that decision,
and the PUD will remain Amber Flats PUD, as currently shown in City Code.
Any potential future plans for the site would likely need to come through the
PUD amendment process again.
If approved, the amended PUD (Fairway Commons) will override the previous version
(Amber Flats), but no decision that City Council makes at this time will reverse the
existing PUD (Amber Flats), which would require a zoning district change.
Comments from Engineering, the Fire Marshal, the Building Inspector, and Ramsey
County have been requested and any received have been attached. These are
informational only and the applicant will be required to follow any requirements from
these entities, but these are not part of the Planning Commission’s review of the
application.
Engineering – Comments attached.
Fire Marshal – Comments TBD
Building Inspector – None currently – will wait for full plan set at permitting.
Ramsey County – Comments from Senior Transportation Planner attached.
Below are conditions to the PUD amendment, as recommended by the
Planning Commission, and possible additional or revised conditions. The
City Council will be discussing these in the workshop which is held at 6 PM,
prior to the regular City Council meeting at 7 PM on Wednesday, April 8,
2026.
PROPOSED CONDITIONS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION:
1. Trees shall be planted and/or maintained along throughout site as
shown in plans submitted by Civil Site Group, Inc., dated March 2, 2026.
2. Snow storage may not be stored in any parking area for more than 48
hours.
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3. Open space as shown on plans submitted by Civil Site Group, Inc.,
dated, March 2, 2026, must be maintained as open space and not
converted to another use.
4. Charging stations for not less than four electric vehicles must be
provided on site.
5. The building may not exceed four stories, or 50’ in height.
POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL/REVISED CONDITIONS (Bolded are added or
updated):
1. Trees shall be planted and/or maintained throughout the site as shown in
plans submitted by Civil Site Group, Inc., dated March 2, 2026.
2. Any trees removed due to moving the Larpenteur Avenue curb cut must
be replaced by the developer within one year of curb cut completion.
3. Snow storage may not be stored in any parking area for more than 48
hours.
4. Open space as shown on plans submitted by Civil Site Group, Inc., dated
March 2, 2026, must be maintained as open space and not converted to
another use.
5. Charging stations for not less than four electric vehicles must be
provided on site, at a distance of at least 50’ from the building’s main
entrance.
6. The building may not exceed four stories, with a maximum height of 50’.
7. Parcels described as Ramsey County Tax Parcel IDs 212923110029 and
212923110028 must be recombined with Ramsey County prior to the start
of construction.
8. A parking lot maintenance agreement must be signed between Velair
Development Company and Buhl Larpenteur West, LLC for the
maintenance of the parking easement, which dedicates 54 surface parking
stalls for Amber Union use. A copy must be provided to the City of
Falcon Heights and recorded with Ramsey County.
9. A property management staff person must be maintained on-site.
10. Developer shall comply with all recommendations from Ramsey County,
City Engineer, and Fire Marshal.
FUTURE STEPS
The Planning Commission has voted to recommend approval of the amended
Planned Unit Development. At this time, City Council may act upon the
proposed amendment. Pursuant to Minn. Stats. §15.99, the amendment must
be approved or denied within 60 days from the date a properly completed
application is received by the city.
Budget Impact None.
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Attachment(s) • DRAFT Ordinance 26-03 Amending Chapter 113 of the Falcon Heights
City Code Concerning Amber Flats Planned Unit Development –
Planning Commission Version
• DRAFT Ordinance 26-03 Amending Chapter 113 of the Falcon Heights
City Code Concerning Amber Flats Planned Unit Development – With
Additional Conditions
Action(s)
Requested
Staff request City Council discuss conditions to the PUD amendment.
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ORDINANCE NO. 26-03
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 113 OF THE FALCON HEIGHTS CITY CODE CONCERNING AMBER FLATS PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT
THE CITY COUNCIL OF FALCON HEIGHTS ORDAINS: SECTION 1. Section 113-212 of the City Code of Falcon Heights, Minnesota is hereby amended to read as follows (additions are underlined and deletions are shown with
strikethrough):
Section 113-212 – Fairway Commons Planned Unit Development (a) Legal description. The legal description of this PUD is as follows:
PID 212923110029: The East 250 feet of the North 500 feet except the West 150 feet of the East 160 feet of the North 283 feet of the Northwest quarter of the Northeast quarter of the Northeast quarter of Section 21, Township 29, Range 23, West of the Fourth Principal Meridian.
