08/13/2003 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

• The entire Marshan Lake Condominiums site and the remaining four -acres along Lake Drive is guided Medium Density Residential. This allows a density of 3 -6 units per acre. However, the existing condominium townhomes were built at a density greater than six units per acre, in accordance with the approved site plans. That is, the land use map shows the development at a lower density than how it was actually approved and built. It is impossible to know exactly what caused this inconsistency, but several things may account for it. One, the method of calculating density has varied from project to project over the past years. Two, acreage data in the review of phase two of the condominium project seems to vary from data used in phase one. These differences in the data may have resulted in density calculations that were slightly above or slightly below six units per acre. Three, a structure was deleted from the plan somewhere in the 1995 review process: a four -unit building straddled the property line on the site plan. This further confuses the data for that project. At any rate, using upland data only and subtracting the parkland, the Marshan Lake Condominiums project includes 134 units on 20.9 acres: 6.4 units per acre. This falls into the High Density Residential land use category of the comprehensive plan. The site is zoned R -4. One important aspect of the recent zoning ordinance overhaul was to specify the zoning districts that correspond with the land use categories in the comprehensive plan. Section 6, Subd. 6.C. of the zoning ordinance states: Land to be zoned R -4 must be in a High Density land use category according to the comprehensive plan, and development density within an R -4 District shall be within a range of six (6) to twelve (12) units per acre and shall be based on the buildable area. Future Site Development It is important to note that there is no actual development application yet. Until the City receives a site development application in the future, there is no way to know what site layout or actual density is possible under current regulations. A concept plan shows 38 units planned for the site, which would be 9.5 units per acre. The R -4 zoning requirements as well as the shoreland ordinance requirements will apply. Setbacks, impervious surface, and other requirements will affect the number of units. Other aspects of site design also will be examined upon reception of a site plan application. (For example, the existing private drive serving units north of the site appears to be centered on the property line.) Any application that involves platting, variances, or conditional use permits will require public review. Subdividing the land for buildings on individual lots would require a plat. Building more than one principal building on one lot requires a planned unit