HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 14 - Attachments Part 1PLANNING COMMISSION
DATE: 2/23/14
AGENDA ITEM: 4C – PUBLIC HEARING
CASE # 2015-03
ITEM: Wildflower at Lake Elmo Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plan
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Klatt, Community Development Director
REVIEWED BY: Nick Johnson, City Planner
Jack Griffin, City Engineer
Stephen Mastey, Landscape Architecture, Inc.
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
The Planning Commission is being asked to review a request for a Preliminary Plat and Preliminary
Planned Unit Development (PUD) Plan for a proposed residential subdivision to be called
Wildflower at Lake Elmo. This application follows the City’s review and approval of a PUD
Concept Plan for the site, as well as the City’s approval of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to allow the development to move forward as presented. There have been some minor modifications to
the plans since the concept approval, but in general, the preliminary plan submission follows the
concept plan very closely.
The proposed subdivision would be located immediately north of the Brookfield Addition along 39th Street and would extend to the northern limits of the Village area boundary. The preliminary plat includes 145 single-family lots (matching the number depicted on the concept plans) on a total site
area of approximately 117 acres, roughly half of which would be preserved as open space in the form
of a nature conservancy, storm water ponds, and parklands. This request does require a public hearing and Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission recommend approval of preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans with conditions.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Applicant: Robert Engstrom Companies; 4801 West 81st Street, #101, Bloomington, MN
Property Owners: Robert Engstrom Companies; 4801 West 81st Street, #101, Bloomington, MN
Location: Part of Sections 12 and 13, Township 29 North, Range 21 West in Lake Elmo, north of 39th Street, west of Lake Elmo Avenue, and south of the northern Village Planning Area boundary line. PID Numbers 13.029.21.32.00001,
12.029.21.34.0001, 13.029.21.21.0001 and 12.029.21.43.0013.
Request: Preliminary Plat and preliminary PUD Plan
Existing Land Use: Agriculture, Woods/Natural Vegetation, Wetlands, Open Space
Existing Zoning: RT – Rural Transitional Zoning
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Surrounding Land Use: North – vacant/agricultural land, rural residential; west – agricultural
land (future Village residential); south – offices, business park land;
open space/ Field of St. Croix II subdivision
Surrounding Zoning: RT – Rural Transitional; RR – Rural Residential, GB – General Business
Comprehensive Plan: Village Medium Density Residential (3-4 units per acre)/Village Open Space Overlay
Proposed Zoning: MDR – Urban Medium Density Residential
History: Property was included in Village Planning Area boundary and municipal sewer
service area as defined in the 2013 Village Land Use Plan. Site has historically been used for faming activities, including the growing of agricultural crops. A large
portion of the site is located in a FEMA Flood District. The City approved a
Comprehensive Plan Amendment last year that removed portions of the site from the
open space land category. The City also approved a PUD Concept Plan for the property on June 17, 2014
Deadline for Action: Application Deemed Complete – 2/4/15
60 Day Deadline – 4/4/15
Extension Letter Mailed – No 120 Day Deadline – 6/4/15 Applicable Regulations: Article 10 – Urban Residential Districts (MDR)
Article 16 – Planned Unit Development (PUD) Regulations
Chapter 153 – Subdivision Regulations
REQUEST DETAILS
The City of Lake Elmo is in receipt of a request from Robert Engstrom Companies for preliminary
plat and preliminary concept plan approval of the Wildflower at Lake Elmo residential development.
The subdivision would be located on land formerly known as the Heritage Farm and Premier Bank property, which consists of 101 acres within the Village Planning Area. This application follows the City’s review of a PUD concept plan for the property, and further approval of a Comprehensive Plan
amendment to allow the platting of lots associated with the development over areas that were
previously guided for open space. The developer has been working over the past several months to
address the conditions attached to the concept plan approval, and has prepared plans that meet the City’s requirements to proceed with a preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans.
The entire development site is slightly over 117 acres, which includes the 101-acre parcel formerly
owned by Premier Bank, 15 acres of open space associated with the Fields of St. Croix Second
Addition development, and a smaller strip of land that provides access to the Smith farmstead property to the north of the applicant’s site. Of the 117 acres, roughly half would be used for residential development, while the remainder would be preserved as open space or used for storm
water infiltration and retention. As noted in the attached project narrative, the applicant is proposing
to use the open space for natural habitat restoration and creation, with a focus on providing a
landscape that is friendly towards bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. This philosophy would be carried forward into the residential areas, where the developer will work to incorporate pollinator-friendly plants within these areas.
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Overall, the project will include 145 single-family residential lots, the majority of which will be
located on the higher portion of the property directly north of the Brookman Addition commercial
area along 39th Street. A small number of lots are proposed on the lower part of the site along Lake
Elmo Avenue, and consistent with the City’s requirements for concept plan approval, these lots will be served with public sanitary sewer service via a lift station located in the vicinity of Lot 3, Block 15. The primary access into the subdivision will be provided over an existing right-of-way that was
previously platted within the Brookman Addition south of the applicant’s site. The access through
the Brookman Addition will follow the common boundary between the Engstrom property and land
immediately to the west now owned by the Gonyea development company. The developer had originally planned on widening right-of-way through the Brookman Addition, but was not successful
at obtaining the necessary right-of-way from the current property owner in order to create a two-land
divided entrance at 39th Street. As depicted on the preliminary plans, the entrance into the
Wildflower subdivision will be a standard City two-lane road until it crosses into the applicant’s site.
Due in part to the location of the previously platted right-of-way providing access to 39th Street, the
applicant has been cooperating with Gonyea Home (the owner of the property west of Wildflower) to
plat a new right-of-way between their properties that will connect to the existing access point. In
addition to the access issue, both developers have also been coordinating the siting of a smaller park area to be shared by both developments. This park area would be located essentially in the middle of the two developments and accessible via roads from either development. With the significant
amount of open space being set aside within Wildflower at Lake Elmo, the applicant is not proposing
any additional land dedication for parks.
The proposed internal street pattern follows a fairly rigid grid system, with larger lots located further to the north. Within the southern half of the residential area, the applicant is proposing a unique lot
layout that incorporates small green courtyards surrounded by homes on smaller lots. This layout
will allow the homes to face the front of the streets around the block, while moving all garages and
vehicular accesses to a secondary road around the courtyard. These courtyard homes are intended to serve a different market than has typically been served in Lake Elmo, and would provide for a traditional streetscape and environment that is very attractive for pedestrians.
