HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 16 - Halcyon Cemetery Sketch PlanPLANNING COMMISSION
DATE: 11/24/2014
AGENDA ITEM: 5A – BUSINESS ITEM
CASE # 2014-50
ITEM: Halcyon Cemetery - Sketch Plan Review
SUBMITTED BY: Nick Johnson, City Planner
REVIEWED BY: Kyle Klatt, Community Development Director
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
The Planning Commission is being asked to review a Sketch Plan for a proposed cemetery within the Rural Planning Area submitted by Mr. Lee Rossow. The proposed cemetery would be located at 11050 50th Street North, on the northeast corner of 50thth Street and Lake Elmo Avenue (CSAH 17).
The Sketch Plan includes three main areas for in-ground burials, space for columbarium, and a
parking area. The existing home and accessory building would be repurposed to serve as
administration and maintenance of the cemetery. Because this is a Sketch Plan review, there is no formal action required by the Planning Commission.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Applicant: Lee Rossow, 11050 50th Street North, Lake Elmo, MN 55042
Property Owners: Lee Rossow, 11050 50th Street North, Lake Elmo, MN 55042
Location: Part of Section 01, Township 29 North, Range 21 West in Lake Elmo, immediately north of 50th Street and immediately east of Lake Elmo Avenue (CSAH 17). PID Number: 01.029.21.33.0003
Request: Sketch Plan Review
Existing Land Use: Single Family Detached
Existing Zoning: RR – Rural Residential
Surrounding Land Use: North – single family home (RR); west – single family home (RR); south – Agricultural (RR); east – single family residential (RR) and Municipal
Well Site #4.
Surrounding Zoning: RR – Rural Residential; PF – Public Facilities
Comprehensive Plan: Rural Area Development
Proposed Zoning: RR – Rural Residential
History: The 10-acre site has historically been used for a single family home. According to
County records, the existing home was built in 1984.
Deadline for Action: N/A – No action required by City
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Applicable Regulations: Article IX – Rural Districts
REQUEST DETAILS
The City of Lake Elmo is in receipt of a Sketch Plan from Mr. Lee Rossow for a proposed cemetery
that would be located within the Rural Planning Area as defined in the Comprehensive Plan. The proposed cemetery would be located at the northeast corner of the intersection of 50th Street North and Lake Elmo Avenue North. Under the City’s Zoning Code, cemeteries are a permitted use in the
Rural Residential (RR) and Agricultural (A) zoning districts. The subject property is zoned Rural
Residential. However, in order to sell burial plots, the property must go through a formal platting
process.
Per State Statues, cemeteries must be formally platted under the appropriate regulation of the State
and local jurisdiction. The Lake Elmo Subdivision Ordinance specifies that as part of the pre-
application process for a subdivision of land, the applicant must first submit a Sketch Plan for review
by the Planning Commission. The Ordinance notes that the purpose of the Sketch Plan review is as follows:
Sketch plan. In order to ensure that all applicants are informed of the procedural requirements and minimum standards of this chapter and the requirements or limitations
imposed by other city ordinances or plans, prior to the development of a preliminary plat, the
subdivider shall meet with the Planning Commission and prepare a sketch plan which explains or illustrates the proposed subdivision and its purpose. The Planning Commission shall accept the information received, but take no formal or informal action which could be
construed as approval or denial of the proposed plat.
Based on this wording, the Planning Commission is not being asked to take any formal action as part of its review other than to accept the information received. Staff has completed an internal review of the Sketch Plan, and general comments from Staff are included in this memorandum and applicable
attachment.
BACKGROUND
The proposed Sketch Plan is located in the north-central portion of the Rural Planning Area at the
intersection of 50th Street North and Lake Elmo Avenue North (CSAH 17).
The applicant’s submission to the City includes the following components:
• Application Forms
• Existing Conditions. The applicants have submitted an existing conditions plan, showing an
aerial image of the property and the existing single family detached residential use. As
shown in the existing conditions plan, the house and accessory building are currently existing
on the property. These structure would be repurposed as part of the proposed cemetery as an administration/caretaker building and maintenance garage.
• Sketch Plan. The Sketch Plan for the proposed cemetery shows three larger in-ground burial
areas, several sites for columbaria, a gathering space, a parking lot, a network of private drive
lanes or driveways to access the various sites, and the existing buildings and drainfield.
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The Staff review comments that follow are all based on conducting a very high level review of the
Sketch Plan since there is not a lot of detailed information that is required at this stage in the
subdivision process. Staff has focused its review on the elements of the site plan that
STAFF REVIEW COMMENTS:
Staff has reviewed the proposed Sketch Plan and provided comments in the following areas:
• Land Use: The proposed Sketch Plan does conform to the City’s Land Use Plan in that the site is guided for Rural Area Development. Under this designation, Rural Residential is a
typical zoning for sites of this size and character.
