HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 19 - CC Deisgn Standards Manual 11-6-131
MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
DATE: 11/06/2013
REGULAR
ITEM #: 19
AGENDA ITEM: Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual
SUBMITTED BY: Nick Johnson, City Planner THROUGH: Dean A. Zuleger, City Administrator
REVIEWED BY: Planning Commission Kyle Klatt, Community Development Director
SUGGESTED ORDER OF BUSINESS:
- Introduction of Item .................................................................................................... Staff - Report/Presentation .................................................................................................... Staff - Questions from Council to Staff ............................................................ Mayor Facilitates - Public Input, if Appropriate ................................................................... Mayor Facilitates - Call for Motion .............................................................................. Mayor & City Council - Discussion ..................................................................................... Mayor & City Council - Action on Motion .................................................................................. Mayor Facilitates
PUBLIC POLICY STATEMENT
The adoption of the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual will establish a comprehensive review process related to site and architectural design for four development types in Lake Elmo: High Density Residential, Commercial, Business Park and Mixed-Use.
FISCAL IMPACT: None – City review costs will be reimbursed through application or escrow fees.
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
The City Council is being asked to consider the adoption of the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual.
The purpose of the manual is to promote high quality development outcomes through site and architectural design. As proposed, the design standards manual would be adopted by reference into the Zoning Code and replace existing design related performance standards in the Code. The adoption of
design standards is a supported policy under the Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan (Chapter III – Land Use).
Staff and the Planning Commission are recommending that the City Council adopt the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual through the following motion:
“Motion to adopt Resolution No. 2013-97 approving the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In addition to the recent Comprehensive Plan Amendments to prepare the community for future growth, the City has been working on multiple efforts to better define the City’s vision for future development.
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These efforts include the Lake Elmo Branding and Theming Study, form-based codes, and comprehensive
design standards. Within the City’s Comprehensive Plan (Chapter III - Land Use), the adoption of design standards is a noted policy intended to ensure quality development outcomes. As the effort to develop design standards has progressed over the last year, a comprehensive manual with guidelines related to site
and architectural design has taken shape.
Throughout the effort, the manual has undergone significant review from multiple parties, especially the Planning Commission. The content of the manual was developed through a mixture of researching the
design guidelines of several other communities and integrating or shaping them to fit Lake Elmo’s context and desired characteristics and vision. As multiple drafts of the document have been reviewed, the manual has been refined in multiple iterations. One critical form of review that was initiated by the City was a Stakeholder Workshop, held on October 29, 2012. At the workshop, the City invited multiple members of the development community to provide feedback on the proposed document. The feedback from the guests who attended was overall very positive and helpful in identifying the possible pitfalls that may be present at the time. Through the feedback and review of the Planning Commission and members of the development community, it is the goal of the manual to reach a good balance point between good design and practical application.
Regarding the structure of the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual, the document is broken into 5 sections: 1) Introduction, 2) High Density Residential, 3) Commercial, 4) Business Park and 5) Mixed-
Use. Under each development type, the design standards or guidelines are broken into two categories: Site Design and Building Design. Within these two categories, design standards and guidelines are organized under various subsections (e.g. streetscapes, parking, form and façade, lighting, signage, etc.).
Finally, further background as to how the design review process will be administered must be provided. The manual is designed to allow design review to integrate directly into whichever development or building permit process that is being initiated. For example, if a development application was submitted
before the City for final approval, design review would be integrated into the already established process for final development or plat approval. It is the intention of integrating design review to not to create additional meeting or process requirements outside the bounds of the already established procedure. In addition, the review authority for conducting the design review will be the body or individual responsible to issuing the certificate or permit. In other words, for approval of a development application, the Planning Commission and City Council would be authorized review authorities, whereas for a major renovation (requiring only a building permit), staff would be responsible to conduct the design review. Finally, to integrate the design standards manual into the City’s established review procedures, staff and the Planning Commission are recommending that the manual be adopted by reference in the Zoning Code. The code language proposed to execute this strategy would replace the existing design related performance standards found in the City’s commercial zoning districts (§154.555 – Attachment #3). The
final goal, procedurally speaking, it to adopt the design standards by reference and seamlessly integrate design review into the existing permit review procedures.
PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT:
The Planning Commission has formally reviewed the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual a total of 7 times on the following dates:
• August 27, 2012 (staff research and proposed template presented)
• October 10, 2012 (staff presented first draft of proposed standards)
• October 22, 2012 (staff presented updated draft of proposed standards)
• October 29, 2012 (Design Standards Stakeholder Workshop – Planning Commission in
attendance)
• October 7, 2013 (staff presented first draft of Design Standards Manual (w/pictures and layout)
• October 14, 2013 (Planning Commission review of Design Standards Manual)
• October 28, 2013 (Planning Commission recommend Design Standards Manual for approval)
The Commission did make some minor amendments to the document at the meeting on 10/28/13 and unanimously recommended the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual for approval (Vote 7-0).
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PLANNING COMMISSION RECCOMENDATION:
The Planning Commission is recommending that the City Council adopt the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual through the following motion:
“Motion to adopt Resolution No. 2013-97 approving the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual”
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 2013-97 2. Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual 3. Existing Commercial District Design Standards (§154.555)