Other major features of the plan being presented include the creation of larger storm water facilities
to the east of the residential areas along State Highway 5 and the development of an extensive trail
and path system providing access to the conservation areas and to the rest of the Village Planning Area. Since the City approved the concept plan, the Valley Branch Watershed District agreed to conduct study of the Goetschel pond drainage basin to determine whether or not the developer would
have the ability to direct some of the storm water runoff associated with the development to the
north. This study has been completed and resulted in an overall drop in the flood levels in this area, and will allow for storm water runoff from both the Wildflower development and adjacent Gonyea project to be collected in storm water ponds in the northern part of the applicant’s site.
Subsequent to the City’s approval of the Wildflower PUD Concept Plan, the City Council took action
on two related land use matters. First, the City agreed to amend the existing conservation easements within the Fields of St. Croix development in order to add the Field of St. Croix Homeowner’s Association as a party to these agreements and to remove the portion Outlot P of the Fields of St.
Croix 2nd Addition from the easement area in order to allow for the platted of homes over this lot as
depicted in the concept plan. The City Council also approved an amendment to the Comprehensive
Plan to allow residential development to occur on two small areas within the proposed Wildflower at Lake Elmo subdivision that were previously guided for RAD – Rural Area Development and Village Open Space Overlay. These amendments changed the following:
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• The area around 13 lots that are proposed on land immediately north of the Schiltgen Farms “Parcel B” development and immediately east of Lake Elmo Avenue. This land was guided
both for RAD – Rural Area Development and as part of the Village Open Space Overlay.
The amendment removed these designations for the area to be subdivided and established a
new land use designation of V-LDR (Village Urban Low Density Residential).
• Outlot P of Fields of St. Croix Second Addition. The amendment changed the future land use
designation of the western portion of this outlot from RAD – Rural Area Development to V-
MDR (Village Urban Medium Density Residential). This amendment allows for the platting
of roughly 17 lots that encroach into this outlot (which are being replatted as part of the Wildflower subdivision). The amended conservation easements will reference the final description for the remnant or Outlot P that will be replatted within Wildflower at Lake
Elmo.
One of the reasons the applicant has elected to pursue a Planned Development is that the
development proposal includes certain elements that do not conform to City requirements. The specific requests for flexibility from current zoning requirements are included in the following
section of this report.
The City’s overall PUD process has three phases: 1) General Concept Plan, 2) Preliminary
Development Plan, and 3) Final Plan. It should be noted that the Planning Commission reviewed the Wildflower at Lake Elmo General Concept Plan at a meeting conducted on June 9, 2014 and with
approval by the City Council at its June 17, 2014 meeting with the adoption of Resolution No. 2014-
045. Approval of the General Concept Plan allows the applicant to proceed with preparation of
preliminary plans, which the applicant has now submitted. Staff has reviewed the approved General Concept Plan and all the conditions associated with the approval.
The applicant has previously explained the rational for requesting a Planned Unit Development
(PUD) as part of the concept plan application, and Staff has agreed that using the PUD process for
the development of this site is reasonable and beneficial for the City in a number of ways, including:
• The PUD process allows the City to review the site as a whole instead of dealing with
individual development projects that may or may not be connected to each other.
• The developer has requested certain exceptions from standard zoning requirements (as allowed through the PUD process) in order to bring forward a development that provides a
housing option that is unique to Lake Elmo and that is consistent with the planning principles
for the Village area.
• The “courtyard home” concept integrates public open space into each block in exchange for smaller lots with narrow setbacks.
• The integrated approach allows the developer to plan for maintenance and upkeep of the common areas throughout the project, and provides the framework to preserve a large portion
of the subdivision as permanent open space.
• The City has previously found that development plans are consistent with the City’s
requirements for consideration of a PUD.
By recommending approval of the Preliminary PUD Development Plan, the Planning Commission would also be recommending approval of the exceptions associated with the project. In addition, the
developer has prepared a separate lot profile document to be filed with the PUD that documents the
proposed dimensional requirements for different types of lots being platted. Staff is suggesting that
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all requested exceptions and any additional development requirements be included in a separate PUD
planning document at the final platting stage of the project.
With the City’s recent completion of the 39th Street road and sewer project, sanitary sewer service is
available to the development provided the Eastern Trunk Sewer Line project associated with the Easton Village project moves forward this year.
PLANNING AND ZONING ISSUES
Because the Planning Commission has previously received a significant amount of information along
with the concept plan for the Wildflower PUD and spent a significant amount of time reviewing this
information, Staff will therefore focus on those aspects of the plans that have been changed or
updated since the City’s concept plan approval, along with a general summary of the PUD request as submitted by the applicant. Other general issues are noted as well.
As required by the City’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances, the applicant has provided a much
greater amount of information as part of the current submission than is required for a Concept.
Because of this, Staff will not attempt to spell out every single change or update from the concept plan, but instead will provide a summary of the most significant changes that have been made to address specific comments from the Commission or to address previous conditions of approval as
follows:
• The 13 lots on the lower portion of the site north of the Gonyea Homes development
previously accessed directly on to Lake Elmo Avenue. This connection to Lake Elmo Avenue has been eliminated from the preliminary plans, and these lots will now connect directly to the rest of the subdivision via a longer cul-de-sac. This cul-de-sac exceeds the
maximum length allowed under the Subdivision Ordinance, and will need to be approved as
an exception to the City’s standard zoning regulations.
• The lower 13 lots will be connected to sanitary sewer service, but will require the installation
of a lift station in order to function properly.
• The developer has met several times with the adjacent property owners to the east and northwest, which resulted in the following changes to the original sketch plan: 1) a larger
open area is provided in front of the Smith parcel (Outlot G) that will be owned and
maintained by the association as open space; the developer has therefore eliminated any
shared boundary of between new lots and this parcel; and 2) the landscape plan depicts a series of plantings between the two rural residential parcels to the east of the development
and the lots to be platted within Wildflower. The types and locations of these plantings have
been reviewed by the affected parties, who will also have an opportunity to further comment
on the landscape plan at the public hearing.
• The City, Developer (Owner), and Fields of St. Croix Homeowner’s association have agreed to amend the conservation easements over outlots within the Fields of St. Croix, and to specifically remove the portion of Outlot P that will be re-subdivided into residential homes
from the easement area. The new easements now include the Fields Association as a party to
the agreement, which will give the homeowners in the Fields of St. Croix control over any future changes to these easements (and especially those outlots not owned by the association).
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• The developer has revised the street plans to comply with City standards throughout the project with a few exceptions. These exceptions are discussed in the following review
comments.
• The proposed storm water management system directs storm water either into new facilities
within the northern open space area or to a larger pond facility in the southeastern portion of the site adjacent to Highway 5. There is no ponding shown on Outlot O (or homes adjacent to the Fields of St. Croix).
