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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 15 - CC Item 15 Village Preserve Preliminary Plat 7-15-14PLANNING COMMISSION DATE: 6/30/2014 AGENDA ITEM: 4B – PUBLIC HEARING CASE # 2014-22 ITEM: Village Preserve Residential Subdivision – Preliminary Plat SUBMITTED BY: Nick Johnson, City Planner REVIEWED BY: Kyle Klatt, Community Development Director Jack Griffin, City Engineer Ann Pung-Terwedo, Washington County Greg Malmquist, Fire Chief Stephen Mastey, Landscape Architecture, Inc. SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED: The Planning Commission is being asked to consider a Preliminary Plat request from GWSA Land Development, LLC for a 97-unit single family residential subdivision to be located on 39.8 acres immediately east of Lake Elmo Avenue (CSAH 17) within the northern portion of the Village Planning Area. Staff is recommending approval of the request subject to compliance with 12 conditions as noted in this report. GENERAL INFORMATION Applicant: GWSA Land Development, LLC (Craig Allen); 10850 Old County Road 15, Suite 200, Plymouth, MN 55441 Property Owners: Schiltgen Farms, Inc.; 10880 Stillwater Blvd. N., Lake Elmo, MN 55042 Location: Part of Sections 12, Township 29 North, Range 21 West in Lake Elmo, north of 39th Street and east of Lake Elmo Avenue (CSAH 17). PID Number: 12.029.21.33.0001. Request: Application for preliminary plat approval of a 97-unit single family residential subdivision to be named Village Preserve. Existing Land Use and Zoning: Vacant agricultural land. Current Zoning: RT – Rural Development Transitional Zoning District; Proposed Zoning: MDR - Urban Medium Density Residential Surrounding Land Use and Zoning: North – vacant/agricultural land (likely flood plain); west – agricultural land, guided for Village Urban Low Density Residential (V-LDR); south – vacant land guided for Village Mixed-Use (VMX); east – vacant/agricultural land guided for Village Medium Density Residential (V-MDR) Comprehensive Plan: Village Urban Medium Density Residential (2.5 – 4.99 units per acre). PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 2 History: Sketch Plan review by Planning Commission on 3/10/14. Sketch Plan review by the Park Commission on 3/17/14. Deadline for Action: Application Complete – 6/9/2014 60 Day Deadline – 8/7/14 Extension Letter Mailed – No 120 Day Deadline – 10/6/14 Applicable Regulations: Chapter 153 – Subdivision Regulations Article 10 – Urban Residential Districts (LDR) §150.270 Storm Water, Erosion, and Sediment REQUEST DETAILS The City of Lake Elmo has received a request from GWSA Land Development, LLC for a preliminary plat to subdivide approximately 40 acres of land located within the Village Planning Area into 97 single family lots. The proposed plat would be located on property currently owned by Schiltgen Farms, Inc., and would be located immediately east of Lake Elmo Avenue (CSAH 17) and approximately 500 feet north of 39th Street. The 39.8 acre parcel has historically been used for agricultural purposes. The preliminary plat has been developed in response to the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which identifies the applicant’s property for Village Urban Low Density Residential development. The plat incorporates 97 single family lots, most of which are designed with minimum widths of 65 feet. In terms of access, the preliminary plat shows a connection to Lake Elmo Avenue (CSAH 17) in the western portion of the plat. In addition to the Lake Elmo Ave. connection, the proposed plat has access to 39th Street via an extension of Layton Avenue North that is intended to be shared with the proposed residential development to the east of the subject property, Wildflower at Lake Elmo. The proposed extension of Layton Ave. from 39th Street is located in an existing right-of-way that was dedicated at the time of the Brookman Addition plat (the commercial parcels to the south of Village Preserve and Wildflower at Lake Elmo). The proposed Village Preserve subdivision is the second subdivision in the Village Planning Area to submit Preliminary Plans. In terms of utilities, the applicants are currently working on a collaborative effort with other Village landowners to extend trunk sanitary sewer main up through the eastern side of the Village to the subject property through 39th Street. The City has completed a feasibility report on the sewer and street improvements to 39th Street as part of this effort, and the bid will likely be awarded at the July 15th City Council meeting. In terms of water service for the development, existing water main is currently located in both the rights-of-way of Lake Elmo Ave. and 39th Street. The applicants note in their narrative that they intend to connect to the Lake Elmo Ave. water main and extend water throughout the site to the southeast corner. Ultimately a loop will be created by connecting this water main to the existing water service in 39th Street. The proposed subdivision also includes a series of outlots that will provide for storm water management, open space, trails and a small area for a neighborhood park. Based on a review of the proposed parkland with the Lake Elmo Park Commission on 3/17/14, the applicant is proposing an east-west trail within the development intended to provide pedestrian outlet/connectivity to the central cul-de-sac in the neighborhood, as well as provide access with the neighborhood park that will be shared with the development to the east. The applicants are also planning to construct a trail segment along Lake Elmo Ave. to eventually provide connectivity to Lake Elmo Elementary School PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 3 and the broader downtown area. It should be noted that all of the outlots that are planned for park land or storm water use will be deeded to the City. In terms of phasing, the applicant is proposing to bring forward two final plat applications for the Village Preserve development, constructing the homes within the subdivision in two stages. However, the narrative notes that the site will be mass graded in the first phase of construction. PLANNING AND ZONING ISSUES The Village Preserve site is guided for Village Urban Medium Density development in the City’s Comprehensive Plan, and the applicant will be required to zone the site MDR – Medium Density Residential at some point in the future (prior to Final Plat approval). The overall subdivision plan has therefore been prepared in order to comply with the district standards for the MDR zoning district in terms of lot size, lot widths, building setbacks, and other design criteria. The arrangement of lots and blocks loosely follows a circular pattern with one central cul-de-sac in the middle. In addition to the central cul-de-sac, the proposed plat also includes two smaller cul-de-sacs (Lady