02-25-2004 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS, INC. 5775 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 555, St. Louis Part, MN 55416 Telephone: 952.595.9636 Facsimile: 952. 595,9837 planners @nacplanniny.com MEMORANDUM TO: Little Canada Planning Commission FROM: Stephen Grittman DATE: February 9, 2004 RE: Little Canada — Mendota Homes PUD FILE NO: 758.09 — 04.01 Background and Analysis Mendota Homes has submitted a revised layout for their proposed Town Office complex at the corner of Market Place Drive and Middle Street. The Planning Commission had tabled action on the proposal in January to encourage the applicants to explore opportunities to move the buildings toward the street frontage, rather than leave them with parking lot areas in front. The applicants have submitted three alternatives. The first revised the original plan by moving the westerly building slightly to the north, but not all the way to the Market Place Drive frontage. A second option broke the original two buildings into four smaller groups. This option included a central parking lot surrounded by the four buildings. The plan moved the buildings toward the street, but had a significant shortage of parking. Planning staff worked with this layout and was able to increase parking supply, but only to the extent that would support a total of twelve town office units, rather than the fourteen proposed by the applicant. A third option was developed by the applicant following consultation with the City Administrator. This proposal moved the eight unit building (formerly in the middle of the parking lot) to the north frontage along Market Place Drive. This plan increases the parking supply significantly, by approximately 30 parking spaces. Moreover, it keeps all access off of Middle Street, consistent with the City's interest in preserving a transit stop lane to the north of this site. The primary issue with this layout relates to a series of small dead -end parking bays next to the westerly building. Because this portion of the parking lot would be the most heavily use, planning staff would recommend flipping the dead -end parking bays to the south side of the lot. An example of this concept will be prepared for Planning Commission review.