• The applicant has formally stated that the conservation areas will be owned and managed by
the Wildflower HOA, while any trails through this area will be owned and maintained by the
City. Any storm water facilities within this area will also be owned by the City consistent
with the City’s storm water ponding requirements.
• The developer has made further refinements to the courtyard home area, and is asking for flexibility to allow some of the units to be attached units (duplexes) in certain locations. The
interior roads will be dedicated for public use on the plat, and these roads will need to be
marked as no parking zones.
Staff has reviewed the conditions of approval attached to the City’s concept plan approval, and found that the developer has addressed all of these conditions with the preliminary plan submission. The City Engineer has provided a very detailed report concerning the development, and a large number of
the issues identified by the Engineer are specific to the storm water management plans and other
public improvements.
The Wildflower at Lake Elmo development includes a request for a Planned Unit Development and some related flexibility as permitted under this ordinance. In order to grant a PUD, an applicant is
required to demonstrate compliance with the City’s PUD applicant requirements and PUD
Objectives. These requirements and objectives were previously reviewed as part of the concept plan,
and the developer has not made any substantial changes to the overall project to warrant further review of these objectives. For the most part, the single family portion of the development is
consistent with the zoning requirements for the City’s LDR – Low Density Residential Zoning
District, and the courtyard homes are consistent with the MDR – Medium Density Residential
Zoning regulations, with the exceptions that were discussed during the concept plan review and are summarized as follows:
Setback MDR Zoning District (Min.) Courtyard Homes (Min.)
Front Yard 25 feet 20 feet
Interior Side Yard 10 Feet Principal Structure Side / 5 Feet Garage Side Same or 7.5 both sides
Rear Yard 20 feet 20 feet
Lot Area 7,000 square feet 5,865 square feet
Lot Depth N/A 100 feet
Lot Width 50 feet 50 feet
Street Widths City Standard Wildflower
Alley/Rear Access Not Allowed 18 feet
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One Way w/Parking 22 feet 18 feet
One Way w/o Parking 18 feet 14 feet
Cul-de-sac City Standard Prairie View Trail Maximum Length 1,000 feet 1,300 feet
All other requirements for the City’s MDR zoning district will apply, including the allowed uses and
other site and development standards. Because the entire site is guided for Village Urban Medium
Density Residential, Staff is recommending that the developed portion of the site be rezoned to MDR (MDR/PUD) as part of the City’s final development plan review, with the exception of the lower 13
lots which would be more appropriately be zoned LDR.
Please note that the above table follows closely to the numbers proposed by the developer. The
purpose of this table is to document the minimum expectation for lots and homes in the development, and is otherwise consistent with the development plans.
The developer has also requested flexibility concerning the building of homes in order to allow a
mixture of some duplex units within the courtyard home area. Staff is recommending that the
developer’s lot profile chart include any specific request for flexibility concerning duplex units, and that the potential location of these duplex units be clearly indicated as part of the overall PUD plans. Staff is recommending language to specify that no more than 20% of the overall number of courtyard
lots may be platted as duplex units (which means no more than 13 lots could be developed in this
manner).
The applicant has provided a significant amount of detailed information concerning the development with the attached documentation, and Staff would like to specifically comment on the following
aspects of the plan:
• The City’s PUD requirements require that 20% of the project area not within street rights-of-
way must be preserved as open space (and the ordinance specifically allows infiltration areas
to be counted towards this amount). The applicant has provided a specific plan as part of the application materials that demonstrates that over 50% of the site, will be platted as outlots and remain as open space.
• While the proposed lot dimensional standards listed above for the courtyard homes are lower
than those required in the MDR zoning district, the applicant has proposed a preliminary plan
that includes a mixture of lot sizes and widths throughout the development, including the “ridge, prairie, and conservancy” lots that will function more like the City’s single family districts. With the proposed mixture of homes and lot sizes, the overall net density for the
project will fall within the range specified in the Comprehensive Plan for the Village Urban
Medium Density land use category.
• The applicant has not provided a specific phasing plan for the development; this should be included with the final PUD submission to clarify how the project will be built out over time. The first phase, at a minimum, must include the connection to 39th Street in order to provide
access into the subdivision.
The overall site plan for the property follows the adopted concept plan very closely. Staff has conducted a review of the detailed plat and plans and specific comments from Staff concerning these plans are listed in the following section of this report.
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The following is a general summary of the subdivision design elements that have proposed as part of
the Wildflower preliminary plat and plans:
Zoning and Site Information:
• Existing Zoning: RT – Rural Development Transitional District
• Proposed Zoning: MDR – Lot Area; RR – Conservation/Buffer Areas
• Total Site Area: 119.28 acres
• Total Residential Units: 145 (78 single family, 67 courtyard homes)
• Proposed Density (Net): 4.0 Units per acre (per developer)
Proposed Lot Dimensional Standards (Single Family Lots):
• Min. Lot Width: 80 ft.
• Lot Depth: 130 ft. (135 ft. typical)
• Lot Area: 8,000 sq. ft. (10,298 min.)
• Front Yard Setback: 25 ft.
• Side Yard Setback: 10 ft. living space; 5 ft. garage
• Rear Yard Setback: 20 ft.
Proposed Lot Dimensional Standards through Planned Unit Development Process (courtyard
homes):
• As listed above Proposed Street Standards:
• Per development plans with modifications as requested by the City Engineer
The standards listed above are all either in compliance with the applicable requirements from the City’s zoning and subdivision regulations, or are consistent with requested modifications through the proposed planned unit development (PUD). Please note that the City Engineer is recommending
modifications to certain streets to either expand the right-of-way (and boulevard area) associated with
these streets or to expand the width of the street to conform to City standards. The specific request
for changes are noted in the attached report from the City Engineer. Based on Staff’s review of the Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plan, the applicant has generally demonstrated compliance
with the majority of the applicable codes, and the requested modifications or flexibilities as allowed
under the City’s PUD Ordinance represent a reasonable request given the various design goals the
applicant it trying to achieve with the exception of the street widths as noted by the Engineer,
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
City Staff has reviewed the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plan. In general, the proposed plat will meet all applicable City requirements for conditional approval, and any
deficiencies or additional modifications that are needed are noted as part of the review record. In
addition, the City has received a detailed list of comments from the City Engineer, 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 following review comments as well:
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Critical Path Issues:
• Floodplain District. As noted above, the study undertaken by the Valley Branch Watershed
District has resulted in an adjustment to the flood levels for the Goetschel Pond drainage
basin. While this should allow the developer to move forward with the grading and storm
water management plan as proposed and to create the proposed storm water infiltration and retention facilities in the northern portions of the site, the City’s adopted FEMA (Federal
Emergency Management Agency) flood maps have not been revised. The City’s floodplain
management ordinance will therefore apply to the lots north of the Gonyea site, and could
result in some issues for the future property owners in this area. Although the Floodplain Management Ordinance will allow the creation of lots within a flood fringe area, without a map amendment, these properties will need to obtain flood insurance or submit appropriate
documentation that their houses have been raised above the regulatory flood protection
elevation. The creation of storm water ponds within these flood areas could also be
problematic and is something that needs to be researched further prior to submission of final development plans for this area. Staff would like to discuss this issue in more detail with the
watershed district prior to any lots being platted in this area, and is therefore recommending a
condition of approval note that no lots within the City’s designated flood district be allowed
to be platted until the City and Watershed District have sufficiently addressed all flood zone related matters. This would also give the City and developer time to review options for submitted map amendments to FEMA.