Slipper Ct. and Laverne Cir.) in the northern portion of the plat. All of the proposed cul-de-sacs meet the City’s maximum length of 600 feet for cul-de-sacs with lots less than 2.5 acres in size. It should be noted that the central longer cul-de-sac has improved connectivity through an east- west trail connection that provides access to the planned neighborhood park and Layton Avenue (connection to 39th St.). All other streets have been designed to comply with the City’s current street standards. Sidewalks and trails are planned throughout the subdivision. The proposed plans provide for sidewalks on one side of all streets, which is consistent with the Staff recommendation for sewered single family residential subdivisions. In terms of proposed trails, all are designed to be 8.5 feet in width and constructed of bituminous asphalt, which is consistent with City standard. A typical lot building plan (detail) is included as part of the attached subdivision packet, and each lot as depicted in the plans includes a description of the lot size, dimensions, and all required setbacks. All of the lots proposed meet the City’s minimum area requirement of 7,000 for single family lots in a MDR district, with the smallest lot (Lot 18, Block 5) proposed at 8,459 square feet. The narrative highlights that the lots will average 11,089 square feet in size, which exceeds the minimum requirements by a fairly wide margin. The largest lot in the development (Lot 4, Block 2) is proposed at 22,232 sq. ft. in size. The following is a general summary of the subdivision design elements that have proposed as part of the Village Preserve preliminary plat and plans: Zoning and Site Information: • Existing Zoning: RT – Rural Development Transitional District • Proposed Zoning: MDR - Urban Low Density Residential • Total Site Area: 39.8 acres • Total Residential Units: 97 • Proposed Density (Net): 2.64 units/acre Proposed Lot Dimensional Standards: PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 4 • Min. Lot Width: 65 ft. • Lot Depth: 130 ft. typical • Lot Area: 7,000 sq. ft. (8,459 min. proposed) • Front Yard Setback: 25 ft. • Side Yard Setback: 5 ft.to garage, 10 ft. to living space • Rear Yard Setback: 20 ft. Proposed Street Standards: • ROW Width – Local 60 ft. (per Subdivision Ordinance) • Street Widths – Local: 28 ft.(per City standard) The standards listed above are all in compliance with the applicable requirements from the City’s zoning and subdivision regulations. Based on Staff’s review of the preliminary plat, the applicant has demonstrated compliance with all applicable code requirements at the level of detail that is required for a preliminary plat. As with any new subdivision, the City Code requires that a portion of the plat be set aside for public park use. In this case, the applicant has indicated that certain outlot areas will be dedicated to the City for this purpose, including the entirety of Outlot D and portions of Outlot C. It is Staff’s recommendation that the City only accept the trail corridors as part of the park land dedication requirements if the developer constructs the planned trail over these areas in conjunction with other required infrastructure improvements. In addition to the proposed parkland and facilities provided, the applicant is proposing to dedicate a substantial amount of land currently under contract with Schiltgen Farms, Inc. to the east of Reid Park, where the applicant is proposing an additional single family subdivision (PIDs: 13.029.21.43.0004 and 13.029.21.44.0002). This land would be used as a significant expansion of Reid Park, offering increased opportunities for facilities and programming. The dedication of this land is consistent with the guidance of the Village Land Use Plan, which encourages the dedication of ecologically sensitive land adjacent to Reid Park. As part of this dedication, the applicant will be seeking a dedication credit that may be applied to other development activity in the Village Area. The Subdivision Ordinance requires 10% of the land in urban residential districts to be set aside as open space, which in this case amount to 3.98 acres. On the plans (PP-2), the applicant notes that Outlot D, the small neighborhood park, is 0.48 acres in size. In addition to Outlot D, the portion of Outlot C that contains the planned trail improvement would also be eligible for parkland dedication credit if the applicant constructs the trail. As this time, the applicant has not provided a calculation of the area within Outlot C that would be eligible. Staff estimates that this dedication amount is approximately 14,000 square feet (470’ (length) x 30’ (width of trail eligible area) = 14,100 sq. ft.). Staff would recommend that the applicant submit a detailed and updated parkland dedication calculation in advance of Final Plat. Even with the portion of Outlot C included in the calculation, it is unlikely that the total land eligible for parkland dedication as part of the Village Preserve Plat will total 3.98 acres (10%). However, as previously mentioned, the applicant hopes to dedicate +/- 15 acres of land adjacent to Reid Park. The Park Commission has expressed support for this arrangement. If accepted by the City, the applicant would be eligible to receive a land dedication credit that could be applied to other applications in the area, such as Village Preserve. Staff would recommend that the final details of the parkland dedication requirement be determined at the Final Developers Agreement. As the timing of the various subdivision applications do impact how compliance of the City’s parkland dedication requirements will be achieved, staff would recommend as an option that the applicant post an escrow in the amount of the required fee in lieu of land PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 5 dedication until such time as the land east of Reid Park is dedicated. This path would allow Village Preserve to move forward with the understanding that the City will be receiving additional parkland dedication as future subdivision applications move forward. The details of this recommendation are outlined in Condition #9 REVIEW AND ANALYSIS City Staff has reviewed the proposed preliminary plat, which has gone through multiple versions in advance of the formal application being accepted as complete by the City. During the course of these reviews, several of the issues and concerns that were pointed out by Staff have been addressed by the applicant with updated submission documents. However, there are other elements of the plat that remain in conflict with City or Valley Branch Watershed District standards, which must still be addressed or corrected by the applicant. In general, the proposed plat will meet all applicable City requirements for conditional approval, and any deficiencies or additional work that is needed is noted as part