PID 212923110038: The West 150 feet of the East 160 feet of the North 283 feet of the Northwest quarter of the Northeast quarter of the Northeast quarter of Section 21, Township 29, Range 23, West of the Fourth Principal Meridian; (“Subject Property”)
(b) Purpose. The purpose of the Fairway Commons Planned Unit Development is to provide for age-restricted apartments. (c) Permitted uses and zoning regulations. The R-5M mixed use high density residential
district regulations shall apply to the property subject to the following modifications:
a. Permitted uses: 1. One principal structure consisting of 126,329 square feet and 110
apartment units.
2. No conditional uses. 3. No interim uses.
4. Setbacks as depicted in the Site Plan, C2.0, dated _____________ prepared by Civil Site Group, Inc.
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b. Parking. Vehicle parking shall be as follows:
1. 44 surface parking stalls as depicted in the Site Plan dated
_____________ prepared by Kaas Wilson Architects. 2. 72 sublevel parking stalls as depicted in the Floor Plans – Level -1 dated _____________ prepared by Kaas Wilson Architects.
(d) Development plan. The PUD must be maintained in accordance with the following
development plan, which is on file with the city and which is incorporated herein by reference. (1) The following plans prepared by Kaas Wilson Architects and Civil Site Group, Inc.
with up to five percent variance, to not increase nonconformities from City Code, as
approved by the city administrator: a. Architectural drawings, dated _____________, prepared by Kaas Wilson Architects including:
1. Site Plan; 2. Floor Plans – Level -1;
3. Floor Plans – Level 1;
4. Floor Plans – Level 2-4; 5. Exterior Materials; and
6. Exterior Elevations. b. Site development plans, dated _____________ , prepared by Civil Site Group, Inc. including:
1. Removals Plan, C1.0; 2. Site Plan, C2.0;
3. Overall Site Plan & Turning Movement, C2.1;
4. Grading Plan, C3.0; 5. Utility Plan, C4.0;
6. Civil Details, C5.0, C5.1, C5.2; 7. Landscape Plan L1.0;
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8. Landscape Plan Notes & Details L1.1;
9. SWPPP – Existing Conditions, SW1.0; 10. SWPPP – Proposed Conditions, SW1.1;
11. SWPPP - Details, SW1.2;
12. SWPPP – Narrative, SW1.3; and 13. SWPPP – Attachments, SW1.4, SW1.5.
(e) Additional conditions. The PUD must be maintained in accordance with the following additional conditions. (1) Trees shall be planted and/or maintained along throughout site as shown in plans
submitted by Civil Site Group, Inc., dated _____________.
(2) Snow storage may not be stored in any parking area for more than 48 hours. (3) Open space as shown on plans submitted by Civil Site Group, Inc., dated, _____________, must be maintained as open space and not converted to another use. (4) Charging stations for not less than four electric vehicles must be provided on site.
(5) The building may not exceed four stories, or 50’ in height. SECTION 2. Zoning Map. The zoning map of the City of Falcon Heights shall not be republished to show the aforesaid zoning, but the Clerk shall appropriately mark the zoning map on file in the Clerk's Office for the purpose of indicating the rezoning hereinabove provided for
in this ordinance, and all of the notations, references, and other information shown thereon are
hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this ordinance. SECTION 3. Effective Date. This ordinance is effective immediately upon its passage and publication.
ADOPTED this ______ day of ____________, 2026, by the City Council of Falcon Heights, Minnesota.
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS BY: ______________________________
Randall C. Gustafson, Mayor
ATTEST:
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___________________________________ Jack Linehan, City Administrator
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ORDINANCE NO. 26-03
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 113 OF THE FALCON HEIGHTS CITY CODE CONCERNING AMBER FLATS PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT
THE CITY COUNCIL OF FALCON HEIGHTS ORDAINS: SECTION 1. Section 113-212 of the City Code of Falcon Heights, Minnesota is hereby amended to read as follows (additions are underlined and deletions are shown with
strikethrough):
Section 113-212 – Fairway Commons Planned Unit Development (a) Legal description. The legal description of this PUD is as follows:
PID 212923110029: The East 250 feet of the North 500 feet except the West 150 feet of the East 160 feet of the North 283 feet of the Northwest quarter of the Northeast quarter of the Northeast quarter of Section 21, Township 29, Range 23, West of the Fourth Principal Meridian.
PID 212923110038: The West 150 feet of the East 160 feet of the North 283 feet of the Northwest quarter of the Northeast quarter of the Northeast quarter of Section 21, Township 29, Range 23, West of the Fourth Principal Meridian; (“Subject Property”)
(b) Purpose. The purpose of the Fairway Commons Planned Unit Development is to provide for age-restricted apartments. (c) Permitted uses and zoning regulations. The R-5M mixed use high density residential
district regulations shall apply to the property subject to the following modifications:
a. Permitted uses: 1. One principal structure consisting of 126,329 square feet and 110
apartment units.