• Zoning. The current zoning for the parcel is Rural Residential. Under this zoning
designation, a cemetery is a permitted use. In the Zoning Code, cemetery is defined as the following:
Land used or intended to be used for the burial of the dead and dedicated for cemetery purposes, including columbarium’s, crematories, mausoleums, and
mortuaries when operated in conjunction with and within the boundaries of such
cemetery.
Under this definition, it is staff’s interpretation that the proposed use would be permitted
under the City’s ordinance. It should also be noted that the Zoning Code does not include any
specific development standards for cemeteries at this time. The only other reference to
cemeteries in the Zoning Code is in the PF – Public Facilities zoning district, where cemeteries are identified as a conditional use.
• Public Utilities. The site is currently not hooked up to City water, but does have access via a
watermain extension from Well #4 and down Lake Elmo Avenue North. Should the proposed
use require City water, it does have access to service.
• Private Utilities. It should be noted that an existing septic system serves the site. The
property is not in the City’s Public Sanitary Sewer Service Area. If any expansion of the septic system is required for the cemetery use, the applicant will need to secure the applicable permits from the Washington County Dept. of Health.
• Access. The applicants are proposing to reduce the total accesses to the property from 2 to 1,
accessing the site off of 50th Street North. The current driveway configuration includes
accesses on both Lake Elmo Ave. and 50th Street North. The proposed access on 50th Street
would be move to the west, while the access on Lake Elmo Ave. would be eliminated. As proposed, the access on 50th Street would be located approximately 150 feet from Lake Elmo
Ave. Staff recommends that the proposed access be reviewed by the City Engineer in
consultation with Washington County in order to ensure that the proposed access spacing is
appropriate for the conditions on 50th Street and Lake Elmo Avenue.
• Landscaping and Tree Protection/Preservation. The applicant has not provided any details concerning landscaping for the site, which must be submitted at the time of Preliminary Plat
submission. In addition, a tree preservation plan or woodland evaluation report must be
submitted with preliminary plat to document any impacts to significant trees on the site. The
City’s landscaping provisions require 5 trees for every one acre of land that is developed, as
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well as 1 tree per 50 feet of street frontage. These requirements should inform the landscape
plan for the site.
• Screening and Fencing. The Sketch Plan also includes fencing around all four boundaries of
the property. The north and east sides of the property include a regular fence, whereas the
west and south sides include ornamental fencing. Significant detail of the fencing is not provided with this submittal, but Staff would assume that the northern and eastern fencing is
provided for screening purposes for the adjacent residential properties. The ornamental
fencing is likely provided for aesthetic purposes along the street frontage sides of the
property. In addition to fencing, staff would recommend that some landscaping and trees be utilized to add additional screening along the property boundaries.
• Park Dedication. The City’s subdivision ordinance requires parkland dedication for subdivisions. Residential subdivision require a land dedication as a percentage depending on
the zoning or land use, whereas commercial projects are required to post a fee in lieu of land
dedication. For example, subdivisions on Rural Residential land require a 4% dedication, or
equal market value in fees thereof. The current commercial rate for park dedication is $4,500 per acre. Staff is still conducting some research to determine if and how much parkland
dedication would be appropriate for this type of use. Staff will consult with the City Attorney
in determining what the appropriate precedents are for a similar case such as the present
application. If any dedication were appropriate, staff would recommend a fee in lieu of land dedication.
• Subdivision Review Process. In order to proceed with the subdivision of the land included in
the Sketch Plan, the applicant will need to next prepare a Preliminary Plat application. At the
Preliminary Plat stage, there is more information required as part of the submission process,
which also requires a public hearing.
RECCOMENDATION:
No formal action is required at this time. Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission accept the Sketch Plan provided by Mr. Lee Rossow for a cemetery at 11050 50th Street North and
provide feedback.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Location Map
2. Application Form
3. Existing Conditions Plan
4. Cemetery Sketch Plan
ORDER OF BUSINESS:
- Introduction ....................................................... Community Development Director
- Report by Staff ..................................................................................... City Planner
- Questions from the Commission ............................ Chair & Commission Members
- Discussion by the Commission .............................. Chair & Commission Members
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Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, i-cubed, USDA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping,Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community
Data Source: Washington County, MN11-17-2014
Location Map: Proposed Halcyon Cemetery
K
50th St. N.Lake Elmo Ave. N.0 300 600150 Feet
1"=300'
11050 50th Street N.
456717