of the review record. Staff recognizes that this plat requires revisions that will need to be resolved in advance of Final Plat. The City has received a detailed list of comments from the City Engineer and Washington County concerning the proposed subdivision, in addition to review by the Fire Chief and the City’s landscape consultant, Stephen Mastey, all of which are attached for consideration by the Commission. In addition to the general comments that have been provided in the preceding sections of this report, Staff would like the Planning Commission to consider the issues and comments related to the following discussion areas as well: • Comprehensive Plan. The proposed subdivision is consistent with the Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan for this area and with the densities that were approved as part of this plan. The net densities for the development fall within the range allowed for the Village Urban Low Density land use category. Other aspects of the Comprehensive Plan relate to the Village Preserve subdivision as follows: o Density Calculation. The subject property is guided Village Urban Low Density Residential (V-MDR) in the Comprehensive Plan, which allows for a density range of 2.5-4.99 units/acre (net). The applicants have completed the density calculation using the methodology consistent with the Metropolitan Council’s practice. The resulting net density calculation resulted in a net density of 2.64 units/acre (97 units/36.78 net developable acres). Therefore, the proposed subdivision is consistent with the guidance of the Comprehensive Plan. o Parks. The City’s park plan identifies proposed location for neighborhood parks based on the anticipated population that should be served by each park. The plan calls for neighborhood parks in the northern and western portions of the Village adjacent to areas of anticipated growth. As noted earlier by Staff, the Park Commission reviewed the Village Preserve proposed subdivision in March of 2014. At that time, the proposed development did not include a small neighborhood park. Per the Park Commission’s request, the applicants have located a small neighborhood park in between the Village Preserve proposed development and the Wildflower at Lake Elmo (Robert Engstrom Companies) proposed development. In addition to the areas provided within the submitted plat, it should be noted that the adjacent Wildflower development is currently in the planning stages of creating some type of PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 6 conservancy to the north of the subject property. While the details still need to be further developed, it is possible that the proposed conservancy may have some form of public access or dedication. If that is the case, it is likely that the Village Preserve would access to these areas, providing additional opportunities for recreation. Finally, it should be noted that City staff have had preliminary discussions with the school district about the possibility of entering a joint powers agreement to share recreational facilities at Lake Elmo Elementary School. Again, while all of the details and specifics have not yet been worked through, this possible agreement offers another potential opportunity for recreational facilities in the immediate area. o Water. Water will be provided to this area via existing watermain along Lake Elmo Avenue. An extension of the Lake Elmo Avenue watermain was recently completed, allowing connection to the City’s newest municipal well, Well #4. The City has more than adequate capacity to serve the future subdivision on the subject property. o Sanitary Sewer. The Village Preserve subdivision will be served by the sanitary sewer extension that is planned through 39th Street. This trunk sewer ultimately will connect to the lift station located to the east of Reid Park, where the wastewater will be directed via forcemain to the Cottage Grove Ravine Interceptor located to the east of Lake Elmo Ave near Interstate-94, which is part of the regional wastewater treatment system administered by the Metropolitan Council. As sanitary sewer is necessary to serve the development and is not yet present, staff would recommend that any application for Final Plat not be accepted until the approved plans for sanitary sewer improvements have been accepted or ordered by the City (Condition #12) o Phasing. The applicant noted in the submitted narrative that the subdivision will be split into two phases of home construction. However, the applicant intends to mass grade the site as part of the first phase of construction. As part of Final plat and final construction documents, more detailed plans with regards to phasing of all improvements will be required. • Zoning. The proposed zoning for the Village Preserve site will be MDR – Medium Density Residential. The submitted development plans demonstrate compliance with the City’s urban residential zoning requirements. Single family detached housing is a permitted use within the MDR zoning district. • Subdivision Requirements. The City’s Subdivision Ordinance includes a fairly lengthy list of standards that must be met by all new subdivisions, and include requirements for blocks, lots, easements, erosion and sediment control, drainage systems, monuments, sanitary sewer and water facilities, streets, and other aspects of the plans. Staff, as well as the City Engineer, have not identified any existing conflicts with the City’s Subdivision Ordinance. • Infrastructure. The developer will be required to construct all streets, sewer, water, storm water ponds, and other infrastructure necessary to serve the development. • Wetlands. The submitted narrative indicates that there are no wetland on the site. While the applicant has not submitted a wetland delineation report, staff has researched the existence of known wetlands on the subject property using National Wetland Inventory data. No known PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 7 wetland were found through this search. Typical for any preliminary plat approval, the applicant will be required to meet all the rules and regulations of the Wetland Conservation Act and Valley Branch Watershed District (Condition #5). • Trails. The applicants are proposing an effective system of trails throughout the development. As proposed, north-south trails are provided on both the west (Lake Elmo Ave.) and east (Layton Ave. N.) sides of the development, facilitating pedestrian and bicycle travel to the south. In addition, an east-west trail is planned to connect the central cul-de-sac to the proposed shared neighborhood park on the eastern side of the plat. In addition to the trails proposed, the provisions of sidewalks on one side of all streets should allow for effective and safe pedestrian travel throughout the development. • Landscaping and Tree Preservation. The landscape and