03-27-2002 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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NQR! l kfl A % !AIRS; CQittflt'AtlIZ,AWIr %„ 4'! •. 5775 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 555, St. Louis Park, MN 55416 Telephone: 952.595.9636 Facsimile: 952.595.9837 planners @nacplanning.com MEMORANDUM TO: Little Canada Planning Commission FROM: Stephen Grittman DATE: March 12, 2002 RE: FILE NO: Little Canada - Garden Terrace Commons PUD - Architectural Review 758.09 - 02.13 BACKGROUND & ANALYSIS Common Bond has applied for a PUD Permit and Architectural Review of the a proposed expansion of the Garden Terrace Senior Housing complex. The project will be known as Garden Commons, expanding the existing 41 unit apartment building by 35 units, for a new total of 76 units. The existing building will be expanded to the northwest toward the shopping center. The layout of the new building is intended to create both additional units as well as common spaces that may be shared by the tenants of both phases. The parking lot is being expanded as well. The zoning ordinance specifies one -half parking space per unit. A total of 48 parking stalls will serve the 76 units and staff, exceeding the standard. The applicants indicate that the current parking lot routinely experiences a full parking lot, and additional parking should ease this condition. The site plan suggests that the existing green area around the current building will be left in place, and illustrates a plaza area in front of the new building's entrance. Some landscaping should be added to the open spaces created around the expansion area. In this regard, planning staff has recommended that sidewalk be added to the property along Market Place Drive. This should be designed to facilitate pedestrian traffic from the site to the shopping center to the north, and to Little Canada Road to the south. Additional sidewalk links may need to be considered by others to complete this concept.