• Storm Water Management – Rain Gardens. The developer has proposed a series of rain
gardens within boulevard and median areas throughout the development. Since these areas
will create a long-term maintenance issue for the City as described by the City Engineer as part of his review memorandum, Staff is asking that the developer consider eliminating those facilities that are not necessary to meet state and watershed district requirements. The
developer will also need to comply with the specific review comments from the Engineer
prior to constructing any of these facilities.
• Street Width and Right-of-way Dedication. The developer has revised the street plan for
most of the development site in order to comply with City street design standards, and specifically, the width of public streets within the subdivision. A few of the streets, include
the Wildflower Drive parkway segment and some of the “eyebrow” and loop roads providing
access to individual lots are not consistent with the City’s standards for these types of roads.
Staff is recommending that he plans be revised per the City Engineer’s comments so that all roads comply with City design standards for width, or are marked for no parking (these specific segments are called out in the Engineer’s report). In this case, Wildflower Lane
should be revised to show an 18-foot one-way travel lane on the northern one-way segment,
and a 24-foot payment with parking on the southern segment (or 18 feet with parking bump-outs). The developer would like the Planning Commission to consider PUD design exceptions to allow the roads as planned.
• Conservation Easements. The City of Lake Elmo is holding revised conservation easements
in escrow pending final plat approval for the development project. Because some of the
conservation easements within the Fields of St. Croix are held by the Minnesota Land Trust, the developer has entered into a separate agreement with the Land Trust to revise these specific easements. The Fields of St. Croix HOA would like to see the agreement with the
Land Trust recorded prior to the City’s approval of the preliminary plat. The developer has
agreed to record this agreement and should be able to complete this task prior to the City
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Council’s review of the subdivision. The amended easements will allow the development to
move forward as proposed.
• Plat Dedications and Modifications. The preliminary plat as submitted anticipates that a
small portion of the right-of-way for Wildflower Drive and Prairieview Trail will be
dedicated over property currently owned by Gonyea Homes. In addition, one of the ponding basins (Pond 3n) that will be receiving storm water runoff from Wildflower is located on the
Gonyea site as well. Although both developers are cooperating on some joint aspects of their
respective projects, Engstrom Companies will need to demonstrate that the plat as proposed
will be able to proceed should Gonyea not plat its property in the near future. Staff is therefore recommending that the preliminary plat be revised to dedicate the needed right-of-way across the adjacent parcels, or that the developer secure easements from the adjacent
land owner prior to submission of a final plat.
Other Issues:
Members of the Community Development, Public Works, Engineering, and Fire Departments have previously reviewed the Concept Plan, while the City Engineer, Fire Department, and Landscape
Architect Consultant have provided an additional review of the Preliminary Plat and Preliminary
Development Plans. The general Staff comments for this project are as follows:
• Land Use: The proposed residential development is consistent with the future land use map as amended, which guides this area for Village Urban Medium Density and open space. The
developer has indicated that the net density of site will be 4.0 units per acre, although it
appears that this calculation excludes road right-of-way and storm water ponds, which will
need to be added back in to comply with the City’s definition for net density. In this case, the rough calculation for the site would still be around 3.5 units per acre, which falls within the Village Urban Medium Density range of 2-4 units per acre.
• Buffer Areas/Green Belt. A minimal open space/green belt buffer is preserved as part of the
Wildflower development. One of the conditions of concept approval required the developer
to provide additional screening and buffering of residential properties located to the east and northeast of Wildflower at Lake Elmo, and the landscape plan has been updated to
incorporate these additional plantings. The previously approved Comprehensive Plan
amendment adjusted the open space buffer across the development site, and the preliminary
plat is consistent with the revised buffer area.
• Comprehensive Plan Amendments. The following amendments have been approved by the City and reviewed and approved by the Met Council:
o A Comprehensive Plan amendment to change the western portion of Outlot P of Fields of St. Croix Second Addition from RAD – Rural Area Development to V-MDR (Village Urban Medium Density Residential).
o A Comprehensive Plan Amendment to change roughly eight acres immediately east of Lake Elmo Avenue and north of the Schiltgen Farms – Parcel “B” area from RAD – Rural Area Development and Village Open Space Overlay to V-LDR (Village
Urban Low Density Residential).
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• Zoning Map Amendments. The following amendments will be necessary to rezone the Wildflower property in a manner that is consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
Please note that such rezoning is typically requested as part of a preliminary plat submission;
however, until a sewer project to connect the lift station on 30th Street with the recently
installed trunk sewer line within 39th Street is completed by private development interests, the zoning for this area should retain the existing RT – Rural Transitional Zoning:
o A Zoning Map Amendment to change the zoning of the residential portion of this
development from RT – Rural Transitional to MDR – Medium Density Residential and LDR – Low Density Residential (for the smaller 13-lot area). Staff is recommending that the open space areas be zoned as rural residential to match the
adjacent rural residential parcels.
• Village Guiding Principles. The Village Land Use Plan incorporated the 13 guiding
principles from the Village Master Plan. Of these principles, the proposed Wildflower at Lake Elmo will implement several of them, including:
o Principle 1 - Evoke a sense of place: Build on existing assets to preserve the small
town, rural character of Lake Elmo, maintaining the Old Village as the heart of the city.
o Principle 2 - Balance natural and built systems: Integrate development within a green
framework of parks, trails and the open space greenbelt. o Principle 7 - Improve connectivity: Provide a balanced network for movement that
links local neighborhoods and Village Area attractions with city-wide and regional
systems, paying equal attention to cars, bicycles, pedestrians and transit.
o Principle 11 - Become a great model: Encourage other communities to ‘raise the bar’
by demonstrating low impact development, best practices and sustainability.