tree preservation plans have been reviewed by the City’s consulting landscape architect, Stephen Mastey. Mr. Mastey’s review memorandum related to the landscape and tree preservation plans is found in Attachment #8. Mastey noted that in some cases the boulevard tree spacing is too large. In addition, he is requesting that permanent ground cover and irrigation details be provided in the Final Landscape Plan. Staff is recommending that the Final Landscape be updated per the recommendations of the landscape consultant (Condition #9). In addition, it should be noted that the Tree Preservation information is located on the Erosion Control Plan. Finally, the notes on the Landscape Plan indicate that the tree replacement requirements are being met by the applicant. • Lake Elmo Avenue Buffering. As part of the Sketch Plan review, one item that was identified by Washington County and City staff was the provision of buffering along Lake Elmo Ave. (CSAH 17) to mitigate the impacts of automobile traffic. As part of the submitted plat, the applicant has provided additional plantings along this corridor to address this buffering consideration. More specifically, the applicant is planning to install a sizeable amount of evergreen/coniferous trees (Black Hills Spruce and Norway Spruce) along the boundary of the rear property lines and the County right-of-way. This should provide a year- round screen for the affected lots. In addition, as part of the Grading Plan, the applicants are proposing to include berms in several locations along the corridor. More specifically, Lots 17-20, Block 4 and Lots 3-6, Block 1 are provided effective berming. In preparing for final construction plans, staff will work with the City’s Landscape Consultant, Stephen Mastey, to determine whether irrigation would be beneficial in these areas, as some plant materials need additional watering when located on or adjacent to berms. • Streets. The proposed street system has been designed to comply with all applicable subdivision requirements and City engineering standards. All of the proposed cul-de-sacs meeting the minimum turning radii and the maximum length specified under the Subdivision Ordinance. • Secondary Access. In order to ensure effective traffic circulation and appropriate access for emergency services, staff recommends that secondary access be an important consideration for any residential development in Lake Elmo. In light of this recommendation, staff would recommend that secondary access, whether it be to Lake Elmo Ave. or 39th Street, be provided no later than the 2nd phase of the proposed subdivision. As the 39th Street access is also critical to serving the proposed future subdivision to the east, Wildflower at Lake Elmo, staff does not anticipate secondary access being a concern. However, staff would PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 8 recommend including a condition that secondary access must be available with the 2nd phase of the development to ensure that alternative access is provided should it not yet be available at that time. • Street Names. Staff is recommending that the street names for the proposed subdivision follow the Washington County street naming system. Staff has provided the applicant with proposed street names that are consistent with the Washington County system, which the applicant has included with their plans. However, based on input from the Fire Chief, some of the street names may need to be changed in a minor way. Staff will work with the applicant to incorporate the correct street names in advance of Final Plat. • City Engineer Review. The City Engineer has provided the Planning Department with a detailed comment letter (Attachment #6) as a summary of his preliminary plat review. The Engineer notes that several of the City’s standards are not currently met, and staff is recommending that the necessary revisions and corrections must be made in advance of Final Plat (Condition #4). Most of the review items from the City Engineer are technical in nature, related to the sizing of utilities and easements, the amount of cover for the storm sewer system and elements of the proposed storm water system. One of the more critical things to note from the Engineer’s review is that the applicant is proposing to direct stormwater to the property to the north. This design is part of a broader effort by the applicant and the neighboring property owner, Robert Engstrom Companies, to work with the Valley Branch Watershed District on a broader stormwater system design that will meet the approval of the watershed. While the applicant has been working with the neighboring property owner for some time, the applicant has not provided formal permission from the neighboring property owner that the proposed stormwater system as proposed is acceptable. For that reason, staff is recommending that in advance of Final Plat, the applicant be required to submit formal consent from the neighboring property owner, Robert Engstrom Companies, that the discharge location, volume and rate(s) is acceptable. The recommended condition is Condition #6. • Fire Department Review. The Fire Chief has reviewed the plat and found the hydrant locations to be sufficient in terms of spacing and operation effectiveness. However, the Fire Chief has requested that the hydrant located approximately 100 feet west of the intersection of Layton Ave. on 40th Street be moved to east to the intersection. In addition, the Fire Chief has provided staff with additional direction regarding street names. Staff will work with the applicant to update the street names per the input of the Fire Chief in advance of Final Plat. • Washington County Review. County Staff has reviewed the Village Preserve plat and provided specific comments to the City in a letter dated June 25, 2014. The most significant of the County’s concerns is that the applicant will need to make improvements to the County road system in order to provide the necessary access to the Village Preserve subdivision, as well as any future subdivision proposed to the west of Lake Elmo Avenue. As a condition of approval (Condition #8), Staff has noted that the applicant will be responsible for including all improvements to Lake Elmo Ave. (CSAH 17) required by the County in the construction plans for the development. The developer will also be responsible for constructing these improvements. • Watershed Districts. The project area lies within the Valley Branch Watershed District (VBWD). The Valley Branch Watershed District has not provided any formal comments for PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 9 the proposed plat at this time. It should be noted that the developer must meet all the rules of the Wetland Conservation Act and VBWD and will need to secure permits from the VBWD in order to proceed with the development as planned. Based on the above Staff report and analysis, Staff is recommending approval of the preliminary plat with 12 conditions intended to address the outstanding issues noted above and to further clarify the City’s expectations in order for the developer to move forward with a final plat. The recommended conditions are as follows: Recommended Conditions of Approval: 1) Within six months of preliminary plat approval, the applicant shall complete the following: a. The applicant shall provide adequate title evidence satisfactory to the City Attorney. b. The applicant shall submit a revised preliminary plat and plans meeting all applicable conditions of approval. All of the above conditions shall be met prior to the City accepting an application for final plat and prior to the commencement of any grading activity on the site. 2) The City Engineer shall review and approve all revised Preliminary Plans that are submitted to the City in advance of Final Plat to satisfy Condition #1. 