2. No conditional uses. 3. No interim uses.
4. Setbacks as depicted in the Site Plan, C2.0, dated _____________ prepared by Civil Site Group, Inc.
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b. Parking. Vehicle parking shall be as follows:
1. 44 surface parking stalls as depicted in the Site Plan dated
_____________ prepared by Kaas Wilson Architects. 2. 72 sublevel parking stalls as depicted in the Floor Plans – Level -1 dated _____________ prepared by Kaas Wilson Architects.
(d) Development plan. The PUD must be maintained in accordance with the following
development plan, which is on file with the city and which is incorporated herein by reference. (1) The following plans prepared by Kaas Wilson Architects and Civil Site Group, Inc.
with up to five percent variance, to not increase nonconformities from City Code, as
approved by the city administrator: a. Architectural drawings, dated _____________, prepared by Kaas Wilson Architects including:
1. Site Plan; 2. Floor Plans – Level -1;
3. Floor Plans – Level 1;
4. Floor Plans – Level 2-4; 5. Exterior Materials; and
6. Exterior Elevations. b. Site development plans, dated _____________ , prepared by Civil Site Group, Inc. including:
1. Removals Plan, C1.0; 2. Site Plan, C2.0;
3. Overall Site Plan & Turning Movement, C2.1;
4. Grading Plan, C3.0; 5. Utility Plan, C4.0;
6. Civil Details, C5.0, C5.1, C5.2; 7. Landscape Plan L1.0;
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8. Landscape Plan Notes & Details L1.1;
9. SWPPP – Existing Conditions, SW1.0; 10. SWPPP – Proposed Conditions, SW1.1;
11. SWPPP - Details, SW1.2;
12. SWPPP – Narrative, SW1.3; and 13. SWPPP – Attachments, SW1.4, SW1.5.
(e) Additional conditions. The PUD must be maintained in accordance with the following additional conditions. (1) Trees shall be planted and/or maintained along throughout site as shown in plans
submitted by Civil Site Group, Inc., dated _____________.
(2) Any trees removed due to moving the Larpenteur Avenue curb cut must be replaced by the developer within one year of curb cut completion. (3) Snow storage may not be stored in any parking area for more than 48 hours. (4) Open space as shown on plans submitted by Civil Site Group, Inc., dated,
_____________, must be maintained as open space and not converted to another use.
(5) Charging stations for not less than four electric vehicles must be provided on site, at a distance of at least 50’ from the building’s main entrance. (6) The building may not exceed four stories, with a maximum height of 50’. (7) Parcels described as Ramsey County Tax Parcel IDs 212923110029 and
212923110028 must be recombined with Ramsey County prior to the start of
construction. (8) A parking lot maintenance agreement must be signed between Velair Development Company and Buhl Larpenteur West, LLC for the maintenance of the parking easement, which dedicates 54 surface parking stalls for Amber Union use. A copy
must be provided to the City of Falcon Heights and recorded with Ramsey County.
(9) A property management staff person must be maintained on-site. (10) Developer shall comply with all recommendations from Ramsey County, City Engineer, and Fire Marshal.
SECTION 2. Zoning Map. The zoning map of the City of Falcon Heights shall not be
republished to show the aforesaid zoning, but the Clerk shall appropriately mark the zoning map on file in the Clerk's Office for the purpose of indicating the rezoning hereinabove provided for in this ordinance, and all of the notations, references, and other information shown thereon are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this ordinance.
SECTION 3. Effective Date. This ordinance is effective immediately upon its passage and publication.
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ADOPTED this ______ day of ____________, 2026, by the City Council of Falcon
Heights, Minnesota.
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS
BY: ______________________________ Randall C. Gustafson, Mayor ATTEST:
___________________________________ Jack Linehan, City Administrator
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ITEM FOR DISCUSSION
City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________
Item 1407 Larpenteur Acquisition
Description The City will consider the purchase of two parcels at 1407 Larpenteur – Get
Pressed during the regular meeting. This workshop is a chance to preview the
policy item and discuss the acquisition and next steps in the workshop setting.
Budget Impact The purchase would come from cash on hand in the city’s fund balance. The
City will need to do a subsequent budget amendment to transfer funds from
the General Fund – fund balance to Capital 403 – Parks/Recreation/Public
Facilities Capital Improvements line. This would be done at the next meeting.
Attachment(s) -See regular meeting agenda packet
Action(s)
Requested
Staff requests City Council discuss the item and provide direction if there are
any concerns over the regular meeting policy item consideration.
Meeting Date April 8, 2026
Agenda Item C2
Attachment N/A.
Submitted By Jack Linehan, City Administrator
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