• Lake Elmo Theming Study. In advance of a final plat submission, Staff is encouraging the
applicant to incorporate elements from the Lake Elmo Theming Study into the design of the project. The inclusion of various theming elements would help augment the implementation of several of the guiding principles noted above.
• Land Use and Zoning Flexibility. The applicant’s request for flexibility concerning lot
sizes, setbacks, cul-de-sac length, and street standards is described in the preceding section. Staff is recommending approval of the dimensional exceptions and increased cul-de-sac length as proposed, but does not recommend approval of the street exceptions.
• Conservation Easements. The developer has obtained approval from the City and the Land
Trust to modify the conservation easements within the Fields of St. Croix in order to remove the easement from future development areas and to include the Fields Association as a party to these easements.
• Natural Resource Areas. The Village AUAR included an analysis of ecologically sensitive
areas within the planning area, and a portion of the primary ecological areas are found on the
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northern portions of the applicant’s property. These ecologically sensitive areas are all
located with the proposed conservation areas. The applicant’s plan for habitat restoration is
very much in line with the mitigation plan adopted as part of the AUAR.
• Wetlands. The ecologically sensitive areas discussed above include wetlands, but will be protected from impacts through the platting process as part of the open space preservation
areas within the development. All wetlands have been designated on the site and are depicted
on the attached plans. There are a few instances where the required wetland buffers encroach
on to private lots, and the City Engineer has requested revisions to the plan to ensure that these buffer areas are properly maintained in the future. The developer has previously submitted documentation to the City indicating that there are no wetlands located within the
Layton Avenue right-of-way in the Brookman Addition.
• Parks and Open Space. The proposed plans include the creation of a shared park with the
neighboring development, which represents 0.2 acres of land to be dedicated for park purpose. The developer is also proposing to construct an extensive trail system throughout
the development, and to create a large nature conservancy that will be managed by the
Wildflower homeowner’s association. With the amount of trails and open space being
provided, the developer will exceed the City’s minimum requirements for 10% of the land to be dedicated for park purposes, but the exact calculation should be determined prior to
submission of a final plat. The proposed trail system will provide public access into the
conservation land, but the developer will need to work with the City on the most appropriate
manner in which to dedicate these trails for public use.
• Sidewalks and Trails. The preliminary plans include an extensive series of paths and trails. The City engineer has noted that additional sidewalks are needed in a few locations. Staff is
recommending that the developer provide easements over all trails that are located outside of
City-owned outlots (or deed separate outlots over the trails to the City), and that the
construction of all trails comply the City standards.
• Public Utilities. The developer’s plans provide connections to the existing utilities located
within 39th Street as required with the City’s concept plan approval. The recently completed
39th Street public improvement project extended the sewer trunk main to the railroad tracks;
however, the City has not yet formally approved final development plans for Easton Village, which will include a private project to extend sewer south of the railroad tracks to the lift station along 30th Street. Approval of the Wildflower preliminary plat will need to be
conditional upon the City’s approval of the Easton Village Trunk Sewer Plan (or alternative
depending on the Council’s review of this plan).
• Landscaping. A detailed landscape plan has been submitted with the preliminary plat, and this plan has been reviewed by the City’s consulting landscape architect. The attached
review from Landscape Architecture includes several recommendations that may be
addressed as part of the final plat submission. The developer has incorporated the requested improvements from adjacent property owners as part of the plan. Staff has not yet receive any feedback from these property owners in advance of the public hearing for this
development.
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• 39th Street Access. The developer will need to construct the new road connecting the development with 39th Street as part of the public improvements associated with the project.
This road will cross through the Brookman Addition within the previously dedicated Layton
Avenue right-of-way. In order to build the proposed road and match existing grades
surrounding the road, the developer will need to obtain a temporary construction easement form the owner of Lot 3, Block 2 and Lot 1 Block 3 of the Brookman Addition.
• Environmental Review. The proposed Wildflower Subdivision is located within the area
covered by the Village AUAR. As such, the City and the developer will need to comply with
the AUAR Mitigation plan that was adopted with the Final AUAR. The most critical elements of the Mitigation Plan that must be addressed include the following:
o Floodplain Management. While the northern portion of the applicant’s site includes
a large floodplain area, development may occur within these areas as long as any
proposed structures are elevated above the base flood elevation. The grading plans documents that all proposed lots will comply with this requirement; however, Staff
would like to further work with the developer on this issue prior to submission of a
final plat.
o Storm Water Management. The storm water management plan for Wildflower at
Lake Elmo will need to meet the AUAR requirements in addition to City ordinances
and Valley Branch Watershed District standards.
o Natural Resource Areas. Preservation of the primary ecological areas is one of the goals of this development.
o Potential Environmental Hazard Sites. There are no identified hazard sites on this
property.
• Storm Water Ponds. In accordance with the City’s Engineering and Design Standards, all
storm water facilities must be located on an outlot dedicated to the City. The preliminary
plan notes which lots will be owned by the City.
• City Engineer Comments. The City Engineer has submitted a detailed list of comments that will need be addressed prior to the City’s approval of final development plans for this property. None of the comments represent a critical concern (other than the ones noted
above) that will not be able to be addressed by the applicant as they finalize the development
plans for the site, and most of the comments are requesting technical revisions to ensure compliance with the City’s engineering and development standards.
• Street Names. The developer is requesting to deviate from the City’s recent practice of
adhering to the County street addressing system for this development. The developer’s
proposed street names are as depicted on the preliminary plat. In order to comply with the County’s street addressing standards, the east-west streets would be assigned a number (i.e. 41st Street instead of Sunflower Lane) and the north-south streets would follow existing street
names projected outside the project area (Layton, Leeward, and Legion). The Fire Chief has
submitted a comment letter concerning this issue, and is strongly recommending that the City
adhere to the County system. The City did adopt a resolution several years ago opting out of
BUSINESS ITEM 4c – PUBLIC HEARING
14
the County naming system, so the City Council will have the authority to approved the Street
names as proposed. Based on the strong recommendation from the Fire Chief, Staff is
recommending that the Street names be changes to adhere to the County system.
• Public Art. The developer would like to incorporate displays of public art within some of comment open areas, and possibly with center median areas, throughout the project area.
Staff is recommending that the developer continue to work with the City on any necessary
agreements in order to allow these displays.
• Fire Chief Review. The Fire Chief has submitted general review comments, most of which are or will be addressed as part of future reviews.