3) The Preliminary Plat approval is conditioned upon the applicant meeting all minimum City standards and design requirements. 4) All required modifications to the plans as requested by the City Engineer in a review letter dated June 23, 2014 shall be incorporated into the plans prior to consideration of a Final Plat. 5) The developer shall follow all of the rules and regulations spelled out in the Wetland Conservation Act, and shall acquire the needed permits from Valley Branch Watershed District prior to the commencement of any grading or development activity on the site. 6) Related to proposed storm water discharge to the north, the applicant must provide written permission from the property owner of the parcel located immediately north of the proposed Village Preserve subdivision consenting to the discharge location, volume and rate(s) in advance of submitting Final Plat. 7) The applicant shall be responsible for the submission of final plans and the construction of all improvements within the Lake Elmo Avenue (CSAH 17) right-of-way as required by Washington County and further described in the review letter received from the County dated June 24, 2014. 8) The Landscape Plan shall be updated per the recommendations of the City’s Landscape Consultant, describe in a memo dated 6/25/14. 9) The developer shall be required to submit an updated parkland dedication calculation in advance of Final Plat to clarify the proposed amount of dedication being provided in the Village Preserve Subdivision. For whatever amount of land the applicant is short of the required parkland dedication amount, the applicant will either: PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 10 a. Subdivide the parcel under contract with Schiltgen Farms, Inc. and dedicate the land being proposed for parkland dedication east of Reid Park; or b. Post an escrow in the amount equal to the fees in lieu of land dedication for the equal market value of the remaining land dedication requirement for Village Preserve until such time the land is dedicated east of Reid Park 10) Secondary access to the site must be provided as part of the 2nd phase of the Village Preserve Subdivision. Said access must be included in the Final Plat and final construction documents for the 2nd phase of the development. 11) The applicant must enter into a separate grading agreement with the City prior to the commencement of any grading activity in advance of final plat and plan approval. The City Engineer shall review any grading plan that is submitted in advance of a final plat, and said plan shall document extent of any proposed grading on the site. 12) Application for Final Plat for the Village Preserve subdivision will not be accepted until approved plans for the extension of sanitary sewer to the site have been accepted or ordered by the City. DRAFT FINDINGS Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission consider the following findings with regards to the proposed Village Preserve preliminary plat: • That the Village Preserve preliminary plat is consistent with the Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan and the Future Land Use Map for this area. • That the Village Preserve preliminary plat complies with the City’s MDR- Urban Medium Density Residential zoning district. • That the Village Preserve preliminary plat complies with the City’s subdivision ordinance. • That the Village Preserve preliminary plat meets other City zoning ordinances, such as landscaping, tree preservation, erosion and sediment control, and other ordinances. • That the Village Preserve preliminary plat is consistent with the City’s engineering standards provided the plans are updated to address the City Engineer’s comments documented in a letter dated June 23, 2014. • That the Village Preserve preliminary plat provides effective and safe pedestrian facilities, contributing to a walkable community as guided by the Village Land Use Plan. RECCOMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the Village Preserve Preliminary Plat with the 14 conditions of approval as listed in the Staff report. Suggested motion: “Move to recommend approval of the Village Preserve preliminary plat with the 14 conditions of approval as drafted by Staff based on the findings of fact listed in the Staff Report.” PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM 11 ATTACHMENTS: 1. Location Map 2. Application Forms 3. Project Narrative 4. Preliminary Plat and Plans (22 sheets) 5. Preliminary Landscape Plan (3 sheets) 6. City Engineer Review Memorandum, dated 6/23/14 7. Washington County Review Memorandum, dated 6/24/14 8. Landscape Consultant Review Memorandum, dated 6/25/14 ORDER OF BUSINESS: - Introduction ........................................................................................ Planning Staff - Report by Staff ................................................................................... Planning Staff - Questions from the Commission ............................ Chair & Commission Members - Open the Public Hearing .................................................................................. Chair - Close the Public Hearing .................................................................................. Chair - Discussion by the Commission .............................. Chair & Commission Members - Action by the Commission ..................................... Chair & Commission Members PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4B – ACTION ITEM Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, i-cubed, USDA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping,Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community Data Scource: Washington County, MN3-7-2014 Location Map: 12.029.21.33.0001 K12.029.21.33.0001(Sketch Plan Location)0 500 1,000250 Feet 1"=500' 39th Street Lake Elmo AveLa v e r n e A v e TH 5 - 1 – 6/17/2014 Village Preserve Development Narrative Revised June 17, 2014 Developer Introduction: GWSA LAND DEVELOPMENT, LLC. Craig Allen 10850 Old County Road 15 Suite 200 Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55441 Telephone: 952-270-4473 Email: craig@gonyeacompany.com The developer is proposing a community of 97 single family homes on +/- 39.84 acres of land located on the east side of Lake Elmo Avenue (CASH17), approximately 525 feet north of 39th Street North. This proposed residential development will consist of higher end single family homes. It is anticipated that these homes will range in price from $400,000 to $650,000. The development is located in an area of Lake Elmo with easy access to the transportation system. This will provide the future home owners a secluded place to live that is located within minutes of all the amenities Lake Elmo has to offer with the regional facilities of the larger metropolitan area. - 2 – 6/17/2014 “PARCEL B” The project is anticipated to be constructed in two phases. The primary access is Lake Elmo Avenue. A community amenity area/park will be developed (proposed Outlot D) between the “Parcel B” development and the proposed Wildflower at Lake Elmo development. Over sixty percent of the homes in the community will have a walkout basement. “PARCEL B” is located within the Stillwater School District #834. Development Team: Civil Engineering, Surveying & Land Planning Sathre-Bergquist, Inc. Robert S. Molstad, P.E. David B. Pemberton, P.L.S. 150 South Broadway Wayzata, Minnesota 55391 Telephone: 952-476-6000 Facsimile: 952-476-0104 Email: molstad@sathre.com Email: pemberton@sathre.com Wetland & Biological Sciences Kjolhaug Environmental Services Melissa Barrett 26105 Wild Rose Lane Shorewood, MN 55331 Telephone: 952-401-8757 Email: Melissa@kjolhaugenv.com Soil Sciences Haugo GeoTechnical Services Paul Haugo 13570 Grove Drive #278 Maple Grove, MN 55311 Telephone: (612) 554-4829 Email: p.haugo@gmail.com Property Ownership: Parcel B (Alta Survey Parcel 3): Schiltgen Farms, Inc. The Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 12, Township 29 North, Range 21 West, Washington County, Minnesota. Comprehensive Plan, Zoning, Density, & Variances: The Existing Land Use is classified as Rural Area Development. The planned Land Use is Village Urban Medium Density. On the Village Land Use Plan, the project site is classified as Village Urban Medium Density (V-MDR). The attached preliminary plat shows 97 single family - 3 – 6/17/2014 lots that are a minimum width of 65 feet. The smallest lot area is L18B5 – 8,459 sf and the largest lot area is L4B2 at 22,232 sf, with an average lot area of 11,089 for the entire project. Lake Elmo Zoning: MDR District 3.0 – 4.0 units per acre Minimum Lot Area – 7,000 square feet Minimum Width – 50 feet Front Yard Setback – 25 feet Side Yard Setback – 5 feet to garage and 10 feet to living space Corner Yard Setback – 15 feet Rear Yard Setback – 20 feet Density: Gross Site Area: 39.84 acres Gross Density = 97/39.84= 2.43 units per acre CSAH 17 ROW: 2.27 acres Open Space: 0.79 acres Net Area: 39.84-2.27-0.79 = 36.78 acres Net Density = 97/36.78 = 2.64 units per acre Variances – No variances are proposed. A preliminary plat lot area tabulation sheet is in Appendix A of this narrative. Site Analysis: The site is bordered on the north and east by the proposed Wildflower at Lake Elmo development, a Robert Engstrom Development. The site is bordered on the west by Lake Elmo Avenue and on the south by future commercial properties. The primary access to the site will be via Lake Elmo Avenue. The site is currently being used for agricultural purposes. Please refer to the ALTA Survey and the aerial photos. Utility service, sanitary sewer will be provided to the site as part of the proposed Trunk Sanitary Sewer project that will extend sewer service from the new lift station at Reid Park, north to the Site. Watermain exists on the east side of Lake Elmo Avenue and will be extended to the south east corner of the project from 39th Street North. Storm water will be managed and outlet from the site in accordance with the City and Watershed requirements. The site is within the Valley Branch Watershed District. Minor utilities (gas, electric, phone, and TV) will need to be extended to service the site. The topography of the site is relatively flat on most of the site, 940 to 945 along Lake Elmo Avenue and sloping southeast to 938 at the south east corner. The highest elevations are in the northwest corner at +/- 955. There is an existing slope in the north central portion of the site that slopes from 940 down to 920. - 4 – 6/17/2014 There are no wetlands on the site. The USDA Soil Survey of the project site indicates Antigo Silt Loams, Campia Silt Loams, and Mahtomedi Loamy Sand. The soils that are present consist of mostly moderately well drained loams and sandy loams with a moderate permeability. Street Design: “PARCEL B” proposes to have public streets; the public streets within the project would be 28’ B-B, with a sidewalk along one side of the street, within a 60’ ROW. The cul-de-sacs will have a 45’ Radius to the back of curb. All streets will be constructed to the City of Lake Elmo standard street section. Utility Services: City sanitary sewer will need to be extended to the site. Water is currently available to serve the site, see notes above. Site Grading: The site grading is planned to begin in the fall of 2014. The project will be graded in one phase. The overall graded area is +/- 38 acres. We are proposing to grade all streets to the proposed hold downs and prepare corrected building pads for all home sites. We are creating three stormwater ponding areas and two infiltration areas to meet the stormwater treatment requirements of the City and the Watershed. The excavation of on-site material is estimated at +/- 150,000 cy. It is our design objective to balance the site with on-site material, some import of suitable structural fill material may be necessary for building pad, street, and retaining wall construction. As the final design analysis is completed we will provide detailed construction plans for the project to the City of Lake Elmo. Stormwater: The stormwater facilities proposed in “PARCEL B” are illustrated on the enclosed preliminary plans. Runoff from the site will be directed to storm sewer inlet locations, collected and conveyed to the proposed treatment pond(s) and filtration area(s). The ponds and filtration areas will provide temporary storage of stormwater runoff, treatment of stormwater and sediment removal. The stormwater plan will provide adequate treatment and storage to meet the City of Lake Elmo and the Valley Branch Watershed District requirements. Wetlands: There are no wetlands on the site. Traffic: “PARCEL B” proposes one primary access point off of Lake Elmo Avenue and a secondary street connection to 39th