Based on the above Staff report and analysis, Staff is recommending approval of the preliminary plat
and preliminary PUD plan with 19 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 and final PUD plan. The recommended conditions are divided into three categories to better
communicate the purpose and intent of the conditions. The recommended conditions are as follows:
Recommended Conditions of Approval:
Pending Review and Approvals
1) No lots within a FEMA flood zone shall be approved as part of a final plat until such time
that the City’s Floodplain Management Map has been amended to remove these lots. As an
alternative to amending this map, the developer must provide documentation that all
structures will be built above the regulatory flood protection elevation, that any pubic infrastructure will also meet Floodplain Ordinance requirements, and that the proposed storm water ponds may be constructed within the floodplain area.
2) The developer shall record an agreement with the Minnesota Land Trust concerning
amendments to the conservations easements within the Fields of St. Croix subdivision prior
to the submission of a final plat for any portion of Wildflower at Lake Elmo.
3) The developer shall obtain temporary grading easements from the owner of the lots adjacent
to Layton Avenue within the Brookman Addition in order to construct the improvements
within this right-of-way as documented in the preliminary construction plans.
4) The developer has requested the inclusion of public art within common areas and public property throughout Wildflower development. Prior to the placement of any art on publicly owned property or public rights-of-way, the developer and City shall enter into an agreement
that clarifies the individuals or entities responsible for maintenance and upkeep of any public
art.
5) Prior to the submission of a final plat for any portion of the Wildflower PUD, the developer shall work with the City to determine the appropriate park dedication calculations for the
entire development area.
6) 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.
BUSINESS ITEM 4c – PUBLIC HEARING
15
7) The utility construction plans shall be updated to incorporate the recommendations of the
City Engineer concerning the appropriate location and size of sewer services through the
PUD planning area, including any requested oversizing of these facilities to service adjacent
properties.
Modifications to the Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plans
8) The developer shall minimize the number of rain gardens within public rights-of-way
consistent the review comments from the City Engineer. Any such storm water infiltration
features shall be subject to review and approval by the City Engineer.
9) The preliminary development plans must be revised to comply with City Street standards as referenced in the City Engineer’s review memorandum dated February 18, 2015.
10) The City approves all requests for flexibility from City Zoning and Subdivision requirements
with the exception of the street standards noted in the preceding condition.
11) The applicant is encouraged to incorporate elements from the Lake Elmo Theming Study into the open space areas within the subdivision.
12) The preliminary landscape plan shall be updated to address the review comments from the
City’s landscape architecture consultant as noted in a review letter dated February 4, 2015.
13) The proposed street names within the subdivision shall be revised to comply with the County
addressing system.
14) All center median planting areas as depicted on the preliminary plat and plans shall be owned by the City of Lake Elmo and maintained by the Homeowners Association. The applicant
shall enter into a maintenance agreement with the City that clarifies the individuals or entities
responsible for any landscaping installed in areas outside of land dedicated as public park,
trails, or open space on the final plat.
15) The Final Plat and Plans must address the requested modifications outlined in the City Engineer’s review memorandum dated February 18, 2015.
Plat Restrictions
16) Prior to recording the Final Plat for any portion of the area shown in the Preliminary Plat, the Developer shall enter into a Developers Agreement acceptable to the City Attorney that delineates who is responsible for the design, construction, and payment of public
improvements.
17) The developer shall provide an easement over or dedicate in a separate outlot all trails to be
dedicated for public use. Any such trails shall be considered a park land dedication provide said trails are constructed by the developer with other public improvements within the subdivision.
18) The City will not approve a final plat for any portion of Wildflower until such time that the
City has approved a public improvement project to connect the 39th Street Sewer to the 30th
Street lift station.
19) The developer must follow all the rules and regulations of the Wetland Conservation Act, and
adhere to the conditions of approval for the South Washington Watershed District Permit.
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DRAFT FINDINGS
Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission consider the following findings with regards to
the proposed Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plan:
• That the Wildflower PUD General Concept Plan was approved by the City on June 17, 2014,
and the submitted Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plans are consistent with the
approved General Concept Plan.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans are consistent with the Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan and the Future Land Use Map for this area.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with the City’s
LDR - Urban Low Density Residential and MDR – Urban Medium Density Residential
zoning district requirements with the exceptions as noted in the Staff report.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with the City’s subdivision ordinance, with the PUD exceptions as requested by the applicant.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with the City’s Planned Unit Development Regulations.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with City’s
Engineering Standards, except where noted in the review memorandum from the City
Engineer dated 2/18/15.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with other City zoning ordinances, such as landscaping, tree preservation, and erosion and sediment control with the plan revisions as requested by City Staff and consultants.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans achieve multiple identified
objectives for planned developments within Lake Elmo and are consistent with the City’s
adopted findings for the Concept Plan.
RECCOMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the Wildflower Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plans with the 19 conditions of approval as listed in the Staff
report. Suggested motion:
“Move to recommend approval of the Wildflower Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plans with the 19 conditions of approval as drafted by Staff based on the findings of fact listed in the Staff Report.”
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Application Forms
2. Development Contact Information
BUSINESS ITEM 4c – PUBLIC HEARING
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3. Location Map
4. Legal Description
5. Wildflower at Lake Elmo Overview
6. Wildflower Lot Profile 7. Written Statements for PUD Application 8. City Engineer Review – 2/18/15
9. Fire Department Review – 2/13/15
10. Fire Department Street Naming Comments
11. Landscape Architect Review – 2/4/15 12. Valley Branch Watershed District Permit Review – 12/2/14
13. Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plans:
a. Existing Conditions
b. Preliminary Plat c. Construction Plans
d. Landscape Plans
e. Tree Inventory (Not included with packet)
ORDER OF BUSINESS:
- Introduction ....................................................... Community Development Director
- Report by Staff .................................................. Community Development Director
- 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
BUSINESS ITEM 4c – PUBLIC HEARING
PLANNING COMMISSION
DATE: 3/9/15
AGENDA ITEM: 4A – BUSINESS ITEM
CASE # 2015-03
ITEM: Wildflower at Lake Elmo Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plan
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Klatt, Community Development Director
REVIEWED BY: Nick Johnson, City Planner
Jack Griffin, City Engineer
Stephen Mastey, Landscape Architecture, Inc.
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
At its previous meeting, the Planning Commission tabled consideration of a Preliminary Plat and
Preliminary Planned Unit Development (PUD) Plan for a proposed residential subdivision to be
called Wildflower at Lake Elmo. The proposed subdivision would be located immediately north of
the Brookfield Addition along 39th Street and would extend to the northern limits of the Village area boundary. The preliminary plat includes 145 single-family lots (matching the number depicted on
the concept plans) on a total site area of approximately 117 acres, roughly half of which would be
preserved as open space in the form of a nature conservancy, storm water ponds, and parklands. The
Planning Commission conducted a public hearing to consider public testimony concerning the preliminary plat at its February 23, 2015.