Street North. Traffic Generation – (anticipate 10 trips per day per home site) - 5 – 6/17/2014 97 Lots = 970 trips per day The additional traffic generated from this site is not anticipated to have a noticeable impact on the existing traffic in the area and is on the lower end of the proposed Comprehensive Plan guiding. Trail System: Six-foot concrete sidewalks are proposed along residential streets within the site. In addition, there are 8.5 foot trails proposed to promote neighborhood connectivity as well as encourage and expand pedestrian use of Downtown. Woodland Areas & Protection: I. Introduction A current tree survey in accordance with City of Lake Elmo requirements has been completed for this site and is included in the submittal. The tree inventory plan is shown on the Erosion Control Plan. Only 14 trees were identified, per the City requirements. II. Tree Species, Distribution and Size: The site has 318 caliper inches of significant trees, with 15 caliper inches of exempt trees for a net total of 303 caliper inches. The trees located throughout the site. The species include Cherry, Maple, Box Elder, Red Cedar and a few others. A table containing data on the trees, as well as a map which shows tree location, species, size and condition, are shown in the preliminary plans, please see the Erosion Control Plan. Tree Removal & Restitution: The “PARCEL B” development will impact approximately 61.4% of the significant trees on the site. The development is over the allowable 30% threshold and a proposed replacement plan has been prepared for the project. Landscape Plan, Monuments, & Entrance: This development will have a divided entry off of Lake Elmo Avenue and some small berming along Lake Elmo Avenue. Many of the lots will have pond views or overlook views, due to the site topography. The stormwater pond and treatment areas will have landscaping to create unique water treatment facilities for the proposed project. A custom entry monument may be designed and constructed at the proposed entrance. This will create a sense of luxury and livability for the new single family residents, while providing safer access to the site. Landscaping, monuments and other furnishings will be designed to conform to the Lake Elmo Branding and Theming Study. Homeowner’s Association and Restrictive Covenants: The developer will prepare restrictive covenants and standards that will apply to this 97 lot project. The restrictive covenants will be tailored to the developer’s vision of the project. Each - 6 – 6/17/2014 home will be required to meet the specifics of building types, landscaping, and overall goals of the development. A master HOA will be created for the “PARCEL B” project. This association will be in charge of the monumentation, entrance, landscaping, and infiltration basins. The HOA will also be responsible for maintenance issues within the subdivision. These may include special landscaping, mailboxes, signage, and other common elements. APPENDIX A: PARCEL B – Preliminary Plat Lot Area Summary BLOCK 1 LOT AREA WETLAND AREA 1 10,953 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 2 10,603 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 3 13,039 sq. ft. 0.30 acres 4 13,856 sq. ft. 0.32 acres 5 11,683 sq. ft. 0.27 acres 6 14,786 sq. ft. 0.34 acres 7 10,228 sq. ft. 0.23 acres 8 10,894 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 9 15,182 sq. ft. 0.35 acres 10 15,142 sq. ft. 0.35 acres 11 10,430 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 12 14,104 sq. ft. 0.32 acres 13 9,581 sq. ft. 0.22 acres 14 11,025 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 15 10,690 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 16 10,145 sq. ft. 0.23 acres 17 9,388 sq. ft. 0.22 acres 18 9,388 sq. ft. 0.22 acres Total 211,118 sq. ft. 4.85 acres BLOCK 2 LOT AREA WETLAND AREA 1 10,795 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 2 13,711 sq. ft. 0.31 acres 3 15,283 sq. ft. 0.35 acres 4 22,232 sq. ft. 0.51 acres 5 15,756 sq. ft. 0.36 acres 6 16,581 sq. ft. 0.38 acres 7 13,012 sq. ft. 0.30 acres 8 11,233 sq. ft. 0.26 acres 9 10,626 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 10 10,539 sq. ft. 0.24 acres - 7 – 6/17/2014 Total 139,768 sq. ft. 3.21 acres BLOCK 3 LOT AREA WETLAND AREA 1 10,306 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 2 9,738 sq. ft. 0.22 acres 3 8,514 sq. ft. 0.20 acres 4 8,659 sq. ft. 0.20 acres 5 10,761 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 6 10,805 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 7 9,473 sq. ft. 0.22 acres 8 9,224 sq. ft. 0.21 acres Total 77,480 sq. ft. 1.78 acres BLOCK 4 LOT AREA WETLAND AREA 1 8,479 sq. ft. 0.19 acres 2 8,510 sq. ft. 0.20 acres 3 9,014 sq. ft. 0.21 acres 4 10,929 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 5 14,330 sq. ft. 0.33 acres 6 13,094 sq. ft. 0.30 acres 7 10,624 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 8 8,455 sq. ft. 0.19 acres 9 8,509 sq. ft. 0.20 acres 10 8,571 sq. ft. 0.20 acres 11 10,205 sq. ft. 0.23 acres 12 12,673 sq. ft. 0.29 acres 13 11,314 sq. ft. 0.26 acres 14 8,979 sq. ft. 0.21 acres 15 10,346 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 16 11,850 sq. ft. 0.27 acres 17 14,643 sq. ft. 0.34 acres 18 12,340 sq. ft. 0.28 acres 19 10,881 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 20 11,012 sq. ft. 0.25 acres Total 214,759 sq. ft. 4.93 acres BLOCK 5 LOT AREA WETLAND AREA 1 10,466 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 2 8,916 sq. ft. 0.20 acres 3 9,684 sq. ft. 0.22 acres 4 8,997 sq. ft. 0.21 acres 5 9,244 sq. ft. 0.21 acres 6 10,833 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 7 11,701 sq. ft. 0.27 acres 8 11,325 sq. ft. 0.26 acres - 8 – 6/17/2014 9 11,500 sq. ft. 0.26 acres 10 11,662 sq. ft. 0.27 acres 11 11,544 sq. ft. 0.27 acres 12 12,100 sq. ft. 0.28 acres 13 10,588 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 14 10,341 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 15 10,415 sq. ft. 0.24 acres 16 9,342 sq. ft. 0.21 acres 17 10,917 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 18 8,459 sq. ft. 0.19 acres 19 9,936 sq. ft. 0.23 acres 20 14,203 sq. ft. 0.33 acres 21 12,724 sq. ft. 0.29 acres 22 15,411 sq. ft. 0.35 acres 23 11,805 sq. ft. 0.27 acres Total 252,115 sq. ft. 5.79 acres BLOCK 6 LOT AREA WETLAND AREA 1 11,070 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 2 10,061 sq. ft. 0.23 acres 3 8,618 sq. ft. 0.20 acres 4 13,185 sq. ft. 0.30 acres 5 11,240 sq. ft. 0.26 acres 6 10,014 sq. ft. 0.23 acres 7 8,540 sq. ft. 0.20 acres 8 9,748 sq. ft. 0.22 acres 9 10,907 sq. ft. 0.25 acres 10 10,031 sq. ft. 0.23 acres 11 9,567 sq. ft. 0.22 acres 12 9,148 sq. ft. 0.21 acres 13 9,611 sq. ft. 0.22 acres 14 9,459 sq. ft. 0.22 acres 15 8,370 sq. ft. 0.19 acres 16 9,035 sq. ft. 0.21 acres Total 158,604 sq. ft. 3.64 acres BLOCK 7 LOT AREA WETLAND AREA 1 10,218 sq. ft. 0.23 acres 2 10,676 sq. ft. 0.25 acres Total 20,894 sq. ft. 0.48 acres OUTLOTS LOT AREA WETLAND AREA A 15,088 sq. ft. 0.35 acres B 79,611 sq. ft. 1.83 acres C 68,653 sq. ft. 1.58 acres - 9 – 6/17/2014 D 21,101 sq. ft. 0.48 acres E 34,750 sq. ft. 0.80 acres F 2,046 sq. ft. 0.05 acres G 49,273 sq. ft. 1.13 acres Total 270,522 sq. ft. 6.21 acres Total Lots 1,074,738 sq. ft. 24.67 acres Total Outlots 270,522 sq. ft. 6.21 acres Total Right of Way 390,089 sq. ft. 8.96 acres TOTAL 1,735,349 sq. ft. 39.84 acres   PAGE 1 of 2  MEMORANDUM         Date: June 23, 2014       To: Nick Johnson, City Planner  Re: Village Preserve – Parcel B  Cc: Kyle Klatt, Planning Director  Preliminary Plat Review        From: Jack Griffin, P.E., City Engineer        An engineering review has been completed for the Village Preserve development by GW Land Development.  