In advance of the Commission’s next meeting, Staff has not duplicated any of the materials
previously submitted for review. This information, including the previous staff report, preliminary
plat and construction plans, and review comments, are available on the City’s web site. Staff will also provide hard copies upon request (new Commissioner Griffin will be provided all materials previously provided since she had not yet been appointed at the last meeting).
In order to address the Commission’s previous concerns, the developer has submitted a detailed
response and update for consideration by the Commission. Staff has also asked that the City
Engineer attend the next meeting in order to directly address any additional questions from the Planning Commission. Staff has also met with two of the adjacent property owners since the meeting, and will note specific discussion points from this meeting in the following section.
Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission recommend approval of preliminary plat and
preliminary PUD plans with some minor modifications to the conditions previously presented.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Applicant: Robert Engstrom Companies; 4801 West 81st Street, #101, Bloomington, MN
Property Owners: Robert Engstrom Companies; 4801 West 81st Street, #101, Bloomington, MN
Location: Part of Sections 12 and 13, Township 29 North, Range 21 West in Lake Elmo,
north of 39th Street, west of Lake Elmo Avenue, and south of the northern Village
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Planning Area boundary line. PID Numbers 13.029.21.32.00001,
12.029.21.34.0001, 13.029.21.21.0001 and 12.029.21.43.0013.
Request: Preliminary Plat and preliminary PUD Plan
Existing Land Use: Agriculture, Woods/Natural Vegetation, Wetlands, Open Space
Existing Zoning: RT – Rural Transitional Zoning
Surrounding Land Use: North – vacant/agricultural land, rural residential; west – agricultural
land (future Village residential); south – offices, business park land;
open space/ Field of St. Croix II subdivision
Surrounding Zoning: RT – Rural Transitional; RR – Rural Residential, GB – General Business
Comprehensive Plan: Village Medium Density Residential (3-4 units per acre)/Village Open
Space Overlay
Proposed Zoning: MDR – Urban Medium Density Residential
History: Property was included in Village Planning Area boundary and municipal sewer service area as defined in the 2013 Village Land Use Plan. Site has historically been
used for faming activities, including the growing of agricultural crops. A large
portion of the site is located in a FEMA Flood District. The City approved a
Comprehensive Plan Amendment last year that removed portions of the site from the open space land category. The City also approved a PUD Concept Plan for the property on June 17, 2014
Deadline for Action: Application Deemed Complete – 2/4/15
60 Day Deadline – 4/4/15
Extension Letter Mailed – No 120 Day Deadline – 6/4/15
Applicable Regulations: Article 10 – Urban Residential Districts (MDR)
Article 16 – Planned Unit Development (PUD) Regulations Chapter 153 – Subdivision Regulations
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS - UPDATE
The Planning Commission reviewed the application materials concerning Wildflower at Lake Elmo
at its February 23, 2015 meeting, received comments from four individuals at the public hearing,
accepted three written statements from adjacent property owners, discussed various aspects of the subdivision, and directed staff to update the findings and conditions of approval. During the course of his review, the following issues were raised:
• Potential flooding on the Krueger property to the west of the subdivision, and the potential
for additional storm water to be directed under Lake Elmo Avenue.
• The location of the Fields of St. Croix drainfield and whether or not this drainfield could be
impacted by additional storm water being directed to Goetschel Pond.
• The proximity of the storm water ponds proposed over Outlot J to a private well on the Eischen property to the north.
BUSINESS ITEM 4a – PUBLIC HEARING
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• The number of rain gardens within the public rights-of-way within the development, and what number would be acceptable to the City Engineer.
• Whether or not the street widths could be expanded with the removal of rain gardens in
center median areas.
• What specific problems might arise because of narrower streets.
The City Engineer has been asked to attend the next meeting in order to address any additional questions from the Commission. Staff has done some additional research in advance of the meeting and would like to offer the following comments in response to these discussion items:
• The proposed storm water management plan will not be increasing the amount of water being
directed to the northern portion of the site, and will not have an impact on any property west
of Lake Elmo Avenue. Water will move eastward towards Goetschel Pond before the water levels in Veronica’s Pond (Wetland B) and Wetland A reach a point where this would occur. The Valley Branch Watershed District Engineer did review this issue with Staff and agreed
with the above assessment.
• The drainfield for Fields of St. Croix 2nd Addition is located outside of the 100-year flood
level for the Goetschel pond basin (prior to the 2015 study), and the developer has noted that
even if water were to reach the 916 flood elevation in this area that there is an overland route to the pond that avoids the drainfield.
• The City Engineer has provided Staff with information from the Minnesota Department of
Health concerning well protection and required setbacks from wells. In this case, the
proposed pond location is located outside of the required 20-foot setback for a basin or pond
grater then four feet in depth (even though this basin is an infiltration area no more than two feet deep).
• The developer is proposing to remove all rain gardens from center medians, he is asking for
continued dialogue with the City concerning street widths.
• The City Engineer will be in attendance at the next Planning Commission meeting, and Staff
will discuss its concerns about narrower streets with the Commission at this time.
Additional comments/updates from Staff concerning this application are as follows:
• Mary Jean Dupuis, who has previously submitted a letter for consideration and is a neighbor to the proposed development, has asked that the grass trail loop over Outlot H be eliminated
from the Plans. Staff has drafted an alternative condition that would require the removal of
this trails for consideration by the Planning Commission.
• Richard Smith is seeking clarification concerning the timing of a potential sewer connection
to his property and is also requesting that additional protective measures be put in place to ensure no further subdivision or development of Outlout G occurs in the future. Staff is recommending that the utility plans be updated to depict the future sewer connection to the
Smith property. Staff will address questions concerning Outlot G with the City Attorney in
advance of the Planning Commission meeting.
• The Valley Branch Watershed District Staff has indicated that they will be seeking authorization from the board to being the process to amend the FEMA flood zones for the Goetschel drainage basin consistent with the 2015 technical study.
BUSINESS ITEM 4a – PUBLIC HEARING
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• The City has received review comments from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (attached) since the last meeting.
• Staff has revised the proposed findings and conditions of approval with the corrections
recommended by the Planning Commission at its last meeting and made other minor
adjustments based on feedback from the developer.
Based on the previous Staff report and analysis and additional comments above, Staff is recommending approval of the preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plan with 19 conditions (as
amended) intended to address any outstanding issues and to further clarify the City’s expectations in
order for the developer to move forward with a final plat and final PUD plan. The recommended
conditions are divided into three categories to better communicate the purpose and intent of the conditions. The recommended conditions are as follows:
Recommended Conditions of Approval:
Pending Review and Approvals
1) No lots within a FEMA flood zone shall be approved as part of a final plat until such time
that the City’s Floodplain Management Map has been amended to remove these lots. As an alternative to amending this map, the developer must provide documentation that all
structures will be built above the regulatory flood protection elevation, that any public
infrastructure will also meet Floodplain Ordinance requirements, and that the proposed storm
water ponds may be constructed within the floodplain area.
2) The developer shall record an agreement with the Minnesota Land Trust concerning
amendments to the conservations easements within the Fields of St. Croix subdivision prior
to the submission of a final plat for any portion of Wildflower at Lake Elmo.
3) The developer shall obtain temporary grading easements from the owner of the lots adjacent to Layton Avenue within the Brookman Addition in order to construct the improvements within this right-of-way as documented in the preliminary construction plans.
4) The developer has requested the inclusion of public art within common areas and public
property throughout Wildflower development. Prior to the placement of any art on publicly
owned property or public rights-of-way, the developer and City shall enter into an agreement that clarifies the individuals or entities responsible for maintenance, upkeep and removal of
any public art. No public art shall be lit in a manner that conflicts with the City’s Lighting
Ordinance.
5) Prior to the submission of a final plat for any portion of the Wildflower PUD, the developer shall work with the City to determine the appropriate park dedication calculations for the entire development area.
6) 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.
7) The utility construction plans shall be updated to incorporate the recommendations of the
City Engineer as described in a February 18, 2015 memorandum to the City concerning the
appropriate location and size of sewer services through the PUD planning area, including any requested oversizing of these facilities to service adjacent properties, prior to the submission of a final plat.
BUSINESS ITEM 4a – PUBLIC HEARING
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Modifications to the Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plans
8) The developer shall minimize the number of rain gardens within public rights-of-way
consistent the review comments from the City Engineer. Any such storm water infiltration
features shall be subject to review and approval by the City Engineer.
9) The preliminary development plans must be revised to comply with City Street standards as referenced in the City Engineer’s review memorandum dated February 18, 2015.
10) The City approves all requests for flexibility from City Zoning and Subdivision requirements
with the exception of the street standards noted in the preceding condition.
11) The applicant is encouraged to incorporate elements from the Lake Elmo Theming Study into the open space areas within the subdivision.
12) The preliminary landscape plan shall be updated to address the review comments from the
City’s landscape architecture consultant as noted in a review letter dated February 4, 2015.
13) The proposed street names within the subdivision shall be revised to comply with the County
addressing system.
14) All center median planting areas as depicted on the preliminary plat and plans shall be owned by the City of Lake Elmo and maintained by the Homeowners Association. The applicant
shall enter into a maintenance agreement with the City that clarifies the individuals or entities
responsible for any landscaping installed in areas outside of land dedicated as public park,
trails, or open space on the final plat.
15) The Final Plat and Plans must address the requested modifications outlined in the City
Engineer’s review memorandum dated February 18, 2015.
Plat Restrictions
16) Prior to recording the Final Plat for any portion of the area shown in the Preliminary Plat, the Developer shall enter into a Developers Agreement acceptable to the City Attorney that delineates who is responsible for the design, construction, and payment of public
improvements.
17) The developer shall provide an easement over or dedicate in a separate outlot all trails to be dedicated for public use. Any such trails shall be considered a park land dedication provide said trails are constructed by the developer with other public improvements within the
subdivision.
18) The City will not approve a final plat for any portion of Wildflower until such time that the
City has approved construction plans and received financial security related to the construction of the public improvement project to connect the 39th Street Sewer to the 30th Street lift station.
19) The developer must follow all the rules and regulations of the Wetland Conservation Act, and
adhere to the conditions of approval for the South Washington Watershed District Permit.
20) The developer shall maintain access to the Smith property (11514 Stillwater Boulevard North) during construction of the first development phase. Said access shall, at a minimum,
be capable of supporting emergency management vehicles and be consistent with City access
BUSINESS ITEM 4a – PUBLIC HEARING
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driveway standards. The existing driveway easement shall be vacated prior to the recording
of the final plat.
21) ALTERNATIVE CONDITON FOR CONISDERATION: The looped trail across Outlot H
shall be eliminated as part of the final development plans.
DRAFT FINDINGS
Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission consider the following findings with regards to the proposed Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plan:
• That the Wildflower PUD General Concept Plan was approved by the City on June 17, 2014,
and the submitted Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plans are consistent with the
approved General Concept Plan.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans are consistent with the Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan and the Future Land Use Map for this area.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with the City’s LDR - Urban Low Density Residential and MDR – Urban Medium Density Residential
zoning district requirements with the exceptions as noted in the Staff report.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with the City’s
subdivision ordinance, with the PUD exceptions as requested by the applicant.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with the City’s Planned Unit Development Regulations.
• That the change in Outlots O and P of the Fields of St. Croix is justified because the
developer is providing much larger open space areas as part of Wildflower at Lake Elmo.
• That an exception to the length of a cul-de-sac is justified based on the unique circumstances
of the property and the development.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with City’s
Engineering Standards, except where noted in the review memorandum from the City Engineer dated 2/18/15.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans comply with other City
zoning ordinances, such as landscaping, tree preservation, and erosion and sediment control
with the plan revisions as requested by City Staff and consultants.
• That the Wildflower preliminary plat and preliminary PUD plans achieve multiple identified
objectives for planned developments within Lake Elmo and are consistent with the City’s adopted findings for the Concept Plan.
RECCOMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the Wildflower
Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plans with the 20 conditions of approval as listed in the Staff
report. Suggested motion:
BUSINESS ITEM 4a – PUBLIC HEARING
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“Move to recommend approval of the Wildflower Preliminary Plat and Preliminary PUD Plans with the 20 conditions of approval as drafted by Staff based on the findings of fact listed in the
Staff Report.”
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Email Correspondence from Developer Dated 2/26/15 2. Memorandum from Developer’s Engineer Dated 2/26/15
3. MnDOT Review Comments – 3/2/15
4. Valley Branch Technical Memorandum – Goetschel Pond Study
5. Letter from Mary Jean Dupuis – 3/4/15 6. Letters from Robert Engstrom Companies:
a. Richard Smith
b. Mary Jean Dupuis
7. Department of Health Information – Well Setbacks
ORDER OF BUSINESS:
- Introduction ....................................................... Community Development Director
- Report by Staff .................................................. Community Development Director
- Questions from the Commission ............................ Chair & Commission Members
- Public Comments ............................................................................................. Chair
- Discussion by the Commission .............................. Chair & Commission Members
- Action by the Commission ..................................... Chair & Commission Members
BUSINESS ITEM 4a – PUBLIC HEARING