Preliminary Plans were received on June 12, 2014. The submittal consisted of the following documentation  prepared by Sathre‐Bergquist, Inc.:     Development Narrative, dated June 11, 2014.   Revised Preliminary Site Plans dated 06.09.2014.   Revised Landscape Plans dated 06.11.2014.   Plan revision response letter dated 06.03.2014.       STATUS/FINDINGS: Engineering review comments are as outlined below. Comments that are underlined  indicate potential site plan changes that may impact the preliminary or final plat:      WATERMAIN AND SANITARY SEWER PLANS   The watermain may need to be oversized through part of the development in accordance with the 2030  Comprehensive Water System Plan. Watermain pipe oversizing will continue to be reviewed by City staff  as the development progresses forward and oversizing may need to be incorporated as part of the final  construction plans. Watermain oversizing is paid by the City as a reimbursement addressed within the  development agreement.   The sanitary sewer along Layton Avenue, from 39th Street to 40th Street, will need to be oversized to 10‐ inch trunk sanitary sewer. Sanitary sewer pipe oversizing will need to be incorporated as part of the final  construction plans. Sanitary sewer oversizing is paid by the City as a reimbursement addressed within the  development agreement.    STORM SEWER SYSTEM   The storm sewer system or grading plans must be revised to provide the City standard minimum pipe  cover of 3.5 feet. Throughout the site plan the storm sewer minimum cover has not been provided. It  appears that additional cover can be easily accomplished in most areas. However a few areas may require  grading plan design changes to provide an acceptable storm sewer system design.   Drain tile is required as part of the City standard street section at all localized low points in the street.  Drain tile considerations may impact the storm sewer design and depth requirements at low points.   The plat as proposed does not provide sufficient easements as required by the City design standards. All  easements for City utilities must be a minimum of 30 feet with the pipe centered on the easement. Wider  FOCUS ENGINEERING, inc.  Cara Geheren, P.E.  651.300.4261 Jack Griffin, P.E.               651.300.4264  Ryan Stempski, P.E. 651.300.4267  Chad Isakson, P.E. 651.300.4285    PAGE 2 of 2  easements may be required for deep pipes to meet OSHA excavation requirements. Most storm sewer  easements are currently 20 feet, or 10 feet along one side.   Additional catch basins are required as part of the final construction plans to meet the City standard  maximum storm sewer run of 350 feet between catch basins along a residential street.   The minimum storm sewer pipe size is 15‐inch RCP except for storm sewer catch basin leads in the street.  Plans should be revised accordingly.   Catch basin sumps must be 4‐feet in depth to meet VBWD requirements.     GRADING, STORM WATER MANGEMENT AND EROSION CONTROL   Erosion Control Plans were not reviewed at this time. A detailed review will be completed with the review  of the Final Construction Plans.   The site plan is dependent upon and subject to a storm water management plan meeting State, VBWD  and City rules and regulations. Storm water facilities proposed as part of the site plan to meet VBWD  permitting requirements must be constructed in accordance with the City Engineering Design Standards  Manual. Plan modifications will be necessary to meet these requirements and standards and must be  completed prior to grading operations or start of construction.   Storm water pond, infiltration basin, and wetland HWLs must be fully contained within Outlots. The  response letter indicates that this requirement has been met. However, close review of the grading plan  indicates the HWL’s encroach on the adjacent platted lots along Pond #3N and #4N. Grading and/or lot  line revisions will be necessary to contain the HWL contours.    Lot, grading and/or emergency overflow revisions are necessary to provide minimum required flood  protection:   The plans must be revised to include a building elevation key for the elevations provided for the  various building type (WO, LO, or FB).   The building low floor elevation must be a minimum 2 ft. above a storm water facility HWL.   Also, the building low opening elevation must be a minimum 1 ft. above an adjacent overland EOF.  There exist several lots not meeting this protection level, therefore some adjustments are needed.   EOF’s must be set at the calculated 100‐year HWL or back to back storm events must be evaluated.   Additional easements are needed to protect EOFs and their corresponding flow paths from future  grading changes. For example, additional easement is required along the rear lot lines for Lots 8‐11,  Block 4 to protect the EOF and flow path for extreme storm events.   An emergency overflow (EOF) must be provided for infiltration Basin 1.   Catch basin low points have been located along rear and side yard swales throughout development. A  HWL must be provided for all drainage low points and the 100‐year HWL area fully encompassed within a  drainage utility easement.    The proposed drainage plan indicates the direct discharge of storm water runoff from the site to the  property to the north. The applicant must submit written permission from the impacted property owner  acknowledging and consenting to this discharge location, volume and rate(s). Preliminary plat approval  must be contingent upon receipt of this written permission.   A wetland delineation report must be submitted that supports the narrative that no wetlands are present.    STREET PLANS   The plans must be revised to lengthen all vertical sag curves to the City standard minimum K‐value of 37.   Relocate catch basins 43 and 46 to the low point at STA 0+53.75.    Improvements along CSAH 17 (Lake Elmo Avenue) as required by Washington County will be the  responsibility of the developer. Improvements should be included as a condition of preliminary plat  approval.